Inside iSoccer.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 20, 2010

San Francisco, CA and Olathe, KS – Kansas Youth Soccer and iSoccer Inc. are excited to announce a partnership to help raise the technical level of youth soccer players throughout the state of Kansas.

Starting in September, Kansas Youth Soccer will begin using iSoccer’s award winning technical assessment and online video training platform to improve and track the technical development of players in the state’s Olympic Development Program.

Kansas Youth Soccer ODP coaches will use the assessment results to build targeted technical sessions to supplement team training.  This additional resource will provide players and parents guided video training instruction, carefully designed by Kansas Youth Soccer’s Director of Coaching Mark Sheldon, which can be downloaded to an iPod and performed at home.  According to Sheldon, “In ODP, we have limited access to assist in the technical proficiency of our players.  With iSoccer, players will have the resources necessary to learn, practice, and assess themselves to improve their technical abilities.  If a player is truly committed to become the best soccer player possible, they will be able to self-train beyond scheduled practices and become the players that they want to be.”

iSoccer will be included free of charge to ODP players throughout the state.  Assessment results will be used as benchmarks for setting goals and encouraging individual technical improvement, not for player selection.  Players and their parents will receive emails notifying them of how to download their training sessions.

“Kansas Youth Soccer and Kansas ODP are very excited to partner with iSoccer to further enhance the developmental opportunities of our players.  The resources that players have access to will allow them to individualize their own development as soccer players based on their weaknesses and areas for further development.  The ability to self assess, view videos with activities to practice, and then re-assess to determine improvement in each of the technical areas will allow players who are motivated to take ownership of their technical development. The game is so much more enjoyable when the basic skills are mastered and you can raise the level of your play. “

Players will also be able to create their own customized training sessions from over 500 training exercises, build a four week individual training program, set improvement goals, and view their own assessment analysis online.  iSoccer is an innovative, hi-tech supplement to coaching that Kansas Youth Soccer will utilize to help motivated players maximize their potential.

“We are excited to work with the committed Kansas Youth Soccer staff to help improve technical player development throughout the state of Kansas.  This partnership is another great step forward in our campaign to raise the standards of youth soccer in the entire country.” said iSoccer Founder Scott Leber.

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About Kansas Youth Soccer
The Kansas State Youth Soccer Association, Inc. was officially recognized by US Youth Soccer/USSF in 1981 as the sanctioned youth soccer organization for the state of Kansas. The purpose of this association is to promote, foster and perpetuate the game of soccer in the entire state of Kansas. Kansas Youth Soccer is a not-for-profit
Kansas corporation and has 501(C)(3) status. For more information, visit http://www.kansasyouthsoccer.org/.

About iSoccer
iSoccer is an award winning, online training and coaching platform that provides players, coaches and clubs with the tools and motivation to improve the technical ability of youth soccer players. Players, teams and clubs are able to assess their current level using the proprietary iSoccer Assessment, analyze their strengths and weaknesses using sophisticated tracking tools, target their training with a customized practice session builder and download over 500+ iPod ready video clips to help raise their technical level through self-guided training. For more information, please visit www.iSoccer.org.

For Immediate Release

Michigan State Youth Soccer Association and iSoccer Partner to offer Technical Player Development Technology

San Francisco, CA and Plymouth, MI June 9, 2010 – Michigan State Youth Soccer Association and iSoccer Inc. are excited to announce a partnership to help raise the technical level of youth soccer players throughout the state of Michigan.

Starting in August, MSYSA will begin using iSoccer’s award winning technical assessment and online video training platform to improve and track the technical development of players in the state’s Olympic Development Program.

MSYSA coaches will use the assessment results to build targeted technical sessions to supplement team training.  This additional resource will provide players and parents guided video training instruction, carefully designed by State Director of Coaching Bryan Thorp, which can be downloaded to an iPod and performed at home.

According to Thorp, “As coaches, we have limited access to the players.  iSoccer provides potential for regular access for those players looking to improve their technical abilities.  It provides an opportunity for self training for the self motivated soccer athlete.”

iSoccer will be included free of charge to ODP players throughout the state.  Assessment results will be used as benchmarks for setting goals and encouraging individual technical improvement, not for player selection.  Players and their parents will receive emails notifying them of how to download their training sessions.

Players will also be able to create their own customized training sessions from over 500 training exercises, build a four week individual training program, set improvement goals, and view their own assessment analysis online.  iSoccer is an innovative, hi-tech supplement to coaching that MSYSA will utilize to help motivated players maximize their potential.

“We are thrilled to be working with MSYSA.  Having come through the Michigan ODP system myself, it’s especially exciting to be a part of player development here in my home state” said iSoccer VP of Marketing Abe Geiger.

For more information about MSYSA, visit www.msysa.net
For more information about iSoccer, visit www.iSoccer.org
The National Standards Project, visit www.TheStandardsProject.org

Youth Soccer Training Goes High Tech as NSCAA and US Club Soccer Sponsor “The National Standards Project” powered by iSoccer

Youth Soccer training around the country will utilize online video and high tech assessment techniques when The NSCAA and US Club Soccer support the National Standards Project and incorporate iSoccer Assessment software into their coaching education, player development, and marketing initiatives starting in June 2010.

San Francisco, CA June 1, 2010 — In an effort to raise the level of technical ability across the country, the NSCAA (National Soccer Coaches Association of America) and US Club Soccer are going high tech to measure, assess and train the future soccer stars of America.  In partnership with iSoccer, the leader in technical assessment and online youth soccer training software, the NSCAA and US Club Soccer will be participating in The National Standards Project, a long-term initiative to measure, benchmark and track the technical ability of the 18.2 million soccer players in the US.

To ensure a representative sample, iSoccer will collect 1,000,000 assessment results from players and coaches around the country by the end of 2010. Scott Leber, iSoccer’s Founder and CEO explained: “if our collective goal as coaches is to produce more technical players, we need to start by determining our current technical level.  Once we have standard benchmarks, we will be able to evaluate and improve our player development efforts.” With their youth soccer expertise and combined memberships of roughly 1.5 million players and 40,000 coaches, the NSCAA and US Club Soccer will be instrumental in achieving these goals.

“This partnership and initiative is representative of NSCAA’s mission to help our members excel in their coaching careers through advancing the coaching of soccer and improving players,” states Joe Cummings, NSCAA CEO and Executive Director.

“For more years than I care to admit, I have advocated the need for improved technical ability in our players as the number one priority in American soccer,” said Phil Wright, Chairman of US Club Soccer’s Board of Directors. “Often the first step in improving anything, whether in sport or in business, is to assess the current ‘status quo.’ This joint venture between iSoccer, the NSCAA and US Club Soccer will provide that critical first step. I have put players through the iSoccer program and they have thoroughly enjoyed seeing their individual improvement over time.”

iSoccer becomes the official “Assessment Provider” of the NSCAA and US Club Soccer. The NSCAA becomes the “Official Coaching Education Partner” and US Club Soccer becomes the “Official Player Development Partner” of The National Standards Project. All National Assessment tools are free for both coaches and players at www.TheStandardsProject.org.  Additionally, the NSCAA is sponsoring one-month free premium iSoccer memberships for every coach who registers during the month of June.  US Club Soccer will also sponsor player upgrades for specific premium content in the coming months.

About iSoccer
iSoccer is an award winning, online training and coaching platform that provides players, coaches and clubs with the tools and motivation to improve the technical ability of youth soccer players. Players, teams and clubs are able to assess their current level using the proprietary iSoccer Assessment, analyze their strengths and weaknesses using sophisticated tracking tools, target their training with a customized practice session builder and download over 500+ iPod ready video clips to help raise their technical level through self-guided training.

www.iSoccer.org

About NSCAA
Based in Kansas City, Kan., the NSCAA is the largest coaches’ organization in the United States. Since its founding in 1941, it has grown to include more than 30,000 members who coach both genders at all levels of the sport. In addition to a national rankings program for colleges and high schools, NSCAA offers an extensive recognition program that presents nearly 10,000 individual awards every year. It fulfills its mission of coaching education through a nationwide program of clinics and week-long courses, teaching more than 6,000 soccer coaches each year.

www.NSCAA.com

About US Club Soccer
US Club Soccer is a non-profit organization whose mission is to develop competitive club soccer in the United States. A member of the United States Soccer Federation since July 2001, US Club Soccer has grown to include member clubs and leagues in 50 states. In addition to sanctioning and administering tournaments, leagues and other competitions as well as offering a range of programs for its members, US Club Soccer annually conducts the National Cup and the National Collegiate Showcase. US Club Soccer also directs its own player identification and development program – id².

www.usclubsoccer.org

Contact:
Abe Geiger, VP of Marketing
iSoccer, Inc.
(650)544-5479
abe.geiger@iSoccer.org

We’re very excited to announce our second State Association partnership.  Following our successful implementation with Ohio Youth Soccer Association North, Alaska Youth Soccer has already gotten underway.  Read the complete announcement below and stay tuned, more State Association and National governing bodies will be announced very soon!

Alaska Youth Soccer Association and iSoccer Partner to offer Technical Player Development Technology

San Francisco, CA and Ketchikan, AK May 26, 2010 – Alaska Youth Soccer Association (AYSA) and iSoccer LLC are excited to announce a partnership to help raise the technical level of youth soccer players throughout the state of Alaska.

Last week, AYSA began using iSoccer’s award winning technical assessment and online video training platform to improve and track the technical development of players in the state’s Olympic Development Program.

AYSA coaches will use the assessment results to build targeted technical sessions to supplement team training.  This additional resource will provide players and parents guided video training instruction, carefully designed by State Director of Coaching Frank Trovato, which can be downloaded to an iPod and performed at home.

According to Trovato, “This system is a “go to” for every team and player.  At all youth levels, the norms of a practice or two a week and a game (or less), simply isn’t enough time for players to internalize the skills they are being taught, regardless of the teacher or method of teaching.  iSoccer allows individual players and families a guided framework to play at home, in the backyard, or a gym to increase their skills and ultimate enjoyment of the game.”

iSoccer will be included free of charge for the roughly 200 ODP players in the state.  Assessment results will be used as benchmarks for setting goals and encouraging individual technical improvement, not for player selection.  Players and their parents will receive emails notifying them of how to download their training sessions.

“For Alaska and its ODP, the cost-free and insightful program will always provide the motivated and talented players a long-term pathway of focus to achieve technical proficiency.  We are even more pleased to see this program developed in the United States by collegiate professionals who demonstrate their understanding of player development and the geographic challenges in the US, which is unique to any country in the world.” added Trovato.

Players will also be able to create their own customized training sessions from over 500 training exercises, build a four week individual training program, set improvement goals, and view their own assessment analysis online.  iSoccer is an innovative, hi-tech supplement to coaching that AYSA will utilize to help motivated players maximize their potential.

“We are thrilled to be working with Alaska Youth Soccer.  It is very exciting to be able to help young players raise their level throughout the state of Alaska” said iSoccer National Coaching Director Rob Becerra.

For more information about AYSA, visit www.alaskayouthsoccer.org
For more information about iSoccer, visit www.iSoccer.org

The Obama administration has endorsed an effort to introduce a uniform set of national educational standards know as the Common Core State Standards Initiative. See excerpts from the NY Times article and download the full report below. Considering that this initiative and our own National Standards Project (NSP) follow very similar logic, we’ll go ahead and assume that the Obama administration would endorse our efforts as well if winning World Cups was on it’s agenda.

See the five steps below, pulled directly from the report issued by the National Governors Association, the Council of Chief State School Officers, and Achieve, Inc. (Click here to download the full 52 page report).

Change a few words and presto, it starts to sound a lot like the National Technical Standards Project.

An important point of distinction between the education movement and the NSP is that we have already developed the standardized assessment protocols (the iSoccer Assessment) as well as the platform to distribute the assessment and collect assessment data (iSoccer.org). Determining which skills and training techniques should be emphasized and mastered at each level of development is the next phase of the NSP, one we look forward to undertaking with our various strategic partners. Before we do that we need to measure our baseline: to find out where we are today to better inform the way we improve in the future. Learn how you can participate at www.TheStandardsProject.org.

Read the Full Article:
“Panel Proposes Single Standard for All Schools”
by Sam Dillon, New York Times

Excerpts from the article:

A panel of educators convened by the nation’s governors and state school superintendents proposed a uniform set of academic standards on Wednesday, laying out their vision for what all the nation’s public school children should learn in math and English, year by year, from kindergarten to high school graduation.

The new proposals could transform American education, replacing the patchwork of standards ranging from mediocre to world-class that have been written by local educators in every state.

I’d say this is one of the most important events of the last several years in American education,” said Chester E. Finn Jr., a former assistant secretary of education who has been an advocate for national standards for nearly two decades. “Now we have the possibility that for the first time, states could come together around new standards and high school graduation requirements that are ambitious and coherent. This is a big deal.

The Obama administration quickly endorsed the effort. Under the Department of Education’s Race to the Top initiative, in which states are competing for a share of $4 billion in school improvement money, states can earn 40 points of the possible 500 for participating in the common effort and adopting the new standards. Under current law, there is no penalty for states that choose not to participate.

www.iSoccer.org

Tomorrow morning (Thursday April 22) I’ll be speaking on a panel at the Urban Soccer Symposium in Washington DC. We’ll be discussing the role quantifiable, objective soccer metrics and quality standards play in helping socially oriented soccer organizations achieve their goals. Through our partnership with America SCORES we have witnessed the impact first hand and look forward to working with other organizations that use soccer to improve lives.

Here is the full session description.

Program Quality Standards : The Components of “Healthy” Youth Development Programs

Measureable positive results are essential to the development of a strong program.  It is also the key to sustainable funding.  In order to achieve both of these goals, certain quality standards must be in place. In this session, you will learn what those are and how to assess/improve your programs.

Moderator:
Nelda Brown, Academy For Educational Development (AED), Center on Youth Development and Engagement

Panelists:
Megan Bartlett, Up2Us
Amy Skeen, Monique Turner, Kristi Skala, Girls in the Game
Abe Geiger, iSoccer.org

www.iSoccer.org

If you’ve been following this blog you’ve probably seen and heard a lot of the feedback we’ve received from coaches about their iSoccer experiences.  Fortunately, sometimes those coaches also pass along responses from their players and parents.  Tom Turner, the Director of Coaching for the Ohio Youth Soccer Association North, shared this email he received from one of his ’97 Girls ODP players:

Coach Tom;

I recently looked at the iSoccer program that you sent to me and everyone on the team. I reviewed the program and saw that it was a great way for players to train outside of soccer practice. I thought iSoccer was so cool, I spent the rest of my morning after getting ready for school (before my bus came) looking at the website and messing with my profile. I love that videos also come on the site, because when someone tells you to do a move, you might not understand and not get the move. This way players can practice, develop skills, and train even on the off season. I like the site and felt the need to tell you. Thank You!

- (Ohio North ODP, Girls ’97 player)

Thanks for sharing this feedback Tom, it’s great to hear that your players are excited about using it to improve at home!

Have you used iSoccer as a player, parent, or coach? Have you had a positive experience? We’d love to hear about it. Leave a comment below, post on our facebook fan page, or email us at support@iSoccer.org; we look forward to hearing from you.

www.iSoccer.org

The first ever game at the new Red Bull Arena against Santos was an all-around excellent soccer experience. We couldn’t have asked for better weather and getting to the stadium on the Path train from the city was a piece of cake. The Santos fans brought their drums, which livened up the atmosphere outside. And of course, the 3-1 result in favor of the home team, mixed with some entertaining, highly technical play from the Brazilians, made for a great night of soccer.

Luckily I captured captain Mike Petke’s goal (the second of the three) and the ensuing crowd revelry on tape.  Watch the video and click on the image thumbnails to see them full size. The images below show the first goal.  Look at them in order to see the free kick, the rebound, and the celebration.

First Ever Goal in Red Bull Arena:

iSoccer: www.iSoccer.org

We are very excited to announce our first official iSoccer camps in the Southern Hemisphere coming up next month in Wellington, New Zealand.  Through a new partnership with Ole Academy, the iSoccer Assessment will be incorporated into the three day April camps for players between the ages of 7 and 12.  Included in the camp fees, players will receive an iSoccer subscription allowing them to utilize the recommended technical training sessions before and after the camp.

“Ole Soccer Academy is very excited to partner with iSoccer.  We believe that individualizing training and quantifying performance are two of the most important ingredients for a successful player development environment, and iSoccer gives us the platform to do both.  iSoccer motivates players of all ages and skill levels and shows what it takes to be a technically proficient footballer.  We can’t wait to compare the NZ players with US players.” – Ole Academy Director and former USL player Nate Winkel.

About Ole Academy:
Ole Academy combines its proven ability and experience, with one of New Zealand’s top soccer facilities and an internationally qualified staff to deliver unparalleled results for its players. Alumni and board members include current New Zealand National Team players Ryan Nelsen and Simon Elliott as well as former full and youth internationals such as Mike Wilson, Craig Henderson, Daniel Keats, Nick Robson, and Jake Gleeson to name a few. Both Nelson and Elliott played collegiately at Stanford University and have since plied their trade in the English Premier League and Major League Soccer.

To learn more about iSoccer visit www.iSoccer.org

Congratulations to Nicole of the East Meadow Stars ’98 and Dan of the Hicksville Heat!  They were the winners of the iSoccer Toe Tap Competition hosted by Coastal Soccer at the recent Long Island Junior Soccer League Convention.  Nicole and Dan will receive a voucher redeemable for any Coastal Soccer camp or clinic held at Coastal Sports in Hauppauge, NY.

Over 100 players participated in the competition (sometimes more than once) and they all had a great time.  Thanks to Coastal for hosting the event at the LIJSL Convention and thanks to all of the players who participated.  We’ll be keeping an eye on the iSoccer Level of Long Island to watch you as you continue to raise your technical level.

To learn more about iSoccer visit www.iSoccer.org