June 29, 2009: Top 10 DA Goals - Day 3 (via ussoccerdotcom)
Steamboat Soccer Academy Blog
Jul 01
Men's National Team Lose but Wins American's Hearts
Is This the Loss They Need to Succeed in the World Cup?
June 28th, 2009 could be a turning point for the United States Men’s National Team. Over 3.1 million homes were tuned in to watch the Americans take on mighty Brazil in, if nothing else, an extremely entertaining 90 minutes of soccer. The game joined World Cup games against Germany (2002), Ghana (2006) and Colombia (1994) in the top four for all time viewership for a US match.
Despite the USMNT heartbreaking loss, the team has finally arrived onto the world scene and demands respect from even the toughest of opponents; just talk to the former world #1 Spain. In only 2 weeks time the US MNT has gone from a squad that was on the outside looking in, to a team that (if can stay fit) has a legitimate chance to not only qualify but compete on the finest of world stages: The World Cup.
In the past the U.S. might have chalked the loss up to a ‘moral victory.’ Let’s be honest here, soccer is not America’s best sport and being runner up to Brazil in a FIFA sanctioned event 10 years ago would have been a miracle. But this isn’t 10 years ago and the team has gotten exponentially better.
Players learn from losing and it’s safe to say now more than ever before that the US MNT want the real thing. Maybe in future training sessions they’ll push themselves harder, practice longer and strive to become an overall better soccer squad.
When the Confederations Cup began, how many analysts or American soccer fans would pick them to be in the final match? Nobody!
They might not be expected to win international tournaments in future (few teams ever are) but they will certainly be expected to progress to the later stages of any competitions they enter.
That is a significant shift in status.
The rest of the soccer (futbol) world might hate to admit it, but the U.S. is now a team to respect.
Watch out for the Yanks!
Jun 29
U.S. Headed to the Semis?
Article By Drew Frey
Davies, Bradley & Dempsey all Score U.S. Goals
Playing in the ‘Group of Death,’ losing to Italy and Brazil by two and three goals respectfully and having surly packed their bags for their flight home, the Americans advance to the Semi-Finals of the Confederations Cup.
Against absolutely all odds, the Americans needed to beat Egypt by three goals while the Italians also had to lose by three.
With his first start since January, Charlie Davies scored in the 20’ with an all out scramble in front of the net. Essam El Hadary, the Egyptian keeper, collided with the knee of his defender Ahmed Fathi while trying to stop Davies, that resulted in a nasty cut to the top of his head. To add insult to injury (literally) Davies goal took a deflection off of El Hadary’s head before ending up in the back of the net.
1st Goal:
The second goal came courtesy of Michael Bradley, the perfect gift for his dad Bob on Father’s Day no less, in the 63’ off of a great counter and precise cross from Landon Donovan.
2nd Goal:
(Bradley is so excited he just down!)
No more then 7’ later in the 70’ Jonathan Spector hit Clint Dempsey with a fantastic cross of topnotch quality. I don’t think Mr. David Beckham himself would scoff at it! Dempsey did the rest and put the perfectly placed cross just inside the left post.
3rd Goal:
After the match, Dempsey had this to say: “We knew it was going to be a tough game,” said Dempsey. “The odds were against us and the chances of us going through were slim. All we could control was ourselves. Credit to all the guys and the coaching staff. We worked hard this whole tournament so far and believed in ourselves. Now it’s time to refocus and get ready for Spain.”
So amazingly the U.S. moved from dead last to second place in the group and will go head to head against the #1 World Ranked and European champion Spanish side this Wednesday. The Americans need to be pumping on all cylinders and try to replicate the performance against Egypt to match the quality of Sergio Ramos, Gerard Pique, Cesc Fabregas, David Villa and Fernando Torres.
No matter the result of Wednesday’s match, the Americans will be playing on Sunday in the final game of the Confederations Cup. Sunday’s game will be a consolation game for 3rd place.
“It’s gonna be fun,” the American captain said. “It’s a good team, a very good team, but we’re not willing to write it off and say it’s a loss. We’re gonna go for it.”
Jun 27
Jun 25
Jun 21
Summer Football Guide: Part 2 of 3
Article By Drew Frey
What to watch for the next 10 weeks to get your football fix.
This little ‘Guide’ is to provide you, the passionate football fan, with a wealth of options to get you through the next 10 weeks until the various leagues start up again. Whether you’re partial to Serie A, La Liga, AXPO Super League or the EPL, this post will help get you through these tough non-league action times.
UEFA Under 21 Championships
Every two years this highly anticipated tournament showcases the upcoming talent managers, reporters and fans will be talking about in the years to come. Sweden will host the 2009 Championship that has been the breeding ground of famous names such as Raul, Gattuso and Zinedine Zidane.
Italy has reigned supreme winning the tournament five times as England, Spain, (former) USSR, and the Netherlands not far behind with two wins apiece.
June 15th-23rd on Setanta Sports and Sky Sports
Notable Matchups:
June 15th: Spain v Germany
June 18th: Spain v England
June 19th: Sweden v Italy
June 22nd: Germany v England
June 23rd: Belarus v Italy
Semi Finals:
June 26th
Winner of Group A v Runner Up Group B
Winner Group B v Runner Up Group A
Final:
June 29th
Semi Final Winner I v Semi Final Winner II
Predictions Group A:
The lineup this year looks very good and will be hard to pick a winner. Anyone would be foolish not to include Italy on their list of favorites. The team was certainly in form during qualifying having won seven out of ten matches.
Serbia is also a good bet. The team finished on top of their group and qualified thanks to Gojko Kacar and his six goals. The Serbs have a newfound tradition finishing well in the U-21 championship. Runners up to Holland a couple years back, Serbia is continuing their rich history at this level.
Predictions Group B:
Spain’s ‘wunderkind’ Bojan Krkic is sure to impress this summer and help his country reach the final. The team won their group with a 100 percent record and only conceded two goals in the process. Although they looked lost against Switzerland in the playoffs, Spain still got the job done and are now on Europe’s big stage.
Players to Look Out For:
Mario Balotelli-Italy Striker Qualifying record: 3 Goals, 3 Appearances
Super Mario Balotelli compilation
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Gojko Kacar-Serbia Midfielder Qualifying record: 6 Goals, 8 Appearances
Bojan Krkic-Spain Striker Qualifying record: 3 Goals, 6 Appearances
Jun 08
What to Watch For Part 1/3 - Road to the World Cup
Article By Drew Frey
This little ‘Guide’ is to provide you, the passionate football fan, with a wealth of options to get you through the next 10 weeks until the various leagues start up again. Whether you’re partial to Serie A, La Liga, AXPO Super League or the EPL, this post will help get you through these tough non-league action times.
WORLD CUP QUALIFYING:
First and foremost there is the rather exciting World Cup Qualifying that no one should miss. Nearly every month you have the opportunity to watch two teams battle it out for pride and country. It’s always fun to watch your favorite player on the pitch with his country’s kit on running a little faster and putting forth more effort than when he’s playing at the club level.
When:
June and September are your best months to watch. All of the great football countries will be battling it out on the pitch. If you’re busy in July, don’t worry about it, unless you are an Egypt or Rwanda fan; they’re the only two countries in the world qualifying that month.
Notable Matchups:
USA vs MEXICO - August 8
BRAZIL vs ARGENTINA - September 5
SLOVAKIA vs CZECH REPUBLIC - September 5
ENGLAND vs CROATIA - September 5
Predictions:
After all of the qualifying, who will be making to the grand stage in South Africa next summer? Obviously 2006 World Champs Italy will be there. They are still an extremely powerful team that will overpower any group they find themselves in. Don’t forget about Holland, Spain (Euro 2008 champs,) Germany, France and England. They all look solid thus far as well.
Moving to South America you would have to say Brazil and Argentina are shoe-ins. Beyond that, it’s less straightforward to predict who will make it but Paraguay seems to be in good form as of late.
In the North America region it would be hard to imagine the USA not making it BUT after their staggering performance to Costa Rica last week, nothing is a sure thing. To that degree, I’d go so far as to say that this could be the year Mexico fails to qualify. Costa Rica looks impressive and will be a contender.
Asia isn’t exactly strong as a region but South Korea, Japan and Australia all stick out. Mark Schwarzer, the Fulham and Australian keeper, continues to impress and with a brick wall like him in the net the Aussies could match their amazing performance in the 2006 World Cup.
The African squads always seem to play well. Look out for Ghana, Ivory Coast and Nigeria. Let’s just hope Didier Drogba keeps his cool and restrains himself on the pitch this time.
Top 5 Soccer Podcasts, Websites, Blogs and Twitter Handles
Podcasts:
World Soccer Daily is the best if not one of the best football podcasts in the States. The show, hosted by Steve and Kenny, is completely irreverent, funny and unpredictable. Although the episodes are typically 2 hours long, it’s the best way to understand the intricacies of the game.
This is slowly becoming a favorite for football fans everywhere. The idea is simple: Take the best sound bites from BBC Five Live and combine them into a nightly cast. These episodes are short, ranging from 15-20 minutes, so if you don’t have much time and still want to be current, this is for you!
This Guardian sponsored podcast is not only informative but also funny. James Richardson and Barry Glendenning’s banter is what really attracts people to this show. Topics range from all things EPL, La Liga, Serie A and Bundesliga.
Tired of listening to an ‘expert’ discuss your favorite EPL team? Well you’ll want to download this podcast. Football FanCast is designed to run by the fans, for the fans, allowing them to voice their opinions and concerns.
Hosts Adriano Russo, Jon Harris-Bass and Dan Mason bring together all the info you need to stay up to date with the latest on the ‘Beautiful Game.’ Although the podcast is backed by worldwide TV giant ESPN, it lacks some of the fire or passion offered by the other pods.
Websites/Blogs:
Anymore these days the U.S. is producing top notch talent with the likes of Clint Dempsey, Maurice Edu & Carlos Bocanegra, but it’s hard to keep track of everyone. Yanks-Abroad has info on every American footballer overseas located conveniently on one site.
Christopher Harris (a.k.a. The Gaffer) started this little blog 4 years ago and is now the #1 Premiere League blog on the planet. It’s fun, corky and informative
No list of this kind would be complete without including the World’s governing body of football, Fifa. The website itself is visually pleasing but leaves a bit of a bland taste in your mouth after reading some of the articles.
I.LOVE.FOOTYTUBE. If you don’t have a subscription to Setanta or Sky Sports, Footy provides you with the latest video highlights and all of the goals from the major football leagues.
Channel 4’s official site for everything regarding Serie A.
Twitter Accounts:
Bonus:
Firefox extension that gives you live, up-to-date scores for the day’s matches of all the teams and leagues you decide to follow.
Pretty cool Facebook application that allows you to show your colors, view statistics and discuss the game with others.
Guest Article by Drew Frey
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Jun 05
Manchester United No Match for Barcelona
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL
Barca 2 Man Utd 0
Manchester United left Rome Wednesday night in utter ruins, as they were shunned off the pitch with one of the teams more ‘shoddy’ performances of the year. Barcelona, who supposedly couldn’t match the speed and attacking style of The Reds, looked superior in every department.
Cristiano Ronaldo was nowhere to be found after the 10th minute and consequently lost the incredibly hyped duel with Lionel Messi. This was not how an otherwise exceptional season was supposed to end. After all there were talks of destiny and claims to be the first club to win the famed European Cup in back to back seasons.
During the first 10 minutes of the match, it seemed that the champions of Europe would be Manchester. They attacked as soon as the whistle blew and after one minute Ronaldo was lining up a free kick (which he nearly put in.) Barcelona looked to be on their heels and unsure of how to handle the Red Devils. But with the breakdown of Anderson and Vidic, Eto’o toe-poked the ball past Van der Sar and Manchester never seemed to be in control again. Then in the 70th minute the smallest guy on the pitch, Lionel Messi put in a header from the six yard box thanks to a picture perfect cross from Xavi that sealed the match.
So how did Barca take down the eleven gladiators from Manchester? They did so with great consistency, playing their game and controlling the pace of play. Xavi, Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta as well as every footballer from Barcelona played well. But it was Xavi who made more passes than Ryan Giggs, Anderson and Carrick combined. Messi who seemed to be operating exclusively on Manchester’s side of the pitch, where he was a relentless menace and Iniesta who caused havoc on the left side where he routinely completed 65 of his 69 passes (94%).
It was thought that the experience of Sir Alex Ferguson would expose the young Pep Guardiola in his first campaign as Barca boss. However it was Guardiola who provided all the answers and completed the amazing treble of domestic league and cup and now Europe’s biggest prize at only 38. Guardiola became the youngest Champions League winning coach ever and one of six to lift the trophy as both player and manager.
It truly takes a great team to make United look average, let alone ugly, but Barca did so and no one, not even Sir Alex Ferguson denied the best side won.
Fergie told reporters: “In fairness we were beaten by the best team. We weren’t our best. When we did get possession we didn’t do well with it. Credit to them, the better team won.”
To make matters worse for Manchester United, they could be losing their star player. Ronaldo has refused to commit himself to the squad stating that, “My future for now is the national team. I don’t want to talk about clubs.” It seems Ronaldo could be heading to Real Madrid but then again, this could just be a repeat of last summer’s transfer drama between the two clubs.
Video Highlights:
Watch Barcelona v Manchester United in Sports Online | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com
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May 15
Blue Murder at Stamford Bridge
Guest Article by Drew Frey
1-1 Draw Overshadowed by Lack of Penalties, Schoolboy Tantrums and Abysmal Officiating
Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock the last few days you have undoubtedly heard of the UEFA Champions League fiasco that occurred last Wednesday. Chelsea looked to avenge last year’s defeat on penalties by Manchester United after Michael Essien’s stunning ninth-minute volley, but Andres Iniesta snatched a 93rd-minute equalizer to book Barcelona’s place in the final against United in Rome.
There is no doubt that Tom Henning Ovrebo left his contacts in his Oslo home before flying to England. The Norseman missed four clear penalties — one for a foul on Florent Malouda by Dani Alves, another by Eric Abidal on Drogba, and two handball shouts against Gerard Pique and Samuel Eto’o —that will surely enter him into football’s all time ‘Worst Ref’ list.
Barcelona’s defender Gerard Pique admitted that the ball touched his hand but said: ‘The ref can decide what he wants and he decided it was not a penalty. Sometimes the decision is wrong but I am just happy to qualify for the final.’
However it was Didier Drogba’s foul-mouthed outburst at Ovrebo at the end of time that stole the show and has prompted the European governing body to consider potential sanctions. As the Norwegian walked past Drogba, the Chelsea striker shouted into a television camera: ‘Are you watching this? It’s a disgrace! It is a **** disgrace!’ Not to be outdone Michael Ballack ran around the pitch chasing Ovrebo which was appalling and idiotic. These men might be experienced on the pitch, but they couldn’t have acted more childish and unprofessional if they had tried. Their actions have set an awful example for young up and coming football stars.
Barcelona’s coach Pep Guardiola was proud of his squad, praising their ability to battle back despite having Eric Abidal sent off it the 66th minute. But Pep will need more than high praise come May 27th. Barcelona will be facing quite possibly the best team in all of Europe and maybe the world. To make matters worse Barca will be at a severe disadvantage too with goal scoring Iniesta potentially on the bench with a reoccurring thigh injury he picked up on Sunday against Villarreal and Thierry Henry sidelined for the next 4 games with an anterior cruciate ligament injury. One this is for sure, this Champions League final will be one for the ages.
Jun 17
Jun 03
Freddy Delgado - Soccer Questions and Answer
This week we are luckly enough to have Freddy Delgado join us for a little Q&A. Freddy was recently named as head coach for the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Woman’s Soccer Program. Prior to UALR Freddy was the assistant coach for University of Louisiana at Monroe and has been a long time coach for the Steamboat Soccer Academy
SSA: What first got you involved in soccer?
Freddy: My Dad used to play soccer and when I was a kid he played in a men’s league. I used to go watch him and just started to play and just fell in love with the game. Really, the turning point for me was when I went to participate with my dad in a coaching course. I went to act as a demonstrator and I met a coach named Louis Dabo. He asked me to play on his select team and that was the start of my more intense soccer training.
SSA: Where did you player your high school and college ball?
Freddy: I played high school for Saint Marry’s high school out of Phoenix Arizona. From there I went to Regis University, a division 2 school in Denver Colorado. I was fortunate enough to play there for four years and was part some very good teams. I had some excellent teammates and really cherished my time there.
SSA: What position did you play?
Freddy: I was a central midfield. During my senior year they put me up top a little bit, but primarily I played central midfielder.
SSA: How did you get into coaching?
Freddy: I started because of my father. He started running his own skills camp during the summer time and when I was about 13 years old he asked me to help with the little kids. I helped coach these teams during the summer. When I turned 16 and I was able to drive, I actually got my own team and that is really where I got the coaching influence from.
SSA: How did you progress your coaching career?
Freddy: Each step kind of came naturally. I had some younger teams — U8 and U10 boys and girls. Then my Dad’s team needed another trainer. At the time I was 17 and they were U12’s. I started coaching them and from there we had some great success. They won state cup, went to Dallas cup made it out of our group. They did very well at regionals; it was just a great experience. At that point I realized I wanted to stay in the game. I went to college and worked camps over the summer time and as I got closer and closer to graduating, of course, my goal was to play in the brand new MLS league or the A league. As graduation came upon me I had couple opportunities that didn’t work out, but I knew I wanted to stay in the game. And the way to stay in the game was as a coach. I wasn’t fortunate enough to step in as a player anymore, so the next best thing was to coach.
SSA: What do you look for as a scout, and how do you build your team? 
Freddy: There are two different theories. The first one is when I go to different camps across the country. You always notice a player’s talent or technical abilities, but in camp settings you really get to know the person. Maybe someone didn’t shine or take your breath away the first time you watched them, but you really grow and learn to respect somebody as you get to know them throughout the week. Now over the course of 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 days you’re really able to judge them on a much fairer basis by being able to watch them multiple times a day, watching them in game settings and in training settings. When you go to recruit a player and you see them at a tournament it is a little bit different. You watch a player and you may think, “wow this is an unbelievable player,” but you’re always a little hesitant because you never really get to know their personality. You always in the back of your mind wonder, “was this a one time deal? Did this player just play the best game of his or her life?” From that point, when I am recruiting at tournaments, I look for good players but through the second step - through emails, phone calls and off campus visits - I really try and get to know the persons because that’s what is going to make someone successful at the college level. Not so much talent but personality - are they going to be able to stay for 4 years, are they going to remain eligible, are they good player off the field, are they going to be a good player in the classroom, are they going to be responsible socially? Those elements are what will make a great college player.
SSA: What would you tell a player who is interested in playing at the college level? What is that one thing they need to have to be successful?
Freddy: I think when you’re talking about playing at the college level it is never giving up. There is always a place to play. Now there are thousands of players that want to go to any particular school. The reality of it is there are only 20 – 24 roster spots for a University. So you may not be able to go to your first choice school. But if you really keep at it, there is going to be something else that pops up. Whether it is at the division 1, 2, 3, NAIA or even junior college level. There have been quite a few friends of mine and players that I have coached that the division 1 offer didn’t come out right after high school. But they went to the junior college, stayed eligible, earned good grades and they trained and worked hard. After they finished their two years they were able to go on to a division 1 school on a scholarship. There are other tremendous stories of people that were able to find a school last minute, for whatever circumstances - but that’s the thing: if you really want to play in college, you have to keep after it and follow your dreams. Sometimes when things don’t go your way you have to be strong enough to be patient and make things happen for yourself.
SSA: Favorite player?
Freddy: Favorite player of all time is probably Pelé but favorite at this time is Cristiano Ronaldo.
SSA: What team do you follow or support?
Freddy: I like Man U on the international scene; Arsenal before they lost Henry was a very nice team to watch, very creative and played with a lot of excitement. In the MLS, I like to watch the Rapids; I think the Rapids have improved tremendous over the last few seasons.
SSA: Do you have any advice for parents?
Freddy: One of the mistakes that I see a lot when it comes to recruiting is that I get a lot of emails, DVD’s, and other information from parents - they’re actually doing their child an injustice. Sometimes the parents want it more then the kid. As a coach I am not recruiting a parent, I am recruiting their son or daughter; in my case I am recruiting their daughter. I want to know that the young lady I am recruiting is taking an interest in her college education. What I tend to find is that most of those parents that have done all the paper work, that have done all the busy work for their son or daughter - they have done it out of great love for them but eventually what happens is that the child winds up quitting soccer as soon as the parent leaves the equation. It really hurts the child, my biggest suggestion for parents is to encourage and help your child in every way, but also get your child the responsibility to fend for his or her future.
Six Tips for a Successful Soccer Tournament
6. Don’t forget your music. Traveling can be stressful and boring—two things that are definitely not conducive to playing focused and at your best. Don’t for get your music player because it will save you from the zombie-like stupors long trips in the car or airplane may cause you. Once you settle in next to the pitch you’ll be playing on, turn on that song you love and then your socks, boots, guards, etc.—the better the song, the better focus you’ll have once that whistle blows.
5. Remember why you’re there. Traveling to tournaments are obviously meant to be fun—take advantage of the opportunities provided to you by enjoying wherever you go with your teammates and coaches. But remember that the money paid and the gas guzzled is so you can play the game. Don’t make “having fun” your priority unless it is on the field—and I can promise you this: playing badly individually or as a team because of a lack of focus off the field is not very fun, especially when it is a chance granted only for a limited time… Other opportunities might present themselves, but what happens on the pitch is what you’ll remember. My advice is to never leave a tournament with any regrets!
4. Eat right! Given, in the midst of travel this is easier said than done. Fast food seems to have been invented solely for the caravan or flying passenger who has little time and a huge appetite, so eater beware… Even if you think it won’t affect you—after all, you don’t play until tomorrow, right?—understand that a good diet starting 2-3 days before a tournament that lasts throughout will bring results. You’ll wake up easier, have more energy, and play better if your body has what it needs and doesn’t have what can hurt it. Carbohydrate foods like pasta, whole-wheats and grains and fruits and vegetables are a sure thing because carbs are essential to the body before and after any strenuous activity that lasts around 2 hours. Another tip: try and eat as fresh as you can—processed foods contain ridiculously high amounts of sodium and little nutritional value in terms of vitamins and minerals, whereas fresh foods digest the quickest (important if you are eating in between two games) and have high amounts of the vitamins and minerals your body needs to recover from strenuous activity. You’ll likely go out for dinner a few nights, so I beg you…stay away from the sampler plate at Chili’s! Don’t gorge yourself; instead, try and pack a lot of healthy snacks like apples, bananas and bagels to keep your body satisfied throughout the day without stretching your stomach. Remember the first 30 minutes after a game are the most vital, replenish quickly. A few places I find to have a good assortment of good options are places like Noodles and Company, Panera Bread, and Qdoba or Chipotle. Remember no matter where you eat it is a matter of portions and staying away from heavy cheeses, sour creams and side items that will only slow you down during the game.
3. Sleep…smart. I say “smart” because much like boring car rides, too much sleep is a sure way to dull your senses when it’s time to play. If traveling to a game that day, be sure to wake up and be alert for at least 30 minutes to an hour before you get to the field. If you are staying in a hotel and your game is the following day, get up and get breakfast early. Rest is imperative if your body wants a chance to produce over a period of three to maybe 6 days of serious activity, but getting proper rest is not simply equivalent to the number of hours slept; going to sleep at 2 am and sleeping right up until you need to be at the field at 12 PM is not the same as turning off the lights at 9 or 10 PM and waking up at 7 AM. One thing that many players overlook is that waking up earlier means your body will have more time to digest the food you eat—if you eat at all (sleeping until game time is a great way to forget to eat before a game)—and enough time to shake off that reluctance to act and think with intention—drowsiness. What your body tells you when you first wake up (that it needs more sleep) is a lie. Realize this and you’ll have an edge come game time.
2. Leave it all on the field. Usually you’ll have at least two or three games to play no matter what, and hopefully, the quarters, semis and finals after that. Be conscious that if your first or second game doesn’t go so well for whatever reason, stay positive and intent on doing well in the next match. Tempers may flare, but above all else stay positive with your teammates—there is nothing that can affect a team worse than having a bad sense of camaraderie before the next match even begins. Teams that win tournaments are not always the most skilled or the biggest and fastest; they are, however, always a team that is in tune with one another and on the same page. Individuality and teamwork work best together when each player knows his or her role. I advise you to find yours and do whatever you can to keep your team a cohesive and positive unit…when that happens good things come.
1. Stay hydrated. When it comes to your body’s ability to perform and recover during a tournament, staying hydrated is its primary concern. Therefore, it should be your top priority to make sure you have enough water during the day while you play, and to also stay conscious of your hydration needs off the field. This means going everywhere with a water bottle in hand—on and off the field. The summer months comprise the majority of the tournament season because the weather is beautiful, but beautiful also means hot. Not hydrating properly means you’ll hit that wall even sooner, no matter what your fitness level may be.
So enjoy your tournament! Stay entertained, but focused; eat right, but eat smart; sleep, but not too much; and build the bonds between you and your teammates. Do these things, and you might just come home with a trophy.
