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"Please tell David thanks for the advice! The soccer DVDs came in Yesterday. I watched the April Heinrick's "Training Girls and Women to Win" disk 1 last night and LOVED it for many reasons. I appreciate your reviews and have found them to be very accurate. There are so many DVD's out there and many that I have watched are not that good. It is nice to be able to turn to your site to see which ones are really worth spending the money...Thanks again!" --Alison, USA

How We Rate Videos and Books: We have watched over 220 soccer coaching videos (DVD's and tapes) and read over 70 soccer coaching books. Unfortunately, most are not good, many are a complete waste of time and money, and some are actually counterproductive. We only sell videos and books that we truly believe are the best and worth buying, and that we can give 4 or 5 star ratings (on a scale of 1-5, with 5 being the best). Our ratings consider the quality, length and value of an item, how it compares to other similar DVD’s, and how well it meets the needs of the targeted audience. We reject about 90% of the videos we watch.

Category: Skills, Footwork/Dribbling, Attacking, Defending, Girls Soccer Training, Fitness, Motivation, Speed and Quickness Training, Tactics, Drills and Practice Games, Aggressive Play

Recommended For:: Every coach of U-8 and older should own this, girls coaches, boys coaches, Rec, Travel and School Coaches. It's that good. We also recommend it for all girls ages 10 and older who are serious players and for all parents who want to help their girls become better players.

Overview: We love this DVD Set. This is the best comprehensive soccer coaching DVD set we've ever seen, and we've watched over 200 soccer videos. After watching these DVD's we've become big fans of April Heinrichs, and we believe you will too. She is a great coach and a wonderful role model to young players. She's up-beat, full of energy, enthusiastic, nice, positive and fun to watch. This set shows girls and is designed for girls and girls coaches, but it would also be great for any boys coach, and it would be a great present for any female player U-8 or older. If you are a girls coach of a team U-8 or older you should watch these. If you are a boys coach you should also watch them, they're that good. If you want to learn how to coach or to become a better coach, you should buy this.

April Heinrichs is a winner and you can see that after watching these for 10 minutes. We saw these offered online for $100, and they're worth it. At our price they're a real bargain.

It is truly an exceptional value and you will be glad you bought it. It covers skills, tactics, motivation and fitness. The players in these videos are high-level select players.

Review: These DVD's cover a lot of material and it's all done in a concise, effective way. We love this DVD set and at this price it's a real bargain. This the best soccer coaching DVD set we've ever seen and we've watched over 200 soccer videos. If you want to learn how to coach or to become a better coach, you should buy this, and if you only buy one thing, this is what you should buy. Every coach (girls, boys, men, women, Rec, travel and school) of U-8 and older should own this- it's that good. Here's what the DVD's cover:

DVD 1: Passing, receiving, 1 v 1 attacking, 2 v 1 attacking (including overlaps, wall passes and takeovers), goal setting and an excellent game named Combat to develop toughness and aggressive play. (The section on goal setting is excellent - the best we've ever seen).

DVD 2: Heading, dribbling, moves, 1 v 1 defending, 1 v 2 defending, mental toughness, fitness, speed training and agility training.

DVD 3: Shooting, finishing, volleying, 2 v 2 attacking, 3 v 3 attacking, 2 v 2 defending, 3 v 3 defending, hydration, nutrition, strength training and "affirmations" (positive self-talk).

Navigation: Navigation is excellent with Chapters and Sub-Chapters. I find the opening of these DVDs somewhat irritating. You can fast forward to the Main Menu that says "Play Sections". Use your arrows to select one and press "Enter". If you have a problem, try the Menu button.

April Heinrichs: No one can match April Heinrichs' experience and success as a player and coach. She was Soccer America's "Player of the Decade" for the 1980's, a 3 time All American at the University of North Carolina where she scored 87 goals in 90 games and Coach Anson Dorrance said she was one of the best he has ever seen at 1 v 1 attacking, in 1998 she was the first female player voted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame, Captain of the World Cup Championship team in 1991, Head Coach of the U.S. U-16 Girl's National Team, Head Coach at the University of Virginia, and Head Coach of the U.S. Women's National Team. In brief, she was one of the best women's players to ever play and is now one of the best coaches. When you watch these DVD's, you will see that April Heinrichs is very skillful with the ball, very competitive (she's a winner), and that she is an excellent, likable coach who motivates players in a positive way. After watching these DVD's we've become big fans of April Heinrichs, and we believe you will too. She is a great coach, very likable and a wonderful role model to young players, both girls and boys. She's upbeat, full of energy, enthusiastic, nice, positive and fun to watch. I've talked to April and she is very smart, nice and polite. She was kind enough to give her thoughts on what youth coaches should emphasize in practice. Click here to read April Henrich's tips for youth coaches.

Overview of DVD 1: Passing, receiving, 1 v 1 attacking, 2 v 1 attacking (including overlaps, wall passes and takeovers), goal setting and an excellent game to develop toughness and aggressive play. (The section on goal setting is excellent - the best we've ever seen).

Detailed Contents of DVD 1:

0:00	Introduction of April Heinrichs
1:46	Qualities of a good pass (accuracy, pace, timing, disguise)
2:37	Push Pass (inside of foot pass) Demonstration - Excellent!
3;25	Push Pass Pairs (like our "Passing Pairs" game)
3:46	Star Passing Exercise - This would be a good pre-game warm up
4:20	Review of Push Pass Technique
4:33	Instep Pass Demonstration - Very good
5:10	Review of Instep Pass ("Laces" pass) technique-Excellent
5:33	Triangle Passing Exercise - (Our "Chips/Lofted Passes" game is better)
6:20	Bending the Ball - Excellent demonstration
7:02	Bending the Ball Exercise - Good
7:49	Advanced 4 v 2 Exercise ("Keep Away")
8:52	Advanced Long Ball Game - Good
10:50	Receiving - Excellent! ("catching, cushioning, controlling")
12:00	Principles of Receiving - Excellent Demonstrations!
14:20	3 v 1 Exercise Demonstration
15:00	Advanced Pressure Training Exercise
16:07	1 v 1 Attacking
16:45	1 v 1 Attacking Exercise (Coaches, watch this. You will see one reason April is a great coach.)
18:25	1 v 1 Attacking with small goals. Coach Heinrichs' tips here are great
19:35	Flying Changes Game- This is good for Travel teams (1 v 1 Attacking/Defending)
20:50	Coach Heinrichs' Attacking Tips-Very Good
21:35	Advanced Flying Changes Game - Excellent for advanced teams
22:45	2-Way 1 v 1 (Attacking/Defending Game) - Excellent for advanced players
24:30	Advanced 4 v 4
25:40	2 v 1 Attacking - demonstrations of a "takeover", an "overlap" and a "wall pass"
26:40	2 v 1 Attacking (more examples and description of an "overlap" and of a "wall pass")
27:40	2 v 1 Attacking on Large Goals
29:16	An excellent demonstration of how a "takeover" can be used in attacking
30:20	Excellent demonstration of an "overlap" in play
30:32	Demonstration of a "wall pass" in play
30:46	3 v 3 plus 2 Game
32:10	Economical Training - This means combining 2 or more components into training. These games involve competition. All of our Premium games involve competition. The Figure 8 race is like our "Inside/Outside Figure 8 Race". Our games are better than dribbling thru cones.
35:40	Dribbling moves and fast footwork
36:02	Juggling
36:45	1 v 1
39:40	"Combat" Game - a physical, aggressive game- this is great and will teach girls and boys to be more physical and aggressive. Coaches, watch this! Excellent fitness training.
43:40	11 v 11
44:05	April Heinrichs on Goal Setting. This is great and an example of why April Heinrichs has been so successful. Truly. This is very, very good and important. Everyone should watch this - coaches, players and parents. It's that good. Coach Heinrichs explains Goal Setting to a group of players. You should watch this with your players and if you have children, watch it with them. The value of this goes far beyond soccer and everyone can benefit from watching this. This is important to being successful and winning, and is an important part of a training program. She says goal-setting is the foundation of success in soccer and in life. Goal setting is like a map for how to get where you want to go by the most direct route. If you don’t know where you want to go, how are you going to get there? She explains the difference between a hope, a wish, a prayer and a goal: a goal is specific, observable, measurable in the amount of time or frequency, and should be worded in a positive way. Benefits of Goal-setting: Goals help you become accountable, they give you persistence in the face of adversity, they help you “get there” in a specific, concise and economical manner, and they direct your behavior by committing you to a path to achieve your goals. There are “Performance Goals” (also called “process goals”) and “Outcome Goals”. She recommends focusing on Performance Goals because those are the goals a player can control (Performance Goals are goals relating to a players actions or performance, such as improving speed, not arguing with the Ref, etc., as opposed to an “outcome goal” such as “winning the game”, which a player has little control over. Perhaps for a coach, a performance goal might be to not sound angry or to not allow a goal on a breakaway). There are 4 types of Performance Goals in soccer: Technical, Tactical, Physical and Psychological. She recommends focusing on short-term goals so you can see results. Mistakes to avoid when setting goals: Don’t set goals that are too hard, too easy, unrealistic, or can’t be measured.
62:10	Out-takes
62:40	End

Overview of DVD 2: Heading, dribbling, moves, 1 v 1 defending, 1 v 2 defending, mental toughness, fitness, speed training and agility training.

Detailed Contents of DVD 2:

Minute	Topic
0:00	Introduction of April Heinrichs (Same as on DVD 1)
1:53	Heading demonstration - 3 teaching drills are shown
5:30	Defensive heading vs. offensive heading
5:55	2 v 2 Head Juggling Game
6:30	2 v 2 Chip & Head Game
7:25	Flankenschpeil Game (4 v 4 heading)
8:57	Dribbling demonstration (sole, outside of foot, inside of foot) - we recommend our dribbling games for practice, especially "Dribble Across A Square", because they involve pressure, match-like conditions and competition
13:09	Figure 8 Dribbling Game (like our "Inside/Outside Figure 8 Race") - This is a very good game. Require players to use their "strong" foot in the first game and their "weak" foot in the 2nd game. First to 10 wins.
13:39	Dribbling and soccer moves
14:06	Triangle Move (Good)
14:35	Inside/Outside Move (Good)
15:00	Behind the Leg Outside Move (Good)
15:20	Top of the Ball, Outside Move (Good)
15:43	Squares Game. This is an okay way to practice moves for travel players. It probably won't work very well for Rec.
16:54	Advanced dribbling
17:05	Inside/Outside
17:17	Behind the Leg
17:32	Top of Ball Outside
17:47	The "U" Foot Skills Drill
19:42	1 v 1 Attacking (Penetration, beating the defender, change of direction, change of speed)
20:11	Excellent Coaching Tip: In the Attacking Third of the field, attackers should be encouraged to go at defenders, take over games and make a difference in winning
21:00	1 v 1 Defending (Principles of Defense - -"Pressure", "Control", "Dictate" by forcing the Attacker one way, "Tackling", "Patience", when and how to tackle. The "Block Tackle" (demonstrated at minute 27:11), - This is outstanding, the best we've seen for a concise explanation of 1 v 1 defending.
28:05	1 v 1 Defending Game
28:35	Advanced 1 v 1 Defending Game--THIS IS EXCELLENT! (Pressure,Dictating/Channeling,Drop Steps, Quick Feet)
32:31	When To Tackle? (When the attacker mistouches the ball, when you have support and your support tells you to tackle and before the attacker shoots or passes to someone who can shoot)
33:08	2 Way 1 v 1 with tackling
34:08	Back to Pressure Defending (intercept the pass if you can, if you can't intercept arrive when the ball arrives, pressure and drive the attacker back, if she faces you "Delay and Dictate").
35:28	1 v 2 Defending (1 Defender and 2 Attackers) (Seeing both attackers, creating a 1 v 1, Pressuring, Tackling, Delay, Recover if beat)-Teaching tough, aggressive defense.
39:40	Advanced 1 v 2 Defending - -Excellent! Watch this.
41:20	Advanced 1 v 2 Defending Game
41:45	Fitness - Travel Coaches: Make your players watch this!
42:50	How to improve speed and agility -"Sockers" - This is an excellent training method
44:50	Speed training (we suggest jumping over disk cones and do not recommend jumping over another person, because someone might get hurt).
47:25	Sprint training- -This is excellent (Sprints, high knees, running, butt kicks, bounding to teach legs to explode, overstrikes, and high knees skipping)
54:45	Shuttle training (fitness and mental toughness training)
56:40	Important Tip: The serious soccer player gets no benefit from simply jogging- -jogging will not advance your fitness or performance, runs will. A run should be kept under 3 miles. Try to finish hard.
57:45	Mental Toughness. Mental toughness is critical to long-term success. This is excellent. Watch this with your players, or with your children. This is probably what makes players like April and Mia Hamm so good. She recommends playing against boys and against older teams as ways to improve.
69:55	Out-Takes
70:30	End

Overview of DVD 3: Shooting, finishing, volleying, 2 v 2 attacking, 3 v 3 attacking, 2 v 2 defending, 3 v 3 defending, hydration, nutrition, strength training and "affirmations" (positive self-talk).

Detailed Contents of DVD 3:

Minute	Topic
0:00	Introduction of April Heinrichs (Same as on DVD's 1 and 2)
1:50	Shooting/Finishing -Moving ball shooting technique
2:19	Moving ball shooting exercise (See our "Kick A Crossed Ball Game" and "Run To Ball and Shoot With Side of Foot" game)
2:50	Long range moving ball shooting demonstration (instep drive)
3:40	Power shooting and passing explanation/demonstration - This is excellent, the best we've seen
5:30	Advanced shooting - Long shots and close to goal. Excellent tip: Players must lean over shots close to goal or the ball will go over the top of the goal (don't lean back on close shots)
8:30	Excellent tip: "When shooting from outside the Penalty Box aim for the Goalie's belly button and the margin of error will push the ball right or left." An excellent shooting game for travel teams.
9:52	Side Volley Demonstration
11:18	Half Volley on ball bouncing away
12:00	Wembley Game (This is a good, fun game).
15:27	2 v 2 Attacking Game (This is good). - It shows a "Takeover", "Overlap", "Wall Pass" and the importance of "movement off the ball" by the Second Attacker (minute 17:35)-Excellent demonstration of "Movement off the ball" by the Second Attacker at minute 17:35
18:32	Advanced 2 v 2 Attacking
18:43	"Overlap" Fake
18:55	2 v 2 Attacking Game and Coaching
22:40	3 v 2 Attacking Game
25:00	3 v 3 Attacking (discusses and demonstrates "Penetration", "Width" and "Support" and "First Attacker", "Second Attacker", "Third Attacker", and "stretching the defense". - Excellent
30:17	Advanced 3 v 3 Attacking
31:19	2 v 2 Defending (teaches "Pressure" and "Cover", which is another name for "Defensive Support", and "First Defender/Second Defender") -Zone Defending
33:50	Importance of Communication
36:30	Advanced 2 v 2 Defending - Excellent coaching tips and demonstration of zone defending. Watch this!
41:30	3 v 3 Zone Defending - Excellent!
47:58	Commentary and Analysis: This is Excellent! Watch This!
49:28	Hydration Tips (drink before, during and after games; the darker your urine, the more dehydrated you are; hydrate today for tomorrow's game)
50:20	Nutrition Tips
51:21	Rest (one day a week without physical exercise)
52:00	Strength Training Tips (strength is important at higher levels of play for all players).
63:10	"Affirmations" (April talks to a group of young girls and explains why it's important for them to have positive thoughts about themselves. What she calls "positive self-talk", such as "keep trying" or "work harder". She explains why "negative self-talk" doesn't help, and she discusses "best friend communication". She says players need to practice their "mental skills" as well as their physical skills. Every coach, parent and player should watch this.
71:10	Out-Takes
71:50	End

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