Winning a Soccer Penalty Shootout: Cheering Convincingly Increases Chances of Success

Behaviour is contagious. If you see someone yawn or smile, it's often a matter of seconds before you do the same yourself. This copying behaviour also turns out to work on the soccer pitch. "The more convincingly someone celebrates their success with their teammates, the greater the chances that team will win," according to Dr. Gert-Jan Pepping, Sport Scientist and lecturer in Human Movement Sciences at the University of Groningen.

From an evolutionary point of view, this 'contagious' behaviour is easy to explain.The ability to copy certain behaviours is important to survive in social groups. Pepping: "A good example is the behaviour of a school of fish, such as herring or sardines. Only by synchronizing with each other, that is, doing exactly the same thing as much as possible, do they increase their chances of survival." In addition, copying behaviour has another function: learning from each other. These two functions imply that we communicate individual and group aims via movement. Also emotional movement behaviour, such as cheering, can be understood in this way.

Emotions are often understood and explained in the context of what has just happened. However, emotions can also influence the future, Pepping's research has revealed. His research group investigated whether the way soccer players express their delight at a successful penalty influences the final result of a penalty shootout. Pepping: "What's nice about a penalty shootout is that the individual aim of scoring a penalty directly serves the group aim of winning the match."

Positive attitude

Pepping and his research group (Moll, Jordet, & Pepping, 2010) studied a large number of penalty shootouts during important soccer matches, but only as long as the score in the shootout was still equal. After every shot at goal, the player was assessed on the degree to which he expressed happiness and pride after scoring. This revealed that the players who expressed this clearly, for example by throwing their arms up into the air, usually belonged to the winning team. "This enthusiastic behaviour infected the team with a positive attitude. Also important, the opposing team was made to feel that little bit more insecure." In the study this latter effect was shown by the finding that when someone cheered with both arms in the air, it was more than twice as likely that the next opponent would miss his penalty.

What's very important is that the scored goal is celebrated with the people you want to infect. Pepping: "If you cheer facing the supporters after you've scored a penalty, the supporters will get wildly enthusiastic. That's all very fine, but they're not the ones who have to perform at that moment. Your team members on the pitch are. It's very important to celebrate together -- that's what makes scoring contagious."

Motivating each other

The same principle is easy to project onto situations outside the sports field, according to Pepping. Even in an office situation you can motivate each other by dwelling on a good group performance and celebrating it with each other. That means that the whole team will share the feelings of pride and confidence, which raises performance levels. However, you should be careful not to exaggerate by taking the expressions of happiness or pride out of context, according to Pepping.

In some countries people tend to react to success in a less heated way than in in others. "In the Netherlands many people seem to have forgotten how to react exuberantly." According to Pepping, if you want to increase your chances of success, both on the sports field and in daily life, it's important to 'take the brakes off'. It's natural to cheer in reaction to a victory. What's more, as revealed by the research, when individual and group interests coincide it's also a very functional reaction. More cheering means more success.

Soccer Improves Health, Fitness and Social Abilities

Soccer is a pleasurable team sport that provides an all-round fitness and can be used as treatment for lifestyle-related diseases. Men worry less when playing soccer than when running. Women's soccer creates we-stories and helps women stay active.

The above statements are taken from some of the results from an extensive soccer research project involving more than 50 researchers from seven countries. The researchers studied physiological, psychological and sociological aspects of recreational soccer and compared it with running. Led by Professors Peter Krustrup and Jens Bangsbo from the Department of Exercise and Sports Sciences, University of Copenhagen, the 3-year project covered several intervention studies involving both men, women and children, who were divided into soccer, running and control groups.

The results from the studies are so remarkable that the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports are publishing a special edition issue entitled "Football for Health" containing 14 scientific articles from the soccer project on April 6, 2010.

Soccer for Health

The researchers studied the physical effects of soccer training for untrained subjects aged 9 to 77 years. The conclusion was clear. Soccer provides broad-spectred health and fitness effects that are at least as pronounced as for running, and in some cases even better.

Study leader Peter Krustrup concludes "Soccer is a very popular team sport that contains positive motivational and social factors that may facilitate compliance and contribute to the maintenance of a physically active lifestyle. The studies presented have demonstrated that soccer training for two-three hours per week causes significant cardiovascular, metabolic and musculoskeletal adaptations, independent on gender, age or lack of experience with soccer."

Professor Jens Bangsbo continues: "The effects can be maintained for a long period even with a reduced frequency of training to one to two times one hour a week. Recreational soccer, therefore, appears to be an effective type of training leading to performance improvements and significant beneficial effects to health, including a reduction in the risk of cardiovascular diseases, falls and fractures. In a number of aspects, soccer training appears to be superior to running training. Soccer training can also be used to treat hypertension and it was clearly superior to a standard treatment strategy of physician-guided traditional recommendations."

The two researchers foresee a great perspective in using soccer as a health promoting activity: "The studies have convincingly shown that soccer training is effective to enhance fitness and the health profile for the general population. Future studies are needed to understand what is causing the beneficial effects of football, how well football can be used to improve heart health in early childhood and how other patient groups such as those with type II diabetes or cancer can benefit from playing soccer."

Soccer creates we-stories and helps women stay active

One of the many aspects of the study was to examine the level of social capital for women gained from running and soccer. Even though both the soccer players and the runners trained in groups, there were significant differences in the way they interacted and what they considered the most important aspects of the sport they were engaging in. The runners were more focused on themselves as individuals, whereas the soccer players developed "we"-stories as they began to see themselves as a team. From the beginning, most of the women, both soccer players and runners, thought running would be an easier form of exercise to stick to after the intervention programme was over. That turned out not to be the case:

"The most important finding was the difference in social interaction and creation of we-stories between the groups, which may impact the possibilities of long-term compliance. A year after the study, many of the soccer players continue to play soccer, some have even joined an organised soccer club. Not many from the running group have continued their training. This can very well be due to the fact that the runners focussed on their health and on getting in shape, whereas the soccer players were more committed to the activity itself, including the fun and not letting down team mates," says Associate Professor Laila Ottesen.

Men worry less when playing soccer than when running

Another study examined the exertion experienced during training for untrained adults and their experience of "worries" and "flow." This study, based on 6 groups of untrained men and women, showed that all groups experienced an overall high level of flow during the intervention, which underlines that the participants felt motivated, happy and involved to the point where they forgot time and fatigue. There was no difference in the level of worry for the female soccer players and runners, but the running men seemed to worry quite a lot more than their soccer playing counterparts.

- "The men that played soccer elicited lower levels of worry than during running, 2.8 vs 4.0 on a 0-6 scale, and although they are training at the same average heart rate they do not feel the exertion as strongly as during running" says Associate Professor Anne-Marie Elbe and adds: "Further research is needed to examine why men and women experience playing soccer differently but it could be that the men just have had more experience with football in earlier years than the women."

Documentation for FIFA, Michelle Obama and others

F-MARC, the research unit of FIFA, is a central partner in the project and the research provides scientific documentation for initiatives such as FIFA's newly launched "The 11 for Health" campaign that uses soccer as an educational health tool for children in order to raise awareness and improve health in African and South American communities. Also Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" project aiming at eliminating obesity in American children through diet and sports have recently promoted soccer as a favourable activity. The research results are also used in Europe, where the research group is directly involved in implementing the results through projects focusing on adults and children, such as "The Open Soccer Club project," "The Soccer at Work project" and the "Intensity in Pupil School Sport project." Sports Confederations, Football Associations, Ministries of Culture and Health and researchers from Universities, Hospitals and Centres for Working Environment are cooperating about the implementation and scientific evaluation of those projects.

The Psychology of Penalty Kicks

Keepers Should Stay Put

Goalkeepers don't have much time to react to a penalty kicker, so they have to guess which way the ball will go before it's kicked. Most keepers start in the center and dive right or left, often away from the ball. An analysis of 286 penalty kicks found that when keepers jumped right, they had a 12.6 percent chance of stopping the kick, and when they jumped left, they had a 14.2 percent chance of stopping it, but when they stayed in the center the succeed 33.3 percent percent of the time. So why do they jump? To avoid feelings of regret after inaction.

Standing Off-Center is Better
If goalkeepers do plan a jumping strategy, they should begin 6-10 centimeters to one side of the center-point. According to a study, this will subconsciously induce the kicker to shoot to the side with more space an extra 10 percent of the time. Knowing this, the keeper can then jump to that side.

Don't Rush a Kick
Scientists who looked at the amount of time players took before making a penalty kick after the ref blew the go-ahead whistle found that those who took longer performed slightly better. Players who rushed may have been trying to escape a stressful situation. On the other hand, the longer the ref delayed the blowing of the whistle, the worse the kickers performed.

Tell Yourself Not to Screw It Up
Researchers asked players to take five penalty kicks each. Those told not to miss more than two scored more than those told to score at least three. When you're expected to score (about three quarters of penalty kicks go in), you're better off framing the task as a duty to avoid messing up than as a chance to succeed.

Stick to a Target
Kickers should pick a spot and try to hit it no matter what, rather than attempt to react to a keeper's movements during the run-up to the kick. Last-moment alterations lead to errors.

Don't Stress
A survey of hundreds of penalty kicks from championship matches revealed that stress (how much was riding on the kick) determined kickers' success more strongly than their skill or fatigue did.

Goals From the Left Look Stronger
In most languages we read sentences from left to right. Our experience reading biases us to imagine actions happening from left to right. (See: Aesthetics: Reading, Writing, Rembrant.) In one study, people watched clips of soccer goals going left to right or right to left. Italian speakers rated the LTR goals stronger, faster, and more beautiful. Arabic speakers, who read right to left, preferred RTL goals. Not really useful, just interesting.

Credits: Matthew Hutson and the Science of Psych

Curl a Free Kick Like David Beckham

HOW TO TAKE A DIRECT CURLING FREE KICK

Free kicks are an exciting and important element to the game of soccer. Beckham, Ronaldo, and Pirlo are incredible masters of this skill and with a bit of practice you will enhance your ability to put the ball in the back of the net with the deadly combination of pace and spin.

Preparation

Place the ball down on the spot where the free kick is to be taken from. Start in a stationary position with the ball up to two meters ahead of you. You may want a longer run-up if the free kick is further out. Beckham would start his run up from a wider position, but generally players approach the ball at an angle of around 45 degrees.

A good tip to get more power is to make sure the valve is facing the player and strike the valve when taking the free kick as it is the hardest area of the ball. Cristiano Ronaldo is known to employ this tactic. This will make for a more vicious kick, meaning the goalkeeper will find it harder to deal with.

Make sure that your run-up to a free kick is pre-measured, taking three, four or five paces back (run-ups can vary). This will ensure that you do not wrong-foot yourself.

Getting Ready to Strike the Ball

Keep your head steady, eyes on the ball before striking it and start a measured run up from side on. The more you swing your leg back and the quicker you move your foot forward, the harder the ball will go.

It is also possible to inject more curl into the shot by using the movement of your hips - move the hip on your non-kicking side forward as you go to strike and the other hip will automatically withdraw. Remember to use your arms to keep balance.

Approaching the ball from side on will mean more curl is applied to the ball.

Japan international Shunsuke Nakamura, scorer of two free kicks for Celtic against Manchester United in the Champions League, believes psychology is also an important factor. It is helpful to be calm when preparing to shoot and not too eager.

Making Contact

Striking the ball with the inside of your foot will ensure that more curl and spin is applied. It is also important to strike the outside of the ball as this will create even more curl. Placing the plant foot near to, and slightly behind, the ball (make sure this area of the ground is secure, as some pitches are softer than others) should also result in more accuracy, although do not put it too close as this will make it more difficult to lift the ball.

The closer you are to goal, the less force you need, so try to cut through the side of the ball more in this instance.

The foot on contact comes across the ball from inside to outside, and finally makes contact with the right side of the ball (the left side if you are left footed). This enables the ball to swerve from right to left.

Direction of Free Kick

If you are aiming for the far post, the ball should swing out and then come back in. A player has to get enough height on the ball to lift it over the wall by getting his foot underneath it on contact, and enough curl to keep it away from the goalkeeper.

In order to get the ball to curl and drop down at the right moment, it is good to turn your ankle upwards on connection. If you can get the ball to go just above the wall, it is harder for the goalkeeper to determine where it is heading.

Placement

An ideal free-kick will finish up in the corner of the goal. The more you lean back, the higher the ball will go, so if you are aiming to keep a free-kick low, reduce the amount you lean back.Practice is the key to perfecting free kicks, although many professionals will tell you not to spend too long, perhaps limiting this to 10 minutes, hitting 20 or 30 balls.

Lightning Safety for Toronto Rush FC Games

The safety of players, spectators, and staff is the primary concern in
any weather event that occurs during all matches of Toronto Rush FC.

By understanding and following the below information, the safety of everyone shall be
greatly increased. Ultimately the referee has the final say over delaying or restarting a
match due to weather.

Waiting to stop play or not waiting to start play may result in a
serious injury or loss of life. Referees are expected to act responsibly when dealing with
such events during matches they are controlling.

When lightning is detected, you can determine the distance of lightning in your area by
counting the number of seconds between the flash and the first sound of the thunder and
dividing by five(5). This will give you the distance in miles from your location. Remember,
if you are in a higher elevation, the lightning can come upon you much quicker and your
reaction time is greatly hindered.

30/30 RULE

When you see lightning, count the time until you hear thunder. If this time is thirty (30)
seconds or less, seek proper shelter. Wait thirty (30) minutes or more after hearing the
last thunder before leaving the shelter. If you can not see the lightning, just hearing the
thunder is good back up rule.

Additional Information:

Please note the following recommendations from Environment Canada:

The existence of blue sky and absence of rain are not protection from lightning. Lightning
can and does strike as far as ten (10) miles away from the rain shaft. It does not have to
be raining for lightning to strike. Many lightning casualties occur in the beginning, as the
storm approaches, because many people ignore initial precursors of high winds, some
rainfall and cloud cover. Generally, the lightning threat diminishes with time after the last
sound of thunder, but may persist for more than thirty (30) minutes.

Lightning can strike ahead of the parent cloud – take action even if the thunderstorm is
not overhead.

Be aware of how close lightning is occurring. The flash-to-bang method is the easiest
and most convenient way to estimate how far away lightning is occurring. Thunder
always accompanies lightning, even though its audible range can be diminished due to
background noise in the immediate environment and its distance from the observer.
Lightning awareness should be increased with the first flash of lightning or the first clap
of thunder, no matter how far away. This activity must be treated as a wake-up call to all.

The most important aspect to monitor is how far away the lightning is occurring, and how
fast the storm is approaching, relative to the distance of a safe shelter.
Recognize that personal observation of lightning may not be sufficient. Additional
weather information may be required to ensure consistency, accuracy and adequate
advance warning.

The Canadian Soccer Association / l’Association canadienne de soccer
Lightning Safety

Severe Weather Policy

When larger groups are involved, the time needed to properly evacuate an area
increases. As time requirements change, the distance at which lightning is noted and
considered a threat to move into the area must be increased. Extending the range used
to determine threat potential also increases the chance that a localized cell or
thunderstorm may not reach the area giving the impression of a “false alarm”.
Know where the closest “safe structure or location” is to the field or playing area and
know how long it takes to get to that safe structure or location.

Safe structure or location is defined as:
Any building normally occupied or frequently used by people, i.e., a building with
plumbing and / or electrical wiring that acts to electrically ground the structure. Avoid
using shower facilities for safe shelter and do not use the showers or plumbing facilities
during a thunderstorm.

In the absence of a sturdy, frequently inhabited building, any vehicle with a hard metal
roof (not a convertible or golf cart) and rolled-up windows can provide a measure of
safety. A vehicle is certainly better than remaining outdoors. It is not the rubber tires that
make a vehicle a safe shelter, but the hard metal roof which dissipates the lightning
strike around the vehicle. Do not touch the sides of any vehicle!

If no safe structure or location is within a reasonable distance, find a thick grove of small
trees surrounded by taller trees or a dry ditch. Assume a crouched position on the
ground with only the balls of the feet touching the ground, wrap your arms around your
knees and lower your head.

Minimize contact with the ground because lightning current often enters a victim through the ground rather than by a direct overhead strike. Minimize your body’s surface area and the ground! Do not lie flat! If unable to reach safe shelter, stay away from the tallest trees or objects such as light poles or flag poles), metal objects (such as fences or bleachers), individual trees, standing pools of water, and open fields. Avoid being the highest object in a field. Do not take shelter under a single, tall tree.

Avoid using the telephone, except in emergency situations. People have been struck by
lightning while using a land-line telephone. A cellular phone or a portable remote phone
is a safe alternative to land-line phones, if the person and the antenna are located within
a safe structure or location, and if all other precautions are followed.

When considering resumption of any athletics activity, it is recommended that everyone
should ideally wait at least thirty (30) minutes after the last flash of lightning or sound of
thunder before returning to the field.

People who have been struck by lightning do not carry an electrical charge. Therefore,
cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is safe for the responder. If possible, an injured
person should be moved to a safer location before starting CPR. Lightning-strike victims
who show signs of cardiac or respiratory arrest need emergency help quickly. Prompt,
aggressive CPR has been highly effective for the survival of victims of lightning strikes.

The Role of the Defender | Active.com

The Role of the Defender | Active.com

Injury Prevention - Importance of Warming Up

Injury Prevention

Probably 75% of Football injuries are preventable. The best protection from injury is correct warm up and conditioning which can help you avoid unnecessary injury that can ruin the season.

Warm Up

Warming Up is often overlooked but should be part of your injury prevention routine. A good warm up will:

• Increase the temperature of muscles - they work better at a temperature of 40 degrees.
• Increase blood flow and oxygen to muscles.
• Increase the speed of nerve impulses - making you faster.
• Increase range of motion at joints reducing the risk of tearing muscles and ligaments.

Warm up will not only help avoid injury but will also improve performance.

A warm up should consist of:

• Gentle jog to circulate blood and oxygen supplying the muscles with more energy to work with.
• Stretching to increase the range of motion at joints (see below).
• Sports specific exercises and drills.
  
  

The warm up should last between 15 and 30 minutes. Do not warm up too early. The benefits are lost after about 30 minutes of inactivity.

FIFA Injury Prevention Programme

Prevention of injuries

The 11 – injury prevention programme

You have probably already made this painful experience yourself: Playing football carries a risk of injury. But the good news is: Scientific studies have shown that the incidence of football injuries can be reduced by targeted prevention programmes.

"The 11" is a simple, catchy and time-efficient preventive programme that comprises ten evidence-based or best-practice exercises and - as number 11 - the promotion of Fair Play. It requires no equipment other than a ball, and can be completed in 10 to 15 minutes. The programme is efficient as most of the exercises simultaneously train different aspects and can replace other exercises.

The exercises focus on specific training methods coaches might be familiar with: core stabilisation, eccentric training of thigh muscles, proprioceptive training, dynamic stabilisation and plyometrics with straight leg alignment. Proprioception is the ability to sense the position of your body, your limbs and their movements. Plyometrics is a type of exercise that uses explosive movements to develop muscular power.

You should perform "The 11" in every training session after warm-up and stretching of all the important muscle groups. To ensure their effect, you should perform the exercises as precisely as possible and follow their sequence on the poster. Before each match, you should go for a shortened version: exercises 4, 5, 8.

"The 11" was developed by FIFA's Medical Assessment and Research Centre (F-MARC) in cooperation with a group of international experts. What are your benefits when following the programme? You may improve your performance and suffer less injuries!

FIFA Prevention Programme website page

Train like a World Cup Player

To train like a top soccer player, you have to prepare for the unique demands of the game. Players at the World Cup cover 10 to 12 kilometres per match and burn about 1,400 calories – but it’s very different from simply running 10 kilometres at a steady pace. Click on the PDF below to see how you can boost your skills in the sprints, kicks and sudden turns that separate victory from defeat.

The science of kicking and other soccer secrets

Download this file (.pdf)

World Cup 2006 Review

ZINEDINE ZIDANE signed off from football in the most dramatic fashion — but without the World Cup in his hands. The France legend had enjoyed one of the finest Indian summers to a career, singlehandedly leading his side to the final against Italy.

But just when his country were looking for their hero to produce one last star showing, he lost his head — or rather smashed it into the chest of Marco Materazzi.

Zidane's red card in extra-time was the prelude to Italy's 5-3 win on penalties, with Fabio Cannavaro the man to lift the trophy in Berlin.

It marked the fourth time the Azzuri have tasted World Cup glory and came on the back of a season which had seen their domestic game marred by a match-fixing scandal.

England went into the tournament expecting big things from their 'Golden Generation' — but typically had to sweat on the fitness of a star player in the build-up.

This time it was Wayne Rooney, who returned from a broken metatarsal to help Sven Goran Eriksson's men top their group.

A 1-0 victory over Ecuador sealed a quarter-final place, only for Portugal to break their hearts with a win on penalties — after Rooney had seen red for a stamp on Ricardo Carvalho.

Italy's campaign, unlike their previous triumph in 1982, had started brightly with wins over Ghana and the Czech Republic and a draw with USA seeing them top Group A.

They needed a dodgy penalty to overcome Australia in the knockout stages before a 3-0 win over Ukraine set up their semi-final with Germany.

The hosts, who were widely praised for their staging of the tournament, were in terrific form and took the Italians to extra time.

But dramatic late goals from Fabio Grosso and Alessandro Del Piero meant there was to be no reward for their hospitality.

France awaited them in the final, having started the tournament slowly before a switch in formation gave Zidane the license to roam.

The move proved devastating, with the old warhorse pulling the strings in wins over three fancied teams — Spain, Brazil and Portugal.

Zidane's penalty in the Berlin final but Les Blues 1-0 up, only for Materazzi's header to level things up.

But the duo were not done there, clashing late in the game to see the French reduced to 10 men.

Zidane was eventually named the player of the tournament — and there can be no doubting the impact he had.

World Cup 1970 Review

ENGLAND went into the tournament in Mexico as World Cup holders — but it was Pele and the boys from Brazil who would emerge triumphant.

The two teams met in a group match that will live long in the memory. Bobby Moore made a succession of perfectly-timed tackles, keeper Gordon Banks denied Pele with the save of the century and Jeff Astle missed a sitter that would have earned the Three Lions a point.

In the end, a 60th-minute strike from Jairzinho — who would go on to score in every match in the tournament — gave Brazil victory but pundits predicted the teams would meet again in the final.

Sadly, it was not to be. After qualifying second in Group C courtesy of 1-0 wins over Romania and Czechoslovakia, England began three long-standing traditions — choking in quarter-finals, losing to the Germans and finding a scapegoat to blame afterwards.

Goals from Alan Mullery and Martin Peters gave them a 2-0 lead but Franz Beckenbauer and Uwe Seeler drew West Germany level before Gerd Muller grabbed a winner in extra-time.

Keeper Peter Bonetti — standing in for the injured Gordon Banks — got most of the blame, while boss Alf Ramsey's decision to substitute Bobby Charlton with 20 minutes left was also heavily criticised.

West Germany went on to meet Italy in a thrilling semi-final. A Roberto Boninsegna goal looked like sending Italy through until Karl-Heinz Schnellinger snatched a last-gasp equaliser.

Five more goals were scored in extra-time, with Muller's brace not enough to prevent a 4-3 victory for Italy.

Brazil, meanwhile, had cruised past Peru 4-2 in the quarter-finals and beat Uruguay 3-1 in the last four to set up a final clash with Italy.

Pele rose like a salmon to head Brazil into an early lead in Mexico City only for Boninsegna to equalise for the Azzurri before the break.

But second-half goals from Gerson, Jairzinho and — rounding off a superb passing move — Carlos Alberto saw Brazil claim their third World Cup.

Avoid and Prevent Heat Related Injuries When Playing Soccer

Proper Hydration to AVOID AND PREVENT HEAT RELATED INJURIES WHEN PLAYING SOCCER

There are some simple guidelines which have been prepared by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) when it comes to running activities in a hot and/or humid environment.

The goal in participating in hot weather is to avoid fluid loss from the body or dehydration. Water not only accounts for some 98% of our body composition, but functions to help deliver oxygen to working muscles, and keeps the body from overheating during strenuous activity. Hard working muscles generate heat which is dissipated through the act of sweating. Evaporation of sweat on the skin allows the body to get rid of this heat and cool it off. In looking at the objectives for advising officials and participates about this subject it seems that the following categories are areas requiring attention:

1. To educate athletes and event officials about the most common forms of environmental illness including predisposing conditions, warning signs, susceptibility and incidence reduction
2. To advise officials of their legal responsibilities and potential liability with regard to event safety and injury prevention
3. To recommend that officials consult local weather archives and plan games at times likely to be of low environmental stress to minimize detrimental effects on athletes
4. To encourage officials to warn athletes about environmental stress on game \ practice day and the implications for heat and cold illness
5. To inform officials of preventive actions that may reduce debilitation and environmental illness
6. To describe the personnel, equipment, and supplies necessary to reduce and treat cases of collapse and environmental illness.

To this end, after review of the available literature and after consultation of various medical authorities and officials it was felt that the following recommendations are some key guidelines for soccer participation in the heat:

1. Avoid dehydration and make sure you pre-hydrate: Don’t wait till you feel thirsty because the body will not be able to tell you in time that you are dehydrated, here are some practical recommendations: * 2 hours before exercise, drink at least 16 oz or 500 ml (an average bottle of water) * 1 hour before exercise, drink at least 08 oz or 250 ml (half an average bottle of water * During the exercise, drink at least 4 to 8 oz every 15 – 20 minutes * Immediately after the exercise, drink at least 16 oz or 500 ml of water or an electrolyte replacing drink * 1 hour after a training session or game consider drinking 16 oz or 500 ml of skim milk or chocolate milk for protein and muscle repair

2. As a rule of thumb you should drink at least 500 ml for every 20 lbs of body weight, therefore, someone weighing 140 lbs needs to drink at least 3500 ml of fluid per day if training or playing that day.

3. Drinking carbohydrate and electrolyte fluids may be beneficial in avoiding heat trauma.

4. Wearing light breathable clothing is advised.

5. Officials should be very cautious in authorizing games and practices in environments where the temperature plus humidity combined are 35 C and over. They should enquire of the participants to ensure pre-event hydration, medication use and susceptibility to heat injury ( prior occurrence). Also unlimited substitution is recommended during games as is frequent fluid brakes and fluid availability on both sides of the field. 6. Warning flags could be posted on the field as follows: o green – proceed with caution heat stress possible o amber – moderate risk to heat stress o red - high risk to potential heat stress If used they should be posted at locations easily seen by participants, support staff, medical staff and spectators. The other issue to consider is, and you may be asking yourself at this point, what are the risk factors which could predispose a soccer player to heat injury. Listed below are a the major risk factors but this is by no means an exhaustive list:

1. Not being acclimatized 2. Unfit 3. Hypo hydration 4. Hyper hydration 5. Use of a variety of medications or supplements 6. Persons with persistent, disabling mental illness 7. Certain medical conditions (cardiac, lung)

How can you tell if one of your soccer players is experiencing heat injury? Below is a list of the early warning signs to look for and again this is not an exhaustive list:

1. Flushed face 2. Hyperventilation or shortness of breath 3. Headache 4. Dizziness 5. Tingling arms 6. Goose bumps (hair on arms standing on end) 7. Chilliness 8. Poor coordination 9. Confusion, agitation, uncooperativeness

A preseason or pre – event conditioning program, when combined with an 8 – 14 day period of acclimatization, may further reduce the risk of heat injury. There are 3 main types of heat injury identified in the medical literature:

1. Heat Cramps – these are the mildest form of heat trauma and are commonly related to low body sodium and chloride levels. Signs & Symptoms include – weakness, muscle cramps, collapse with low blood pressure. Treatment – is aimed at replacing the salt loss and can be oral or by intravenous if vomiting is a problem. Having athletes put a little extra salt on their food the day before and day of game can be a helpful way to avoid this condition.

2. Heat Exhaustion – this is a more severe medical event as follows. Signs & Symptoms include – weakness, irritability, collapse, unable to sweat adequately to promote body cooling, may proceed in the more ominous heat stroke and a fine rash is often present. Treatment – remove athlete to a cooler environment, use ice baths, fans.

3. Heat Stroke – THIS IS A MEDICAL EMERGENCY – it is due to a failure of the heat-controlling mechanism. It may occur merely as a result of exposure to heat. Signs & Symptoms include – mental confusion, headache, poor coordination, delirium, convulsions and death. The body temperature may be 106 F or 40.5 C or higher, the skin is usually hot and dry as the sweating mechanism has failed. Treatment - Call 911 and transport to a local Hospital. Rapid cooling is the goal using wet towels, spray mist, sponge baths and removal from the heat. This condition could cause the athlete to go into shock and coma may follow so immediate medical attention is required.

Reference: American College of Sports Medicine POSITION STAND. Exercise and Fluid Replacement, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2007 Acknowledgements: Dr. Rudy Gittens Past Medical Director, Canadian Soccer Association Submitted by: Dr. Robert Gringmuth Chair, OSA Medical Advisory Committee

Highlights Vancouver Whitecaps vs Toronto FC Nutrilite Championship

World Cup 2010 Group A Preview

Slide Tackling is a Refined Skill

It only takes one split-second. One bad touch, a few extra inches of field and one daring defender.

The slide tackle.

"Personally, slide tackles are my favorite part of the game," Penn State centre back Andres Casais said. "The player always has the ball with him, but there's always one point where he takes a touch and it's no longer in his control. It's more of a 50-50 and you gotta be close enough to him and quick enough so that when the ball is just that little bit away, you gotta go."

For players on the Penn State men's and women's soccer teams, slide tackles serve as a valuable defensive tool. Aside from the obvious dispossessing of the ball, a tough tackle can send a message to the opposition that the defense won't be going anywhere.

Every player has his or her own technique and preference for sliding, usually dependent on the dominant foot or which direction the ball is coming from. Women's soccer defender Emma Thomson, a right-footed player, said she predominantly wants to lead with her right foot and looks for that extra bit of space between the ball and the attacker's lead foot.

"I wait for the opportunity for the ball to just be in front of them. Either they just nip it around me or they take that extra big touch, and then I just slide," Thomson said. "When you slide, you have that extra yard or two on them, so you pretty much get it every time as long as you time it well and don't get the foul."

While the slide tackle is a weapon all defenders have, it's not a matter of sliding across the pitch without discretion. Men's soccer defender Patrick Krispin said he prefers to stay on his feet, manage an attacker and use his teammates as help.

Ali Schaefer, a defensive midfielder on the women's soccer team, isn't hesitant to make a slide tackle but also feels slide tackles should be used as a last resort. As a holding midfielder, Schaefer said the rules for slide tackling are different for her position.

"A better way to do it is if you just shepherd them rather than just going right in, because if you dive and miss then you leave your defenders one-on-one," Schaefer said. "That's why defense slides so much -- if they get past you there's no one else, so you gotta get in or else they're past you."

While Krispin said he prefers to make standing tackles, if an attacker is going full speed down the sideline he is "all about it." All four players said a clean, hard first tackle is a great way to send a message to the opposition.

Thomson said she tells her teammates before every game to "make the first tackle count" and make it known the defense is coming all game. Krispin converted to defense from the forward spot last year and said seeing a defender coming in full speed sends a subconscious message.

"Anytime there's a defender coming in as hard as they can, I know as a previous attacker, it's pretty tough to deal with, especially mentally," Krispin said. "Also as a defender if you go in hard and get a good tackle in, then he'll be scared of you for the rest of the game."

Slide tackles are a risk-reward move, and the players have to know when to dive in and when to hold back. Casais said he tries to avoid sliding in the box and road matches are more of a challenge because referees are likely to award fouls to the home team.

"Obviously in the penalty box, if you don't have to slide, just don't in case you give away a penalty or something," Casais said. "You see the ball, if there's an opportunity there, I'll just go in."

Aside from the tactical benefits of slide tackles, the players simply love diving in hard at an attacker. Casais said he always wears compression shorts because of how often he slides, and Krispin called Casais "the king of the slide tacklers."

For Schaefer, throwing herself across the field, leg extended, gunning for the ball is one of the game's most thrilling aspects.

"It just feels so good and you come out with the ball, the other player flies and it's so clean and just glorious," Schaefer said. "Any player who does slide tackle knows exactly what feeling I'm talking about."

- From the Daily Collegian Online at Penn State April 22, 2010

Highlights Montreal Impact vs. Toronto FC

2010 Nutrilite Canadian Championship

Spring into Cleanup Mode Toronto!

It’s time for Toronto’s yearly Spring Cleaning.

At 2 p.m. Friday, April 23, Toronto is planning a massive cleaning effort by residents, students, professionals in the business community, government employees and City staff all doing their part for twenty minutes.

This year the City is asking everyone to reuse a plastic store bag while they pick up litter. Once your bag is full take it to one of the participating Pizza Pizzas in the Greater Toronto Area for a pair of free gloves and GLAD trash bags.

During the seven years that Toronto has held the 20-Minute Makeover several hundred thousand volunteers have helped rid the city of litter.

The 20-Minute Makeover is a great time to come together with co-workers, students and others in your neighbourhood to help clean up our city.

For Further Information: Makeover Ad

Earth Day Origins

Earth Day is a powerful catalyst for change. The first Earth Day, spearheaded by Wisconsin Governor Gaylord Nelson and Harvard University student Denis Hayes, involved 20 million participants in teach-ins that addressed decades of environmental pollution. The event inspired the US Congress to pass clean air and water acts, and establish the Environmental Protection Agency to research and monitor environmental issues and enforce environmental laws.

In 1990, two million Canadians joined 200 million people in 141 nations in celebrating the first International Earth Day. In many countries, the global event brought pressure on heads of state to take part in the UN Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro to address issues such as climate change and the world wide loss of species.

In Canada, Earth Day has grown into Earth Week and even Earth Month to accommodate the profusion of events and projects. They range from large public events, such as Victoria’s Earth Walk (5,000 participants), Edmonton’s Earth Day Festival at Hawrelak Park (30,000 participants), and Oakville, Ontario’s Waterways Clean-up (2,000 participants) to the thousands of small, private events staged by schools, employee groups and community groups.

Ankle Sprain Info for Soccer Players

It's the most common injury among athletes. It afflicts soccer-mad tweens, basketball-loving teens, middle-aged joggers and elderly folks navigating staircases.

It's the ankle sprain. Though "it's often underestimated, it can be a very significant injury," says Brian Waterman, an orthopedic surgeon at William Beaumont Army Medical Center and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in El Paso.

Doctors and sports trainers disagree on exactly how to prevent them and how gender, age, fitness and sports choices affect risk and recovery.

But Waterman provided some new clues in a study presented at a medical meeting Friday. The study is the largest ever to look at ankle sprain patterns in the USA, he says, and included 82,971 sprained ankles treated in emergency departments between 2002 and 2006. The sprains represent an estimated 3.1 million emergency-room cases, which might differ from those seen in doctor's offices or treated only at home, Waterman says.

The study, discussed at a meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, found that:

•Two people in 1,000 were treated in emergency departments for ankle sprains each year, but the risk varied greatly by age, reaching a peak of seven in 1,000 among teens ages 15 to 19.

• 49% of sprains occurred during athletic activities, and 40% of those were linked to basketball alone. Others were linked to football (9%); volleyball (4%); soccer (8%); softball (4%); running (7%); baseball (3%).

•27% of ankle sprains were linked to stair falls; just 7% were linked to walking on a level surface. The remaining injuries had a hodgepodge of causes.

•Males and females had almost identical sprain rates. But under age 30, males were most at risk; over age 30, females were.

It's worth noting that in a different study, of military cadets, Waterman found a much higher rate among women than men — suggesting that among fit young people participating in similar, strenuous activities, women might be more vulnerable.

The good news is that most ankle sprains feel better in a few days and heal completely in a few weeks. But previous studies suggest 60% of people who have one sprain will have another or will suffer long-term instability, weakness or pain. That could mean changes in gait, vulnerability to falls and fewer years playing a favorite sport.

"The cumulative damage can become a major issue," says Robert Duggan, an Orlando athletic trainer and foot and ankle surgeon.

So it's worth taking sprains seriously. Even a minor sprain should be treated with that old standby, RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation). If you can't bear any weight on the foot, are in a lot of pain or the foot looks misshapen, you should see a doctor to rule out other injuries. And if pain and swelling don't recede after three or four days, a visit also is in order, says Daniel Farber, assistant professor of orthopedic foot and ankle surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore.

Farber says most patients benefit from doing some simple exercises. A few need physical therapy. Very few need surgery.

As for prevention, warming up before sports may help. So may bracing the ankle, though evidence isn't clear. And improper bracing can do more harm than good. High-top shoes are not proven to help, either, Farber adds.

Playing soccer can increase bone mass

Playing soccer regularly can help protect individuals against falls and bone fractures commonly experienced during old age, a new study finds.

"It is well known that the risk of falls and fractures increases with age as a result of weaker bones, poorer balance and attenuated ability to trigger rapid muscle force, but the present results suggest that soccer - and possibly other ball games - is an effective training method to reduce bone weakening that comes with increasing age," said lead researcher Peter Krustrup.

According to the study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, short- and long-term training increases bone mass and density as well as reflex response to a sudden push in the back, improving not only the standing postural balance but also muscle strength.

"The research shows that 70-year-old men, who have played soccer most of their lives on a recreational basis, have just as good a balance and rapid muscle strength as untrained 30-year-olds and much better balance and muscle strength than their peers," Krustrup added.

Compared to running, prolonged soccer training was reported to improve the bone mineral density of postmenopausal women more significantly.

The study found that playing small-sided games for one hour, two to three times a week increased the bone mass density and the muscle strength even in young untrained men.

Scientists urged individuals to choose a sport to practice, stressing that it is never too late to start.

Cherry Beach Soccer Field

Cherry Beach Soccer Field
Originally uploaded by Toronto Rush FC

Cherry Beach Soccer Fields is the official home to the Toronto Rush FC.

This has to be one of the best soccer fields in all of Toronto.

The field was originally built for use during the U-20 World Cup.

The view of the city skyline is absolutely amazing!

MLS Willing to Start Season Under Expired Contract

Major League Soccer is willing to start the season under the rules of its expired labour contract.

MLS president Mark Abbott decided to go public Saturday with comments about bargaining after seeing players start to speak out a day earlier.

Training camps have started, and the season opener is scheduled for March 25, when the expansion Philadelphia Union is at Seattle. MLS informed the union of its decision last month, putting the onus on players to decide whether to strike for the first time.

The league's five-year labour contract expired Jan. 31, but the sides have twice extended bargaining. Talks resume Monday in Washington, and the current extension runs to Thursday.

Canada lose to Jamaica in Friendly

Luton Shelton scored in the second half to give Jamaica a 1-0 win over Canada in a soccer friendly. Shelton scored in the 68th minute at National Stadium after the Reggae Boyz dominated the first half.The best chance for Canada came late in the game from the foot of striker Ali Gerba, who was left unmarked eight yards from the goal.

Stephen Hart Era of Canadian Soccer Begins Sunday

The official Stephen Hart era begins tomorrow for Canada's national men's soccer team. Hart, who was named the team's full time coach last month, leads the team against CONCACAF rival Jamaica in a friendly at Jamaican National Stadium in Kingston. The match kicks off the 2010 season for Canada's men's team, a season in which the coaching staff will be looking to schedule a number of matches as it builds toward 2012, when the two-year qualifying process for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil begins for Canada.

Kieran Gibbs's hopes of playing for England at the World Cup have been dashed, as it was revealed Thursday that the Arsenal defender has been ruled out for the remainder of the Premiership season because of a foot injury.

Canadian women win opener at under-20 championship

Canada got off on the right foot with a 1-0 victory in the opening match of the 2010 CONCACAF women’s under-20 championship on Wednesday.

Adriana Leon scored the lone goal at Estadio Cementos Progreso, capitalizing when the ball landed at her feet in the six-yard box in the 29th minute.

“It was a little bit of a relief when I scored the goal,” Leon said in a statement after Canada won its sixth straight game in competition. “I had a few chances before but didn’t execute. When I scored that goal, it felt great to put Canada up 1-0.”

Leon’s goal came in her first international youth match.

Several minutes earlier, Canada’s Taylor Patterson headed the ball just wide of the right post.

Canada goalkeeper Cynthia Leblanc had to work to keep the slate clean, including a pair of diving saves in the opening half. In the 77th minute, Costa Rica had a dangerous free kick that Leblanc pushed over the crossbar.

“Our Canadian defenders handled the match extremely well,” said Leblanc. “We were able to stay calm while playing the ball often to capitalize on Costa Rica’s weaknesses.”

Canada next sees action in the eight-team tournament Friday versus Cuba.

Eating habits of female soccer players and consequences for sporting activity

With her PhD theses Ms Leyre Gravina wished to show that to be a good sportsperson, apart from having talent and being fit and in training, eating habits were also important. To this end she ventured into the dressing rooms of the top two female teams of the Athletic (Bilbao) football* club and observed what and how much they ate. She concluded that, just by changing one or two bad habits, the sportswomen could achieve a body that suffers less during matches, thus increasing the possibility of enhancing sporting performance.

Ms Gravina evaluated players from the first two Athletic teams (Superleague and National League), in order to observe their eating habits and where they could improve. The evaluation lasted a week and the studies were carried out on the days prior to the match, on the same day of the game and after the match.

Using this data she wrote her PhD thesis: Estudio nutricional en mujeres futbolistas de élite y su relación con los cambios hematológicos, de estrés oxidativo y daño muscular tras jugar un partido de fútbol (Nutritional study of top-class women footballers and the relation with changes in haematology, oxidative stress and muscular damage after playing a football match).

Playing football game triggers a whole series of reactions in the human body. With the leucocytes or white blood cells, for example, Ms Gravina was able to observe that, due to the physical exertion involved, those of the neutrophyle type increased in number while the lymphocytes diminished. Moreover, the resulting lack of lymphocytes facilitates infections. Also notable was the muscular and cell damage involved and the alterations in electrolytes and hormones.

At the same time, Superleague players have greater antioxidative capacity than those of the second team, meaning more effective muscular contraction, less risk of inflammation and greater capacity of organisms to combat the toxicity of free radicals. Nevertheless, it has to be taken account that the body receives greater punishment at matches than in the second team fixtures -- suffering greater cell damage, rupture of red blood cells, tiredness and dehydration.

Those in the Superleague, somewhat better

In order to carry out physical activity correctly it is essential to have the required nutrients for the body. According to Ms Gravina, this depends on eating habits and nutrition.

According to the researcher, the eating habits of the Superleague players are better than those of the second team. They ingest less protein and fat and more fibre. Moreover, the percentage majority of energy consumed due to physical exertion comes from carbohydrates and not fat. In any case, neither of the teams eat correctly. To start with, they do not ingest sufficient carbohydrate. Moreover, their hydration is insufficient and this causes an increase in heartbeat. The percentages of electrolytes are also inappropriate, as they ingest too little potassium and too much (double the required amount) of sodium and chloride. As Ms Gravina pointed out, potassium is fundamental to guarantee electrolytic equilibrium, essential for correct neuronal transmission and for the mechanisms in active transport.

Moreover, Ms Gravina also observed deficiencies in those substances that make metabolism possible. Players from both teams lacked folic acid, vitamin D, calcium, iodine and fluoride; moreover, those in the second team did not have sufficient magnesium. The researcher wished to underpin that these nutrients are highly important for sportspeople: vitamin D, calcium and fluoride for the bones, iodine for the metabolic process in general and magnesium for the various functions that affect muscular functions.

Enhancing performance by changing eating habits

Given all this, in the view of Ms Gravina, effective measures can be taken that affect nutrition and enhance sporting performance, and she makes a number of proposals to this end. For example, the number of red blood cells increases with greater ingestion of proteins, folic acid and vitamin C. To counteract the inflammation caused by physical activity, she points to vitamins, carotenoids and certain vegetable-source substances. In order to combat oxidation, on the other hand, she mentions carbohydrates and fibre and certain vitamins and vegetable-source substances. As regards reducing cell damage, she proposes, amongst other things, ingesting fibre and carotenes. With these and other examples, Ms. Gravina has tried to demonstrate that, through developing new eating strategies, body changes caused by sport activity can be reduced, thus enhancing performance.

Long-Term Injury Study Among College Athletes Concludes Fewer Injuries on Fieldturf Vs. Natural Grass

The research was led by Michael C. Meyers, PhD, FACSM, presently a professor within the Department of Health and Human Development at Montana State University. The official study is entitled: “Incidence, Mechanisms, and Severity of Game-Related College Football Injuries on FieldTurf Versus Natural Grass: A Three-Year Prospective Study”.

The peer-reviewed study is published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine

"Over the past decades, numerous studies attributed a greater risk and incidence of articular and concussive trauma to playing on an artificial surface when compared to natural grass," said Meyers. "To that end, though balanced by a view that the synthetic turf product had seen technology advancements in the years thereafter, we hypothesized that FieldTurf would deliver a similar safety profile as natural grass relative to injury incidence, mechanism and severity. Although similarities did exist between FieldTurf and natural grass over a three-year period of competitive play, the findings showed significant differences in injury incidence, severity of injury, injury time loss, injury situation, grade of injury, injuries under various field conditions, and temperature between playing surfaces – with FieldTurf markedly the safer playing surface.”

The study evaluated play under natural game conditions and across 24 NCAA Division 1-A FBS universities. A total of 465 games were tracked – 230 games on FieldTurf, and 235 games on natural grass. A "reportable injury" was defined as any game-related football trauma that resulted in an athlete missing all or part of a game, time away from competition, any injury reported or treated by an ATC or physician and all cranial/cervical trauma reported. "Injury time loss" was categorized as minor if time lost was 0-6 days; substantial at 7-21 days resulting in the athlete unable to return to play at the same high competitive level; and severe if the trauma required 22 or more days of time loss.

“Injury incidence and severity is a topic of much discussion right now, not only within the halls of the NFL and relative to head trauma, but at colleges/universities and high schools across the country,” said FieldTurf President Eric Daliere. “We are pleased that this first-of-its-kind college football research is consistent with similar earlier findings at the high school level. These long-term studies will serve to set the record straight about athlete safety and FieldTurf.”

Findings suggested FieldTurf fields were safer than natural grass fields to the following degrees:

In regards to incidence of injury
7% Fewer total injuries
3% Fewer minor injuries
19% Fewer substantial injuries
22% Fewer severe injuries

In regards to head, knee, and shoulder trauma
12% Fewer concussions
42% Lower anterior cruciate ligament trauma
16 % Lower ACL and associated tissue trauma
10% Fewer AC separations
64% Fewer rotator cuff tears
46% Lower incidence of shoulder lesions (SLAP, Hill-Sachs, Bankart)

In regards to injury category
8% Less injury from player-to-player collisions
10% Less injury from shoe surface interaction during contact
8% Less injury from shoe surface interaction during non-contact

In regards to primary type of injury
8% Fewer ligament sprains
32% Fewer ligament tears
8% Fewer muscle strains and spasms
74% Fewer muscle tears
8% Less tendon strains

In regards to grade of injury
24% Lower incidence of second degree trauma
24% Lower incidence of third degree trauma

In regards to type of tissue injured

6% Lower incidence of joint trauma
6% Lower incidence of muscle trauma
6% Lower incidence of neural trauma

In regards to environmental conditions
10% Less injury during inclement weather (rain, snow, sleet)
42% Less injury during no precipitation, wet field conditions
24% Lower incidence of injury during games played under hot weather conditions

More than 60 top NCAA universities currently play their home games on FieldTurf including Nebraska, Ohio State, Michigan, Texas, West Virginia, Washington, Oregon, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas State, Boston College, Indiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Texas Tech, Rutgers, Syracuse, Cincinnati and Louisville. Twenty-one of the NFL's 32 teams presently utilize FieldTurf in their stadiums and/or practice facilities. In addition, MLB's Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays have FieldTurf at their respective stadiums.

The NFL Players Association released their bi-annual ranking of NFL stadium fields during a January 2009 press conference in Tampa prior to the Super Bowl. Once again, the results tabbed FieldTurf as the runaway leader among all artificial turf brands. In data gathered from polling/voting of over 1500 NFL players, 40% of the league's Top Ten surfaces were FieldTurf fields. In addition, four of the top five and eight of the top ten artificial turf fields in the league are FieldTurf, according to that NFLPA data.