Category Archives: Soccer

MAXIMUM PRESSURE FOR MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE AT ALL TIMES

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Whether it’s a volleyball, football, basketball, playground ball, water polo ball, soccer ball, rugby ball, etc., etc., all inflatable balls feature a maximum pressure stamped right into the ball.  This number can usually be found in close proximity to the inflation valve on the ball.  A lot of individuals completely ignore this number until that fateful day when the ball they are inflating explodes in their hands, a scary and dangerous situation.  Other see this number as a warning only.  DO NOT INFLATE TO MORE THAN XXX POUNDS OF PRESSURE.  At least they will not have to worry about the previously mentioned explosion.  To those of us in the know however this number is more of a “sweet spot”, the pressure at which that particular ball will perform its best.  In some cases you may find that a slightly different pressure performs better to you, your own custom “sweet spot”.

Don’t think that ball pressure is that important to your game?  Have you ever bounced an under inflated basketball?  Ever tried to get a spiral out of a football that needed some more air?  Try spiking an under inflated volleyball.  Ever kick a soccer ball and wonder why it didn’t travel in the correct direction.  Under inflation could have been the problem.  Inflation pressure is important not only to the longevity of the product but also its performance.

A lot of research money has gone into making sure that the bladder and valve on your ball will hold air correctly.  Huge amounts of money have gone into developing new bladder technologies, that’s how important air retention is when it comes to inflatable sports balls.  The sports balls of today don’t require nearly as much re-inflation as they used to which is good news.  Another big stride taken against under inflated sports balls is the ability to purchase some very small hand pumps to keep your sports balls inflated to the proper level even on the fields.

Many products are available and they can all get the job done.  The pocket pump, pocket pistol, double action hand pump, the 10”ball inflator.  There are dozens of styles to choose from.  There is one problem with most designs however.  They can inflate the ball but they don’t tell you the current pressure.  You need a separate inflation gauge for that.  That is until now. 

The new Pocket Pump With Gauge offers the handy size and easy to use design of the pocket pump with a built in pressure gauge so that you know when you have inflated the ball to its “sweet spot”.  You can pick up your Pocket Pump With Gauge at www.morleyathletic.com where you will find all of the supplies and equipment you need to run a successful sports program.

FOLDFAST® GOALS FOR SHRUNKEN YOUTH SOCCER FIELDS

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Youth soccer participation is on the rise and with so many young players clambering to get some time on the field the inevitable is happening around the country.  The smallest of our soccer stars are playing on shrunken fields.  It’s a simple concept.  Since the kids are so small and just learning the basic skills of the game you can safely shrink the field size and team size down without extending the learning curve.  The bottom line is that you can get more of the soccer mites learning the skills they will need to play U8 level the following year.

So that’s a great idea and all but more fields mean more goals.  I have seen a lot of pop up goals out there on the field and that’s fine but they do lack a real soccer feel and usually don’t even come close to the shape of a real soccer goals.  My recommendation for leagues that can afford a bit more than pop up goals is the FoldFast® soccer goals.

FoldFast® soccer goals come in two sizes a 4 foot by 6 foot size and a 4 foot by 8 foot size.  They are shaped more like a real goal and best of all they do what the name implies… fold fast.   The best part is in clubs where the U8 fields are shrunken down a bit too, such as our local youth soccer club the FoldFast® goals are durable enough to be used at this level of play if needed.  Unlike most pop up goals FoldFast® soccer goals remain stable even when they’re not staked down. 

FoldFast® soccer goals offer durable construction and a super strong 5 mm net with 4 inch openings.  The net attaches with durable bungee net fasteners and remains attached after the goal is folded.  When folded the goals become and L shape that allows you to store a bunch of them in small space.  You can transport them in the trunk of a car, back of a pickup truck or in a van.  If you have storage facility at the field you won’t take up too much space with FoldFast® soccer goals.

FoldFast® soccer goals are also great for backyard games or to take to the park for family picnic.  They can be used for high school or college level practices and can become a valuable tool when a player needs to work on their skills alone.  So if you’re in the market for some new small sides soccer goals. If you need to get more fields set up in a small space FoldFast® soccer goals are certainly an option worth looking into.  You will find a complete selection of FoldFast® goals at www.morleyathletic.com along with a product video showing their ease of use, customer testimonials and a FAQ section that will answer any of your questions before you buy.

Quality Fund Raiser Item

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Are you looking for an item you can sell as a fundraiser but you are sick of selling junk food and items that are tacky.  Then you should look into the custom logo locker room stools.  

Custom logo locker room stools are not only classy but will last for a long time.  These stools are compact and comfortable.  They have a padded seat top that features a durable vinyl cover. The stools frame is made of heavy duty steel for long lasting value.  The stools also fold compact for easy storage.  They are available in 11 frame colors and 9 vinyl colors giving you a wide variety of color combinations to create any combination you like.

Since these are custom stools you can get your school logo or mascot printed on them. If you have a club or some other logo you want to use no problem.  You can do up to a four color logo on these stools so pick whatever you want the sky is the limit.  The custom stools will make a great souvenir that can be used in the homes of the people that buy them.  These locker rooms stools would make a great addition to a fathers garage or a grandmothers sewing room.  They will remind buyers of their family member who was in a specific sports program or a club for years to come. Chess club could do a fund raiser with these awesome stools.  I can see a nice black knight chess club logo in my head already. Just think of all the different areas these stools could be used.  I think people would rather get something useful and memorable when purchasing a fund raiser item,don’t you?  These stools are just that item.  They look awesome and are durable as well.

Before you sign up with some people that tell you to sell junk food to raise funds look into the custom locker room stools to sell.  Go to morleyathletic.com and check out the stools and the helpful video that is offered.  Why sell people who are donating to your program junk food, when you can sell them a high quality memorable custom stool that instills pride in your organization.

Practice Like a Warrior

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Soldiers in every country train for battles.  Sports players practice for games.  What they do is very different but the reason they do it is not.  There are psychological and physical benefits to practicing for situations of high stress like battles and games.  Psychologically we train to build confidence under pressure.  We also train so that we become offensive and head into battle rather than shrink from it.  While sports are less life threatening than battles the same principles apply.  A football scrimmage with other team mates will help you mentally prepare for a game with an opposing team. 

But the real benefit of practicing is the physical side.  You can have all the confidence in the world but if you can’t get the ball in the goal you do not have a chance.  Muscle memory is where the big advantages come in.  Doing a task a few thousand times will help get it ingrained into your muscle and into your brain. Shoot a layup 2000 times and you will be able to do it like clockwork.  The greats of the greats like Michael Jordan spent a lot of extra time on the basketball court practicing.  He was out on the court after everybody left and this simple fact made him possibly the greatest basketball player of all time.  Once you do something enough it almost becomes an instinct.  Soldiers practice shooting, rushing bunkers, and jumping out of planes.  They do this so that when they go to battle they will have that instinct and the edge over the enemy.

The more you practice the better off you will be.  You do want to make sure that you train or practice the correct way as well because if you do it wrong 2000 times you will not have the advantage but a great disadvantage.

I would suggest checking out some coaching videos that will help you learn how to practice the right way.  You can find hundreds of them at www.morleyathletic.com.  There are videos on baseball, basketball, field hockey, football, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track & field, volleyball, water polo and wrestling.

Morelyathletic.com also has the equipment you need to practice with.  Get the gear and the info and start practicing like a warrior today.

The Ultimate Coaching Tool

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There is a coaching tool that not many people think about yet is very useful.  That item is the coaching tower.  A coaching tower is pretty much a tower that a coach stands on so he can view the complete field.  This is a great tool for schools that can afford it and want to get the most out of their practice time.  The advantages of having a coaching tower are many. 

It allows the coach to view the entire field at once giving him the ability to view everybody while each practice play is going on.  This advantage point lets coaches pin point details for which players need to improve the way they play.  This can be very useful in football, soccer, lacrosse, field hockey, rugby, or any field sport.  Just think of all the little details that are visible on the field when you have a higher viewing point.  When the little details are fixed they turn into huge advantages for the team.

A great coaching tower is The Ultimate Observation Stand.  It is very stable and portable.  It has an attached handle which makes it easy to move.  It is made with 1 ¼” galvanized steel tubing making it very sturdy.  The base of the tower measures 6’ x 8’ giving it a wide base for stability.  The platform you stand on measures 4’ x 4’ and has carpeted ¾” plywood with side railings for safety.  The tower height is 10’ giving you a good height to view the entire field.  The ladder is permanently attached and folds up when not in use.  If need be you could attach a simple chain and lock to keep people from folding the ladder back down and climbing up the tower.  The heavy duty construction allows it to hold up to 300 lbs.

Another great note is that The Ultimate Observation Stand is multipurpose.  Coaches can use it but so can band directors, teachers, and photographers.  This great coaching tool is often overlooked.  Use your practice time to its fullest with The Ultimate Observation Stand, you will be surprised by the difference it makes in your coaching.

For more information on this item and other coaching tools go to www.morleyathletic.com.