Hannah L.

Too many young soccer players aren't giving enough attention to technical skills. That's where I come in! As a forward and midfielder with 25 years of experience, I have a passion for helping young ballers become magicians on the field. During my 13 years of coaching, I have worked with kids aged 5-22 in a number of different environments ranging from teams to small groups to 1-on-1s. Notable experiences from my resume include coaching stints with my college soccer team, youth club teams, summer camps as well as years as a private trainer in LA and Philadelphia

A four-year starter in college, I was part of a Swarthmore women's soccer team that won two Centennial Conference championships and made four-straight NCAA tournament appearances, including our first tournament berth ever as well as a run to the Elite Eight. During my college career, I was the Centennial Conference Rookie of the Year, a 4x All-Conference selection, an All-Mid Atlantic Region selection, an NCAA Woman of the Year nominee and recognized as Swarthmore College's Best Female Sophomore Athlete. By the time I graduated, I was ranked third all-time in points in Swarthmore women's soccer history and was named to the Centennial Conference Silver Anniversary team. Following my college career, I spent a season and a half abroad in Sweden playing with Enköpings SK and Gamla Uppsala SK.

My sessions typically start with a conversation -- whether it's with a parent/guardian or the athlete themselves. What do they want to get out of their time with me? A grasp of soccer basics? To become a starter? Make a club team? What are you the best on the team at? From there, we'll of course get a good, dynamic warm-up in. No injuries on my watch! I like to involve the ball in this early part of the session. That could mean tennis ball juggling, regular juggling, a little bit of dribbling to get a sweat on. Then, I will move on to two and four-cone drills that are all about refining footwork and gaining comfortability with the ball. Doesn't matter if you're a goalkeeper, defender or attacking type of player, every person on the field can benefit with gaining confidence with the ball at their feet. These drills are a game-changer for that. We'll then move on to a section focused on a specific skill or element of the game. Maybe it's long balls. Maybe it's shooting. Maybe it's 1 v 1 moves to beat a defender. If we're going more generic, it can be a fun smorgasbord where we'll spend a few minutes doing different things. I like to end with a game! 1 v 1, 2 v 2. Who doesn't love competition? Finally, we'll finish with stretching and a little download about what we worked on!