Jess K.

I am currently an Assistant Women's Soccer Coach at Ohio Northern University. Spent a year coaching at Miami University (Ohio) and as a Graduate Assistant at Ohio University. I have trained an U-13 girls group as well as done individual training for girls ages 12-22. I coached the 1999 Girls ODP Ohio South team this year as well. I have a National USSF D license.

I grew up playing competitive soccer in the Chicago suburbs and went on to play division-one soccer at Miami University (Ohio). My senior year I was selected as a NSCAA Third-Team All-American as well as MAC Offensive Player of the Year. I helped lead my team to a conference championship as well as the second round of the NCAA's.

Depending on the athlete and what they want to improve on I like to focus on agility and speed in the beginning and then transition to a lot more technical and ball work.

For example I like to start with ladder training to improve footwork. Move on to agility with sprints, shuffling and backward pedaling around cones. Next I like to do ball work and get lots of touches on the ball using all surfaces from the inside, outside, and bottom of the foot. After that move on to volleys using all surfaces from your foot to thigh, chest, head, etc. Another drill I enjoy is pressure training: there are two cones about 8-12 yards apart and the player starts in the middle and checks to the outside of the cone and has to relay a pass back using the outside foot and progress to two touches and then developing the first touch across the body, etc. At the end I try to incorporate a full body strength exercise such as body weight squats, push-ups, and sprints.