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Michael G., New York, NY Soccer Coach

Michael G.

Soccer

BRONZE

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Quality = Clinical Technique + maximum Soccer IQ View all coaching experience

This coach is unavailable to take clients at this time.

Training Locations
  • University of California--Los Angeles (CA)

  • 10 years

  • Qualified Private Coach
    Passed Coach Course

  • Adults, Kids, Teenagers

  • Midfield, Forward, Defense

  • Throw-Ins, Shooting, Penalty Kicks, Passing, One-on-Ones, One-Touch, Heading, Goal Kicks, Free Kicks, First Touch, Dribbling, Crossing, Corner Kicks, Agility

Credentials

  • University of California--Los Angeles (CA)

  • 10 years

  • Qualified Private Coach
    Passed Coach Course

Services

  • Adults, Kids, Teenagers

  • Midfield, Forward, Defense

  • Throw-Ins, Shooting, Penalty Kicks, Passing, One-on-Ones, One-Touch, Heading, Goal Kicks, Free Kicks, First Touch, Dribbling, Crossing, Corner Kicks, Agility

More About Coach Michael

U.S. Soccer Federation
- Licensed Coach

Head Coach / President / General Manager - Orchard FC
2010-2017
- HC/Pres/GM of a four team, fifty player organization.
- First Team is semi-pro, players played NCAA D1/D3 or equivalent.
- All-Star D1 Coach (2015, 2016)
- Five league championships, two promotions, no relegations.

Private Lessons
I give private lessons to players who are serious about improving their game. My students span the spectrum from youth to adult, recreational to NCAA. I love teaching soccer to anyone who is eager to learn.
- private lessons given to UCLA Men's Club Soccer Team players (2006-2007)
- private sessions held with Wesleyan University men's NCAA D3 varsity soccer players (2008-2009)
- The technique and skills I teach apply to all outfield positions
- Improved skills deliver in game results
- The habit of self-improving your skills will help you continue to consistently raise your level on an ongoing basis, even well after our sessions.

As a player, I have been privately trained by four NCAA D1 coaches and two USL Pro coaches. I treasure the lessons they taught me and reteach their "greatest hits" to you.

Twenty-five+ years as a player
- LA Premier League (semi-pro) (2004-2007)
- Cosmopolitan Soccer League (D1) (2009-2011)
- UCLA Men's Club soccer team (2004-2007)
- Bowery Premier League (D1) (2007-present)
- Gotham Soccer League (D1) (2010-present)

We learn proper soccer fundamentals.
We sharpen good fundamentals - always improving.
We enhance skills, one by one.
We link improved skills together - just like in a match.

Fundamental skills:
- touch on the ball (all parts of the foot)
- ball control (deliberate, positive first touch - receiving easy passes, handling bouncing balls/balls in the air, dribbling - moves, fast, in tight spaces, cutting turning)
- body control (balance, explosiveness, agility, soccer-speed)
- passing (short, long, chips, switches, through-balls)
- shooting (driven, bending, side-netting)
- serving the ball into the box from the wing
- defending (one on one, defensive-unit-tactics)
- shielding (protecting the ball, transforming a protect-the-ball situation into an attack situation)
- fifty-fifty balls
- offensive positioning, soccer IQ, vision, decision making
- where to 'direct your gaze during play' (should your eye be on the ball? your head up?, etc, situation-dependent)

What do you think your strengths and weaknesses are? Let's enhance your strengths and "fix" your weaknesses! I am happy to help you assess the state of your game. I tailor a curriculum for you lesson by lesson to complement your development.

By the end of your first session, we'll have improved your...
- Good first touch (maximizing opportunities when you receive easy passes, controlling difficult passes, managing bouncing balls)
- Keeping your balance (when initiating a 'move', when taking a shot, when defending)
- Playing with your head up - you'll learn exactly what you ought to look for, how you ought to look for it. (Later we address how to process your on field radar reconnaissance at game speed). We'll be very specific about this - the game will 'slow down' for you - you will play better!
- Precise passing accuracy - serving the ball exactly where you want it, knowing where your teammate needs it
- Speed - throttle control - when and how to do things quickly, when to do things comfortably

We will take an inventory of where the student is as we begin training together. By the second or third session, we can constantly tailor a bespoke progression of drills/exercises based on pressing needs. We will always look to amplify your strengths, and encourage you to seek maximum joy in the game! We will also be frank about your weaknesses, and show you that there is no on field skill that can't be learned!

Example drills:
- technique (touch) on the ball
- - coerver style drills
- - - you will become a complete player as you develop two equally strong feet.
- - - you will be able to do this with your head up, gaining on field intelligence, all the while
- fundamentally correct passing form + first touch
- - training at a 'handball' court such that we can make use of a real "wall"
- fundamentally correct 'driving the ball' form
- - shooting, long distance passing, service into the box
- connecting optimal individual play to the team game
- - we use drills as well as multimedia (youtube videos, etc) to demonstrate the power of movement 'off the ball', making runs
- - explain strategic positioning, logical decision making, how to make your teammates better
- - 'situation recognition'
- - - how to keep your head up while playing
- - - how to make decisions based on the locations/movements/patterns of the players on the field
- - - - knowing when it is time to run with the ball vs. make the pass
- - - - knowing when it is time to take the shot vs. fake the shot

post-session:
- writeup / review of what we covered, and where we will go next
- annotated list of youtube video drills to mimic for 'homework'
- - i will provide textual context and curate a program of youtube video drills to reinforce our session at your convenience at home

match fitness
- strength/conditioning/flexibility/diet training and/or advice can certainly be provided.
- a multidisciplinary approach towards achieving the optimal health of the athlete is favored; "whatever works", empirically, for the athlete, from yoga/mobility to weight training, is encouraged.
- we can determine good habits and routines that balance the enjoyment of life with the enjoyment of exercise/athleticism
- we will improve the athlete's match fitness such that their speed, strength, and stamina never limiting their ability to play at their highest possible level.

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Client Reviews

Michael is exceptional. His communication skills are top-notch, and the depth of his feedback blew me away. My son has improved dramatically in just a couple sessions and has learned aspects of the game he's never encountered.

Signed up for 3 sessions with Michael. My son is 13 has been playing soccer pretty much his whole life and immediately got some key takeaways and new methods after working with Michael.

Very easy to schedule and communication was top notch I am very impressed

(no details provided)

I'm an adult rec league player who has found his way into some great leagues, and while I've enjoyed playing games, I realize that I don't get enough touches in my games to truly improve my level of play. So I decided to try training with Michael to see if I could get some extra practice and some useful tips. I was not disappointed!

By putting me through some quick drills that tested my fitness, technique, touch and potential, Michael was quickly able to articulate, diagnose, and help correct my weaknesses as a player. I like that he was able to put his tips into terms that addressed both physically what could improve and tactically how and when they could be applied. For example: I'm more of a "back to the goal" kind of player, so open field dribbling has never been a strength. Michael quickly recognized this as a weakness, corrected my technique (got me bending my knees and focusing more on my balance), and advised ways to both practice these new methods and apply them during game play.

In my experience, adult players don't often look to improve, but when I was done training with Michael, even though I was exhausted, I left inspired to work harder on my own so I could translate training into better play in my games. If you really want to improve, Michael is a great coach and trainer!

(no details provided)

We love coach Michael! He is really great with kids and makes the sessions really fun and skills based.

Being someone who has not regularly played soccer in years, I really appreciated Michael's patience and exercises. He helped me improve my first touch and passing accuracy. Getting in touch with Michael to schedule our sessions and then reschedule (due to work obligations) was always a breeze.

Mike is pretty awesome as of being a coach. He is very good at speaking loud his ideas and making me understand his soccer philosophy. Also, what I like about Mike is that he works so hard to focus on my weaknesses instead of repeating things I am also good at (other coaches think training my strong parts is easy for them so they keep doing that). For example, my positioning and body usage to receive the pass is not very competent, so he let me shoot at the wall and he pretended to be the defender and practice my steps and body control to get the bounced ball. To be honest this is very helpful.

This is only my first session and I enjoyed it! More sessions to go!!!

Coach Michael was a true professional. His attention to detail helps deliver superior touch and skill that take your game to the next level.

A true student of the game, Coach Michael is a tactical master willing to discuss and game plan game scenarios in addition to technical drills.

Saw immediate improvement during game action. Have more time and space with the ball and am able to see plays before they develop.

Highly recommend this coach.

Coach Michael is exceptionally inspiring. No one can match his passion for the game - at the highest quality level, of course. He has a sharp eye for assessing a player's natural strengths and weaknesses. As a teacher, Michael has a unique method for breaking down the specific skills needed to succeed in every aspect of the game. He walks through each of those skills with his students in bite-sized modules. In doing so, his student learns not only the skill, but an elevated look at the 'how', and even the 'why'. Michael proves the value of the skill set empirically, with examples of recurring game situations. He transforms those chaotic moments into smaller mini-games, in which a set of exact skills that will guarantee success is taught. The first payoff is that the student learns each of the skill-modules one by one, thus is instantly a better player. The long game payoff is even better: the student will also learn "how to think about the game". Once that lesson sets in, students can think about the game and "how to self-develop a needed skill" to transcend whatever level they are on. Michael's students, thus, will probably become the best player on their team, or in their league, if they take to this style. Most importantly, his students will have a path to becoming the best player that they can be. Training with Michael is like training into and out of the passing lane of the highway, always moving smoothly, quickly, safely, enjoyably.
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