Having spent more than thirty-five years on the sidelines coaching youth players of all ages and having run many soccer camps over the years, I felt that we were not teaching the team game of soccer properly. Team practices consisted mostly of numerous and varied isolated drills. Never really seeing the progress that I thought a team should be making in their development, I felt that a different approach was needed in teaching teams the game of soccer. To achieve this end I have created a team-game concept for developing youth soccer teams. This program uses a curriculum approach to teaching. Repetition of each element as well as simplicity is the key to developing players to play on instinct. This book demonstrates this alternate method for developing our youth to play soccer with an understanding of the game. The simpler we keep our practices the more the player will learn, with repetition being the key. Therefore, “Less is more”! Filled with both the philosophy behind all aspects of youth soccer and a three year program guide of plays, this book is a hands on guide to teaching youth the game of soccer.

About the Author Few people on this earth recognize why they are here. Even fewer act on this knowledge. George Werner is one of those few. George was born with an intuitive understanding and love of the game of soccer. More importantly, George was born to be a teacher. It took him awhile to figure this out and during his early life he did many things at a high level. Thankfully for countless young soccer players, he ended up choosing to dedicate his life to coaching youth soccer. When he became a soccer coach, he was almost instantly highly successful and recognized. Players want to learn from George, which is the mark of a true teacher. The reason is that George teaches more than soccer. Many years after their playing days are over, which lessons do you think his players remember? George has three grown children and lives with his wife in Rochester, New York. He is currently the Director of Coaching for the Penfield Strikers Soccer Club, a travel soccer club for girls ages 7–19 in Penfield, New York.