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Development

Does Vitamin D Make Soccer Players Faster? A New Study Suggests It Depends

Vitamin D has become one of the more talked-about supplements in sports nutrition. The logic seems straightforward: vitamin D plays a role in muscle function, bone health, calcium regulation, and immune function—all things that matter to soccer players. So if vitamin D is important for athletic performance, taking more of it should make you faster […]

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Development

Can Coaches Use GPS Data to Predict How Hard Training Feels?

Youth soccer coaches have a familiar problem: two players can finish the same training session, run similar drills, and still feel completely different afterward. One player says the session was “fine.” Another says their legs are cooked. A third feels out of breath, even if their total running distance was not especially high. A new […]

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Development

Why Emotional Control May Be Just as Important as Ball Control

Elite soccer players spend countless hours improving their first touch, passing accuracy, speed, and tactical awareness. But new research suggests another skill deserves just as much attention: the ability to recognize and regulate emotions. A new study of professional female football players in Mexico found meaningful links between emotional awareness, decision-making, and cognitive performance. While […]

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Development

Why Better Dribblers Are Usually Better Passers (But Not for the Reason You Think)

If you’ve ever watched an elite midfielder effortlessly receive the ball, beat pressure, and thread a perfect pass, you’ve probably wondered: Are great passers simply great dribblers? A new observational study involving 242 elite academy players (U14–U19) suggests the answer is yes—but only partially. While dribbling ability, passing skill, and agility are all related, the […]

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Development

What Soccer Age Group is My Child In?

The most frequent question we, and I (as a youth coordinator), get is: What Age Group is my Child in? So input their birthday below to find out. This is for US Soccer’s new 2026-2027 guidelines. Exeter United Find Your Soccer Age Group Player birthday For more questions, be sure to reach out to your […]

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Analytics

Why Sitting Back With a 1-0 Lead Is Usually a Bad Soccer Strategy

Don’t be like England You’ve probably seen it hundreds of times. You saw it again YESTERDAY! Your team scores with about 20 minutes remaining. The coach immediately starts yelling: “Everybody behind the ball!” The striker becomes another defender. The midfield drops 20 yards. Possession disappears. Every clearance is treated like a victory. It feels like […]

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Strategy

El Niño’s Impact on Soccer: Adapting Athletic Performance to Climate Change

As the global climate continues to evolve, understanding how these shifts can influence the game is critical for athletes, coaches, and sports scientists. Recent reports indicate that an El Niño event has officially commenced, signaling a potential for extreme weather disruptions. As characterized by the BBC, this phenomenon can lead to increased rainfall, flooding, and […]

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