Stay updated with the latest public health research, commentary, and field notes from our editorial team.
February 9, 2026 · 5 min read
Picture this: it’s the last 20 minutes of training. Players are tired, touches get sloppy, and you’re deciding whether to run fitness laps or play one more game. You choose a 4v4. Suddenly, intensity spikes. Players talk more. Decisions come faster. Heart rates climb. Everyone is locked in. That instinct—to choose the game over the […]
Picture this: it’s the last 20 minutes of training. Players are tired, touches get sloppy, and you’re deciding whether to run fitness laps or play one more game. You choose a 4v4. Suddenly, intensity spikes. Players talk more. Decisions come faster. Heart rates climb. Everyone is locked in. That instinct—to choose the game over the […]
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As the world eagerly anticipates the 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted across North America, a pertinent issue has captured the attention of the scientific community and soccer enthusiasts alike: the risk of heat stress on players. This concern is not just about comfort but about the health and performance of the athletes on soccer’s grandest […]
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Note: This article is cross-posted from our sister site: This Week in Public Health. On a warm summer night in 2020, a local health department staffer scrolls through her phone after a long shift. The headlines aren’t about COVID case counts or vaccination clinics. They’re about athletes—kneeling, striking, refusing to play. In between emergency briefings […]
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Picture this: it’s the 72nd minute. A low cross skips off a defender, the striker stabs at it, and the ball ricochets toward goal. Your keeper reacts instinctively—no textbook dive, no perfect set position—but somehow the ball stays out. After the match, a coach mutters: “Technique was messy, but it worked.” Science backs that up. […]
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You’ve seen it a hundred times. A parent leans forward on a folding chair, hands cupped around their mouth, yelling instructions during a U9 match. After the game, that same parent says, “I just want my kid to have fun.” Here’s the tension: what parents say they want in youth soccer often doesn’t match what […]
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Picture a corner kick late in a tight match. Two players leap, elbows tucked, eyes locked on the ball. There’s a clash of heads, a shout, and one player hits the ground holding their mouth. Best case: a cut lip. Worst case: broken teeth, dental surgery, and weeks out of training. Most soccer coaches worry […]
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Soccer is a sport that combines both art and science, particularly when it comes to mastering the perfect long ball. This technique isn’t just about striking the ball as hard as possible; it’s about understanding the underlying physics that govern the ball’s movement through the air. The Role of Physics in Soccer Newton’s laws of […]
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Picture a Tuesday night training session. Cones are laid out. Bibs are handed out. But something feels off. One kid hangs back. Another snaps after a bad touch. A third is talented but disengaged. Most coaches respond the same way: more structure, more discipline, more reps. But here’s the uncomfortable truth backed by research: the […]
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Identifying future soccer stars isn’t as simple as watching who can dribble or score a goal. Over the past decades, researchers and scouts alike have learned that success in talent identification comes from a blend of skills, attributes, and contextual factors. In this post, we unpack the multi-dimensional factors that predict long-term success in soccer […]
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