Volume 11 1

Stallions Corral Official Newsletter of the Holmdel Stallions Soccer Club November 2008

Volume 11, Number 1 U-14 U-15 U-16 U-23 Adult

Stallions Fielding 26 Teams For 08/09 The Holmdel Stallions are fielding 26 teams for the 2008-09 seasonal year. Fifteen are male teams and eleven are female teams.

Blue Thunder Bulldogs Lightning Stilettos Mystic Ryders

JAGS MOSA MOSA CL GSSL

Tim Watters Dean von Essem Mike Roth Gordon Bostic Gordon Bostic

The Stallions’ Executive Board, the Board Of Directors and the Corral Staff would like to wish all the Stallions’ teams great success in the upcoming seasons!

The number of teams reflect the continued of the club. The Stallions have teams competing in seven different leagues, including the Monmouth-Ocean Soccer Association (MOSA), Ocean County League (OCL), Jersey Coast (JCSA), MidAtlantic Premier Soccer (MAPS), Jersey Area Girls Soccer (JAGS), Garden State Soccer League (GSSL) and the Champions League (CL). The teams, their coaches and the leagues that they are playing in are listed below. Male U-7 U-8 U-8 U-10 U-11 U-11 U-12 U-12 U-13 U-14 U-15 U-15 U-16 U-17 Adult

Inter 01/02 Broncos Broncos Xtreme Hammrheads FC Sharks Colts Gladiators Mustangs Hurricanes Blue Devils Azzurri Hammer Trojans

JCSA OCL MAPS MOSA MOSA MOSA MOSA MOSA MOSA MOSA MOSA MAPS MOSA GSSL

Stallions Goalkeeper Training

Paul Golden Eric Hinds Scot Small Brendan Wall Gary Gross Phil Marino Scot Small Rob Arena Jon Butler Rob Arena Tom Wojcieszek Jim Harrigan Jim Colaprico Dave Tschaen Gordon Bostic

The Stallions Goalkeeper Academy (SGA) is conducting goalkeeper training this fall on Mondays and Thursdays from 7:00-8:30 p.m. The fall sessions started on September 4, 2008. Both sessions will be at Cross Farm Park. Please check the Stallions web site or call Matt Woolston (732-539-7208) as schedule changes may occur. Keepers of all ages and abilities are welcome to attend one or both sessions, as they so choose. This training is sponsored by the Stallions and is free of charge to Stallions players.

What’s Inside ACL Injury Prevention …………………….…….. 7 Interpreting the Rules ……………………………. 3 Legal Issues For Coaches ………………………… 5 Men’s Team Wins Indoor Title ………….………. 2 Whether You Think You Can …………………… 2 U-9 Shooting Stars Capture Hazlet Tournament . 2

Female U-8 U-8 U-9 U-11 U-11 U-13

Blast Roma Shooting Stars Blue Fireballs White Fireballs Power

OCL OCL MOSA MOSA MOSA MOSA

Colleen Cook Karen Schweppenheiser Gordon Bostic Sam Cooper Fran Floria Russ Dronne

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Volume 11, Number 1

U-9 Shooting Stars Capture Hazlet Tournament

Whether You Think You Can If you think you are beaten you are. If you think that you dare not, you don’t. If you’d like to win, but you think you can’t, It’s almost certain you won’t.

Although no official standings are kept for NJYSA (New Jersey Youth Soccer Association) sanctioned tournaments, the Holmdel Shooting Stars, U-9 girls, captured the Hazlet Columbus Day tournament on the weekend of October 10-12.

If you think you’ll lose you’ve lost. For out in the world you’ll find, Success begins with a fellow’s will. It’s all in the state of mind.

The Shooting Stars opened tournament play with a stunning 2-1 loss to Hazlet Blaze – a game in which the Shooting Stars completely dominated play. The U-9 team re-grouped to play the Bayonne Lightning on Saturday, posting a 2-0 victory.

If you think you are out-classed, you are. You’ve got to think high to rise. You’ve got to be sure of yourself before You can ever win a prize.

The Shooting Stars entered Sunday play in a tie for second place in the tournament, and were facing the 3-0 Middletown Wildcats White. The Holmdel team posted a 3-0 win, and capturing the tournament tie breaker, depending upon the final game of the tournament.

Life’s battles don’t always go To the stronger or faster man. But sooner or later the man who wins, Is the man who thinks he can.

The Shooting Stars completed tournament play with a strong performance that saw them pull away from the Westfield Wizards with another 3-0 victory; and capturing the unofficial tournament title.

Men’s Team Wins Indoor Title

Members of the Holmdel Shooting Stars include Nicolette Buffa, Gabrielle Cipriano, Nicolette DeMarco, Abbey Flynn, Kailey Flynn, Alyssa Golden, Erin Gross, Sophia Lovoulos, Olivia Mancino, Anna Milstein, Kathryn Rebele, Erin Shields, Devlin Stark and Hannah Thomson. The Shooting Stars are coached by Gordon Bostic, Rachel Miranda and Chuck Forster.

The Holmdel Trojans, men’s amateur team, captured in Indoor Championship this past summer at the Tab Ramos Sports Center. The Trojans, playing under the team name of Forzo, finished in fourth place in the Silver Division; finishing with a 3-4 record, netting 32 goals against 37 goals surrendered. Forzo, seeded fourth, faced the fifth place Colts in the first round of the playoffs. The Holmdel team prevailed , 9-2, and advanced to face the first seeded Average Joes in the tournament semi-finals. Again the Holmdel team prevailed in an upset, 6-5, to advance to the tournament finals. In the finals, Forzo defeated Montemore, 4-2, to capture the Silver Division Championship.

(The Holmdel Shooting Stars at the Freehold FrightFest tournament posing as Cat In the Hat)

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STALLIONS CORRAL November 2008

Volume 11, Number 1 Play Pic B

Interpreting the Rules [Editor’s Note: Following are two play situations, along with graphics, that are frequently disputed by coaches in terms of how they are interpreted by referees. They appeared in Referee magazine under the headings “Gray Decisions on Dangerous Play” (August, 1999) and “Kicking or Tackling?” July, 1999).] If your first thought as soon as you saw Play Pic A was to shout, “high kicking,” join the thousands of parents who watch their sons and daughters every weekend. The foot is high, almost seven feet off the ground. However, the absence of an opponent nearby dictates that no call is made. You must not punish a player for displaying the skills that are a part of the game, ft does not matter that the cleats are exposed. No. 3 is in no danger in that play. Do not whistle to stop play simply because you see a dangerous act. The potential for injury exists whenever feel come in close proximity to heads, mistakenly called high kicking by many. It may occur when heads sink too low to the ground, trying to play the ball in an area where most players would use their feet. Since safety is one of the three major tenets of the spirit of the game, you must stop play and penalize the person who creates the dangerous situation.

Advice to referees: Rule 12.13 lists three important criteria to help you determine if dangerous play should be whistled: The action must be dangerous to someone, it was committed with an opponent close by and the dangerous nature of the action caused the opponent to cease active play for the ball or be otherwise disadvantaged. In Play Pic B, as player 5 realizes player 8’s leg is coming up, she reacts by drawing her arm in to protect her body and retracts her head and neck to avoid injury. Had 8 not lifted her foot so high, 5 would have headed the ball toward the goal or a teammate. Player 8’s actions put 5 and the dark team at a disadvantage, so you must stop play and award an indirect free kick. That points out a rule difference between the various codes of play. Under the Laws of the Game and NCAA rules, if 5 and 8 were teammates, there would not be a stoppage. Under Federation rules, that is an offense and the opposing team would be awarded an indirect free kick.

Kicking or tackling? As player 22 throws his body into a defensive position in a desperation slide tackle, the potential for serious injury exists. Player 22 started his tackle too late or too close to 11. He has strong lateral momentum and will not contact the Play Pic A

(Continued on Page 4)

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Volume 11, Number 1 Play Pic C

Interpreting the Rules (Continued) ground until he is under where 11 is standing now. The wide expanse of 22’s body leaves 11 little escape. All 11 can hope to do is get airborne before contact to minimize injury. If ll’s cleats are buried in the grass as 22 makes contact, the torsion on the ankles and knees is extreme. That mistimed tackle is at least reckless (unnatural movement designed to intimidate an opponent) and might be an example of a player using excessive force (placing the opponent in considerable danger of bodily harm). The key to determining excessive force is to watch 22’s hips as he starts the tackle. If he throws the hips upward into the opponent, he is after the opponent’s body. If the hips drop toward the ground where the ball is, he simply mistimed the tackle while going for the ball. Referees no longer judge a player’s intent. We don’t know if 22 wanted to hurt 11 or just clumsily started the tackle one step too late. You simply make your judgment based on what you see the player do. In Play Pic C, 22 was high and late and that is a foul. The determination that the foul was reckless or used excessive force leads to the display of a misconduct card. Inevitably, players will exclaim, “But ref, I got the ball.”

Play Pic D

Advice to referees: 12.8 is clear: “Making contact with the opponent after touching the ball while performing a tackle does not necessarily mean that a foul has not been committed. The declaration by a player that he has in fact played the ball is irrelevant if, while tackling for the ball, the player carelessly, recklessly or with excessive force commits any of the prohibited actions.” While the two Play Pic graphics are nearly identical, there are vital differences. In Play Pic D, 20 dropped his hips toward the ground. As 20 nears 11 and contests for the ball, both feet are on the ground. The friction of sliding along the surface will stop his momentum before he contacts 11, giving 11 the possibility to jump over 20’s outstretched leg.

Services, P.O. Box 12, Franksville, Wl 53126. The price is $32.95. VlSA/MasterCard holders can call 800-733-6100 to place an order. E-mail orders ([email protected]), FAX orders (262-632-5460) or order via the internet (www.referee.com).

Those minor but important differences become a part of your foul recognition. Skills that take you years to perfect are witnessed by coaches and spectators who cannot read those subtle differences. They hear the whistle when their player mis-times a tackle and note the silence as a ball is cleanly stripped from their striker. Then they cry out that you are not being consistent. Be strong. ©

Soccer Journal March/April 2000

The Play Pic graphics also arc part of “Soccer Officials Guidebook,” a 348-page book which includes 100 illustrations and over 100 case studies on soccer rules. Included in the text are rule quizzes and a glossary of rules-related terms. The 8-1/2 by 11-inch

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Volume 11, Number 1 immunity, governmental immunity protects coaches who work for public or state schools from frivolous law suits. The legal representatives from state schools will be able to provide specific details relative to the protection of coaches.

book is in a workbook format. It can be ordered from Referee Special

Legal Issues For Coaches

Your legal duties

Even volunteers can be liable – do you know your rights and responsibilities?

Regardless of the limited legal protection, coaches have at least nine documented legal duties for which they are accountable. For each legal duty, there are a number of strategies that may be implemented to meet the necessary duty of care and minimize risk.

The reality of frivolous lawsuits has professionals across a wide range of disciplines fearful of litigation. The field of coaching, both professional and volunteer, is no exception. Coaches have newer obstacles to face in terms of legal issues. The need for safety and risk management is greater than ever before.

Duty to properly plan the activity As the NSCAA curriculum suggests, coaches should plan out practices that are an appropriate intensity and duration for their team. It is important to be sure practices are developmentally appropriate. Also, practices should include proper warm-up and cool down methods. Use of the principle of progression helps to ensure safety Start simple and build to complex.

Because of the hazards of coaching within a litigious society, it is imperative for coaches to be familiar with their legal rights and responsibilities. The purpose of this article is to clarify the legal issues that are most relevant to coaches, while providing practical suggestions to ensure safe soccer programs.

Duty to closely supervise the activity

Legal Issues 101 The major legal issues facing todays coaches are liability, negligence, legal duties and risk management. Unfortunately, most well-meaning coaches may not be familiar with these issues at all. Legal liability refers to the responsibilities and duties between persons that are enforceable by the courts. Legal issues are either criminal or civil. Within civil law, issues are either classified as tort or contractual. The area most applicable to coaches typically is tort law. Tort law is concerned with determining whether or not a person has failed to fulfill a legal duty Negligence is the term for failing to fulfill a legal duty In order to determine negligence, four questions must be answered in the affirmative:

Most negligence suits arise from lack of supervision. Be sure that a coach or another responsible adult is able to supervise the entire practice. For head coaches who do not have the luxury of an assistant, it may be advisable to have at least one parent or another adult at practices in case of emergency On a related note, do not leave children unattended after practices or games. Even at the high school level, it behooves coaches to wait for players to be picked up, or at least make arrangements for supervision. Although waiting may be inconvenient at the time, it is often the ethical option. A parent from my team makes a business card size list of all of the parents’ names and cell phone numbers, which has been a convenient solution for us.

1. Did the coach indeed have a legal duty? 2. Did the coach fail to fulfill a legal duty? 3. Was there an injury to a player or other party to whom a duty was owed? 4. Did the coach’s failure to fulfill the duty cause the injury?

Duty to provide proper instruction It is the responsibility of the coach to teach and explain the steps necessary to perform various soccer skills. If a player is injured in practice while making an attempt on a skill that was improperly taught, a coach may be at fault. Coaches who just roll out the ball do not provide sufficient instruction to their players. Keep the NSCAA course notebooks handy, as you plan practices and provide coaching cues.

Coaches and other professionals are expected to act as a “reasonably prudent person” would in any given situation. Often coaches are even expected to stand in loco parentis, or “in the place of parents.” The significance of the relationship between coaches and players increases the level of duty a coach owes his or her players according to most legal interpretations.

Duty to warn of inherent risks When teaching technical skills that are more dangerous than others, coaches should warn players of the inherent risks. For example, when teaching tackling or heading, coaches should emphasize the importance of proper technique as well as the consequences of using improper methods. In a general sense, players and parents should be familiar with the risks inherent in normal soccer participation. The likelihood of bruises and strains should be discussed. Many soccer programs require parents to complete an informed consent form, often done through the state affiliation paperwork. The informed consent

There is an obvious need for coaches to manage risk in order to avoid negligence, despite immunity laws. In 1997 Congress passed the Volunteer Protection Act, a Good Samaritan law that provided volunteer coaches of nonprofit organizations with immunity against frivolous lawsuits. For the purpose of the law, volunteers were defined as those who receive less than $500 compensation, excluding reimbursement for expenses.

(Continued on Page 6)

The federal law does not protect volunteer coaches against gross

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negligence. Some states have sport-specific statutes that apply to the liability of volunteers in sport-related settings. Similar to volunteer

beyond the call of duty. In the unfortunate event of an injury, it is important to have some procedures in place. Immediately stop the practice or game, check vital signs, assess the symptoms and determine if professional help is necessary Easy

Legal Issues For Coaches (Continued)

access to a cell phone and emergency numbers can speed up the process of getting immediate help. Coaches should acknowledge their limitations and obtain the services of qualified professionals. If a player suffers a minor injury at practice, a follow-up phone call and email are helpful. A call to a parent to check in on the status of a player is important, especially if the child neglects to mention the injury A follow-up email is an efficient way to document the injury and record the action taken. Coaches are recommended to use a standard injury report form. Coaches should keep accurate records of injuries and follow up efforts.

form describes the inherent risks of participation and asks parents to agree to the terms provided. It is typically a good idea to make extra copies of these types of documents to keep on file.

Duty to provide safe physical environment In a broad sense, coaches are responsible for protecting the basic rights of their players. Specifically, the physical environment includes safety- and weather-related issues. Coaches are responsible for making appropriate decisions relative to extreme heat, cold or other inclement weather. The safety and well-being of players should come lirst, regardless of competition level. Seeking fields with shelter or indoor accommodations nearby can be helpful during unpredictable weather conditions. Many athletics departments and organizations implement a zero tolerance policy in the event of lightning. The legal literature recommends similar policies.

Duty to provide appropriate emergency assistance Before the season begins, coaches should have a health history and physical form, as well as a medical waiver signed by parents for each player. It is important to be aware of special medical conditions, such as allergies and asthma. Also, these intake forms usually request emergency contact information. Make copies of these forms, one set to file, another to carry with the head coach and an extra set for a team manager or assistant coach to keep. If an emergency occurs, it will be essential to have the forms somewhere easily accessible.

Additionally, the field safety is, in part, the coach’s responsibility Given that many coaches are not directly responsible for the upkeep of their practice and game sites, legally there is a gray area. At a minimum, coaches should survey their field space for potential hazards and check the stability of the goals. Most soccer field-related lawsuits involve goals falling or breaking and subsequent injuries to participants. A facilities inspection checklist may be a useful tool for schools and clubs to monitor field conditions and be aware of potential issues. Report any field condition concerns to the responsible parties immediately When in doubt, do not allow your players to participate under questionable conditions.

All coaches should carry a well stocked first aid kit. Extra ice packs are helpful, as well. Players should know where the first aid kit is in the event the coach needs assistance. Keep the necessary emergency phone numbers in the first aid kit and programmed into a cell phone. Follow up with any emergency is essential.

Duty to provide adequate and proper equipment

Summation of legal duties

As with the physical environment duties, the equipment duty also involves shared responsibility. Although participants provide most of their own equipment, it is up to the coach to enforce the use of necessary safety equipment. Demand use of shin guards at practice, as well as mouth guards if required by league or conference rules. If a player is injured without protective gear, the coach may be held accountable for allowing participation without the necessary equipment. Players will take advantage by bending the rules related to shin and mouth guards. Be aware and be strict, as no coach wants avoidable injuries to occur.

The verdict

It is the obligation of coaches to understand and fulfill their legal duties, despite any protection provided by immunity laws. In order to avoid liability and meet legal duties, risk management is a critical component to any athletic program, whether it is professional or recreational. In addition to risk management, coaches are encouraged to have insurance coverage as well as familiarity with other available resources. The importance of proper recordkeeping and documentation cannot be understated. Accountability is key when working to meet legal standards. It requires a proactive coach to take responsibility for understanding the pertinent legal issues and in turn creating a plan to successfully minimize risk and negligence. Coaches who consider potential issues before they become a reality will be better prepared to meet their legal duties with the utmost of care.

Duty to match athletes property For those who coach youth soccer, the need to match players appropriately is a significant concern. At first glance, a bystander would never believe the girls of my U-12 team all are the same age. The size range is staggering. Avoid pairing the tallest players with the smallest. Players should be evenly matched by size, strength and ability when possible. In the case of my team, my smallest player is willing and able to take on anyone. Many of the duties discussed here go back to knowing your players and your environment.

By Dr. Lynn Pantuosco Hensch Westfield State College Soccer Journal, November/December 2006

Duty to evaluate athletes for injury and incapacity

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Basic first aid is required of most coaches. All coaches should have practical first aid knowledge. In general, when in doubt err on the side of caution. There are very few, if any, lawsuits involving coaching that went above and

• Body types Women generally have a smaller intercondylar notch in the knee (place where ACL passes through the joint). Therefore, because of smaller, narrower knees, less stress is needed to tear ligaments in a female knee compared to that of a larger male knee. In general, females have wider hips then men and tend to rotate them more, which places females at greater risk for injuries.

ACL Injury Prevention What do professional soccer player Brand! Chastain, basketball player Rebecca Lobo and beach volleyball player Liz Masakayan have in common? If you answered “an ACL injury,” you were correct. In addition to these high profile names, most soccer coaches can reel off the names of a number of their own players who have injured an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). While it is the injuries of professional athletes that we hear most about in the media, the overall numbers are staggering.

• Hormonal differences Hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle lead to muscle tissue becoming more elastic than at other times for women. Studies have shown that estrogen levels may affect ligament laxity for some women. • Upright body position Females tend to bend their knees less during typical soccer and athletic movements compared with males. Females are more apt to land flat-footed and with straight legs compared with males, who are more likely to have soft landings. Overall, women play soccer and other sports with a more erect posture than males, which increases the risk for injury.

Did you know that one in 10 female college athletes will injure their ACL this year? Or that one in 100 female high school athletes will injure an ACL? These ratios result in 2,200 female college athletes with ACL injuries and thousands more at the high school level. The NCAA ACL injury rates are highest for women in basketball and soccer. Although females are four to six times more likely to injure an ACL than males, the number of male injuries also continues to increase. As coaches, there is no doubt that we already have too much to do in too little time. Yet in light of increasing ACL injury rates, I challenge coaches to add one more important task to their “to do” list: ACL injury prevention.

• Muscle imbalances Males and females have stronger quadriceps than hamstrings. But with females the muscle imbalance tends to be greater (quadriceps and hamstring strength). Female athletes have been shown to utilize hamstring muscles less than male athletes, resulting in improper movements and greater occurrence of injuries.

WHAT IS AN ACL INJURY? The ACL is one of four ligaments within the knee. The ACL crosses from underneath the femur (thigh bone) to the top of the tibia (shin bone). It serves as the primary restraint to forward motion of the tibia and contributes to the overall stability of the knee. Unfortunately, ACL injuries have become all too common in soccer, especially for women.

RESEARCH ON GENDER DIFFERENCES A wide variety of research has been conducted to explore the gender differences that put females at greater risk for knee injuries than males. Interestingly, a study done with the University of North Carolina’s men’s and women’s soccer teams resulted in similar gender differences. The female soccer players flexed and recruited the muscles around the knee differently that the males. According to researcher Michael DiStefano, “the females had more erect posture, rotated their hips more and had more quadriceps flexion than the males when performing the maneuvers” (DiStefano, 2004). The conclusion was that these ACL-related gender differences were not influenced by the skill level of the soccer players. If the talented Carolina women are at risk, so are other female soccer players.

An ACL injury occurs from contact or non-contact. Most injuries (more than 75 percent) are non-contact. When asked about the professional athletes previously mentioned, you really aced the quiz if you knew that all three women experienced non-contact ACL injuries. The non-contact injuries are typically a result of inappropriate cutting, jumping/landing, pivoting or even just running (acceleration/deceleration) that causes excessive rotational force to the knee. Common symptoms of an ACL tear include sudden giving way of the knee, hearing a “pop” at the time of injury, sudden swelling of the knee and pain in the knee when walking (Cluett, 2005). While recognizing the symptoms ol ACL injuries is useful, the more valuable skill is preventing these injuries from happening in the first place. Before establishing a prevention program, it is necessary to understand why ACL injuries occur and why females are at a greater risk.

FACTORS ATHLETES CAN CONTROL Athletes cannot control genetics and anatomical structure (body type, hormones, etc.), but other risk factors may be altered. Both muscle imbalances and upright body position can be changed through proper training. Newer research suggests that preventive training can significantly reduce the number of non-contact ACL injuries (Myer, et. Al, 2004; 2006; Wilkerson, et al, 2004).

Researchers have established a number of risk factors that set females a part from males in terms of ACL injuries. The risk factors are body types, hormonal differences, body positioning and muscle imbalances (Ahmad, et al, 2006; Hayward, 2001; Hewett et al, 2006;

ACL INJURY PREVENTION PROGRAMS Available research supports ACL injury prevention programs, but the exact protocols still are up for debate. While experts suggest a

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Moeller, et al, 1997). Each risk factor will be described in brief:

ACL Injury Prevention (Continued)

(Continued on Page 8) exercises are advantageous. Current research is in progress that should specify which types of programs, protocols and exercise prescriptions are most effective for injury prevention.

variety of exercise prescriptions, there are some common themes and guidelines that tend to hold true across various protocols. Experts agree that learning proper techniques and patterns to avoid unnecessary stress on knees is paramount to any successful injury prevention program. Other important concepts include learning to jump, land, pivot and run properly. Several primary components should be the basis for an injury prevention program, including core strength, leg strength and balance.

For example, U.S. Soccer team physician Dr. Bert Mandelbaum leads the group that created the Prevent Injury/Enhance Performance (PEP) program for knee injury prevention in southern California. The PEP program requires a 15minute routine consisting of a warm-up, stretching, strengthening, plyometrics and sport-specific agilities that is performed two to three times per week.

• Core strength. Develop a strong trunk of the body to improve stability. Various exercises using physio balls, Pilates or abdominal exercises can build core strength. The stronger the core, the better the all-around support of the body will be, especially in competitive soccer.

A comparative study showed a dramatic reduction in injury rates for female soccer players who utilized the PEP training during 2000 (88 percent) and 2001 (74 percent) (www.aafla.org/3ce/acl_frmst. him). Longitudal outcomes will be helpful for future program design. Other studies suggest significant changes may occur in as little as six to eight weeks of training, which is reassuring for the busy soccer coach (Hewett, 2000). In essence, learning proper movement techniques is vital. And like any other soccer technique taught, players will need plenty of repetition before mastery. Coaches can fight the odds of ACL injury by being proactive in terms of education and prevention.

(Continued on Page 8)

• Leg strength. Create balance in quadriceps/hamstring strength. In order to build leg strength and create muscular balance, exercises which involve the hamstrings are key Jumping programs such as plyometrics (explosive jumping movements) involving boxes, hoops and agility ladders can be helpful. Resistance bands also are a practical, inexpensive tool to incorporate. For those with access to more sophisticated equipment, weight training that focuses on hamstring strength and safe lateral movements can be very valuable. Exercises such as lunges (which can be done without equipment) can be worked into any soccer program. Lunges with both legs in forward, backward, side and diagonal directions are an inclusive set oi exercises to add to any practice.

WHAT WE'RE DOING AT WESTERN UNITED With the Massachusetts Premier club I work with, we are trying to be proactive on a smaller scale. We are organizing an ACL Injury Prevention Night, where parents, coaches, and players can learn about the information presented in this article. The program is free and open to all of our club members. We have a local professor of sports medicine from Westfield State College and surgical physician's assistant on hand to participate in the program. My role in the program will be to share programming ideas and demonstrate sample exercises. All of the professionals involved are volunteering their time. There are similar professionals in most communities who will welcome the opportunity to get involved.

• Balance. Training for balance, agility and coordination will increase dynamic balance. Exercises that require shifting balance, direction and speed are helpful. These types of movements can be done with and without a soccer ball. Simple equipment such as hoops, ladders and boxes can be utilized.

ACL EXERCISE GUIDELINES Well-rounded programs should include muscular strength, balance and dynamic sport-related movements. Injury prevention programs should promote motor control and body awareness with players. Exercises such as plyometrics are valuable, but should be used with caution. An effective program implements a variety of exercises, including ones that:

In our club, we have also started our own strength and conditioning program which focuses on performance enhancement as well as injury prevention. By Lynn Pantuosco Hensch, Ph.D. Soccer Journal, July/August 2007

• Promote a "ready position" with bent knees and light feet • Require one leg at a time • Require changing direction • Require acceleration and deceleration • Involve shifting balance • Encourage soft landings

OUTLOOK ON ACL INJURY PREVENTION The bottom line with ACL injury prevention is that something

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can be done to reduce the alarming injury rates. Researchers suggest that injury prevention programs and

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