One Simple Exercise to Prevent Ankle & Knee Injuries
by Jennifer Schwartz, Alexandria Soccer Injury Prevention & Fitness How to use this exercise: Each repetition should be guided by the bullet points in the video. Control of motion is a very important goal for knee strength gains. This should be accounted for with slow and thoughtful repetitions. For injury prevention and no pain present- […]
How & When to Use Active Stretches
by Jennifer Schwartz, Alexandria Soccer Injury Prevention & Fitness What are active stretches? Active stretching is an advanced form of flexibility training. This form is different from static passive and dynamic stretching. Placing an outstretched leg on a chair and using body weight to bring about a stretch is an example of static passive stretching. […]
The Key to Summer Training is Specificity
by Jennifer Schwartz, Alexandria Soccer Injury Prevention & Fitness As many of the Academy players have heard me say, 98% of the game (individually) is spent without the ball. There are multiple phases within the game and training activities that each player must understand if they are going to be successful in the ASA Academy […]
After School Fuel: Snacks for Your Child’s Backpack
by Jennifer Schwartz, Alexandria Soccer Injury Prevention & Fitness Making sure your kids eat well as they go from school to after school sports and activities can be tough. It’s important to plan ahead and have healthy snacks ready in your child’s backpack so they can fuel their bodies properly in between activities. Having tasty […]
A Good Soccer Diet Starts with Optimal Carbs
by Jennifer Schwartz, Alexandria Soccer Injury Prevention & Fitness Healthy ASA Academy Soccer players are smart and vigilant about their nutritional intake. They will learn that the hours spent at training can be optimized by adapting to a healthy soccer diet. Carbohydrates are a key macro-nutrient for the growing soccer player. Most of us have […]
Pre-session Routines | Good for Injury Prevention & Much More
Co-authored by Jennifer Schwartz, Fitness and Injury Prevention and Robyn Kenney of Mindfulnessathletics.com A Pre-session Routine is a specific process that prepares athletes to have the most productive and focused session possible. We are recommending a recipe of specific tasks that a player can adopt before beginning each training session. If done routinely players will […]
The New Way to Treat and Recover From Concussions
Co-authored by Jenn Schwartz and Noelle Ekonomou DPT of One2One Physical Therapy There is an abundant amount of press and information about concussions and how often they are diagnosed. There is NOT an abundant amount of treatment option information outside of, “rest until your head stops hurting.” This is outdated information and certainly not sound […]
Lessons Learned — Advice from a first time volunteer soccer coach
Our Recreational Soccer League is made possible by our volunteer coaches. Every season parents step up to coach and co-coach their kid’s teams. We often answer questions from apprehensive parents who are unsure whether they are qualified or have the time to coach a team. We thought it would be helpful to hear from someone […]
Press Release: Alexandria Soccer Association Launches Adult Soccer and Futsal Leagues
We’re expanding our program offerings to include league play for adults (ages 19+) beginning this winter. The addition of Adult Leagues will provide Alexandria and surrounding communities an opportunity to come together around the game, not just at the youth level but at all ages. Alongside league competition the programs will bring the adult community […]
After School Soccer League — Pilot Program
In partnership with Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) we’re piloting a new after school soccer league this Fall at Title I elementary schools Cora Kelly and William Ramsay. By hosting the program immediately after school, at no additional cost, the introductory league experience is structured to eliminate all barriers to participation. Players at Cora Kelly […]