Gary Kleiban - Podcast Details

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3four3 FMEp 392: Unlocking Pro Player Development – Pathways, Odds, and Longevity in American SoccerIn this insightful episode, Gary Kleiban and Benny Rogers tackle the intricacies of pro player development in the United States. Starting with a listener question on coaching U9 girls using the 3four3 methodology, they emphasize treating young players with the same foundational principles as older groups focusing on possession, structure, and adaptation across formats like 7v7 or 9v9. The conversation shifts to the pro pipeline: what it takes to become a professional, from early athleticism and technique honed outside team environments to mentality and discipline in adolescence. Gary shares real-world examples from their academy days, highlighting how...2025-08-071h 15

3four3 FMEp 391: Filippo Silva (Tactical Manager) on Independent Media and USMNT ChallengesIn this episode, Gary Kleiban welcomes Filippo Silva, the independent voice behind Tactical Manager TV, for an unfiltered discussion on the state of American soccer. Filippo, a Brazilian-American with a deep soccer background, shares his journey from playing and coaching to building a platform that challenges the U.S. soccer establishment. The conversation covers the USMNT's struggles, including the entitlement of the current golden generation and Christian Pulisic's controversial decision to skip the Gold Cup. They also explore MLS's controlled growth, the U.S. Open Cup saga, and the recent USSF-TST partnership, questioning...2025-08-031h 27

3four3 FMEp 382: Evaluating Your Kid’s Youth Soccer ClubGary Kleiban joined the Playmaker Fútbol Academy (PFA) podcast hosted by Kirk Kinsey.to discuss key topics in American soccer development. We highlight the importance of parent involvement in assessing and selecting clubs and coaches, and how different factors impact players. Gary shares insights on the challenges in the US soccer landscape and provides actionable advice for parents and coaches. We also explore the significance of a strong home environment and the role of recognizing legitimate coaching expertise. 00:00 Intro 03:08 Kirk Introduces Gary Kleiban 04:50 Kirk’s Coaching Journey and Club Search 2025-06-2656 min

3four3 FMEp 376: The Art of Losing Your Man – Identify it, Understand it, Train it, Execute itElevating American Soccer: Mastering ‘Losing Your Man’ and More In this episode, we focus on the concept of ‘losing your man’ and how this technique differs from the traditional ‘get open’ mantra often heard in American recreational soccer circles. Learn how this skill is vital at every level of play, not just for wingers, but midfielders and defenders too. We discuss the importance of proper coaching and personal training, the pitfalls of the current American soccer ecosystem, and how to navigate these challenges. Plus, get insights into international competition and the dynamics of youth soccer...2025-05-151h 01

The Counter PressEpisode 194: What's Wrong with US Soccer? A discussion with Gary Kleiban.Kirk is joined by Gary Kleiban of 3four3 to discuss the recent failure(s) of the USMNT and how the federation at large is failing as well.2024-07-111h 22

3four3 FMEp 337: Navigating the High-Stakes World of Soccer: Insights with Kephern FullerIn this episode, host Gary Kleiban sits down with Kephern Fuller to explore the complexities of American soccer players breaking into the European scene. The discussion covers immigration challenges, the realities of competing internationally, and the difficult decisions parents must make for their kid’s soccer careers. Key topics include the developmental impacts of prolonged MLS participation, the importance of experiencing high-pressure environments abroad, and the cultural limitations within American soccer. Emphasizing the need for perseverance and strategic planning, this episode offers valuable insights into the journey toward soccer success and the broader de...2024-06-042h 09

Breaking The Lines Audio PodcastsCortalinhas Episode 27: -Part 1- How Vizela have shaped up in their second season in the top-flight in club historyZach speaks to prominent American soccer agent Gary Kleiban, founder of 3four3 (@3four3 on Twitter) about Alex Mendez's progress at Vizela and how Vizela have shaped up in their second season in the top-flight in club history 2022-04-0636 min

Breaking The Lines Audio PodcastsCortalinhas Episode 27: -Part 2- Vizela's Fanbase as a fundamental piece of the club's performance || [Player Analysis] Fabio Vieira & Chico ConçeiçaoZach speaks to prominent American soccer agent Gary Kleiban, founder of 3four3 (@3four3 on Twitter) about Vizela's fanbase as a fundamental piece of their performance this season + Analysis of Primeira Liga's Matchday - Match Analysis: Benfica x SC Braga - Squad Analysis: Sporting CP this season + FC Porto, a step closer to the title. - Player Analysis: Fabio Vieira and Francisco 'Chico' Conçeiçao 2022-04-0633 min

3four3 FMEp 300: What Should Be Done About Joystick Parents?The following is a pretty lively chat I had with Nick on joystick parents. You heard that right, I didn’t mean to say “joystick coaches”. That one we already covered in episode #293. Which, by the way, if you haven’t listened to that one, I strongly encourage you to do so, because it’s not what you think. In that episode, we start to dispel this misguided, and many times agenda driven, demonization of coaches doing what they generally should be doing. That is, being vocal on the sidelines. In any case, today we’r...2021-12-1958 min

3four3 FMEp 283: USMNT Olympic Qualifying Failure – What’s the Excuse Now? Pointing to the: * Coach * Player(s) * Schedule * Player availability * US Soccer or stating that the Olympics isn’t that big a deal anyways … you name it, it all misses the mark, it’s all superficial, and it all conveniently serves to distract the fans, the customer base, from looking at the underlying issue. This episode of the podcast is from an Instagram live Gary Kleiban had with Nick Rogers the day after the United States failed to qualify for the Olympics for th...2021-04-0123 min

3four3 FMEp 282: The Training Formula That Can Help You Create a Competitive Advantage Over Your Opponents.The key to achieving a significant degree of competency is repetition. Furthermore: The key to making up that technical debt we described in the previous episodes, is repetition. The key to creating a moat, a competitive advantage, over your competition, is repetition. The key to achieving your goals is repetition. But not just any repetition. It must be the repetition of the right things. This seems to be common sense. So, why don't we follow the formula that clearly works and that so many success stories have as a common theme? ...2020-10-2038 min

3four3 FMEp 281: How Can We Catch up to the Best Players and Nations in the World? Technical debt is a concept in software development that reflects the implied cost of additional rework caused by choosing an easy (limited) solution now, instead of using a better approach that would take longer. If you choose, you can read the full Wikipedia entry. But in short, the longer you postpone doing things *correctly, the greater debt you accrue significantly increasing the risk of mild to catastrophic failures in your ultimate objectives. And the cost/effort to correct the problem and pay the debt increases the longer it persists akin to accruing interest.2020-10-1341 min

3four3 FMEp 280: You Want to Help Your Player Achieve Their Goals, Right? Start Here. I'm sure you've heard these terms before: Work Ethic Sacrifice Mentality Grit Culture Grind etc Or the saying: Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard. It's just the reality. If you want to get back those 6 pack abs, it's not going to happen by sitting on your ass, eating Cheetos, drinking beers, and binge-watching Netflix every day. There's case study after case study, testimonial after testimonial. And we'll testify as well after having seen what happens to countless players who have passed through our tutelage, and the...2020-10-0636 min

3four3 FMEp 279: A Huge Deficiency in the Suburban American Soccer Player Across the globe, players of all ages from 7-year-olds to adults benefit from the street game that informal pickup culture the American player lacks. The barrio, as Hispanic/Latino cultures call it, is where strong mentalities, ball skills (of the smooth, not mechanized variety), and the dark arts of the game are forged. This is something you can't get at your club. This is something you can't get with personal training. And this is something that is not only critical to top-level player development, but also a huge accelerator for any lower level player who...2020-09-2936 min

3four3 FMEp 278: American Players Must Improve This Before We Can Contend With the World’s Best. In this episode, we dive a bit more into Soccer IQ. While the correct decisions are sometimes governed by the current scoreline, run of play, the opposition, time on the clock, etc., what most people fail to realize is the most fundamental guide. The correct decision, by and far, is the one that retains possession. All decisions to the contrary are risks: Trying to dribble by a player or two or three. Threading a pass to your midfielders or strikers. Launching a 40-yard ball to your forwards etc What are you risking? Well, a...2020-09-2239 min

3four3 FMEpisode 277: Listen to This before You Say a Player Is “Elite” Just as it's important to discern what is a much-preferred team environment for player development, so is the capacity to discern what an elite player is and isn't. Having a good model for elite allows you to properly calibrate your measuring stick, and consequently be able to better identify, judge, and rank the shortcomings in your player. That in turn makes you a better mentor, better coach, better player, and even a better fan of the game. In this episode, Gary Kleiban joins me to discuss elite soccer player characteristics and...2020-09-1539 min

3four3 FMEp 276: The One Training Tool Every Soccer Player Should Be Using When you're not training with your coach, learning the game from TV, or playing with others Go Find a Wall It is the single greatest tool for developing your technique. Nothing else comes close. Claudio Reyna, one of the few quality players to survive the US Soccer landfill, shares a brief story with us. The following is an excerpt from his book: More than goals: the journey from backyard games to World Cup competition . I spent a lot of time hitting the ball against the side of the house...2020-09-0834 min

3four3 FMEp 275: The Truth and Lies About Possession Soccer There is a movement towards possession-based soccer in our country and it's about time. The possession-based game, in one manifestation or another, has dominated global football for decades. But unfortunately, it has taken an extreme interpretation and execution of possession, in Barcelona/Spain, to awaken us in the United States. As a result, the word possession' is now commonplace. Commonplace in American media, commonplace in the household, and becoming more commonplace on the training grounds. The gap and challenge, however, is in going from mere use of the word...2020-09-0134 min

3four3 FMEp 274: Introducing the 5 Components of Player Development You cannot relay solely on playing in a structured club environment to fully develop a player. There is so much that should be happening outside of the club environment, away from the coach, on the players own time that contributes significantly to the development process. In this episode, Gary Kleiban joins me to discuss what he calls the 5 different components of player development: The household/parent/family influence. The playing on your own influence. The pickup game influence. The structured club training influence. The personal training influence. Each tap into a...2020-08-2545 min

3four3 FMEp 272: Who Can Claim Credit for Developing a Player? The Answer Isn't as Simple as You'd Think. Who can actually take credit for a player “making it”? Furthermore, what does “making it” even mean? Does it mean something different in different situations? What’s the context? Specifically, we talk about who can claim credit for a players development and ultimately their trajectory? Can a coach claim credit? Can a parent/mentor claim credit? Can a club claim credit? Can a league claim credit? Can a federation claim credit? How much credit should the player themselves get? Well, Gary Kleiban and I discuss all of that, plus more in th...2020-08-1257 min

3four3 FMEp 271: What Is and Isn’t Remarkable About American Soccer? In previous episodes, we’ve discussed language and why it’s wise that we update our soccer vocabulary. Well, in this episode, we’re to focus on just one word. The word is: remarkable. Gary Kleiban joins me to answer some of these questions: What is remarkable? What isn’t remarkable? What are the good and bad sides of remarkable? Which players consistently demonstrate that they’re remarkable? What’s the difference between consistency and a single remarkable action? What about coaches? Are there any remarkable American coaches? As I pointed ou...2020-08-0436 min

3four3 FMEp 270: Who’s Really Making Money Off Youth Soccer? Being a coach, administrator, trainer, or educator in youth soccer is a job like any other. Why should anyone be expected to do it for free, or for minimum wage, or for less than minimum wage? That’s the expectation in American youth soccer, though. Those who make money in youth soccer are often unnecessarily demonized. Here’s the thing, nobody is getting rich off youth soccer. Sure, some DOC’s or executives might be making 6 figures, but why shouldn’t they? This certainly isn’t the popular stance to take, but the no...2020-07-281h 08

3four3 FMEpisode 266: Do You Know What “It’s Just a Game” Really Means? Have you ever found yourself saying the phrase It's just a game ? Well, I know I have. But, over the years, and even more so recently, I've realized that it's so much more. And today we're going to talk about why that phrase is so prevalent in American soccer and the realities of what sport actually means to individuals and entire ecosystems. First off, soccer is an economic market like any other. There are businesses in play, livelihoods at stake, communities to consider, and consumers that should...2020-07-0123 min

3four3 FMEpisode 264: You Want Diversity in MLS, and the National Teams? Okay, These Things Must Change. As a soccer nation, we have a diversity problem, on and off the field. And in more ways, than you might think. Although we generally seem to be aware that a diversity problem exists, we don't appear to have a good grasp of the root causes, which is likely why we have not made significant progress in solving anything. As Gary Kleiban, 3four3's Founder stated on Twitter: Soluble problems will continue to persist unless the root is both identified and undone. If we're talking about racism and diversity b...2020-06-1730 min

3four3 FMEpisode 263: Why Would Someone Want to Own an MLS Franchise That “Loses” Money? If MLS owners aren't making money from their franchises, why would they even want to own one? This is a question that has been bouncing around in my head for quite some time. It resurfaced the other day as I was listening to Joe Rogan and Reggie Watts commentate on a video of Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Revolution and New England Patriots, meeting with Vladimir Putin. In the video, Kraft hands Putin a Superbowl ring and Putin never gives it back. Joe and Reggie thought it was hilarious. So did...2020-06-0956 min

3four3 FMThe Balancing Act Most Coaches Fail at, and Most Non-coaches Don't Appreciate There are a number of different influences players will encounter throughout their youth career. The household/parent/family influence. The playing on your own influence. The pickup game influence. The structured club training influence. The personal training influence. There are a number of different components embedded within each of those influences. All of which can, and should, be dissected to get beyond the superficial level in order to achieve a greater understanding of player development as a whole and everyone’s role in it. To help with that we’re going to drill down...2020-04-2814 min

3four3 FMEpisode 249: See How Easily You Can Excite U.S. Men’s National Team Fans. After having some time to sit and think about what we saw, Joey Cascio and I recorded our thoughts about the USMNT’s performance vs. Costa Rica. Following the annual month-long USMNT camp, seven players made their first appearance with the senior team. One of those players is someone we know very well, Uly Llanez. Congratulations to Uly and his family. As Gary stated on Twitter, Excellent shift Saturday. Now we get back to work. Excellent shift you put in Saturday. We get back to work. ?#teamUlyhttps://t.co/RMUYJEZlzM 3four3 (@3fo...2020-02-0443 min

3four3 FMHonorary Episode 248: The Road Map Kobe Left Us Kobe Bryant's addiction to basketball, and obsession with becoming the best version of himself, was a net-positive for the World. Through basketball, he was able to inspire an entire generation of fans, athletes, coaches, and many others. And as an outsider looking in, it appeared to me that he was able to (almost perfectly) balance his responsibilities as a husband, father, athlete, coach, entrepreneur, and celebrity. To me, that is what truly made him special. Kobe's life was an example of what is possible if someone decides to dedicate themselves to...2020-01-2807 min

3four3 FMEpisode 241: What Separates the Best from the Average? It’s the start of a brand new year. Which means there is no better time than now to talk about work ethic. Because that is what separates the best players from the average. In this episode, John reads one of 3four3’s evergreen articles written by Gary Kleiban. The article, Work Ethic – An Elusive Player Trait, is a directed at coaches and scouts, but is also important for players, parents, and fans to hear as well. Following the reading of the article is an interview with Uly Llanez, Alex M...2020-01-0230 min

3four3 FMEpisode 240: A Quick Discussion About Rondo’s with Brian Kleiban What's so special about a rondo? Johan Cruyff said, Everything that goes on in a match, except shooting, you can do in a rondo. The competitive aspect, fighting to make space, what to do when in possession and what to do when you haven't got the ball, how to play one-touch' soccer, how to counteract the tight marking and how to win the ball back. So basically a rondo is one of the most powerful exercises if not the most powerful known to soccer. What is a rondo, though? ...2019-12-2410 min

3four3 FMEpisode 238: Elite Soccer Player Characteristics This episode of the podcast is an article written by Gary Kleiban that was originally published on the 3four3 blog in August 2009. You can access the original article here: What's an Elite Player? Normally, the date doesn’t matter when these posts are revived. But in this case, I believe it’s important to point out that this was written over 10 years ago. 3four3’s now-famous U11 possession soccer video was still three years in the future. All the guys in that video were just 8 and 9 years old at the time this article was re...2019-12-1710 min

3four3 FMEpisode 211: The Best Reference For Proper Player Assessment. Player assessment is a fun topic. Everyone has an opinion. Everyone. But a lot of people struggle with providing proper player assessments. We tend to rely on outside sources to provide us with information and form our opinions based on what we’ve gathered. A lot of times this comes in the form of regurgitating whatever we hear from *expert analysts. This a problem. In this short episode, we’re going to take this topic head-on and leave you with the best reference for assessing a player. Gary...2019-09-0308 min

3four3 FMEpisode 166: Recruiting Is the Right Thing to Do Written and published by Gary Kleiban. Find the original version here. The perception and values associated with the practice of recruiting depends on who's doing the perceiving and the act itself be it an organization, coach, player, parent, or whoever. This episode will take the position of what every interested party supposedly wants. Development and a meritocracy. Right? Recruiting If the goal is to develop players to the caliber of a quality professional hell yeah recruiting is necessary. And not only is it necessary, it is the right thing...2019-04-0409 min

3four3 FMEpisode 163: Proof! Someone in American Soccer Media Cares About Promotion-Relegation. Arch Bell is the U.S. correspondent for MARCA.com. He is also a contributor to ESPN FC and CONCACAF.com. I like bringing people like Arch on the show because they provide a look inside the life of American soccer media. But Arch’s story isn’t like any other that I am aware of. After growing up in Texas, Arch decided to venture out and see what was happening on the other side of the world. He ended up in Madrid, Spain. Then, he spent a decade in the tech startup worl...2019-03-261h 14

3four3 FMEpisode 152: Possession Soccer – What Does It Take? This episode is a reading of the article Possession Soccer: What Does It Take? The article was written by Gary Kleiban and originally published on 3four3. Possession Soccer: What does it take? This post is my response to an observation made by one of our readers, CarlosT from the Sounder At Heart blog. In his comment to our possession article, he shared the video and stated: It seems to me that while this style of play is associated with hugely talented teams like Argentina and Brazil, the technical skills r...2019-02-1413 min

3four3 FMEpisode 148: 3 Things That Influenced Akron Head Coach Jared Embick – Patterns, Possession, and Bielsa. Jared Embick became the head coach of The University of Akron men's soccer program in December of 2012. Since joining the program as an assistant, Akron has the highest winning percentage in the nation. In 2018, Akron finished the year with its third trip to the College Cup Final under Embick. During this conversation, we discuss: His first mentors and learning the game as a coach, not a player How Marcelo Bielsa influenced his coaching style Working with Caleb Porter and making their vision come to life Thoughts on college soccer and where it...2019-01-3158 min

3four3 FMEpisode 146: It's Time to Debunk the American Myth That Soccer Is Just a Game. This episode is a conversation that I recorded with Gary Kleiban in December 2016. The topic we focus on is the phrase: It’s just a game.” We discussed what those words mean to us. We also talk about other people using that phrase to their advantage when its convenient for them to do so. I've been recording my weekly conversations with Gary for years. Some of them have been released in the past. The majority of them will be locked in the 3four3 vault forever. But this particular conversation covers a numb...2019-01-2200 min

Scuffed | USMNT, World Cup, Yanks Abroad, futbol in AmericaEpisode 51: An interview with Brian Kleiban, the LA Galaxy academy coachLA Galaxy's academy is one of the top talent centers in American soccer, and U19 head coach Brian Kleiban is in the middle of it. He's now got former players all over the U.S. boys' youth national teams, he's been to two straight Development Academy finals, and he joined the pod for a wide-ranging conversation on everything from the time he spied on Bielsa in the early 2000s, to the MLS draft, the U20 World Cup, the Development Academy, and his long-term ambitions as a coach. 0:30 Kleiban's background, his background as a coach, the Galaxy academy, sneaking...2019-01-171h 22

3four3 FMEpisode 143: 3four3’s Crystal Clear Guide to the MLS Combine and MLS SuperDraft. How fast? How tall? How strong? Oh yes, you know what I am talking about. The MLS Combine and the MLS SuperDraft. With the draft happening this week, Gary and I wanted to record our thoughts and provide a different perspective than the other media outlets. A perspective rooted in the first-hand experience. Not just from attending the combine and the draft, but deeply rooted in the experience of working closely with players who have been through the process themselves. More importantly, we talk about why some...2019-01-1000 min

3four3 FMEpisode 135: Answer This One Easy Question and Your Team Could See Fantastic Results. How do you want your team to play? Easy question, right? Well, yes and no. We’ve talked about it before on the podcast. Gary has written about it on the blog. It’s also been a topic of discussion at all three of our coaching summits. The question itself is simple. But the answers can be dissected and dissected again, and then dissected again. Most coaches have a collection of drills. Most coaches use a bunch of fancy buzzwords. But most coaches fail because they don’t have...2018-12-0400 min

3four3 FMEpisode 130: How Much Time Does American Soccer Need? Originally published in 2011 by 3four3. How Much Time Does American Soccer Need? Written by Gary Kleiban. People like to believe time fixes problems. Yes. It's important, but only if spent doing the right things. Consistently do the wrong things , or simply not right enough , and no amount of time will EVER produce quality. Part of 3four3 is about illuminating the wrong things, the right things, and the continuum in between. For instance, our article on jungle ball. How long do we need until...2018-11-1300 min

3four3 FMEpisode 125: Why Is American Soccer So SOFT? Real Talk With Kephern Fuller and Gary Kleiban Returns. Kephern Fuller is the founder of the non-profit Joga Soccer Club and currently spends half of his time in Europe helping and working with American players who are trying to make it abroad. Kephern is also the host of the Wanna Be Ballers podcast. On their show, Kephern, and his co-host James Myers expose listeners to a different perspective and share their opinions about soccer from a different lens. The show is largely based off of their experiences as players and coaches, but also the experiences of the players they have and continue to work...2018-10-2500 min

3four3 FMEpisode 120: Michael Perkins Talks About Coaching Education from a Teachers Perspective. In this episode, I talk to Michael Perkins about some of his experiences as a coach, father, husband, teacher, and American soccer fan. During this hour-long chat, we talk about: The differences (and similarities) between the new ‘C’ and ‘B’ courses How not having a clue about soccer actually helped him when first started coaching Why players shouldn’t be developed for the national team Some of American soccers biggest problems no holds barred Don’t forget to visit Apple Podcasts and subscribe to the #343podcast so you never miss an episode. You can al...2018-10-0900 min

3four3 FMEpisode 109: A Potent Conversation with Gary Kleiban Discussing the Fundamental Problem in American Soccer: Education. Gary Kleiban started writing about American soccer in August 2009. That was the birth of 3four3. A line from the very first article published on 3four3 reads, “Our goal is to help players, coaches, clubs, and members of the media get better. But it all has to start with being good students of the game.” In 2012, three years after entering the blogging world, Gary released a short video of Brian Kleiban’s U11 team so other coaches from around the country could see what’s possible and judge the quality for themselves. Th...2018-08-2800 min

3four3 FMFREE Coaching Education! Yes, Bob Warming Is Offering Free Coaching Education. But… Why? Bob Warming is one of the good guys. With over forty years of coaching experience, he knows a thing or two about coaching education. Which is why he’s ready to flip American coaching education on its head and start offering free clinics for up to 200 coaches every year. He also hopes that his program catches the attention of others who have the resources who can offer experiences like this for even more coaches. I would spend more time talking about this in the intro, but during the interview, Bob does an excellent jo...2018-07-2000 min

3four3 FMWhy Is It so Hard for People to Understand That Possession Soccer Is Not Dead? This episode of the podcast was originally a blog post published by 3four3. Today, we're going to talk about possession soccer. Because people have a hard time understanding what possession soccer actually is and what it does for real player development. They say possession soccer is dead. They say all kinds of crazy things. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. But it just so happens that 3four3 are the proven leaders in possession-based soccer coaching education here in the united states. Go figure! So, I'm going to take full advantage of...2018-07-1800 min

3four3 FMIan Barker Shares His Perspective on American Soccer Coaching Education and Says That Your Perspective Is Important Too. Ian Barker (@IBarkerSoccer) is the Director of Coaching Education for United Soccer Coaches, formerly known as the NSCAA. After moving to the United States in 1987, which is also the year I was born, sorry Ian, he made his way through American youth soccer gauntlet himself with jobs at various collegiate programs, as well as ODP and a lengthy stint as Director of Coaching and Player Development for the Minnesota Youth Soccer Association (MYSA). Now, Ian has landed himself about as close to the top of the food chain as you can get in...2018-06-071h 05

3four3 FMAre You Using The Most Effective Player Development Tool That Costs Absolutely Nothing? This episode is stems from a 3four3 article written by Gary Kleiban. He highlights an excerpt from Claudio Reyna’s book “More than goals: the journey from backyard games to World Cup competition . Here is the story that Claudio shared: “I spent a lot of time hitting the ball against the side of the house when I was a growing up. If my mother complained about the noise, I'd hop down the retaining wall at the end of our property to the office-building parking lot. I'd use that wall hittin...2018-05-2907 min

3four3 FMMandy Pocho Tells Her Side of the Story About When She Met the Entire 3four3 Crew for the First Time. In 2016, Mandy Pocho did something that captured our attention. She drove all damn day just to come catch a glimpse of the work we do here at 3four3. She arrived just moments before we started our first ever 3four3 press conference and then stayed as our whole crew wrapped up the night with a backyard BBQ at 3four3 headquarters. It was an incredibly rare occasion. It’s not often that Gary, Brian, Danny, Joey, Choco, Arvel, and myself are all in the same room. But this was one of those times and Ma...2018-04-2453 min

3four3 FMWhat Is One Fundamental Element That Is Often Ignored In Traditional Coaching Education? [Coaching 11] Here at 3four3, we frequently reference a Venn diagram that breaks down the three fundamental elements of coaching soccer. I've also referred to these as the three pillars. You might remember them: Philosophy, Activities, and Execution. Philosophy and Activities, when put together, form a methodology. With the free coaching primer that we offer, we touch on things like having vision, having a vision, and the small set of core-activities that are the backbone of the 3four3 curriculum. But there is something that doesn't get talked about enough when it comes to...2018-04-1906 min

3four3 FMCoaching Education Is Important. So, Who Are You Learning From? And Why? [Coaching 09] There is a unique aspect of our sport that separates it from most others. Especially, here in the United States. For whatever reason, soccer has a required education component attached to it. The expectation is that coaches push themselves to learn more and more about the game throughout their entire life. This happens worldwide and here at home with official licenses and certifications that must be obtained in order to move up the coaching ladder. Learning outside of the traditional license pathways is also quite normal, and in many cases is where coaches experience the...2018-04-1211 min

3four3 FMWhat Is Losing Your Man? And Why Do Armchair Analysts Think It’s so Easy Even Though It’s Not? [Coaching 05] As I was preparing for this episode, I went back into Phase 1 of the 3four3 membership to watch a video of Gary Kleiban explaining the losing your man activity. He starts off by talking about the importance of players knowing how and when to create space for themselves and how the amount of space players have on the field becomes smaller and smaller as the level of play gets higher and higher. But then, he said something that resonated with me. Something that I have come to believe in wholeheartedly. He...2018-03-0610 min

3four3 FMThe Benefits of Teaching and Rehearsing Throw-In Choreography. [Coaching 04] A video about teaching throw-ins popped up on my Twitter feed the other day. It illustrated just how important player, coach, and parent education truly are. And it reminded me of an article that Gary Kleiban wrote a few years back titled “How to Execute: Who on Earth are You Learning From?” Because when it comes to incredibly detail oriented topics, like throw-ins, it is crucial that the information you are learning and passing along to your players is of high-quality. Soccer Throw Ins – Tactics and Attacking Strategy https://t.co/D9ruCU5DwH vi...2018-02-2709 min

3four3 FMWhy “Vision” is Important For Coaches and A Personal Story About Developing My Own [Coaching 01] The idea behind this new series is to dig deep into the archives of 343coaching.com and extract the best and most essential pieces of information that will help you become a better coach. We're going to focus on the three specific pillars of coaching: philosophy, activities, and execution. Having a better understanding those three pillars, and how they intersect, is going to help you bring your coaching to a new level. We're going to start things off with some philosophy. And specifically, vision. Vision is a good jumping...2018-02-0610 min