GAME BODY MIND OFF THE PITCH NEWS

On Holiday In Nawlins

Hello all, hope you had a great Christmas wherever you are.  I’m on my way to New Orleans or "Nawlins" to spend some time with family.  So, I’ll be recharging and gettin ready for 2008.  Until next year, here’s a video for some fun

Developing A Core Team On ZZ

To all those interested in writing about, developing video tutorials or podcasts about soccer / football training tactics in the areas relating to Game, Body & Mind - I am looking for a few people to discuss a business opportunity with.

At ZigaZoga.com our core focus is to provide a collaborative environment for seriously passionate players, coaches and supporters of the game.  We are looking to strengthen the knowledge base with the depth of our global community through our members understanding of the game.

So, we’d like to open up a conversation with you, if you have such and interest.  Further, if you already write a blog, produce a podcast or video show I am interested to explore opportunities with you about how we can help one another.

I believe that when collective intelligence can be applied in an open social environment the implications can produce great benefits for all involved.  Therefore, if you are interested in creating innovative, dynamic and passionate soccer knowledge I want to hear from you.  Please drop me a note here.

Weekly Featured Footballer — Asa Beard

This week we are featuring Asa Beard.  Originally from Salford, UK, Asa is now giving it a go in the states.  With  a few stints in clubs like Airbus, Stockport County and Manchester City Asa feels he’s learned a lot from the experience he’s gained and now he’s determined more than ever to make his mark on the football world.

Recently, Asa and I have been exchanging email and I think he’s heading down to the Pro Soccer Combine in Sanford, FL.  Below is a little glimpse of Asa.  Good Luck & Get Stuck In!

If you know of a footballer that you think needs to be featured let me know.  Just have them logon to ZigaZoga and upload their video.  Every week I take a look at the videos and pick a player or coach to feature.

   

 

Find more videos like this on Ziga-Zoga

Join The Fight For Al Bangura

If you have not heard about Al Bangura’s heart wrenching
story, my good friends over at SoccerLens.com posted a riviting
article offering a petition to the British Parliament . With all the media craze in the
UK,
Ahmed and his team are offering up at least a solution to the troubling situation Al is in.

The situation hits home with me because I deeply care about
what is happening around the world where others are not so fortunate. I’m specifically speaking about issues of
extreme violence like what Liberia is recovering from; human trafficking of players and health issues like the AIDS epidemic in Africa. 

Along with Ahmed and others, we care about Bangura’s issue and
want your help to do something about it.  Moreover, I hope this article incentivizes you to to get involved and take action by supporting at least one of the problems mentioned here. 
If you catch this post and are in the UK please participate in the
petition process. Al and his family deserve a better chance in life and he has worked extremely hard to get to where he is today given the challenges he had to fight against to get there.

Because of Bangura’s case and other similar story’s, we are in the process of establishing the Footballers For Peace Foundation to aid in issues such
as the situation Al had to fight through to reach his height at Watford. Unfortunately for Al, we can
only do so much and his case is one of many that needs significantly more
attention in this world. Children should
not ever be in a situation where they are forced to leave their home for survival and then along the way be taken advantage of. 

Bangura’s case is one of the beautiful story’s that might
turn out horrible if asylum is not granted. So, please act by expressing your support. Contact Claire Ward at the British Parliament wardc@parliament.uk and express your concern. Lastly, if you can please bring more attention to the issue by voting for the story or blogging about it.  

Pro Soccer Combine 2008 January 9-11

I was talking to my friend Dennis Currier, Head Coach at Univ. of Dayton, and he was telling me about the Pro Soccer Combine in Sanford, Florida (the Orlando area).  For all you aspiring players out there who would like to try and make this tryout, it is probably your best use of time and money for the US market anyway.

Daryl Shore of the MLS Chicago Fire runs the combine and there are scouts from many teams in various leagues to inlude:  Major League Soccer (MLS), United Soccer League (USL) I & II, the Premier Development League (PDL) and Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL).

There are many benefits to players seeking to be discovered.  For one, you pay for one tryout and get seen by many coaches rather than paying for individual open tryouts, which are often not run as well.  The cost is $329 since it’s after their early registration deadline and here is the form that is required for registration.  Please make sure that you also read the FAQ (frequently asked questions).

The Pro Soccer Combine is produced by InfoSport Inc. and the benefits to players include:

1. Increased Exposure - Regardless of a player’s talent level and soccer background or experience, it is a team’s AWARENESS of that player that will put them on the short list of potential signees. Attendance at InfoSport’s Pro Soccer Combine is one of the best ways to ensure that a player’s COMPLETE soccer resume and professional evaluation is in front of the key decision makers for the entire professional soccer community. Players from our past events that have signed professional contracts came from schools and programs of all levels.  The staff at every InfoSport Pro Soccer Combine is also comprised of coaches from the pro community (MLS, USL, MISL, etc.)

2. Professional Evaluation - InfoSport’s Director of Soccer is Daryl Shore, a current MLS and former A-League coach. The written evaluations on each combine participant are based upon years of professional and collegiate soccer talent scouting and evaluation at the highest levels. The coaching and evaluation staff he assembles for the combine comes from the pro soccer ranks of the USA. For a list of former and current InfoSport Pro Soccer combine staff, please click here.

3. Credibility - InfoSport and its staff have years of credible experience in professional soccer. When a team reviews a report generated by Daryl Shore and InfoSport, it can be assured that the data and evaluations are of the highest professional quality and accuracy. The coaching and scouting staffs that have worked with players at past InfoSport events have come from the MLS, USL and MISL ranks.

4. 12-Month Exposure - Pro Soccer Combine participants have their combine and career data housed on the InfoSport web site for at least 12 months, allowing professional teams around the world, the ability to search online, 24 hours a day, for players to fill their roster openings. Personal contact information for each player is made available so interested parties can contact players directly, eliminating the delay of a middle party.

5. Worldwide Data Sharing - Unlike team, league or agent-sponsored free agent camps, InfoSport makes player data from our event available to every professional soccer team in the world.

I hope this information is useful for all the aspiring players out there.

Featured Footballer Vid: Ryan Lindsay Styles It UP

This weeks featured footballer is footy freestlyer Ryan Lindsay.  Ryan hails from Leinster, Ireland and  spends hours upon hours ballin.  He’d like to get noticed and play in America some day. 

Ryan you’ve got some great footy skills and I want to encourage you to show us what you’re made of on the pitch.  I’d love to see you twist up some defenders with your skills.  Then, maybe someone will take a closer look at what ya really got than just me :-).  Hopefully, this little feature foreshadows what’s to come?

 

Find more videos like this on Ziga-Zoga

Weekly Featured Footballer — Aaron Shanahan

Last week we featured Tommy Drake, the clutch goal scoring midfielder.  This week we’re featuring a clutch goal stopping machine Aaron Shanahan.  He began playing with St. Pat’s Athletic club at 18 and has played for several clubs in the Ericom Irish League such as, Kilkenny City FC and Dundalk FC.

Now 23,  Aaron is looking to build a bigger profile for himself and we hope he can.  Check out his video below.  Talk about spider man reactions!

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