Offside? Ugh!

Book excerpt: Alex and his teammates love to play soccer. But why are there more referees at their games this season waving silly flags and stopping them right before they go in to score a goal? This fully illustrated storybook is intended to help youth soccer players understand what it means to be in an offside position. iPlaySoccer! Books are instructional stories focused on advancing youth player development. The illustrated children’s books teach foundational concepts and vocabulary in a fun way that allows children, parents and coaches to develop together in “the beautiful game.” The series is not intended to replace the instruction of a coach or the learning derived from actual play. Rather, the purpose of these books is to assist the player in mastering concepts as the game becomes more complex. Besides, the focus of iPlaySoccer! is on teaching children how to think independently, while also maintaining a collective understanding of the team during competition. This is an essential skill that helps young players not only in sport, but also in life. Each title is not intended to supplant the instruction of a coach, or the time a child spends learning a sport by playing it. Rather, the authors’ purpose is to assist young players with their comprehension of sport in a way that is engaging, inspiring, and empowering. To that end, no matter the level of play, the coach is the teacher, the player is the student, and this series is merely the provider of fun educational tools designed to reinforce what should be learned on the training ground.