By JAY WILSON

Although the parks and sports fields are not occupied with youth sports teams practicing for their next baseball or softball game or their next soccer match, there is plenty of activity for the Crusaders Soccer Competitive Division players. 

Normally these teams can be seen practicing twice a week on the turf fields at Pershing Middle School. Now the Crusaders Soccer teams are staying in touch via email and Zoom video conference calls. One coach stated, “It is challenging to be a coach during this time. You are normally working with the players on the field for at least an hour, twice a week. We are concentrating on team bonding. Socializing is something the players are missing without the daily face to face interaction with their friends. Through our Zoom meetings I am asking each player to respond to questions such as how long have you been playing soccer, and if you were a coach, what would you be telling your players? We are sharing activities as part of staying connected and keeping the identity of the team and association with the Crusaders Soccer Club alive.” 

Players are challenging teammates to a juggling contest and posting videos of how many times they can juggle a ball with one or both feet. Individual fitness workouts are also being stressed from stretching to yoga and individual skill drills with a soccer ball.

On May 1, Rene Miramontes, the Crusaders Soccer Club’s Director of Coaching, was on KUSI TV to discuss simple soccer training drills which anyone can do even if you are not a soccer player. In addition to our own single person soccer skill training videos posted on our website, the Crusaders Soccer Club has also partnered directly with MOTI Sports. Alan Merrick, the content director for MOTI Sports, joined Rene for a Zoom interview with KUSI sports reporter Allison Edmonds to discuss the MOTI Sports 3D animated soccer training app now available free to everyone through December. Go to the Crusaders Soccer Club’s home page at crusaderssoccer.org. Click on the “Check Out Our Self-Training Videos & MOTI Sports App” button and then scroll down to “Crusaders SC partners with MOTI Sports” for information on signing up for the free app.   

Trivia fact for the month: Congratulations to Grant Smith a member of one of our competitive teams. He resides in San Carlos and is an eighth grader at La Mesa Arts Academy. Grant was one of the winners on the recent “student week” of the television show “Let’s Make A Deal” with Drew Carey.

We are looking forward to having all our Crusaders Soccer Club players back on the fields soon to resume our recreational spring season and have all our competitive teams practicing with their coach and teammates. Stay safe!

—Jay Wilson writes on behalf of Crusaders Soccer Club.