I wish that this book had been published several years ago when I was assistant coaching my daughter's team. It has a wealth of useful insights for both the nonsoccer coach as well as the seasoned one. -Katy Hwostow, recreational soccer player turned soccer mom, Centreville, VirginiaNow you can take your coaching-and your team-to the next level with this innovative and down-to-earth approach to coaching youth soccer.Most soccer coaching guides are nothing more than a boring encyclopedia of soccer drills that do little to help you become successful. Seasoned youth soccer coaches Darren McKnight and Radovan Pletka combine their experience to examine issues critical to your success, including teaching techniques, organization, and communication. They also deliver helpful tips for managing expectations and dealing with many types of parents and personalities. Soccer-specific topics focus on evolutionary, results-driven drills, skills improvement, positioning, teamwork, and the overarching axiom that what you do without the ball is more important than what you do with the ball.Written for novice parents whose kids are begging them to coach their team, this must-have guide also provides fresh ideas for long-time soccer coaches. With Soccer Is a Thinking Game, you'll be ready to kick off a winning season!
Dr. Darren McKnight is currently Technical Director for Integrity Applications, Inc. (IAI) based in Chantilly, Virginia. Darren is a pragmatic visionary developing creative solutions across widely disparate domains: workforce productivity, innovation, space systems, bioterrorism, orbital debris, renewable energy, music industry, and youth soccer training.
Darren has served recently on the National Research Council's Committee on NASA's Orbital Debris and Micrometeoroid Program, Defense Science Board Summer Study on 21st Century Strategic Technology Vectors, National Science Foundation's Industry Expert Panel on Industrial R&D, and IBM's Global Innovation Outlook (GIO) Team. He has coauthored two technical books (Artificial Space Debris and Chemical Principles Applied to Spacecraft Operations) and a youth soccer coaching book - Soccer is a Thinking Game. Darren has authored over 100 technical papers and presentation that he has given in 12 countries. He has appeared on tens of TV, radio, and newspaper interviews including with Discovery Channel, BBC, CBC, Space News, etc.
Dr. McKnight authors a public blog and a monthly "book report" (for select clients) that examine a variety of books, articles, research, and analysis related to the "high tech, high touch" world that drives the current complex, global economy. He embraces studies that involve multi-disciplinary teams by actively seeking out opportunities to coauthor with lawyers, insurance brokers, musicians, regulators, government leaders, policy makers, programmers, engineers, and analysts.
His latest book, Hitting the Innovation Jackpot, leverages insights and experiences from decades of "listening, learning, and writing things down" that provide uniquely practical insights into individual innovation and workforce productivity practices for large organizations.
Before coming to IAI, Darren served as Senior Vice President and Director of Science and Technology Strategy at Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC). His responsibilities included technical collaboration corporate-wide, strategic technology investments (including IR&D), and validating innovation methodologies. Dr. McKnight also served as Assistant Professor of Physics at the Air Force Academy from 1986-1990. He lives what he preaches - working out nearly every day, reading/writing EVERY day, and always examining business/technical dealings from a uniquely creative, yet pragmatic, lens.
