Soccer skills & drills

ABOUT THE NSCAA

Founded in 1941, the National Soccer Coaches Association of America is the largest coaches' organization in the United States. Its members coach both genders at all levels of the sport. In addition to a national ranking program for colleges and high schools, the NSCAA offers an extensive recognition program that presents more than 10,000 individual awards every year. It fulfills its mission of coaching education through a nationwide program of clinics and weeklong courses, teaching more than 3,000 soccer coaches each year. The organization is based in Mission, Kansas.

ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS

Bill Steffen is an NSCAA national staff coach and is recognized as one of the top goalkeeper instructors in the United States. His coaching services are requested at camps and clinics throughout the country, as he has successfully trained players at all levels of the game--from Special Olympics players to professional and national team players. Steffen has been head coach of the University of Oregon women's team, assistant coach of the Furman University men's team, and goalkeeper coach of the University of North Carolina women's team.

James W. Lennox is currently the director of coaching for the Connecticut Junior Soccer Association. Along with 35 years of experience as a college soccer coach, Lennox has also headed up international teams, including the United States men's national B team and the World University Games team from 1986 to 1994. Lennox served as the U.S. soccer coordinator of coaching schools and was named NSCAA director emeritus of coaching, having written the original five-level curriculum for the NSCAA coaching school. Lennox led Hartwick College to the NCAA Division I National Championship in 1977 and was named Junior College National Coach of the Year in 1976 and Division I National Coach of the Year in 1984. In 2000, he became the first recipient of the Mike Berticelli Excellence in Teaching Award. Lennox and his wife, Janice, reside in Oneonta, New York.

Janet Rayfield has been the women's head soccer coach at the University of Illinois since 2002, during which time she has led the program to a 53-28-8 record, reached the Elite Eight in 2004, and won the Big Ten title in 2003. A United States Soccer Federation A-licensed coach, Rayfield returned to Illinois after serving two years as a United States national staff coach for Region II. She served as the 2003-2004 president of the NSCAA and is currently the U.S. Youth Soccer Region II Girls Olympic Development Program (ODP) head coach. Rayfield was one of the best collegiate players ever, leading North Carolina to four national titles while setting numerous Tarheel records and winning several honors, including Nike Player of the Year and All-America honors. She also was named one of the top 10 soccer players in America, male or female, by Soccer America in 1991. Rayfield resides in Champaign, Illinois.