The Complete Idiot's Guide to Soccer

I bought this book because I haven't played soccer since I was a kid so I had some catching up to do. The book is very easy to follow and understand though the writer was constantly referring to the reader as "she" which I found to be both annoying and distracting.

As a former collegiate soccer player, a current adult player trying to recapture her youth, and a person working in the sports industry, I have recommended this book to everyone trying to get a grasp on the game. Yes, it's more than just a ball and a couple of goals.I highly recommend this book to anyone, any age, who wants to learn more about the game. It's especially good for the growing number of soccer parents. As for that other reviewer - I totally disagree with the assessment, with one exception. The author was completely accurate with the offsides description -- whoever drew one of the diagrams clearly missed out on the author's lesson. Other than that, the book was great.

I read this outstanding book before embarking on my first soccer coaching experience. Although I played competitive soccer for twelve years, I thought I should get updates on any changes as well as get some coaching tips. This book was perfect! It's extremely well written, accurate, and informative. In addition, the layout is easy to navigate, and the glossary and index make finding answers to questions a breeze. I would recommend this book to a wide variety of people, from coaches, to players, to soccer moms, to soccer trivia fans. A great book!

As a new youth soccer coach, I was looking for a book that would give me quick and easy guidance on understanding soccer and also give me some excellent tips on coaching. This book was perfect! It provided a tremendous amount of information without getting too detailed in any specific area. The book begins with the basics and then takes you through the rules, formations, and strategies. It then provides wonderful information for coaches and parents by discussing training, drills, and ways to run a successful practice. As an athlete, I have read many books on the teaching of sports and this is one of the best. The author injects humor and quick fun facts throughout to keep it very interesting. If you are a new soccer coach, a parent of a child playing soccer, or just want to learn about soccer, this book is excellent. As for the review from the reader from Canada, he is not accurate. Remember, except for hockey, Canada has a dreadful reputation in sports - soccer included.