About the Author

Who Am I?

My name is Manuel Bolanos, I am a passionate soccer coach (18) with over just 2 years of experience, already having USSF D license, my job is nurturing young talent and guiding them to achieve their full potential on and off the field by teaching them the little things I know when I was on a team. My journey in soccer began when I was a child, playing in the local parks trying to find a pickup game with all kids around the neighborhood, I started this when I was just 6-7 years old. Over the years, as I got older, the coaching aspect has caught my eye and my dream as a young coach is to coach at the highest level possible and change the the way my players view the game along the way. I’ve had the privilege of working with various age groups, from eager beginners to competitive youth players, each step reinforcing my belief in the power of soccer to shape character, teamwork, and resilience.

As a coach I work with Soccer Kids NYC is a youth soccer program designed to inspire children aged 2-12 to discover the joy of soccer in a supportive and challenging environment. The program offers various levels of training to cater to beginners, intermediate, and advanced players. Their methodology focuses on developing physical, psycho-social, and technical & tactical aspects of the game, ensuring that every participant feels valued and motivated.

Occasionally I work with Smart Kids NYC , SmartKids NYC is closely associated with Soccer Kids NYC, particularly in the context of their Internal League program. The Smart Kids NYC Internal League is designed for children who seek a competitive and challenging soccer experience. This program includes an internal tryout process where selected children play on teams within the organization, participating in intramural-style tournaments. The focus is on developing teamwork, sportsmanship, leadership, and communication skills, which are essential both in soccer and in life.

About the blog

In this blog I will mention and talk about what makes a country a Soccer Power House ( Brazil, France, Argentina, ), what the U.S needs to do to be up there or if we will ever be up there with these countries with decades of history. From the backyards to the big stage, this blog will also talk about crucial youth development necessary to make a player truly world-class. The issues that needs to be addressed from a federation standpoint and what the USSF ( U.S Soccer Federation) needs to do to make this generation of American players and future generations successfully domestically and on the world stage.