WHO IS TED UPSON?

Ted has been coaching with Blue Ridge United for over 12 years. He's coached boys and girls recreational and travel teams from U6 through U19. An engineer by profession, the combination of his analytical approach to the game and his ability to relate to young players have enabled him to write a book that is both informative and enjoyable to read.

TED'S STORY:

"A few years ago, the 2006 girls and 2008 boys teams I was coaching were about to enter high school. I knew the local high school coaches, and I wanted to be sure I sent them quality players. I didn’t care so much if my players were the fastest or best skilled, but I did want them to be soccer-smart and have a good grasp of the game. To that end, I put together a list of things I thought they should know before high school – a review of what I, and other coaches, had taught them over the years. In the seasons that followed, I added to my review topics until those initial 23 things grew to almost 50 chapters. Along the way, some of my fellow coaches encouraged me to publish my packet as a real book, which I eventually did (with lots of review and critique help from Blue Ridge coaches, parents, and friends.). The main reason I decided to publish was that I determined it would be easier for me to print copies through Amazon than it would be to keep running out of printer ink at home. I just wanted - and still do - to help our local players."