This is a continuation of a blog post of all the things soccer players can be doing to improve on-field performance. For part one of this blog click here. OK, now to the people that love and care about the players (your kids) the most.  I know, I’m not a parent, so what do Iknow?  I feel I’m pretty schooled in the areaof how to look after a youth/high school player. Plus, I was raised by parentswho would bend over backwards to make sure my sister & I grew up doing allsorts of sports & outdoor activities.  During my childhood, I played for afootball youth academy team, while also playing basketball (well the Englishversion anyway haha), field hockey, and tennis. Sprinkling in climbing,kayaking, hiking all over the UK, skiing the European Alps, biking, crosscountry running, and swimming. Anyway, enough about me, time to askyou some questions…  How are you helping your football playerprogress, and get better?  Do they need a forceful hand on themright now?  Probably not?! It’s beenpretty stressful for them; the game is no longer the same as it used to be.Keeping it fun & enjoyable will keep them around football for the long term. I know you work your tail off for yourkids, I see it every day, and I love it! You drop them off at training in theearly hours of the morning; you stand on the side lines freezing your butt off…I could go on.  However, ask yourself, “Is there somethingmore that I can be doing to help my child hit his/her goals, that doesn’t haveto be pitch-orientated?” It could be things like: Helping them research players who they aspire to be likeMiss a day of training (yes, I said it) to go skiing, or another activity that they enjoy. What food are you leaving around your...

Hey everyone, Coach Harry here! Yes,Coach Harry, writing a blog post, miracles can happen! This is my first one soplease bear with me! And if you have any questions, please forward them on toCoach Mlait, he loves answering all of them, and promises to get back to youwithin 30 minutes, 24 hours, 7 days a week! ;) Anyway, why am I writing this?  Well it's a crazy world out there right now, so I wanted to write one for the youth/adolescent soccer players, parents of players, and soccer coaches. I think we all agree it has been stressful in some way or another for everyone, and it is probably harder than ever for the players to progress and get better at football. I love the game, and I love coachingyouth players, especially. As an S&C coach, my goals for each player areto: Keep it fun, engaging, and educate themHelp and guide them with their goalsMake sure they can play the game wellinto their 60’s (Injury risk reduction, for my fellow S&C coaches outthere) I’m telling you this because I want you to know that I have a purpose behind everything that I do for the player, which is so important when it comes to coaching an athlete. I’m constantly asking myself why? Why am I making them do this lift? Why am I testing? etc. Hold up… just so you know I’m English(big shock right), and refuse to call football, soccer! So, from now on you’llsee football in this post, no more soccer nonsense! Anyway, back to the blog… So, I want to ask you, the player, thekid with the big dreams of one day making it as a pro , a couple ofquestions…  You all have goals, and you all havethings that you can control. So, what are you doing off...

One of the best things about Okanagan Peak Performance Inc is the people. Whether it be the variety of clientele or the coaches that work them we are fortunate to be able to interact with interesting and dedicated people everyday. And we've recently added a new member to our team. Nathanael Burke joins us after working in a management position at a local competitor and brings specific expertise working with athletes and those with injuries. But rather than let me tell you about him I'll step aside and let him introduce himself. Hey guys I’m the new trainer and coach on the block. I just wanted to introduce myself so you guys can get to know a bit about me. I'm really excited to get started here at OPP and get to know everyone.[caption id="attachment_4557" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Welcome to Okanagan Peak Performance Inc Nathanael! I’m Nathanael, born and raised in Kelowna, and raising my two children Mikayla and Levi with my wife Megan. I come from a large family with 7 siblings so sports and being active came naturally. Growing up I played basketball, road hockey, rugby and soccer but started with a serious career with football at Rutland Senior Secondary. After grading from Rutland as a Football Interior All Star I made the move to CJFL with the Okanagan Sun in 2007 as a defensive back / linebacker.At the start of the 2009 season I made a career ending tackle that resulted in cervical spine damage, a rib injury and nerve damage to my left shoulder. After spending the next 6 months recovering I decided to follow my passion of fitness and focus on a career as a personal trainer specializing in rehab. I started my education with Okanagan College in personal training and shortly following with a Post-Rehab Specialist certification. Wanting to...