David Copeland Smith from Beast Mode Soccer stars in Episode 1 of Copa90, a soccer channel supported by Google, YouTube and Gillette, check it out!

Let us know what you think!

We are pleased to unveil our new logo:

The logo incorporates the Triquetra, which in this case is symbolizing the body, mind and spirit, because we live and breathe soccer! You may also have noticed that the BMS also ties in with Beast Mode Soccer!
Look for merchandise with the logo on soon!

Take a look at the rough video below. This will make up part of our new and improved 'Goal! Two Week Home Development Guide'. The book is in the process of being updated but I wanted to give you a sneak peak at the new video, '600 Touches in 6 Minutes'.

Some of these moves are pretty advanced, but it's all about getting out there and doing it! When the video is fully complete, we will make it available to download as an mp4 so you can take it with you on your mobile device! No excuses, everybody has a spare 6 minutes a day! Remember this is a ROUGH cut of what the finished product will be, but the info is on there for you to get out and do it!

WOW! What an amazing game of soccer we witnessed yesterday between the United States Women's National Team and Canada! This game had everything you want, goals, controversy, drama, great technique and did I mention SEVEN goals? 

There were so many good goals in the game, I could have picked any of Christine Sinclair's THREE (yes, a hat trick against Hope Solo)  in particular her third, a perfect header curling into the far post over the defender and away from Hope, or how about Megan Rapinoe's first which went in directly from the corner, or her second, which was an absolute rocket! However, after a discussion we have decided to break down the goal that broke Canadian hearts, Alex Morgan's header in the 123rd minute. Here we go.....

It's the last minute of extra time, with penalties looming. USWNT legend Abby Wambach has the ball, looks up and sprays it into space over to Heather O'Reilly. Wambach knows where the US strengths are, and this is obviously their last chance in extra time. Rather than playing O'Reilly's feet at the edge of the box, Abby forces her into the space to cross the ball.

As soon as she plays the ball over to Heather O'Reilly Abby makes the run into the box. Everybody knows that Abby is the most aerially dominant player in the women's game, so the Canadian players know what is coming. Alex Morgan (circled in yellow), has her eye line permanently fixed to the ball and has been since Abby made the initial pass. Watch the video as Alex saunters into the box with an absolute coolness about her.

Heather O'Reilly adjusted her run in order to be able to play the ball first time in, and serves up a fantastic cross, just inside what I call 'no man's land' (between the 6 and the penalty spot, goalkeepers do not like that zone, it's too far to come out to clear it).

As the ball is clipped in, the Canadian players are anticipating the ball going to Abby, and have three players around her (see above). Alex reads the ball perfectly and rises about half a foot above the Canadian defender. What Alex does with the header is absolutely crucial at this point....

Instead of attacking the ball, she merely redirects the speed that the ball already has on it from O'Reilly's cross. If she attacks this ball, at this angle, the ball goes over because she is not able to get over it to head it down. So instead she rises over the Canadian defender, tenses her neck muscles and allows the ball to strike her forehead and redirect towards the goal, over the Canadian goalkeepers head.

Doing this, Alex has managed to keep the ball from going over. As she heads it, the Canadian goalkeeper, Erin McLeod is about two yards off the line, looking for where the ball is going. Does she go for it? Does she stay?

The keeper stays where she is, and Alex loops the ball over her. Again, great anticipation from her, and it shows how far her game has come since the World Cup, Alex Morgan is fast becoming a great player!
This game had absolutely everything, and was honestly one of the most exciting I have witnessed in a long time. Controversial referee calls, ball's hitting the bar, a slug-fest to make it 3-3 and then the goal in the last seconds of the game. You have to feel for Canada, who were great on the day and would have probably beaten any other team in the world playing like they did. Christine Sinclair cemented herself as one of the greatest women players with an absolutely phenomenal hat-trick. What I personally loved about this game was the message that it sends to young players, and that message is NEVER EVER GIVE UP!

You can watch the goal here:

http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/soccer/highlights-alex-morgans-spectacular-extra-time-goal-vs-canada.html?cid=rss&PAR=YTgdgthighlights&ENS=YTgdgthighlights

Let's take a look at the goal scored by the USWNT against Korea in the Olympics group stage. Apologies for the quality of video, but NBC are not making highlights available to embed into sites, so this is the best we could find:

Lauren Cheney receives the ball, immediately looks up and see's Alex Morgan making the run. Cheney has great vision of the field, and floats a 20-25 yard ball through to Morgan. It looks like Cheney slightly knuckles the ball to enable a tiny curve allowing the ball to arch into Alex Morgan's path.

Alex Morgan's initial touch takes her away from goal, but she immediately turns to shield and assess her options. This is where I feel Alex has developed her game so much in the past 18 months. Before she would have taken that touch and shot, now she is more aware of what runs her teammates will make, when to turn, when to shield etc. Top players never stop learning and Alex Morgan is tantamount to this.

As she turns here, she see's Abby Wambach making the run, instead of playing the ball early to Abby, she sucks in the defenders two defenders closest to the ball, leaving Abby open to make that darting run through.

This frame perfectly show what Alex Morgan has done by sucking both defenders in to her. Abby is freely making the run behind her defender with the third defender too far away to make up the ground. Now take a look at Alex's body shape... look's like she's shooting doesn't it? A little fake shot (so simple yet effective) and she slots the ball through to Abby Wambach.

Abby Wambach again shows why she has scored 141 goals for the USWNT with a nice cool and composed finish in front of goal. This is another player who has evolved a lot, always known for scoring goals with her head, she has been class in this Olympics, showing great touches, change of pace, skill and even a cheeky bicycle kick (see first picture, unfortunately she was offside). She is definitely not a one dimensional player.

So a great goal from the USWNT. A pin point pass from Lauren Cheney, great touch and awareness from Alex Morgan and a cool finish form Abby Wambach... deserves the title of #ultimatetekkers

A lot different from the last goal we did an #ultimatetekkers breakdown for. This is your typical Zlatan finish, cool with the ball at his feet, great use of the body to manipulate the defender. Let's break the goal down!

Ibrahimovic receives the ball is in his own half. Immediately plays it back to his midfielder (playing the way he was facing) and spins off his defender, and turns into the space. Note that the defender is still with him at this point.

Before the player on the right has even touched the ball, Ibrahimovic has seen the massive gap and has already called for the ball. Note that he holds the defender off when starting his explosive sprint, and actually pushed off him to gain an extra yard. This is where his experience comes in!

The ball played to Zlatan was impeccable, rolling in line with the run he had made. Zlatan has beaten his defender in the foot race, glanced up to where the keeper is and looks like he is about to chip the ball. Look at how his body shapes like he is about to strike the ball. At Beast Mode Soccer training sessions we have our players over emphasize these types of fakes, so that when they are done in games they look realistic. When I first saw this goal, I thought Zlatan was going to dink it over the keeper at this point... but no!

As the defender comes to shoulder level with Ibrahimovic whips a Cruyff turn. This wrong foots the defender, who to be fair recovers well. Look how controlled Ibrahimovic looks, he knows that the ball will do exactly what he wants! 

The defender did really well at this stage. He recovered from the Fake shot cruyff and now look how close he is to the ball. Ibra keeps the ball moving though and puts a quick left foot lunge step, then quickly plays the ball across his body with his right foot, immediately shaping up for his left footed shot.

He allows the ball to roll just enough across his body, then gears up  to strike. Again, the defender doesn't actually do that poorly, he hasn't gone to ground, but it is probably in the back of his head that inside the box, Ibra is the master of the fake shot. As Ibra shoots, he tries to block the shot but it's too late, the ball is in the back of the net.

Great footwork from Ibrahimovic- A fake shot into a Cruyff into a left footed lunge into a right foot tap into a left footed shot.

Ibrahimovic #ultimatetekkers 

Part 2 of our #ultimatetekkers goal breakdown is Zlatan Ibrahimovic's fine effort against France at Euro 2012. Love him or loathe him there is no arguing that Zlatan is one of the most potent forwards in the world game who has performed at every club he has played for.

First, watch the video above, then we will break down Zlatan's phenomenal technique 

Seb Larsson has made a great run on the right, before he has received the ball he glances up to see Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Note Zlatans eye pattern in the top picture, he is looking straight at the ball in anticipation. As the ball leaves Larsson's foot, Zlatan has already started to adjust his body. In the second picture you can see how close the ball gets before he takes flight, his knees are bent and he is about to start his explosion. In the third picture, you can see he has brought his right leg back. 

Check out his eye pattern again. He knows where the goal is, so he is solely focused on the ball. 

Just before he makes contact with the ball, look at his body position. Arms out for balance, left leg is bent ready to push off, right leg is back ready to flow through the ball.

This is where Zlatan's #ultimatetekkers comes in. He keeps his striking foots laces facing the corner of the goal as he hits through the middle of the ball

At this stage, Zlatan has left the ground is using the physics of his bodies momentum to give the ball more power. Look at his right leg follow through after contact has been made.

Zlatan's eyes have not deviated from the ball until after contact. As he strikes the ball his head is aiming down, his laces are aiming toward the corner of the goal, and his entire body ends up facing the goal after the strike.

As you can see in the picture below, the ball goes in the direction that Zlatan's body is facing.

So to recap:

• Zlatan looks to the right, see's Seb Larsson about to cross the ball
• His eye's do not leave the balls path
• He decides how he will hit the ball and adjusts his body accordingly 
• His eyes firmly fixed on the ball, he explodes into the air 
• Striking through the center of the ball with his right foot, he follow's through accordingly (toward the corner of the goal)
• As he strikes the ball he is in mid air, using the physics of weight distribution to have a further impact on the ball
• He makes sure his entire body is facing the corner of the goal

All in all, probably the goal of the tournament and shows why Zlatan Ibrahimovic has #ultimatetekkers!