Charlie Slagle

I got a late start into soccer as the first game that I played was as a college junior at age 21(45 years ago). I had played many other sports but had no high school or club soccer in my area. I went to Davidson College on a partial football scholarship. The coach and I disagreed on my position on the field and I started "kicking around" with the soccer team at the end of my sophomore year. Due to my lack of playing the game and having "good hands," I played in goal.

I was a goalkeeper for two years in college and fell in love with the game. Due to my late start, my ball skills on the field were limited. I had to learn these skills from scratch. 5 years after graduation, I was hired as the head coach at my alma mater, where I stayed for 21 years and 209 wins with 7 Conference Coach of the Year awards, 2 Regional Coach of the Year awards and in 1992, the National Coach of the Year award. Since the early 2000s, I have worked in club soccer with a strong interest in the younger grassroots players!

With this book, Soccer Smarts, I have put skills, tactics and knowledge of the game into 75, easy to read, chapters including tips on each subject plus some quotes from famous soccer players. I am a living testament that you don't have to grow up with the game to succeed at the game. Therefore, if you have no experience to great experience in the beautiful game of soccer, Soccer Smarts can help players and parents alike to get an understanding. Players can improve their skills and parents can help them improve while learning more about the game. The book is aimed at the Intermediate Player and above but younger players can benefit as they conquer the basic skills.

Enjoy the read!