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Mark Pulisic’s Post-Game Car Ride Routine
Inside: a simple pass-and-move drill, Mark Pulisic’s car-ride routine for parents, our Spring 2026 tournaments, and spotlights on Donegal, Boardman, and CSSC.
Colin Gorini
January 06, 2026
Good morning,
My goal with every email is simple: to share my passion for youth soccer and the community that makes it thrive.
I hope you enjoy it, and I’d love to hear your feedback.
Coach’s Corner: Pass & Move Drill
The hardest habit for players to build isn’t passing—it’s moving after they pass. This simple drill trains them to find new space instead of standing still.
Set up one more cone than players (ex: 6 cones and 5 players) in any shape and spacing you like. Each player starts on a cone. Players pass to a teammate, then immediately move to the open cone. Keep the ball moving and encourage quick decisions.
Progression: add a one-two pass. The passer plays into a teammate, gets it back, then plays it to a different player and moves to the free cone. Emphasize sharp passes, scanning for space, and constant movement off the ball.
Parents’ Corner: Mark Pulisic’s Post-Game Car Ride Routine
In a short interview with The Sideline Project, Mark Pulisic—Christian Pulisic’s father—shares the post-game routine he used with Christian growing up. He talks about how easily the car ride home can push kids away from the game when every mistake is dissected.
Instead, Mark’s routine was simple: stop at 7/11, grab a snack, and shift the conversation away from soccer. As he puts it, “it’s not just about soccer at that age, [Christian] needs to be a kid.” If post-game talks feel tense in your family, his approach is a great model to borrow. You can watch the two-minute clip here.
UnitedGoals USA Tournaments in Spring 2026
We have three events on the calendar for Spring 2026 and hope to see you at one of them. Get full details and register using the button below.
Team of the Week: Donegal Lightning - U12 Girls
Donegal traveled four hours west to compete in our 2024 7v7 Colonial Classic Soccer Tournament—and made the trip count. They went 2–1 in group play, won their semifinal, then avenged their only loss by beating Shaler Storm in the U10 final. Fast-forward to the 2025 4v4 Clover Cup (formerly Lyco Legends), and they added a runner-up finish to their résumé. Congratulations to Coach Sean and his girls! |
Team of the Week: Boardman Spartans - U12 Boys
The Boardman Spartans (Ohio) are instant title contenders wherever they go. At the 2024 7v7 Colonial Classic, Jim Ferraro’s squad finished as runners-up in a strong U12 division, as a U11 team. The following April at the 7v7 Steel City Showdown, they swept the competition, going 4–0 on the day and winning the title convincingly. Well done, fellas! |
Nominate Your Team for a Spotlight
We feature two programs every week — reply with your team’s story.
Community Spotlight: Central Susquehanna Soccer Club
Central Susquehanna Soccer Club, based in Danville, PA, is a nonprofit serving players and families across the Danville and Central Susquehanna Valley region. Founded in 1988, CSSC fields teams in both the NorCenPenn and CPYSL leagues.
We’ve had the pleasure of hosting multiple CSSC teams over the past two years at the Kicks 4 Canines 5v5 Tournament, Veterans Day Freedom Cup, and the 4v4 Clover Cup. Their 2012 boys (CSSC Menace) went 3–0 at the Freedom Cup and won a very competitive U14 Boys bracket.
Thank you to President Tom Reber and coaches Eric Frantz, Shawn Hackenberg, Tom Heitzman, Joshua & Kim Long, Dena & Melvin Fahringer, Russell Cotner, and Thomas Height for supporting our events and the communities we serve.
Join Us in Growing the Game
If you know a coach, parent, player, or fan who would enjoy this, please forward it along and invite them to subscribe.
And if you ever want to share feedback, reply to this email — I read every response.
Here’s to Building American Soccer Together.
Warmly,
Colin Gorini
Founder, UnitedGoals USA
[email protected]
unitedgoalsusa.com
