On Friday at Noon, we will find out the groups for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The drawing will take place at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Here are the countries in each Pot according FIFA’s website: For pot 1, Canada, Mexico and the USA will be identified by different colored balls, and when drawn will be assigned to position A1 for Mexico, B1 for Canada and D1 for the USA. The four highest-ranked teams in the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s Rankings will be out on separate pathways so they will not meet before the Final. Those four teams are Spain, Argentina, France and England. No group will have more than one team from the same confederation drawn into it, except UEFA as they are represented by 16 teams. The six final World Cup spots will be determined via playoff matches in March of 2026.

Good morning! Hope you’re having a fantastic start to your Thursday. Here’s your Morning Motivation to kick off the day: ⚽ Do You Strength Train? Strength training is crucial for high school players preparing for the physical demands of college soccer. Building strength not only improves performance on the field but also helps prevent injuries and ensures you’re ready to compete at the next level. As the D1 Soccer Strength Coach at Mississippi State says:“Female athletes MUST strength train BEFORE college.” Check out this insightful video:Strength Training for Female Athletes via @YouTube While this video focuses on female athletes, it 100% applies to male players as well. I’m sure Coach @Diego M Lopez has some great insights on this topic too! ⚽ Words of Wisdom From @d1scholarship on X: “One mistake many parents/athletes make in their emails to college coaches:They forget a Call to Action (CTA). This is a question or directive for the college coach to act on and respond to. Most families just spew facts at coaches with no intention of starting a conversation.” Take note—always include a CTA to keep the dialogue going!" ⚽ Reminder "It’s not how good you are, but who knows you’re good!" Take action today: - Email those college coaches. - Share your athlete’s story. - Make it happen! Good luck, Steve

A Coach Dave Story for Athletes and Parents At the beginning of this year, one of the athletes I work with was on the verge of a breakthrough. Their training numbers were skyrocketing. Conditioning was sharp. Confidence was high. Every session felt like another step closer to the kind of season athletes dream about. You could feel momentum building, like everything was finally clicking into place. And then, in one moment, everything shifted. During a routine workout, they felt a strange little “off” sensation in their ankle. Not a sharp pain. Not something that screams stop now. Just a whisper, the kind athletes usually brush off because they’re so used to pushing through discomfort. That tiny whisper turned out to be a stress fracture… a serious one. Within hours, this athlete went from preparing for their best season yet to sitting in a doctor’s office hearing words no athlete wants to hear: “You’re in a cast. No weight bearing. No running. Six weeks minimum.” The physical injury was real, but the mental impact was something far deeper. The Mental Battle Most Athletes Don’t See Coming When an athlete gets sidelined, it’s not just the body that takes the hit.It’s the identity.The routine.The sense of progress.The feeling of belonging. For this athlete, every emotion hit hard and fast: - Frustration - Sadness - Jealousy watching teammates train - Fear of falling behind - Worry about losing everything they had built And parents, you see it too.You see the shift in their mood, their motivation, their confidence. Injuries can rattle even the strongest kids. One of the hardest moments for this athlete was scrolling through teammates’ workouts… seeing the runs, drills, practices they wanted to be part of. They were happy for their friends, but they were hurting on the inside. And that’s normal.Every athlete goes through a version of this when the sport is suddenly taken away. But injuries also reveal something important: When the routine cracks, you see what your foundation is really made of.

A new state-of-the-art athletic academy for high school students is coming to Stow, Massachusetts. Here’s what you need to know about the facility poised to become the "IMG Academy of the North." A groundbreaking, sports-focused, co-ed boarding and day school is set to open in the fall of 2026. Masters Academy International (MAI) will welcome high school students from around the globe to its campus in Stow, Massachusetts, offering a unique blend of elite athletics and rigorous academics. The Visionaries Behind the Academy The founders, brothers Chris and Peter Masters, bring a wealth of experience in youth sports, particularly hockey. Peter has served as the Head Coach and General Manager of the Boston Junior Bruins since the 1990s, transforming it into one of New England's most distinguished junior hockey programs. Chris Masters also has deep roots in hockey, having played for Boston College and serving as an assistant captain during his tenure. Their shared passion and expertise in youth development are the driving forces behind this ambitious project, which aims to reshape the landscape of New England high school sports. A World-Class Campus The academy will be built on an 82-acre property, formerly the Bose corporate campus, which was purchased for $9.82 million. The total development is estimated to cost over $80 million. Peter Masters has openly stated the goal is to create "the IMG Academy of the north," providing resources and opportunities previously unseen in the region. The campus will feature a 300,000-400,000 square foot main building containing classrooms, dining halls, strength and conditioning labs, and even robotics labs. The outdoor facilities will include turf fields for soccer and lacrosse, baseball diamonds, and basketball courts. The student schedule will be structured to balance academics and athletics, with five hours of classroom instruction followed by four hours of sport-specific training each day. The academy will serve students in grades 6-12 and offer a post-graduate year, allowing young athletes to prepare for high school and collegiate sports.

Morning folks, Today’s article is all about supporting your player through their journey. Are You Feeling the Weight of Supporting Your Son or Daughter Through the College Recruiting Process? It’s an emotional roller coaster—not just for the athletes, but for parents too. Your role is crucial in helping your child stay grounded, motivated, and optimistic during this important chapter. You are their steadfast supporter, their sounding board, and their anchor in a sea of uncertainty. Here’s how you can make a powerful difference. ....Read The Full Article How the Steve Coxon Soccer Network Supports Families.. At the Steve Coxon Soccer Network, we help student-athletes turn their college soccer dreams into reality. Through personalized guidance, expert advice, and smart planning, we connect talent with opportunity. Our mission is to prepare every athlete for the recruiting journey ahead. Have questions about the recruitment process? Don’t tackle them alone. Schedule a free 15-minute Zoom call with Steve for personalized support.