We recently checked in with AYSO United Alabama club director Joe Mullins to see how the club has been using TopTekkers with their teams . He gave us an insight into how they've been able to implement use of the app within their structure and how important it is for young players to work outside of the practice field.

Club Name: AYSO United Alabama

Located in: Madison, AL 

Formed: 2017

Number of Teams: 19

Kit Colors: Red, Blue, White

TT: How long has your club been using TopTekkers? 

JM: Since December 2020.

TT: Which age groups/players in your club are using TopTekkers? 

JM: Our U8-U13 teams. 

TT: How have you implemented TopTekkers in your organization? 

JM: We tutored our coaching staff on how to best utilize the program. Our Coaches create a Weekly Plan and follow up with the squad at the end of each week to check on progress. The check-in not only allows the coach to enforce positive work ethic but tie in the “why” each technique is important to the tactics and effectiveness during match play. 

TT: Why did you get TopTekkers for your players? 

JM: We saw the benefit even before quarantine. Having a way to show our players on their time rather than team training time, how to properly work on techniques such as passing, dribbling, shooting and how to run properly are all vital to becoming effective footballers. 

TT: How will TopTekkers become a part of the coaching cycle or curriculum within your organization?

JM: Even when normal team training resumes, we will still appreciate the effectiveness of individual technical training. We don’t see a better was to enhance coach and team training than with the TopTekkers app. 

TT: What do you personally like about the app?

JM: The short and concise videos are simple to understand and comprehensive enough to show young players how to do the technique properly. 

TT: What’s your organization’s development philosophy? 

JM: Our Core Values emphasise Education, Enjoyment, Commitment, Ownership, Integrity and Holistic. Motivating our players to log and perform tasks provided by the coach fits well into our Core Values. A player that will watch a video and attempt to earn digital trophies by performing and perfecting hundreds of techniques really proves a commitment to ownership, integrity and education. Whether it’s using Google Classroom to create fun assignments, Kahoot! and Google Meet to bring players together for fun quizzes and check for understanding, or a fun app like TopTekkers, we strive to create a holistic environment. 

TT: Why is practice away from the practice field important? 

JM: Team Training can teach some technique and show how it ties to tactical bits as the team develops. Practicing the technique, at home on their own is vastly important to reaching one’s true potential. 

TT: Describe the perfect AYSO United Alabama player. A player that embodies your organization on and off the field. What does that player look like?

JM: A perfect player is one that is motivated to perform at a high level for personal growth and success as well as team success. An exceptional player can motivate their teammates to work hard and give maximum effort on and off the pitch. 

For more info on AYSO United Alabama please visit www.aysounitedalabama.org

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