Get Your Kids Excited About Sports with the Sports Box - #Discount Code

My daughter is very active in sports. She plays basketball in the winter, and soccer in the spring and fall.  I've always encouraged my children to live an active lifestyle, and love to see them on the field. Though she loves to play, she is still little, and sometimes she needs a little encouragement to stick with it, especially at times like this when the weather is still a little chilly for outdoor sports. The Sports Box was just what she needed to give her a little extra incentive.

The Sports Box is a fun subscription service that sends kids an exciting selection of products geared to their favorite sport. You can choose between soccer, basketball, baseball, softball, football and hockey. Each box includes training aids, gear, and other fun products specially suited to your chosen sport. Every box also includes some great tips to help kids improve their game. Check out our unboxing video to see how much my daughter loved the Corner Kick Box 34.

As you can see, this month was filled with some really amazing items. Here is a little breakdown of everything she received.

Evasion Belt - This will help kids improve their agility and speed. The adjustable straps allow you to connect two players by the waist while they are drilling. 

Glow Max- Kids can practice even in the dark with this cute glowing soccer ball. It's a miniature size and very light weight, so it won't cause any damage inside, but still gives kids a chance to work on their kicks.

Hackey Sack -This brings back memories of my own childhood. When I was a kid, all the boys used to play with hackey sacks on the boardwalk. You can bounce and balance them on any part of your body. They are a great way for kids to practice their coordination without fear of injury.

Junk Headband- These cloth headbands are great. They hold the hair out of her eyes, their super comfortable, and they are easy to wash when they get sweaty. This one is a nice, neutral color that she can wear with any of  her uniforms.

Quench Gum - Last but not least, this delicious raspberry flavored gum can help quench your thirst when you can't get to your water bottle.

My daughter just loved this box. It made her feel special to get a package in the mail, and the items inside have helped her to improve her soccer skills. She's already asking to try out the basketball box next season. With so many options to choose from, you are sure to find a box that is perfect for your little sports fan.  Subscriptions start at only $26.99 a month, and the value of the items you receive far exceeds that value. Show your sports enthusiasts how much you support their talent. Gab them a Sports Box today!

***Discount Code***

Get 25% off your first Sports Box subscription using code NEWAGEMAMA at checkout! 

4 tips for perfecting your players’ soccer kick

The soccer kick is not only an essential soccer skill, but also a show of power, focus, and style. Because it’s one of the trickiest moves for young players, we compiled a few tricks to help them master it. Besides the formal steps for kicking correctly, these tips add an extra oomph of focus and power to keep striking power high and toe kicks at bay.

Relax

“Shaking it out” isn’t just for calming nerves—it’s a great way to stay relaxed when kicking. With the exception of the ankle, encourage your players to keep their body loose. Staying relaxed makes them more likely to maintain good posture and mobility in order to aim accurately. Players will have an easier time following through and reacting to an opponent’s defense.

Break the pane

Want to train your players to kick with more power, follow through, and play with confidence? Try the break the pane method. Ask your players to imagine a pane of glass in front of the soccer ball. In order to break this glass, the player needs to use the force of their foot and the rest of their body. “Your forward momentum should continue through the shot,” says Active.com. This process helps the player direct his or her power; visualizing the glass pane can be much more effective than just explaining how to follow through.  

Try SOCKIT

Wish there was something that gave players immediate feedback on their kicking technique? Use a SOCKIT! It’s a band that fits around the soccer cleats and lights up when the kicker hits the ball with the correct spot on his or her foot. Younger players love the light-up feature, and it helps reinforce what coaches tell players on the sidelines. Invented by a father looking to help his two daughters kick better, it’s something made for soccer players, by soccer players.

Visualize

Now that you know about the break the pane method, try incorporating visualization in other ways. Ask your players to sit for a moment and visualize what it’s like to kick a soccer ball. Have them consider what they could improve about their kicking. Then ask them to picture themselves perfecting that kick and how it would look in practice, games, against an opponent, etc. “When I'm preparing for a swim, I imagine absolutely everything about it: the color of the water, how cold it is, the taste of salt in my mouth,” says swimmer Lewis Gordon Pugh. “I visualize each and every stroke.” Simply visualizing a successful kick can work wonders when it comes to making real contact with the ball.

OUT with the toe kick and IN with the follow through! Try out these suggestions to help your players perfect the art of kicking.

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SOCKIT is a soccer gear company based in San Clemente, California. The SOCKIT training device builds confidence, empowers players to practice more, improves foot-eye coordination, creates dialogue between players, parents, and coaches, eliminates self-doubt, and reminds us all of why we play sports in the first place...because it’s fun! SOCKIT’s light up feature helps young soccer players immediately understand the feeling of a solid strike in real time.

PearUp with Ritz Bits Snacks For Your Champion #RitzBitsTeams #Soccer #JoinIn #Youth

My son has been playing soccer since he was in kindergarten. He now has five years under his belt.  Our local community has been very supportive of the kids, both with their time and donations. Parents volunteer as coaches and local business usually pay for the team's t-shirts and equipment.  One year, my son's team was even sponsored by the insurance company I used to work for.  My son and his whole team worked hard and while they don't always come out on top, they all had fun playing and made their sponsors proud. My son Frankie's favorite position this year was the goalie, and he blocked more than one shot.

My son

My hometown has been fortunate and has always had what they needed for their team. But not every town is so lucky. There are places where supply can't meet demand and kids may not have the uniforms they need. Ritz Bits doesn't want to see any child stuck on the sidelines, so they have teamed up with PearUp.com to help soccer teams raise money for uniforms and fees. One of those teams is the Norwin Soccer Club. Ritz Bits is ready and willing to give this team $1000 toward their cause, but they need you to help. Don't worry. It doesn't cost you a penny. It only takes a few minutes of your time. First, meet the Norwin Soccer Club by visiting the PearUp website.  Pear is a social engagement platform that allows groups to earn sponsorships from brands--for free!

Ritz Bits is doing most of the work. They will hand out up $100,000 in donations through Pear, but they need you to help make this happen. Don't worry. It won't cost you a dime. All you have to do is sign up for the PearUp site (you can do this in two minutes flat using your face book account). Once you are signed in, there are several activities you can complete in order to earn points. Those points transfer into dollars for the Norwin Soccer Team. Some of the tasks you can complete are a few quick survey questions, sharing the event on your social networks, posting a photo of your soccer star, or following Ritz Bits on social networks like Instagram or Face Book. Each task you complete brings the team a little closer to their goal. Last I checked, they were already halfway there.




Want to hear even more good news? The giving doesn't stop with this team. Ritz Bitz wants to help YOU too. Do you have a soccer team who needs help with their expenses? You can sign up with PearUp.com and ask Ritz Bitz to sponsor that team. Apply for Ritz Bitz custom T-shirts or they can cover your team/league fees. This money can go a long way toward making your child's team  a dream team! Just be sure to read all the fine print to make sure you are eligible. For example, the program doesn't apply to school affiliated teams.

If you decide to sign up, I want to hear about it! Come back and leave a comment with the link to your Pear. I'll be sure to visit and offer my support for all my readers' teams! In the meantime, play smart and make sure your kids stay hydrated and keep up their energy with healthy high-protein snacks like Ritz Bits!

Celebrate World Cup Soccer with Degree with MOTIONSENSE

There is nothing more exhilarating than watching World Cup Soccer. Players from all over the world gather for the chance to prove they're the best. The players line the field, ready to race in their spikey cleats and  bright uniforms. You'll always find my family cheering for the US World Cup Team. This past Sunday was an especially exciting match. We were all biting our nails as the US took on Portugal.  Jermaine Jones scored an amazing goal and we thought we had it in the bag, but at the last second, Portugal scored a goal that ended the game in a 2-2 tie. Next up, the US team will be competing against Germany and they need a win or a draw to advance. I can't wait to see what happens!

Whether you're sweating out the results on your couch or actually playing in the field, odor control is something you need to consider. My whole family loves Degree with MOTIONSENSE for all their indoor and outdoor activities. The special formula kicks in exactly when you need it most, stopping embarrassing odors and perspiration right in its tracks the same way the goalie stops the ball. That's why it was chosen as the official deodorant of the the US Soccer Team!

This summer, Degree and Walgreens are helping you celebrate the World Cup Soccer games and reward fans that DO more. DO something fun with the kids. DO the laundry for your wife for a change. Do something that will help you live a healthy lifestyle! Walgreens will  reward fans who Do More with a great offer. Simply head in to Walgreens between 6/29–7/5 and you can get 1,000 Balance Rewards points when you buy 2 Degree Men Deodorant products. When you don't have to worry about odor, you can move more, cheer more and Do:More all summer long! 

***This post was sponsored by Global Influence.***