Voorhees native Steve Kosyla is a true home town legend. He, of course has had many great exploits of his own on the soccer (and other sports) fields. But he has also had, and continues to have, an even greater impact on our soccer community as a soccer trainer and coach.

Before taking over as head varsity coach for the Eastern High School boys' soccer program, Coach Kos put time in at several other regiona high school programs including Haddonfield and Paul VI. He has instructed soccer in our town since 1978 and worked with the VSA since its founding. Several area soccer trainers have learned at least part of their trade as well as a love of the game from Coach Kos.

His numerous abilities have led him to be inducted into the Eastern HS Athletics hall of fame as well as the South Jersey Soccer hall of fame. If you ask him, he may regale you with humorous story from the past, but it's the future he's focused on. I think it's his ability to see the potential in each child that drives him to find a way to help them realize it.

Although soccer is a primary love, it's not the only way Steve helps our community. He currently is employed as a Voorhees Middle School teacher, but has worked locally in banking, retail and even served on the local Board of Education. His wealth of knowledge and experience makes him a considerable asset to the VSA.  

Stretching for soccer games is not a very new concept. Although stretching is very important in keeping your body flexible as you play the sport, the most crucial benefit of stretching is that it helps prevent injuries. Doing a few warm-up exercises before you hit the field can dramatically lower the chances of cramps, muscle tears, and other, more serious injuries.

Soccer is an incredibly taxing sport on your muscles. All the running, kicking and diving puts a lot of stress onto your muscles, especially the legs. With such a great amount of pressure constantly hitting your muscles, one of two things can happen: they tighten up, leading to cramps, or they weaken, which can result in major injuries. As much as your muscles are needed to move you up and down the field, they are also needed to support your frame. Without the muscle strength needed to help absorb the impact on your joints, there is a larger chance that the stress can tear your ligaments or fracture your bones. This is why stretching before a game of soccer is so important. Preparing the muscles and limbering them up allow them to better absorb the punishment they will be taking in the course of a game. If you are concerned about your own pregame warm-up, here are a few stretches (there are many more) you can do:

The basic lunge stretches several muscles: hip flexors, gluteus maximus muscles and a little bit of the calves. To do a proper lunge, place one leg in front of you. Slowly lower your body by bending the knee in front of you, extending the reach of your legs when necessary. Be sure to keep your torso straight at all times.

You should feel the calf of your rear leg stretching. After a few counts, bend your torso forward and lower your rear knee to the ground. This will stretch your hip flexors and gluteus muscles. Slowly stand up and repeat, switching the positions of your legs.

The quadriceps are muscles on the front portion of your thigh, and are among the largest muscles in your leg. You can stretch these important soccer muscles by lifting one foot behind you and grasping it with the opposite hand. For example, if you lift your left foot, hold it with your right hand. You should be able to pull your foot upward a little, stretching your quadriceps.

The hamstrings are muscles on the back of your thighs, and are also very important in soccer. Stretch them out by sitting on the ground with your legs spread apart. Turn your torso toward one foot, and then bend toward the foot as far as you can.

The muscles around your joints will also need stretching. To stretch the muscles near the knee, simply bend your knees and rotate them in a clockwise direction. After a few counts, rotate them in the opposite direction. Do the same stretching for your ankles.