Coaches at PG County tryouts aren’t looking for effort or enthusiasm. Every player on the field is trying hard. What separates the players who make competitive rosters from the players who get cut comes down to four specific technical qualities, and those qualities are exactly what Touch Lab’s one-on-one sessions are built to develop.
Coach Paul Jackiewicz has spent over a decade coaching in this county, working closely enough with the local tryout process to know precisely what evaluators are watching for. Every private session he runs is designed around closing the gap between where a player is now and what that evaluation actually rewards.
Schedule a One-on-One Session →
The Four Qualities PG County Coaches Evaluate
First touch under pressure. A clean first touch with a defender closing in is one of the fastest ways a coach separates players in a tryout setting. Players who can’t control the ball under that pressure get pushed into easier roles, or cut.
Comfort on both feet. A one-footed player is a predictable player. Coaches at the club and travel level notice quickly, and it limits how, or whether, they’ll use that player on the field.
Decision-making speed. The real gap between recreational and competitive soccer isn’t talent, it’s tempo. Players who hesitate on the ball fall behind players who don’t, even when their raw skill is similar.
1v1 confidence. The ability to beat a defender, or stop one, has to be trained on purpose. It’s not something that develops naturally out of standard team drills.
Every one-on-one session starts with an honest look at where a player stands across these four areas, then builds a plan around whichever one will move the needle fastest.
How a Training Plan Actually Comes Together
Coach Paul doesn’t run the same session twice. A player who struggles with first touch gets a very different hour than a player who’s technically solid but slow to decide what to do with the ball. The plan is built around the individual, not a fixed curriculum, and it shifts over time as each of the four core qualities improves and a new priority takes its place.
Sessions are available throughout Prince George’s County, including Upper Marlboro, Bowie, Clinton, Laurel, and Lanham. The Prince George’s Soccer Association oversees a large and competitive youth soccer landscape in this county, and one-on-one training is how many of those players separate themselves within it.
New to Touch Lab? Start with a Player Evaluation
Player Evaluation Session — $65 (one-time per player)
Not sure where your player stands or what to focus on? A Player Evaluation Session is the best way to start. I’ll assess first touch, ball control, decision-making, and comfort on both feet, then walk you through exactly what I see and recommend a clear path forward, whether that’s a training pack, group sessions, or focused work at home.
One evaluation session per player. After your evaluation, one-on-one sessions are priced below.
One-on-One Training Pricing
Outdoor Training
1 hour session = $80
Save when you commit to a package:
4 session package = $300 (save $20)
8 session package = $560 (save $80)
Indoor Training
1 hour session = $150
4 session package: $560 (save $40)
Held at Sofive in Columbia, MD
7125 Columbia Gateway Dr Ste 105
Columbia, MD 21046
Package sessions must be booked in advance and are non-refundable. Clients on packages receive priority scheduling over single session bookings.
Know someone who would benefit from private training? Refer a friend and receive $15 off your next session when they book.
Learn more about our one-on-one sessions by clicking here. Or sign up for a session by clicking here.
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Frequently Asked Questions: One-on-One Training in Prince George’s County
Is the first session a real evaluation, or does Coach Paul just start running drills?
It’s a real evaluation. Before building a training plan, Coach Paul watches how the player receives the ball, which foot they favor, how quickly they make decisions, and how they handle 1v1 situations, then prioritizes sessions around whichever of those areas will move the needle most for tryouts or competitive play. It’s the same lens PG County club coaches use when evaluating players, just applied one on one instead of across a crowded field.
My child already made a competitive travel team in PG County. Is one-on-one training still worth it once they’re rostered?
Yes, and a lot of Touch Lab clients in PG County are already rostered players. Making a team gets a player in the door, but staying in the starting lineup as the roster gets more competitive each season depends on the same technical qualities coaches evaluated at tryouts, first touch, both feet, decision speed, and 1v1 confidence. Ongoing one-on-one sessions keep those skills sharp and growing instead of stalling once the pressure of tryouts is over.
Since Coach Paul is based in Upper Marlboro, are there travel fees for sessions elsewhere in PG County?
It depends on distance from Upper Marlboro rather than county lines. Sessions within about 30 minutes, which covers most of Prince George’s County including areas like Bowie, Laurel, Clinton, Lanham, Hyattsville, and Greenbelt, carry no travel fee. If a specific location happens to fall 30 to 45 minutes out, a $25 fee applies, and 45 minutes or more adds $35. Most PG County families fall within the no fee zone.
Do sessions include anything like a mock tryout, or is tryout prep just regular technical training?
As tryouts approach, Coach Paul can shift session structure to include tryout style scenarios, small sided situations, quick decision drills, and 1v1 moments under the kind of pressure a real tryout creates, rather than purely isolated technical work. If you have a tryout date in mind, mention it when booking so sessions in the weeks leading up to it can be weighted toward that kind of live pressure practice.
Does training focus differently for a player trying to make a recreational league team versus a competitive travel or club team in PG County?
Yes. Recreational tryouts generally have a lower technical bar, so sessions for those players often emphasize confidence and basic ball comfort. Travel and club level tryouts in PG County are far more competitive, and coaches are evaluating the specific qualities covered on this page closely, so sessions for those players go deeper and move faster into game speed execution of those same skills.
Does Coach Paul work with players from specific PG County clubs or leagues, like those under the Prince George’s Soccer Association?
Coach Paul isn’t affiliated with any single club or league, which allows him to train players regardless of which PG County program they play for or are trying out with. Many families use one-on-one sessions specifically to prepare for tryouts with clubs registered under the Prince George’s Soccer Association, but players from any team or league in the county are welcome.
