"You got it all wrong."

Memories.

A few years back when I had just begun the CBA Blog an opposing coach came up to me before a match and said, "I've read your blog. You got it all wrong. I used what you wrote as a scouting report on your team. We're going to show you how wrong you are!"

Well, okay then.

I have been coaching sports for nearly 35 years now.  I have seen quite a bit. This is one of two pre-game meetings between coaches that really stands out in my memory.

To be honest, this guy unnerved me a little because I wasn't at all expecting this type of greeting. As I recall, I extended my hand and offered "Good Luck to you" then walked away.  I never mentioned the encounter to my team. I did make a point about playing and executing our style of soccer though.

Let the opponent scout you all they want to because in the end it is always about execution.

I am not big on changing formations and styles of play from game to game. I believe in assessing my teams strengths and weaknesses, then selecting a formation and system of play that will work best for the team. In the preseason we may tinker with it all a bit, but we want everything in order early in the season. Then we stick with it. Fine tuning it as we go.

About as far as I will go in terms of dramatic adjustments for a specific opponent is to man-mark a individual opposing player whom everything the opponent wants to do on attack flows through. The "hub player," if you will.  Think of it as soccer's version of a box and one basketball defense. Call it a 10 + 1 soccer tactic.  Ten players staying in our zonal system of defending while one man marks the opponents hub player.

That evening the opponents came out all hyped up for the opening kickoff.  Their coach had given them a scouting report based on my writings here on this site. One could see the excitement in their eyes, the energy coursing through their bodies.  At that point I worried more about our team matching their intensity than anything else. Then again, maybe I was simply looking for these things because of the pregame meet with their coach?

The opponents had the kickoff and immediately came at us - a couple of quick touches between players as they moved directly down the field. As they approached our defending third the ball was sent wide where our left back read the play and intercepted their pass. He immediately hit the target forward in the next channel over, who dropped the ball back to a CM another channel over. The CM  then played back against the flow to the left back streaking down the flank. We caught their defense shifting again when the left back crossed the ball as he entered the final third of the pitch and the other CM finished for our first goal.  27 seconds into the match and we are up 1 - 0.

So much for their scouting report on us.

The deflation of emotion was visually obvious in the opposing teams players. Several looked to their sidelines. The coach tried to pump them back up.  We scored again about 3 minutes later.  The rout was on.  I was tempted to really pour it on them, but we didn't.  No need to punish the opposing players for their coach's words. If I recall correctly, the game ended at  6-0 our favor. We held it down.

The opposing coach refused to shake my hand after the match. Go figure. A few days later I sent him an email offering to do a camp for him and his team. No response although I did get a "Read Receipt" back so it's possible he at least glanced at the email. 

This article is not about my always being right. I am not and that is why I need my Savior, Jesus Christ in my life.  I make mistakes every day. Lots of mistakes. We all do.  How we handle the mistakes we make is what defines us on and off the field of play.

In the situation discussed here, I trusted our formation and system of play. More importantly, I trusted the players who would play the game for us. We went out and played as we had trained to play. What went in during training came out during play. Life is like this. What we allow into our hearts is what will be found in our minds and be manifested in our actions and words.

One of the best learning experiences I have had as a coach came when the team I was in charge of got a butt whupping the likes I had never before received nor have ever received since. It was an indoor game and the final score was something ridiculous like 0-24.  I knew the opposing coach, Ray. As young men we had competed against each other in various sports. My side usually got the better of things.  Not on this day.  And I need to mention that I specifically requested of Ray that he not do anything to artificially hold the score down.  He graciously did a few things anyway, but I viewed the beat down as a learning opportunity for our team. A few days after the match I searched Ray out and we talked a bit. I asked him to give me a scouting report on my team. He was a bit reluctant, but eventually acquiesced.  I listened and I learned.

When we faced that team outdoors the next spring the result was much closer. They still won but the score was respectable. We were competitive. When we faced that team in a tournament the next fall we defeated them and won the championship. Ray and I have exchanged a few good natured barbs about how he helped build our team. I remain grateful for Ray's patience and honesty in evaluating our team's performance. He taught me a lot.

My offer to do a camp for the team we routed was made in the spirit of the game. I'm not sure it was received that way. The offer was not accepted. I did what I could do to help a fellow coach and improve the game a little bit.  In the end, he got it all wrong.  He made a mess of his teams play that day and refused help when it was offered.

As coaches and players of the beautiful game we have a responsibility to help one another uphold the spirit of the game.  It's only when we think of ourselves as bigger than the game itself that we find ourselves in a real struggle.  Again, life is like this for it is only when we think of ourselves as bigger than life itself do we tend to find ourselves struggling.

Oh, by the way, immediately after that 0-24 butt whupping I had the team back to our house for a pancake breakfast. The kids played video games and tossed a football around the yard. We didn't dwell on the loss one bit.  And a side note to this story is the core of that team went all the way to the OHSAA Regional Finals as high school seniors.