I have often said it is difficult to find fault with the quantity of effort a player gives. On any given day, players tend to give you the best effort they have that day. The quality of that effort can be another matter. As a coach, one of my primary responsibilities is to teach athletes how to give smarter or more efficient effort.
Work smarter not harder.
You will get out of something what you put into it. Too many people equate this to quantity of work and believe the problem can be resolved by "doubling down" and working harder. The truth of the matter might well be they need to work smarter.
"I love your effort!"
"What do you have to show for it?"
This is an exchange I will sometimes use to get a player to think about the quality of the effort they are giving. We have all seen players who pursue the ball relentlessly. I have overheard coaches implore players to "be first to the ball!". The objective is to beat opposing players to the ball.
The objective should be to win possession of the ball.
There is a difference between being first to the ball and winning (possession) of the ball. This is where working smarter becomes more important than working harder. We do not want to lessen the effort given. We want to improve the quality of the work being performed.
Think of it in terms of using a system of pull-ups and or levers to move a heavy object. The work amount of work to be done doesn't change, but we can make the work being done easier or be more efficient in performing the work.
Matthew was a player who gave tremendous effort on the pitch. No one would dispute that, absolutely no one. One type play epitomized Matthew's style of play. A ball rolling towards the touch line with Matthew and an opponent in hot pursuit. Mathew arrived first to the ball! His first touch played the ball out of bounds. "Great effort, Matthew! What do you have to show for it?"
I reviewed such plays with Matthew. We watched them on tape. It took a few tries before Matthew began to understand that he had far too little to show for the amount of energy he was expending. Yes, he was first to the ball but his efforts resulted in the opposing team gaining possession of the
ball. Essentially a lot of effort given towards a lost cause. Prompting Matthew towards a better, more efficient use of his effort / energy proved an exercise in patience as well. Eventually Matthew caught on to the idea that allowing the opposing player to "win" the ball if the likely result was the opponent was going to lose the ball out of bounds. This was a very foreign concept to a 17 year old who had been praised for many years for simply being first to the ball. Once the objective changed to gaining possession of the ball Matthew became an even more productive player.
Showing posts with label intelligent effort. Show all posts
Showing posts with label intelligent effort. Show all posts
Monday
Saturday
Intelligent Effort
I've watched a lot of soccer this month. I always marvel at how hard high school athletes compete. Rare are the occasions when I witness a lack of effort from individual players or a team. That said, I don't always see intelligent effort and that is often the difference between winning and losing a match.
I recently caught up with a couple of our camp teams each of which demonstrated they were in different places of the process. The first team came out and played a very solid opening 10 minutes of intelligent team soccer. As the opponents began to settle into their own game our camp team began to unravel. It wasn't long before intelligent team effort gave way to strong individual effort or what we call "hero ball." The result was predictable and it did not end well for our camp team.
A second camp team entered a match in which they were likely considered underdogs if only because they lacked the same quality depth as their opponents. This camp team came out and gave great intelligent effort for 80 minutes against a quality side and came away with a good result. They did not dominate the match but they held their own in a battle of styles and wills.
The difference between the two camp teams at this stage of the respective processes?
I've been giving that a lot of thought these past few days. One obvious factor is the 2nd team referenced has been camping with us for a number of years whereas this was the first year we have camped with the first team referenced. I don't think that fully explains the differences though. Both teams started out well but while one team continued their strong intelligent play the other faltered mightily. I suspect the difference is trust.
Trust in the process. Some will call this buy-in. And buy-in itself can be a process. There has to be a taste of success to whet the appetite. Once the hunger is there the process can thrive and confidence grows.
Trust in each other. The second team played with a spirit of camaraderie that carried them through the rough patches in the match. They bent but never broke. They were resilient in the face of adversity. The first team panicked in the face of adversity. They were good until the opponents counter-punched at which time they retreated from intelligent team effort to a previous comfort zone of great individual effort. They did not trust the process nor did they trust one another as teammates. They went from possessing the ball to whacking the ball and the rout was on.
I really believe in both of these teams. The talent is present on both squads to have very good seasons. Each team is at its own point in similar processes. Where each goes from here will be extremely interesting to observe. I am expecting good, possibly great things from the second team. If they build upon their recent performance good things will follow.
In regards to the first team, I believe good is an obtainable goal this season if, and only if, they can build upon and sustain the level of intelligent play I witnessed them give in those first 10 minutes of of a recent match. It's a start. Can they build 10 minutes into 15 minutes and progress from there?
Next week I am off to check on another of our camp teams. This particular team just completed their third year of summer camp with us. I was amazed by the improvement witnessed last month and early results are indicating something good may be happening with them. Where once technique was a weakness they have developed a strong understanding not only of how to execute skills but are now able to apply these skills in a cohesive intelligent manner. They are not a finished product, but from what they demonstrated in camp I am excited for them.
I recently caught up with a couple of our camp teams each of which demonstrated they were in different places of the process. The first team came out and played a very solid opening 10 minutes of intelligent team soccer. As the opponents began to settle into their own game our camp team began to unravel. It wasn't long before intelligent team effort gave way to strong individual effort or what we call "hero ball." The result was predictable and it did not end well for our camp team.
A second camp team entered a match in which they were likely considered underdogs if only because they lacked the same quality depth as their opponents. This camp team came out and gave great intelligent effort for 80 minutes against a quality side and came away with a good result. They did not dominate the match but they held their own in a battle of styles and wills.
The difference between the two camp teams at this stage of the respective processes?
I've been giving that a lot of thought these past few days. One obvious factor is the 2nd team referenced has been camping with us for a number of years whereas this was the first year we have camped with the first team referenced. I don't think that fully explains the differences though. Both teams started out well but while one team continued their strong intelligent play the other faltered mightily. I suspect the difference is trust.
Trust in the process. Some will call this buy-in. And buy-in itself can be a process. There has to be a taste of success to whet the appetite. Once the hunger is there the process can thrive and confidence grows.
Trust in each other. The second team played with a spirit of camaraderie that carried them through the rough patches in the match. They bent but never broke. They were resilient in the face of adversity. The first team panicked in the face of adversity. They were good until the opponents counter-punched at which time they retreated from intelligent team effort to a previous comfort zone of great individual effort. They did not trust the process nor did they trust one another as teammates. They went from possessing the ball to whacking the ball and the rout was on.
I really believe in both of these teams. The talent is present on both squads to have very good seasons. Each team is at its own point in similar processes. Where each goes from here will be extremely interesting to observe. I am expecting good, possibly great things from the second team. If they build upon their recent performance good things will follow.
In regards to the first team, I believe good is an obtainable goal this season if, and only if, they can build upon and sustain the level of intelligent play I witnessed them give in those first 10 minutes of of a recent match. It's a start. Can they build 10 minutes into 15 minutes and progress from there?
Next week I am off to check on another of our camp teams. This particular team just completed their third year of summer camp with us. I was amazed by the improvement witnessed last month and early results are indicating something good may be happening with them. Where once technique was a weakness they have developed a strong understanding not only of how to execute skills but are now able to apply these skills in a cohesive intelligent manner. They are not a finished product, but from what they demonstrated in camp I am excited for them.
Friday
No Brain?
No Pain
No Gain
I think we are all familiar with this motivational slogan. And I will not argue against the measure of truth it holds. However, I don't think those four words are enough to complete the thought process they begin. I believe four more words are needed.
No Brain
No Gain
The first set of words addresses the need to train the physical body for competition. The second set of words identifies the importance to train and play with as much intelligence as possible.
Saturday
Give your best effort.
You will play as you train
If you only ever give 90% in training
Then you will never be able to give 100% in the game.
Monday
Hard Work and TEAM Slogans.
There are a lot of motivational sayings that advocate working hard. There are also a few that advocate working smart. The best of both worlds is, of course, a strong combination of the two.
Given a choice I will take the player who works intelligently over the player who gives great effort more often than not. It's an issue of TEAM with me.
Breaking down film for a friend this morning I watched a team who had two young men who gave great physical effort. I know for a fact both won team awards - one as team MVP and the other as team MOP - because their coach told me so. I would not have selected either one for an award. In fact, both would have found it difficult to get on the field for me.
Given a choice I will take the player who works intelligently over the player who gives great effort more often than not. It's an issue of TEAM with me.
Breaking down film for a friend this morning I watched a team who had two young men who gave great physical effort. I know for a fact both won team awards - one as team MVP and the other as team MOP - because their coach told me so. I would not have selected either one for an award. In fact, both would have found it difficult to get on the field for me.
Pyramid of Success
I have seen several versions of this including one a coaching colleague, Paul Lee, shared with me on Hudl from the high school program he coaches in. I like the concept of using a pyramid as it emphasizes the necessity of a strong foundation required to build upon. This is the version I have adapted from Paul's for use with camps, clinics and teams I work with. To be honest, it is still evolving. What might yours look like?
Success
Passion Humility
Teamwork Commitment Trust
Courage Intensity Discipline Perseverance
Enthusiasm Respect Belief Confidence Intelligent Effort
Passion Humility
Teamwork Commitment Trust
Courage Intensity Discipline Perseverance
Enthusiasm Respect Belief Confidence Intelligent Effort
Tuesday
The Commitment Continuum.
I have read several of Jeff Janssen's books and one of the concepts that has really stuck with me is the Commitment Continuum seen above. I have thought back and applied this to teams I played on and to teams I have coached. Janssen has gotten it basically right. A successful team needs players in the Compelled and Committed ranges.
One train of thought I have followed is the value of the Commitment Continuum in high school sports. In the coaching groups I communicate with via emails this is a fairly constant topic of discussion. In general these discussions center on the value of athletes who come to the first day of practice well conditioned or where soccer falls on an athletes priority list.
Through the course of these discussions my mind has traveled back to the countless hours I spent working on fundamental skills on my own. At a rather early age I recognized the value of having similarly motivated players on my teams. I carried these ideas with me when I began my coaching career. One of my first priorities with any team is to identify the self-motivated player. If a selection process is involved I want as many of these players as possible on my team.
When coaching high school we are often called upon to work with whomever shows up to play. There will be compelled and committed players but also a lot, perhaps a majority, of players who fall lower on the Commitment Continuum. I have found for best results it is prudent to rely on the compelled or committed player over pure athletes who are compliant or existent on the commitment continuum. I will build my teams around the compelled and committed players and fill in the holes as necessary with the remaining players.
For high school teams I tend to give preference for starting positions to the players who also play club soccer. I choose to build my teams around the soccer players instead of the athletes. It's great when the soccer players are also great athletes, but this is soccer and so we should want those whose priority sport is soccer playing the game. I look at this as valuing game intelligence over athleticism. An athlete may play harder, but the soccer player plays smarter. The soccer player understands the game and need not rely on frenetic play to accomplish what needs to be done. The soccer player is more likely to play in calm and poised manner.
I once had a player on club whose high school coaches openly called him lazy. They complained that he did not often enough run hard nor exert the same amounts of energy as his teammates did. The fact of the matter is, he didn't need to work as hard as his high school teammates because he was always 3 or 4 steps ahead of them in his thinking of the game, his game intelligence. While his soccer teammates were off playing basketball and baseball or running track, this young man was playing an additional 40-50 games of soccer each winter and spring. Over the course of a high school career that equates to playing an additional 12 high school seasons. Yeah, I want that experience front and center on my high school teams.
There is no substitution for experience in the game and it is the compelled or committed players who will have the most experience and who will have accumulated the most game intelligence. These are the players who should be the foundation of your team.
Monday
Intelligent Effort or A Ball and a Wall
Over the years I have listened to many a young player tell me they want to play in college, play professional and make the USMNT. There is a huge difference between wanting to do something and actually accomplishing what you want to do.
Anyone who plays the game, wants to be that guy who scores the game winning goal in the World Cup final. A very select few are ever in a position to do so and fewer still actually do score the winning goal in a World Cup final.
The bridge between "want to" and actual achievement is work and more precisely, working intelligently.
I have watched young players work tireless on their game. They work to master foot skills and moves to beat an opponent. They can juggle proficiently. In a 1 v 1 environment they look like the next great one. More often than not they are left to wonder why no academy program or major college is recruiting them. They cannot figure out why their path to glory is seemingly blocked.
How many young players have you seen who are capable of passing accurately with either foot for distances of 10 yards, 20 yards and 30 yards?
All the fancy footwork in the world will not make you an elite soccer player. Sean Garnier is a Freestyle World Champion, but is unlikely to ever score a game winning goal in the World Cup. Mr. Woo is amazing but he isn't going to be seen scoring that World Cup winning goal either. So, how do you become Super Mario Gotze?
Receiving and passing.
Watch Gotze's game winning goal once again. He receives the ball and passes it into the net. Now, the reception was difficult - he took it off his chest while directing the ball towards his next play. His first touch led him towards goal. He then used his left foot to volley the ball past the goalkeeper and into the net.
Next time you drive by a pitch and see a lone player "working" on his game observe exactly what it is he is doing. Practicing fancy moves? Juggling the ball? Shooting the ball? Perhaps running with the ball? Think for a minute... these are all individual skills ... that can only take place in a match after the player has received the ball. And they lead to the intent of passing the ball either to a teammate or into the goal.
Receiving and Passing.
So, many players spend a disproportionate amount of time on individual skills when soccer is a team game. That player putting in work on his own, is he working on team skills? Is he working on receiving and passing the ball?
When I mention this to people they are quick to point out that the individual player did not have a partner to work with. There was no one to pass him the ball so he could work on receiving the ball. There was no one for him to pass to. That is nothing more than an excuse for close by is a kickback wall or a bench that could be turned on it's side to be used to play a ball against.
The term is a ball and a wall.
Graham Ramsay introduced our local high school soccer athletes to a ball and a wall many years ago. Turn wood benches on their sides and practice passing the ball against the bench. Many people think of this as practicing their passing, but every time that ball is returned by the bench to the player he receives the ball. Set two benches up with their flat surfaces facing one another or three benches set up in a "U" shape or four benches in a square - now you can practice receiving across the body, turning with the ball and leading touches into your next play, your next pass.
If you want to play on the next level you will need a well rounded skill set, but you must be an exceptional receiver and passer of the ball. All those fancy foot skills and moves to beat an opponent are useless if you cannot flawlessly gain possession of the ball and they don't count for much if you cannot deliver the ball accurately and in a timely fashion to it's next destination, be that a teammate or the back of the net.
Work alone is not enough to get you to the next level of play.
You must recognize and appreciate what the most critical skills of the game are - receiving and passing. You must work intelligently and that calls for working on these two skills 1) receiving or gaining possession of the ball and 2) precision delivery of the ball to it's next destination. The individual skills that fall in between receiving and passing are secondary in nature.
You do not need a coach, a personal soccer trainer, no fancy shoes or perfect playing pitch. You do not need anyone or anything except yourself, a ball and a wall. The rest is up to you.
Anyone who plays the game, wants to be that guy who scores the game winning goal in the World Cup final. A very select few are ever in a position to do so and fewer still actually do score the winning goal in a World Cup final.
The bridge between "want to" and actual achievement is work and more precisely, working intelligently.
I have watched young players work tireless on their game. They work to master foot skills and moves to beat an opponent. They can juggle proficiently. In a 1 v 1 environment they look like the next great one. More often than not they are left to wonder why no academy program or major college is recruiting them. They cannot figure out why their path to glory is seemingly blocked.
How many young players have you seen who are capable of passing accurately with either foot for distances of 10 yards, 20 yards and 30 yards?
All the fancy footwork in the world will not make you an elite soccer player. Sean Garnier is a Freestyle World Champion, but is unlikely to ever score a game winning goal in the World Cup. Mr. Woo is amazing but he isn't going to be seen scoring that World Cup winning goal either. So, how do you become Super Mario Gotze?
Receiving and passing.
Watch Gotze's game winning goal once again. He receives the ball and passes it into the net. Now, the reception was difficult - he took it off his chest while directing the ball towards his next play. His first touch led him towards goal. He then used his left foot to volley the ball past the goalkeeper and into the net.
Next time you drive by a pitch and see a lone player "working" on his game observe exactly what it is he is doing. Practicing fancy moves? Juggling the ball? Shooting the ball? Perhaps running with the ball? Think for a minute... these are all individual skills ... that can only take place in a match after the player has received the ball. And they lead to the intent of passing the ball either to a teammate or into the goal.
Receiving and Passing.
So, many players spend a disproportionate amount of time on individual skills when soccer is a team game. That player putting in work on his own, is he working on team skills? Is he working on receiving and passing the ball?
When I mention this to people they are quick to point out that the individual player did not have a partner to work with. There was no one to pass him the ball so he could work on receiving the ball. There was no one for him to pass to. That is nothing more than an excuse for close by is a kickback wall or a bench that could be turned on it's side to be used to play a ball against.
The term is a ball and a wall.
Graham Ramsay introduced our local high school soccer athletes to a ball and a wall many years ago. Turn wood benches on their sides and practice passing the ball against the bench. Many people think of this as practicing their passing, but every time that ball is returned by the bench to the player he receives the ball. Set two benches up with their flat surfaces facing one another or three benches set up in a "U" shape or four benches in a square - now you can practice receiving across the body, turning with the ball and leading touches into your next play, your next pass.
If you want to play on the next level you will need a well rounded skill set, but you must be an exceptional receiver and passer of the ball. All those fancy foot skills and moves to beat an opponent are useless if you cannot flawlessly gain possession of the ball and they don't count for much if you cannot deliver the ball accurately and in a timely fashion to it's next destination, be that a teammate or the back of the net.
Work alone is not enough to get you to the next level of play.
You must recognize and appreciate what the most critical skills of the game are - receiving and passing. You must work intelligently and that calls for working on these two skills 1) receiving or gaining possession of the ball and 2) precision delivery of the ball to it's next destination. The individual skills that fall in between receiving and passing are secondary in nature.
You do not need a coach, a personal soccer trainer, no fancy shoes or perfect playing pitch. You do not need anyone or anything except yourself, a ball and a wall. The rest is up to you.
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