A brief look inside our Pace of Play Camps

Combining the Keys to Pace of Play, Sequence of Touches and the Four Elements of the Game of Soccer are essential to playing fast soccer. This is a THINKING man’s game.

Keys to Pace of Play

·        Be in your teammate’s vision early

·        Know your next play before your first touch

·        Be a back footed player

Do not close your hips to the passer

Keep your hips open to as much of the field as possible.

Heels to touch when playing in wide channels

·        Play the way you face

Sequence of Touches – Two touch play with the inside of the foot. Toes up heel down only

·        Right / Right

·        Right / Left

·        Left / Left

·        Left / Right

The Four Elements of the Game of Soccer

·        Penetration

·        Depth

·        Width

·        Mobility

There's more, of course.  We build activities around these ideas.

Fast Soccer - think about it.

EDIT: Many links to previous articles in today's writing. Still more links in the linked articles. All are related yet each presents the general theme differently. Don't just blow the links off. Take a few minutes to read each. You will not regret that choice!

Have you ever see a coach have a player race a predetermined distance against a kicked soccer ball? This is a fairly well known demonstration to drive home the idea of allowing the ball to do the work whenever possible.  Simply put, the ball can be moved faster via passing than it can be by dribbling. The late great Johan Cruyff puts a slightly different take on it placing emphasis on the brain, or thinking the game.

Ballwatchingitis is a term I learned from Graham Ramsay. The idea is very much the same. If the focus is on the ball, the game becomes small and slow. If the players vision are on the game, it allows for the  pace of play to become much faster. Playing quickly is all about allowing the ball to do the work for you.  Universally recognized as one of the the games all-time greats Cruyff also stated Soccer is a game played with the brain! 

As you can see, I have written much on the idea of pace of play being more about brain power than physical speed. I believe the winner of of most games is the team that best thinks the game.  Many problems encountered in a match are self-inflicted by players upon their teams due to a lack of thought behind an action ... or inaction. Decision making is the key factor in many games. It is usually the difference maker between teams.  Therefore, practicing decision making skills should be a major emphasis in training, correct?

Failing to Prepare Properly is Preparing to Fail is another of my favorite quotes. Proper preparation is a key to increasing the pace of play. Properly preparing to play the ball is simply another way to emphasize using the brain to increase pace of play. This too can be practiced and trained for.

These ideas are all part of what we seek to present in our team camps, clinics and symposiums. I would suggest these do not only apply to players - coaches need to think the game as well.  We need to properly prepare training sessions so they bring about the results, the style of play, we envision for our team. Selecting the correct activities to bring out the desired play is a talent we must learn, develop and grow if we expect our players to continue their own progress in the process. It can be good for coaches to review their own process now and again.

Obviously, I have linked to many articles today.  I wished to emphasize the importance I place on today's topics.  After watching the US U23's struggle and ultimately fail to qualify for the Olympics yet again it is clear we must change our developmental model in this country. We must find a way to recognize the value of the brain in the game being greater than pure physical gifts.  Direct play kick and run soccer cannot be the main staple of play at the upper levels of the game, It simply cannot be and this has been proven time and again. We need to teach our players to THINK the GAME!

Increasing Speed of Thought

is how to increase

Speed of Play

  

Pace of Play

A coach recently lamented he didn't have enough athletes on his roster to compete with the teams in the competitive league. Opponents were bigger, stronger and faster than his players.

Pele is 5'8"
Messi is 5'7"
Neymar is 5'9"
Romario is 5'6"

The point being made is simply this, pace of play is about how fast we can think this game we call soccer. One thing each of the greats listed above have in common with the other greats of the game is an economy and efficiency of touches on the ball.

In order to play faster we must emphasize the following:

* Prioritize Playing Fast
* Think ahead in the game by becoming GAME watchers instead of ball watchers
* Know your next play before your first touch
* Hone and refine your technical ability

Prepare to Play the Ball

*  If you wish to receive the ball from a teammate be in his vision early, before his first touch on the ball
* Ask yourself, if my teammate about to receive the ball wants to play one touch, where and how do I need to be positioned to receive that one touch play? Then get into that position.
* If I am expecting my teammate to play with two touches, which sequence is he likely to use and where and how do I need to be positioned to receive his pass? Then get into that position.
*  If at all possible, position yourself to receive the ball across your body keeping your hips open to as much of the field as possible
*  Know your next play before your first touch. Which of your teammates is moving to be in position to receive your pass?
** If your teammate about to receive will be under pressure you will need to move closer to him as his vision will be restricted.
** If your teammate about to receive will not be under pressure stay out of his space and open the     pitch up to as many possibilities as you can for him.

Shared Responsibility 

Pass the Ball to the Proper Foot.

* The proper foot is the foot furthest from defensive pressure
* A ball to which foot will help your teammate avoid defensive pressure?
* The foot the pass is played to is a cue for how the receiver should prepare to play the ball.
* If the ball is passed to the front foot (the foot nearest the passer) this is a cue that the receiver will be under pressure when receiving.  A self-pass or one-two combination pass with the passer is indicated.
* If the pass is to the back foot (across the body) this is an indication the receiver has time to play the ball away or turn and advance the ball himself.
* Pass the ball with proper weight or pace. A good rule of thumb is the pass should travel at a pace that would carry it 10 yards beyond the intended target.

The idea is to set teammates up so they too can play fast soccer. 

Attacks lose pace or completely break down when passes are made to the wrong foot,

* Give a pass you yourself would like to receive.
* If a proper angle is not available to make a good pass, don't make that pass. Find another option.
* If you must make that pass, pass the ball to where your teammate should be.
* When you pass the ball, pass information.
* Non-verbal communication is passing the ball to the foot of your teammate furthest from defensive pressure.
* Verbal communication might be a call to "Turn! or  "Man on!"  if your pass has missed the targeted foot. It might also include calls for combination passing,

Receive the Ball with the Proper Foot

*  Position yourself as you wish to play the ball
*  Read the pass and adjust your positioning according to the information the pass is sharing with you.
* If the ball is passed to your front foot (the foot nearest the passer) this is a cue you will be under pressure when receiving.  A self-pass or one-two combination pass is indicated.
* If the ball is passed to your back foot (across the body) this is an indication you have time to turn and advance the ball yourself or play the ball away
*  Play the way you face
*  Play the ball with the proper foot if attempting one touch play.
* The back foot if you are going to advance the ball
* The front foot if you are going to utilize a drop pass or one-two combination
* Play the ball with the proper foot for the appropriate two touch sequence of touches. This sequence should be predetermined before your first touch on the ball.
* Right / Right
* Right / Left
* Left / Left
* Left / Right
* Listen for information being shared with you by the passer and other teammates.

Communication

Pass the Ball, Pass Information  OR  Give the Ball, Give a Call

Both non-verbal and verbal communication must be with the best interests of the ball in mind.

* Body positioning of the potential receiver communicates to the passer which foot to pass to.
* The foot the ball is passed to communicates to the receiver where defensive pressure is coming from.
* Verbal communication from the passer communicates where defensive pressure is arriving from      and or what play is available to the passer
* Verbal communication might also be used to communicate a particular type of combination pass   and the timing involved in executing said passing combination,

All information passed must be useful, concise and convey information that will help teammates solve problems presented by opponents.

Pretend as if both the ball and your teammate about to play it are blind.  You must be their eyes. Do not lead either into an opponent,

Gimme Three Steps ...

Believe it or not the name of this Lynyrd Skynyrd song is applicable to soccer.

When your team is in possession of the ball you will be filling one of two roles

* Passer

* Potential receiver or passing option

When the ball leaves the passers foot he immediately switches to the role of a potential receiver.

*  MOVE!

* Three quick strides to gain separation from the defender who was pressuring you is the minimum distance you should move

* Before the pass you should have looked for a possible combination passing or third man running   option. Take advantage of these runs if available. Be sure to make the proper calls for your teammate,

* Space. Find open space near you and be in the vision of the next potential passer if possible.

Ask Questions of Yourself.

* If the ball comes to me now, what's on?  Know your next play before your first touch.

* Where on the pitch do I need to be in the next 5 seconds?  Be in your teammates vision early.

* Can the ball see me?  Position yourself in an open passing lane not somewhere where a defender is between you and the ball.

* Where is open space and can I get there OR can I communicate to a teammate to move there OR can I communicate to the passer to play a ball there for a teammate to run onto?

While this may seem overwhelming as to what must go into each successful pass and reception it is actually just the tip of the iceberg. I will post some additional thoughts on this subject in the coming days.  For now, take the time to digest this. Please, print it off and distribute it to your players, Yes, even the very young ones. This is basic information. Attacking Soccer 101 that we must teach and instill in our players.

Soccer is a read and react game.

Sometimes we are so close to a situation we cannot see the forest for the trees. When this happens hopefully a ray of sunshine will bring light to the situation allowing one to view things from a different perspective.

Tyler asked, "Should I look to cut face when making this run?"

The team as a whole was looking for a road map for how to attack. In a manner of speaking they were looking for a play to run in a sport that is not conducive to set plays in the run of action. When Tyler asked this question I saw the proverbial light shining through the trees. My response to Tyler was, "There is no definitive answer. You have to read the defender and take what he is giving you. If he is set up outside, cut his face, but if he is set up inside make the outside run to draw him out. This might possibly set him up to have his face cut."

Soccer is a read and react game,

Vision is a greatly valued attribute in soccer players for this very reason. Players who are GAME WATCHERS are far superior players to those who are BALL WATCHERS for the simple reason they SEE more of the game than ball watchers do.

Ballwatchingitis is an article I adapted from a Graham Ramsay handout. It really is a disease that plagues poor teams. Ballwatchingitis can turn a talented team into mediocre lot quicker than anything I know mainly because of its negative impact on the decision making process of players in the game.

In soccer the game tells players what to do. So an important question to be asked and answered is, what does the player see?  Hopefully it is as much of the game as possible for successful players make decisions based on the data they collect while playing the game. Players need to collect as much data as possible for their decision-making process.

Game watchers see more of the game and thus read and react differently than ball watchers who see a much smaller portion of the game.  This directly impacts the decision making process for each type of player with ball watchers reading and reacting primarily to ball movement while game watchers read and react to player movement, ball movement, space and field position.  In short, ball watchers tend to play one-decision soccer whereas game watchers are capable of playing multiple-decision soccer.  The importance in the difference between a ball watcher and a game watcher is found in the Pace of their Play.  Ball watchers may play with physical speed but this is diminished by slower mental pace of play whereas game watchers combine physical speed with informed decision making speed to play at an optimum pace of play.

Which are you, a Ball watcher or a Game Watcher?

From college to 5th grade all in one morning.

I began my morning working with college goalkeepers and finished it working with a 5th grade co-ed recreational group.  I enjoyed both experiences. All participants were engaged and eager to learn.  The standards of learning as widely disparate as were the ages. Measured success of each session was also gauged by different standards.

On a field adjacent to the one I was working with goalkeepers on another team was practicing and I on occasion got a glimpse of their goalkeepers being worked with.  At one point they were practicing full blown diving saves - both feet off the ground, laying out for a driven ball 4-5 feet off the ground that was barely within reach when service was good.  Matt, one of the goalkeepers I was working with asked why "we" never worked on full diving saves like that. I answered with a question of my own, have you ever had to make a full blown diving save like that? 

Matt replied, "Yes."

Were you successful?

"Yes"

"Why were you successful?"

There was a long pause.  I could see the Matt considering his answer. He finally ventured that he had been ready / prepared to make the play. I urged Matt to continue on with his answer.  " I was properly positioned on the ball line / angle arc. My feet were square to the action with toes towards the ball. I was in the correct ready position, I read the cues the shooter offered for when and how he would strike."

"Your basic fundamentals were excellent?"

"Yes."

"What do we work on in every session?"

"The fundamentals."

"How are the goalkeepers fundamentals on the team down at the other end of the pitch?"

So we watched the other goalkeepers train for a bit. Karl was the first to offer that fundamentals were not as sharp as they could have been. Missteps were causing them to miss plays. They were not getting both hands to the ball at or close to the same time. The ball was getting to their palms.  Matt concurred.  So, those goalkeepers were unable to make the routine saves on a consistent basis in practice. Yet they were training to make the spectacular save?

We went back to working on the fundamentals.

Later this morning I was working with the co-ed recreational group of 5th graders.  There were a fairly wide range of skill levels as is the norm in such situations.  In speaking with the gentleman who had worked with age group the previous week he related the need to work on ball control, push passing and basic tactics. The usual fare for this age group and recreational soccer. Being completely new to this particular group I began the session by asking the players names. I memorized them immediately and then asked each by name to demonstrate a basic foot skill. After a player introduced a foot skill the entire group performed the skill. This went on until no one had any more foot skills to share with the group. I did this to 1) connect immediately with the individuals of the group on a first name basis and 2) to bring myself up to speed with where the group was in terms of controlling the ball.

We next worked briefly on the speed dribble or running with the ball.  Again I demonstrated the proper technique. With this I provided a few visual cues to look for to be used by the players to coach themselves.

We then moved on to the basic push pass. I demonstrated the proper technique, then set them to working with a partner passing the ball back and forth. We had an odd number of players so I paired them up and then worked with the remaining player myself. Once again, I provided tips on how they could coach themselves by recognizing their own mistakes and how to correct these. I then rotated through working with each player. At a distance of 7-8 yards this went fairly well  Next we added passive pressure by having partners face one another at a distance of 3-4 feet. One player passed the ball through the legs of their partner who then turned, retrieved the ball and brought it back using the running with the ball technique. Then roles were reversed.  The passive pressure of performing a push pass in close proximity to another player added just enough difficulty to expose flaws in the players technique.

It was about this time, less that 1/2 hour in, that Kyra began asking about scrimmaging. This is a common occurrence as well. Kids want to play! Its what they do. 

We proceeded to a basic version on breaking lines while assuring Kyra that we were progressing towards playing a game / scrimmaging.  For breaking lines we focused on the push pass with only minor instruction on receiving the ball properly. In this case the added pressure was found in the demand for accuracy of passing. We discussed the necessity of preparing to play the ball in the sense that we had a designated player to receive from and play to.  I asked the players to play in the scan, touch, scan, play pattern to begin transitioning them from being ball watchers to becoming game watchers.

Again, Kyra asked about scrimmaging.

Were they ready to play a game?  From a skill perspective, no.  I knew before we started it would be bumble bee ball with a lot of mindless whacking of the ball. There would be more mistakes than correct plays. That's okay. Each mistake is a learning opportunity, a stepping stone on the way to success.

We progressed on to playing a basic version of the gates game.  It was bumble bee ball as anticipated. yet, with in the madness it could be discerned an effort to properly execute the push pass, especially at the start.  When the game began to really break down we paused and I asked the players to discuss what was working and what was breaking down the game.  They nailed it. They always do.  So, we set about putting it right. And they did in a relative sense.

We took a break and discussed the session / drills / game a bit more.  The discussion turned to playing fast. When allowed to figure things out on their own kids are amazing problem solvers. We discussed what was required to play fast. Physical speed was mentioned immediately, but Rose pointed to her head, her brain!  Soccer is a game played with the brain. We talked about Ronaldo being labeled fat and slow, yet how fast he played and how he is considered one the very best players in the world.

We played the numbers game to impress the need to be game watchers instead of exclusively watching the ball.  Slowly but surely they began to get the ideas associated with increasing the pace of their play. By the end of this portion of the session they were actually demonstrating some ability to play one-touch soccer with two ball active in the game.  When I stopped the exercise I had the players freeze where they were and look around. We had progressed from clustered bumble bee soccer to being spread out over the pitch.

Still Kyra wanted to scrimmage.

I finally asked her to talk about the session so far. Kyra began describing each exercise we had worked on. I asked her to grade our performance in each of these. The grades she awarded our group got better with each exercise.  I stopped her at one point to ask what grade she thought it would be necessary to achieve before we were ready to scrimmage.  The lights started to flicker on. When she arrived at evaluating the numbers game she decided we were ready to play.  I said, "if..."  and Rose spoke up to say if we don't slip back into bad habits. If we don't go back to being ball watchers and playing one decision soccer.  Bingo!

Again, in a totally different manner, the importance of technical excellence was brought to the fore.

As we finished the session with a shooting exercise that incorporated everything we had worked on today the pace of play was markedly improved and the kids were noticing this. They were recognizing their mistakes and beginning to correct themselves.  Not all the kids, but a majority for sure.

Quite the morning of emphasizing basic fundamentals to bring out spectacular plays and increase pace of play.  Soccer is a simple game with spectacular plays. The spectacular plays are based in the simplest of fundamentals.  Johann Cryuff said, "The most difficult thing to do is to play simply."  

Pop in soccer? Yes, POP in soccer!

POP is an acronym for Principles of Passing.

It is also an acronym for Pace of Play which happens to be our most popular camp theme.

The two are directly related to one another.  I have used POP for Pace of Play for quite some time, but only recently have begun using it for Principles of Passing. This came about as I evaluated our Pace of Play template for camps.

One of the things I like to do is watch young teams train and play the game. This often stimulates my thinking and planning for camp season.  I was recently watching a U12 team practice passing.  It was the typical or standard fare of drill work.  The results were about what one would expect and that's when my mind really started churning. 

I wondered to myself how many of the players could name the Principles of Passing.  I even wondered were I to ask the coaches, if they could name the Principles of Passing.  The glimmer of an idea came to mind that when teaching how to pass the ball we often demonstrate technique, but seldom explain or teach the principles behind the execution of the technique.

Before I go any further, I want to give a shout out to Blast the Ball.  I am not associated with the website / videos or company in any way. Simply an admirer in their approach to breaking down technique into the minutest of details.  The video came to mind while think through the process outlined here.

What are the Principles of Passing?

In attempting to keep this simple so as to be easily taught / learned and practically applied I have identified five Principles of Passing for your consideration.  I am sure I have not discovered these or re-invented the wheel as they say.  I am just putting them down "on paper" that we might use them when teaching players how to pass.

1) Have a plan:  I demand our players know their next play before their first touch on the ball.  This allows them to prepare to play the ball properly.

2) Angles:  Soccer is all about geometry.  Selecting the proper angle and positioning yourself to play that angle are key considerations to successfully passing the ball.

3) Timing:  Not too soon. Not too early.  Whether the pass is to feet or to space the timing of the pass is crucial to its success and maintaining the attacking rhythm.

4) Accuracy:  If you cannot pass successfully, you cannot play.  Again, whether passing to feet or passing to space (or to goal) passing accurately is a must. 

5) Proper weighting of the pass:  Not too soft, but not too hard.  Firm and with pace. 

In our Pace of Play camps we work to achieve successful one-touch play when ever appropriate and possible.  All five Principles of Passing must be combined in one movement or action in order for one touch play to be successful.  When this does occur, the ball can really zip about the pitch with astonishing speed. 

I believe players learning to pass the ball would benefit greatly if their technical instruction was expanded to include being taught the Principles of Passing.  What do you think?

Take Standard Training Exercises and Repurpose them.

I have been reviewing video from past NSCAA convention sessions looking for different ideas.  One thing I have noticed is many of the clinicians use generally accepted exercises or drills for their demonstrations. I have no problem with this. In fact, when addressing a coaching audience at a coaching clinic it can be good to utilize activities most might be familiar with to build a foundation from which you can teach to explore other options.

This morning I reviewed a session on Speed of Play and Speed of Thought presented by Ian Barker from the 2014 NSCAA convention.  Far be it for me to criticize an established talent like Ian Barker. He presented a solid session working through a progression of activities focusing on combinations and patterns to increase speed of play. In approximately 50 minutes there was marked improvement in the demonstration team.

Now, 50 minutes is a limited amount of time. It would not be realistic to expect every aspect of Pace of Play to be covered in the allotted time.  That said, the one thought that kept running through my mind while watching this session is "if all we ever do, is all we've ever done. All we'll ever be is what we've always been."  I had been using the same progression of activities with teams for well over a decade.  It wasn't until I modified the activities and more importantly the points of emphasis within the activities that my teams made real progress with pace of play.

As you watch the video look for opportunities to make some of the following coaching points or points of emphasis.

1) Know your next play before your first touch on the ball.

* This involves preparing to play the ball.
     Off the ball movement
     Properly positioning the body to receive the ball
     First touch being in the direction of your play or even being your play.

2)  Receive across the body whenever possible so the hips remain open to the field and you have options for play.

3)  Intentionally engage a defender as the ball carrier to create numbers up situations to exploit.

4) Efficiency and Economy of touches.

5) Ball movement is predicated on player movement.

*  Intentional movement to
     Create space for a teammate
     Into space created by a teammate
     To intentionally and purposefully move one or more defenders.

6) Know and utilize the Cues for Combination Passing

7)  Possession is not about moving the ball. Possession is about moving opponents so the ball may be moved more easily. We call it manipulating a defender or the defense.

8) Effective Communication.  Clear and concise.  Give a pass, Give information.  Be your teammates eyes when his are focused on the ball.

 9) If a teammate is under pressure move towards him to get in his vision and do so at appropriate angles for making / receiving a pass.

10) If a teammate is not under pressure clear the space around him so he make select a defender to engage OR better yet, clear the space around your teammate to intentionally isolate a defender to be engaged by positioning yourself to begin a combination passing sequence.

These are but 10 areas not (specifically) emphasized in the video presentation linked above.  It might be taken for granted that players already possess these tools in their tool belts, but in watching the video we see that is not necessarily so.  We often refer to items like the 10 listed above as the details of the process.  And it is important to remember that success is found in the smallest of details. 

Want to learn more?  Search this sight for any of the key phrases listed above OR if you want to see this in action, contact us a 567-204-6083 or tbrown@wcoil.com and make arrangements for us to come do a camp for you and your team.  Thanks for reading! 

The Circle Game

I have had a request to share one of the exercises we use in camps settings.  I have never given it a proper name usually referring to it simply as The Circle Game.  This is an intensely demanding game on every level.  With this in mind a proper Introduction is in order.
 

The genesis of this exercise grew from a need to increase the pace or speed of play. I noticed that many of the players we work with play “one decision soccer”.  That is, the focus is on gaining possession of the ball either by receiving it from a teammate, intercepting a pass or winning what we call a 50/50 ball.  My observation was little thought being given towards what to do with the ball until after possession was secured. I wanted a training game that would force players to plan ahead what they would do with the ball before they received it.

As coaches are want to do, I poached the general idea behind this game from something I saw presented at a coaching clinic.  The premise of the clinic presentation was increasing the speed of play by forcing players out of their comfort zone.  The clinician speeded up the physical aspects of play under the assumption the mental, psychological, technical and tactical facets of play would follow along.

What do I look for in a player?

It wasn't very long ago that I was asked to observe tryouts for a U18 team of a club. I have known the coach of the team for a long time.  We are friendly rivals on the pitch and friends in real life.  The facts of the matter are, my team has gotten the best of his team more often than not and he wanted to learn more about what I look for in players. Before I agreed to observe his tryouts I felt it necessary to make two points; 1) what works for me might not work for him and 2) I don't always get it right.  With that being understood I agreed to observe their tryouts.

When I arrived at the site there were cones everywhere I looked and I know I rolled my eyes.  I wondered if "cone boy" was here for the tryouts too?  Let me explain.  The club I had been associated with for years had hired a trainer to work with some of its teams. I never met the gentleman, but would see him on occasion at the pitches. He really liked to use cones in his training. One day we counted how many he had placed out in preparation for that days training - nearly 300!  He was instantly crowned "cone boy" by some of our players.  Nothing derisive or negative intended. It was just an observation of a lot of cones being used.

A first glance at the tryout area saw 4 or 5 different spaces with cones laid out for the evaluation of technical and physical abilities. By now I was at least inwardly shaking my head.  We greeted one another and introductions were made with other coaches in attendance.  My role was defined as an observer of the tryouts.  When I asked for clarification on what I was there to observe there was a moment of hesitation. I jumped in and asked if I were to watch the tryout process or was I there to watch the athletes trying out?  It came about that I was there to do both in the sense I could watch the process and perhaps help make personnel decisions on the last few spots. 

Well, alright then.

There were 6 stations set up for the tryout process

1) 40 yard dash
2) 20 meter shuttle
3) Running with the ball over a course of 50 yards
4) Cuts and Turns over a 40 yard slalom course
5) Juggling
6) Striking the ball on goal

I dutifully watched the players perform at each station while carrying around a clipboard with a pen tucked in my pocket.  An hour and a half later the tryout was apparently done as they called the young men in for a final chat. After the athletes were dismissed the coaches gathered and began comparing notes.  I listened as timed results were rattled off, number of successfully consecutive juggles completed were accounted for and consistency of strikes on net were discussed.  There were a few athletes that stood out as the "best" and a few others that were quickly eliminated from consideration for having the worst times.  It came down to making a decision from amongst 7 boys for the final 3 spots on the team.  This is when they turned to me.

I told the group of 6 coaches there that I had nothing to add and handed in my devoid of any notes clipboard.  The looks among that group of men were priceless. They ran the gamut - shocked, snickering, angry, disbelief, curious.  I knew someone would inquire about my reply and when they did my response was simple.

"You tested for technical ability and athleticism. You have those results on your clip boards. You did not test for tactical understanding or psychology, unless observing how the athletes handled your dog and pony show qualifies as a measure of their mental toughness."

After things calmed down a bit I explained there are four areas that should be evaluated.

Technical
Tactical
Physical
Psychological

These experienced coaches knew this. What they didn't know was how to run a proper tryout. Eventually I was asked how I conduct tryouts. They wanted to know what activities I used and what I looked for in a soccer player.  I referred them back to the 4 areas listed directly above this paragraph and commented that while all are inter-related the one I prioritize is the Tactical consideration.  This is the one area their tryout completely failed to address.  The players never played the game during the tryout.

The tryouts I observed that day identified the Big, Strong, Fast athletes present. 

What a tryout like this misses entirely is the fact pace of play is far more about decision making ability on and off the ball than it is about pure physical speed. Soccer is a thinking man's game.

At my suggestion, everyone who had tried out that day was invited back to a second tryout session held a few days later. This time dynamic stretching was performed in groups and then sides were chosen for small-sided play before we ended with full 11 v 11 play.  I asked the coaches (5 of the original 6 were present at the second tryout session) to observe who was leading dynamic stretching. Which players were cutting corners or not finishing a stretch completely.  In small sided play we watched the order players were chosen for teams in. Then we watched for the players who most consistently lost possession of the ball. When teams were selected once again, we observed where the players who constantly lost possession of the ball were chosen.  We looked for how a player prepared to play the ball. We looked for players who played with an economy and efficiency of touches. Did a player receive with hips open to the field whenever possible?  Was a pass made to the proper foot or proper space? Was a player capable of playing 1 touch or 2 touch soccer? Did a player take multiple touches when 1 or 2 touches would have sufficed?  Is the player a disciplined 1 v 1 defender or do they constantly stab at or dive in on the ball? As a defender did they work to make the attack predictable.

The above paragraph is all about on-the-ball abilities.  How a player combines mental decision-making abilities with technical abilities. 

Here's a secret that's really not a secret at all.  A typical player will have possession of the ball for approximately 3% of a match. What is the player doing the other 97% of the time? 

So we also watched players when they did not have the ball. Were they ball watchers or were the game watchers?  A ball watcher typically plays one-decision soccer. They tend to be focused on the ball and oblivious to the greater game at large.  When they obtain possession of the ball is when they begin to decide what they will do with it next. Maybe. They might be so focused on being first to the ball that even gaining possession of the ball is a secondary consideration.

Game watchers tend to be "ahead of the game" and capable of playing one-touch or two-touch soccer in most instances because they play "multiple-decision" soccer.  They know their next play before their first touch on the ball. A game-watchers successful pace of play readily stands out. They appear faster in a physical sense than perhaps they tested to be. 

And movement off the ball or support is not relegated to attacking play. When attacking does a player move to create numbers up situations in his teams favor? Does the player without the ball move to create space for a teammate or recognize and move into available space?  Defensively does a player move into proper support position in relation to the on-the-ball defender?  Does the off-the-ball defender seek to balance the defensive shape? We looked for quality of communication both of the verbal sense and physically. Who directed traffic and did they do so from a ball watchers perspective or that of a game watcher?

We also observed mental toughness.  When a player encountered adversity on the pitch, how did he respond?  I do not want to see a kid hang his head and call out "my bad."  I want the kid who stays in the game and when next he encounters a similar situation has a different solution ready to handle it.  I want the kid, who when he loses possession of the ball immediately assesses the situation and deploys himself in the best possible manner to help his team regain possession. Perhaps that is immediately contesting the ball to win it back or perhaps it entails getting back behind the ball and into a support position as quickly as possible. Either way, I want immediate and decisive action over hanging heads and jogging.  The quality of the decision will expose whether the player was ball watching or game watching in deciding how to act.

The second session concluded after nearly 2 hours of playing the game.  The players were dismissed and the coaches gathered to discuss what they had observed.  Not surprisingly a couple of the better athletes did not grade out nearly as highly as they did after the first session while a couple of the "worst" athletes received surprisingly high grades on their tactical abilities.  In the end, when the coaches asked my opinion on filling the last few roster spots I was able to comment on individual players and communicate to them my opinions based on having seen players actually playing the game they were trying out to play. 

What do I look for in a player?

I want game watchers who place the team above themselves and demonstrate mental toughness in overcoming adversity.

Then I look to technique and physical ability.

All the technique in the world is rendered inadequate if the decision-making process is shoddy. Skill without tactical understanding of how to apply it slows the pace of the game to a crawl and results in self-inflicted pressure.  I want speed!  I want pace of play!  And that starts with communicative game watchers and multiple-decision players. 

Re: Pace of play. Sometimes you need to slow things down

When coaches contact me about doing sessions on Pace of Play they usually want help teaching their team to play faster, but sometimes a team attempts to play too fast. When this happens their speed can actually be counter productive. The key to effectively playing fast is to being able to do so calmly and with poise.

Think of it as if you are driving a car on the interstate. The speed limit is 70 mph. Some older drivers and some young inexperienced drivers may opt to drive at 60 mph. Others may decide to drive at 80+ mph. Each driver finds a pace they are comfortable driving at, a speed that matches their driving skill level. There exists a greater risk of mistakes that could lead to an accident when drivers exceed a speed at which they are comfortable making decisions at.

This is what Johan Cruyff was getting at when he said, "soccer is a game that's played with the brain."

Pace of play is controlled by the rate a player can make quality decisions at. The speedy aggressive player whose pattern of play is "See ball. Win the ball. Whack the ball"  will actually slow the pace of play for his team because his rate for making quality decision lags behind the physical pace of play he establishes. He might look great racing all over the field and "winning" 50 / 50 balls, but what does he really have to show for his effort?  Winning the ball loses its importance when you lose it right away due to poor touch or a bad pass made because your physical pace of play did not allow for a quality decision to be made.

In fact, what we are describing is not "winning" the ball at all. No, we are describing being first to the ball and there is a huge difference. Does it matter more who is first to the ball or who wins possession of the ball? The smarter play is, of course, to win possession of the ball.

I have heard coaches urge a calm and poised player to "Play faster!" because it doesn't look as if he is exerting a lot of physical energy, but what about that players thought process?  We cannot mistake calm and poised for being lazy. If the player is making good decisions it is probably because of the pace of play he is able to establish in his mind. Exuding an air of confidence and poise can be far more beneficial than running about the field chasing the ball in a chaotic fashion.  Frantic chaotic play might serve to disrupt opponents play but it also highly probable that it disrupts the rhythm of your own teams play.

Have a plan to play the ball before your first touch on the ball.

This is what pace of play is all about.

Be first to the ball.  Win possession of the ball. Make a safe pass to establish possession of the ball with your team.  Allow the recipient of the safe pass to determine the rhythm of your teams attack.

If your focus is simply on winning the ball and then trying to figure out what to do with it next... well, all  the physical speed, hustle and aggressiveness in the world is not going to make you effective at playing with pace. All you are really accomplishing is wearing yourself out, very likely causing your team to lose its shape and actually slowing your teams pace of play by increasing its workload to gain and retain possession of the ball.

It's not about playing faster or giving more effort. 

It's all about thinking faster and playing smarter.

The players that strike a proper balance between physical effort and a high rate of good decision making are the ones who excel at the game.  This begs the question of how much decision making training a team does in relation to the physical training a team does. If the game is truly played with the brain - and it is - then shouldn't teams spend at least as much time training proper decision making techniques as they do on physical training?

Johan Cruyff:  "... coaches talk too much about running a lot. I say it’s not necessary to run so much. Soccer is a game that's played with the brain."

Move. Control. Pass. Move.

A couple weeks ago during a discussion analyzing a teams play I made the following statement, "I don't know that they have the technical excellence to play possession soccer."  That comment has haunted me for several days. I awoke this morning with a better understanding of why.

Possession soccer is actually quite simple to play from the standpoint of technical skill.

Technically all a player must have in his arsenal are two basic skills he has been working on since his very first practices.  1) The ability to control the ball and 2) the ability to pass the ball. 

The picture of possession soccer many of us have involves a series of short secure passes that move the ball about the pitch quickly in a variety of directions. This description infers possession soccer is a slow probing style of attacking soccer. That does not have to be the case at all. The pace of play sessions I conduct at camps are all about possessing the ball at pace after all. In fact, we have achieved some very good results in increasing the pace of play with teams whose technical skill level could be described as average at best.

Why?

This is my off season.

Since I do not coach during the fall, August - October is basically my off season from soccer. I actually like to refer to it as my learning time. I take in high school soccer matches at every opportunity with a primary focus on my son's team, those of players on our club team and the teams I conducted camp for this past summer. Each is a learning experience in its own way.

Beginning with the teams I have conducted camp for; I watch closely to see if the topics we addressed are showing up in their play on the field. If we worked on defending is a bounce step in evidence? Does the team work hard in the transition phase to regain defensive shape behind the ball? Is there intelligent support for the pressure defender? In short, I watch their matches and use what I see as an evaluation of my work for them in camp.  These are the beginning steps of planning for their team camp next summer.

In watching the matches of players from our club team I am looking to see how their high school coaches use them on the pitch. What formation they are playing in, where do they play within the formation, and what their role is from that position. As a club coach here in rural west central Ohio I believe it is important to prepare the athlete for his high school playing experience. With high school seniors it is important to prepare them for playing in college. I also use these matches to scout for players that might be a good fit for our club team. My observations will provide the beginning of individual and team seasonal plans for the club season.

With my son's high school team I have a lot running through my mind as I watch the matches. First and foremost is the joy of seeing my son play a sport he has a real passion for.  Then there are the 10 current and future club players on the team. It is though my sons eyes and those of his teammates that the most intense portion of my off season continuing education comes. I'll share a secret with you, these kids are smart. Their soccer IQ is pretty amazing. Listening to them talk about their team is an educational experience in and of itself. They see strengths and weaknesses in themselves, teammates, their team, the coaches... and they have opinions on how to accentuate strengths and address weaknesses. It's kind of like a players round table or perhaps a soccer think tank atmosphere. I just keep my mouth shut and listen as unobtrusively as possible fearing I might inhibit them were I to join in.

I also spend a lot of time during the fall watching professional soccer. Not the MLS so much but the foreign pro leagues, World Cup qualifying and such. I particularly like the USWNT and women's professional soccer for observing basic tactics.  The pace is slower and much less frantic.  One example is our USWNT utilizing the early retreat as part of their zonal defensive scheme. Sometime this can be difficult to pick out in the men's game even though the great preponderance of international and professional men's sides play zonal and utilize early retreats.

Comparing different levels of play is interesting to me as well.

I watch small schools with 15 total players in their program play and am amazed at how well roles and rotations are defined out of necessity. They have no choice.  Then I see a big high school with varsity, JVA, JVB and freshmen teams each with 18 players on them struggle with defining roles and setting rotations with players swinging between teams.  A coach might try to play 18+ kids in a varsity match.  It seems sometimes players get lost in the shuffle as coaches go with the "hot" player of the day.

My son's team has struggled with roles and rotations this season. They change game to game and sometimes within a match. They played their best game of the season Tuesday night and it seems in part to have been to a smaller rotation and better defined roles? It can be difficult for players to establish comfort zones and play confidently when players don't know what to expect from match to match or even minute to minute.

At the same time, versatility is something I value very highly in players. Our club system is not overly concerned about who mans what position (aside from GK, of course) as long as the position is manned. We have a defensive shape / formation but complete freedom of movement on the attack. The expectation is more for the position than for a specified player manning the position.

So I wonder why it is a player might struggle when coaches move him around but thrive when he is allowed to move around of his own accord?  It's an interesting question and one that I am searching for an answer to.

I find myself wondering about conducting team camp for a school my sons team competes against during the high school season.  That camp team recently defeated my son's team.  Did I play a part in that?  We worked on pace of play/soccer intelligence during camp and the things we worked on were certainly in evidence on the plays resulting in their goals. I know we changed the way they play and it is working for them. They are poised to have their best season in years.

It is rare to find a team so completely lacking in skill that they hold no realistic hope of competing on the field. They do exist and when called in to help those teams it is just a steady diet of technique work and basic tactics.  Frequently it is simply a matter of a different voice teaching a team the same thing their coaches have been trying to get them to understand. Sometimes it is that I teach it in a different way and something clicks - not because of it being a different method, per se, but perhaps because of a combination of their coaches teaching methods and my own?

More often than not, the difference between a good program and a struggling program, a good team and a struggling team, is a matter of belief .  "If all you ever do, is all you've ever done all you will ever have is what you've always had." A fancy way of saying programs and teams can get in a rut.  Perhaps the greatest coaching challenge is figuring a way out of a rut.  This was a focus of the past few off seasons for me.

One of the tactics I have brought to camps to change how a team thinks is introducing a team cheer. I have borrowed liberally from University of Michigan Football Head Coach Brady Hoke for this cheer.

An example: Lead and response.

Team? ............ 12!
Train like........ Champions!
Play like.......... Champions!
Become .......... Champions!
Stanton.............Tigers!

It is a process. I have discovered a continuum of sorts that I place teams on.  Some need to learn how to work, intelligently.  Some need to learn how to or believe that they can compete. Others need to learn how to win.  Still others need reminded of their tradition, that they play for everyone who has worn that jersey before them and will leave a legacy for those players yet to come into the program.  For each team, I try to address where they are at and provide them ideas of how to move forward.

All this and much, much more I am observing and contemplating during my "off season" so that I might come back improved myself  when the next season comes around.

What goes into increasing pace of play?

Anyone following this blog has likely realized I have been studying ways to improve pace of play for high school players. In order to do so I have watched countless professional matches paying particular attention to individual players and teams who play with great pace in an attempt to identify and define what it is that allows them to do so. I think I finally have ideas sorted well enough to put them down in writing. At least I hope so for that is what I am going to attempt to do in this article.

I begin with a vision of what optimal pace of play might look like. This is not a realistic vision for the game for it fails to account for many things, defenders and changing the pace of play as examples. What if an entire team were to be successful using one touch play? That is, the team could maintain possession of the ball until it is scored with players only requiring one touch to move the ball about the pitch and into the goal.  

I think the pattern or sequence of play should look like this.

Vision
Communication
Preparation
Technique
Execution
Mobility

Vision is assessing all options before your first touch on the ball. Being a game watcher instead of being a ball watcher. Seeing the big picture of the game instead of the smaller picture around the ball. The player must know where the opponents are, where his teammates are and where available space is before he receives the ball.

Communication between teammates is essential. The player passing the ball, the player receiving the ball and all supporting players must vocalize what they see, their vision of the game about them. Non-verbal communication in the form of body positioning, eye-to-eye contact between players and hand signals are not only appropriate but required as well.

Preparation to make a play with the before actually receiving it is essential. This involves having active feet, establishing proper angles to receive the ball while keeping hips open to as much of the field as possible, checking to the ball, making a run into space ahead of the pass.

Technique refers to the action of the player receiving the ball. It can include one touch or multiple touches, shooting, passing, volleying, heading or dribbling. In this case, a one touch play where the technique is the first and only touch on the ball.

Execution refers to the decision-making process used to determine the appropriate technique to use and the success or lack thereof in applying that technique to the situation at hand. Together the Technical and Execution elements of play are referred to as skill, the ability to select and implement an appropriate and effective response from a range of possibilities.

Mobility is off-the-ball player movement. Once the ball is played away to a teammate, the passer must re-engage with the remaining nine teammates to provide intelligent support to the new receiver. It is important to be in the receiver’s vision before the receivers head goes down to play the ball. In most instances, the passer will need to anticipate where the receiver will next play the ball and move to support that action or perhaps one even further advanced. It is important to recognize that ball movement is predicated on player movement - players must move if they wish the ball to be passed to them. Check to the ball, make runs and so forth.

If we add an element of control to the process, we then have two-touch play.

Vision
Communication
Preparation
Control
Technique
Execution
Mobility

Control is simply a term I use to identify taking more than one touch on the ball. This does not necessarily mean the quality of first touch was poor only that more than one touch was required for the Technique and Execution to be fulfilled. The “extra” touches naturally slow the pace of play. This is not necessarily a bad thing. It is a possibility for play that exists – nothing more, nothing less.

Two touch play comes in four basic varieties. Right foot / Right foot combination. Right foot / left foot combination. Left foot / left foot combination or left foot / right foot combinations. These are actions of the receiver (first touch) transitioning to ball carrier / shooter / passer (second and succeeding touches).

These first two descriptions of play describe a fast paced brand of possession soccer that can be difficult to attain with great consistency in youth or high school soccer. Let’s be honest, it can be difficult to attain and sustain at any level of play, but that should not preclude us from striving to do so. 

What set me on this journey was the process of play I found existing in most youth soccer and high school matches. The sequence is out of order and because it is the pace of play is considerably slower. This is what I have found to be the norm:

Poor Preparation
Efforts to Control
Technique
Vision
Communication
Execution
Mobility.

Instead of being the first priority, Vision is found in the middle of the process after possession has been secured. Equally remiss is finding Communication in the latter part of the process. A fourth order of play leaving communication out entirely is about as slow as soccer can be played..

In identifying these four progressions of play, it is easy to discern great players play at levels 1 and 2 while lesser players are at levels 3 and 4. Think of it in terms of video games. One must complete the levels in order to progress through and ultimately win the game. It is my goal to put together a development curriculum that will by-pass or at least minimize the time spent on levels 4 and 3 and progress young players to the second and ultimately the first level in quicker fashion. Cheats for Proper Play if we wish to look at it in video game terms.

Part of my thought process involves reduction and minimization of the transition phase of the game and the number of times a team must regained possession of the ball in a match. In my mind, those are negative aspects of play. It is similar to the idea a team does not have to be great at playing balls out of the air, if they keep the ball on the ground. If we minimize the number of turnovers and resultant need to regain possession of the ball our quality of play should rise dramatically, yes?