Mail Bag

Although I have shared questions posed to me by colleagues, friends and readers of this blog I have never done so in what is considered a mail bag format, I thought I would give this a try and see what you think.  For disclosure sake, none of this questions relate to teams I coach.

QUESTION I
This first question actually came to me from a number of people and it pertains to Ohio High School soccer: If a referee issues a red card but does not report make out the report does the athlete have to serve the two game suspension?

I admittedly did not have a ready answer and had to ask referee friends of mine what the ruling would be.  The referee is supposed to file a report within 24 hours of the incident, The school administration is then notified so it can enforce the suspension. No report = no card = no suspension is what I was advised by a couple different referees. But wait a minute! OHSAA covers itself by including this disclaimer in the OHSAA General Sports Regulations; It is the responsibility of the local school authorities to ensure this regulation is enforced. This would seemingly absolve the referee from not filing a report while placing enforcement on the coach / athletic director / administration of the offending players school.  I later learned the referee did finally file a report 12 days after the match had been played. Knowing what the rule was, the coach had already sat the player for two games. Technically it might be the player would not have to sat two games until the report was filed but the spirit of the game was observed by the coach and school.

QUESTION II
You have undoubtedly seen the video of two San Antonio, Texas, John Jay High School football players intentionally hitting a referee during a game. If not, click on the You Tube video provided here.

The first series of questions involved what type of punishment I felt the student athletes deserved. I am old school.  I say they should be banned from any further interscholastic participation. Period. Their high school careers should be over.

Now with news that the "hits" were ordered by their coach I still stand by that and would include banning the coach from ever coaching again.

Plus, it seems possible legal and or civil charges could be brought against the players and the coach.

I firmly believe the punishment must be severe to discourage this type of incident from ever being contemplated again.

QUESTION III
This one comes from a coaching colleague in Arizona.  Robert writes,  "I have one player who refuses to get with the program. While everyone else is striving together he is marching to the beat of his own drummer. When he is challenged about his me first behavior he disengages by looking away, rolling his eyes and smirking. Then at first opportunity he talks about whoever challenged him behind their back."

Unfortunately this is not an uncommon occurrence, It tends to happen more in teams with weaker culture. Regular followers of this blog will recognize my favorite question when confronted with difficult situations is, why?

Why does this athlete do this?

Because he believes he can get away with it.

The student athlete in question here is apparently pretty talented and no one wants to offend him so they tolerate his selective effort and abrasive behavior. There are two basic levels of intervention that can be attempted with both being largely dependent on the programs culture for success.

Informal:
Non-verbal prompt - Temporary benching or removal from an activity

Gentle verbal prompt - A reminder of expectations for the team and position

Assertive but non-confrontational request to change behavior - A one on one talk specifically identifying the problem and expected modification of behavior

Formal:
Official warning - The behavior will be modified or specific consequences will be meted out. Loss of playing time for instance.

Removal from the environment - Benching for game or dismissal from training.

Public recognition of detrimental behavior and consequences - Player is suspended from or removed from team.

These are steps I follow and in most instances there is no need to progress from the informal to the formal. Generally speaking if unacceptable behavior is identified and consequences made clear people are not likely to violate the standards or norms for acceptable behavior.  However, human beings tend to be boundary pushers so incidents of inappropriate or unacceptable behavior will occur once in awhile. In over 35 years of coaching I have only had 3 individuals who pushed the boundaries to a point that dismissal from the program was necessary,

QUESTION IV
Gretchen from Kentucky wrote; "My daughter has been a forward since she began playing. She is a dominant player. We moved to a different club this year so she could play on a stronger team and against better competition. This new coach has her playing as a right defender. How can I approach him and make him understand that my daughter is a forward?"  With a little further research I learned the daughter is a U14 player participating on a good club team.  I'm pretty sure Gretchen did not like what I had to say about this situation.

It is the coach's role to decided positions and playing time. It is quite possible the team has better or more experienced players at the forward positions, in the coach's opinion. It is also possible there is a need on the team for a  right back. In many of today's systems of play the outside backs are expected to be main cogs in the offensive flow. They can be primary goal scorers or assist givers.

My response: Ask for a meeting with the coach. Ask what he sees your daughter's role on the team being and listen to what is being said instead of listening for what you want to hear. You just might find out the coach has an expanded role in mind for your daughter that will enhance her overall game.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Okay, I hope this was informative for you.  I know when people ask questions of me it is a learning opportunity for me as well.  If you have questions you would like answered and don't mind my sharing them as part of a mail bag article, please send them to coachtjbrown@gmail.com
As always, thank you for reading!

Play it safe or boldly go where you have not been before?

A ship is safe in harbor,

 

but that's not what ships are for.

 

This is one of my favorite motivational quotes. For some reason it seems to be one many young players need help understanding. A similar quote states, "The game begins at the end of your comfort zone." To me, both quotes are challenges to explore the entirety of the game.

 

One of the great unfortunates of the youth game is the pigeon holing of players in positions and narrowly defined roles. Soccer is considered the beautiful game because it is robust and full of life, constantly changing and evolving. A soccer match is a breathing living thing with a heartbeat all its own. It must be nurtured and fed so it can grow and blossom in full maturity.

 

There was the Division I athlete who only knew the forward position and so spent 3 years playing JV soccer. Or the player who was absolutely convinced he was a forward and resisted moving to center midfield before eventually embracing the move.  One was able to break down the boundaries of his imagination while the other remained in his safe harbor.

 

Players: get out there and explore the game! Do not be afraid of mistakes for mistakes are the seeds of growth and learning.

 

Coaches: Do not be afraid to allow players to explore the game simply because this process might cost you a good result. Look long term. Grow the knowledge base of your players. Encourage players to be fearless in pursuing the entire game. Embrace mistakes as opportunities for player development and team growth!

Looking for Change in all the Wrong Places.

No, this is not a takeoff on an old country song. Nor is it an expose' on how to find loose change with a metal director or in the nether regions of your car seat or sofa.  In watching soccer matches this week I have noticed teams making changes to formations and personnel.  With the season now more than half over I found myself wondering about the motivation to make changes now.

Injuries could certainly be a reason to prompt personnel changes and perhaps to a lesser degree be a reason to contemplate a formational change. Other than that, I can only think of dissatisfaction with how the season has progressed thus far as the reason to be changing personnel and formations this late in the season.

Have shortcomings just now revealed themselves?  Or have issues plagued your team from the onset of the season?  Has the coached recognized, but stubbornly refused to address personnel and formational issues to this point?  Perhaps the coach only recognizes that something isn't quite right and is attempting personnel moves or changing formations to spark better play?

In the end, I think one running theme is the coaches level of ability to correctly analyze play. If there is a second running theme it is personalities - sometimes a coach will have a "pet" player (s)he plays over someone who is obviously better in the minds of teammates and casual observers alike. Or a coach simply does not like a player and either doesn't play him or doesn't play him in a preferred position. Maybe we are touching on a darker side of coaching, but no one can deny that these things do happen.

One of the hidden gems of coaching wisdom I learned at a very early age from an old pointy football coach was the need for the head coach to be a stable rudder throughout the process of a season. Set your course and only minimally adjust your tack to stay that course. Starting over in mid season is not a prescribed coaching methodology.

Analyzing play is an art form and one that must be worked at to be developed and maintained. The coach has to analyse the scientific data and convert it into coaching and training programs to help develop the athlete. This analysis process relies heavily on the coach's experience and knowledge of soccer and the athlete concerned.

One particular team really stood out to me this week. I have seen them 3 times this fall and each time they have employed a different formation with personnel in different positions.  Yes, they are struggling, but it's not due to personnel or formational issues. No, the problems are much more basic than those. I almost immediately recognized this particular team could benefit from one of our Pace of Play camps next summer.  I have presented the coach with my business card.  This team's problem is not related to deployment of personnel or team shape as defined by a formation. They have trouble with preparing to play the ball, proper touch, sequence of touches, recognizing their next play before their first touch and properly executing a pass.  That can be fixed. I can help fix that for them. Attempting to address these issue by changing personnel and formation is not going to yield the desired results.

So, let's take a brief introductory look at how to analyze a soccer match.

How to analyze a match is one of the most frequently asked questions in coaching clinics I conduct. One might think there is a standard response, but it isn't that simple. To begin with, does the questioner wish to know how to analyze the match in its entirety or is he asking how to analyze specific parts of play? Does he want to look at his own team or the opposing team? Does he wish to analyze individual play, positional unit play, how players or units link together?

Why the coach wishes to analyze play is as important to ascertain as is what portion of play he is interested in analyzing.

Does the coach wish to analyze play in-game so he can make adjustments to the game plan?

Does the coach wish to analyze play so he can address issues in training sessions in the days after the match?

Perhaps the coach wants to attempt to do analysis for both in-game purposes and post game purposes.

More often than not, the coach will not have thought this out as thoroughly as he should have before asking about analyzing the game.  This is a topic that invariably dominates discussion once it has been broached. Today, I am going to walk you through some basic ideas on how to analyze a match.  As with any undertaking we need to establish a solid foundation for our efforts and so this is where we will begin.  This is also where I lose many of the coaches who initially show great interest in learning to analyze a match.

Know the game.

This may seem like an obvious statement to make, but it is the cornerstone for being able to analyze a match properly. Knowledge of the technical aspects of play is a must. From a tactical standpoint a coach needs a vision for how he expects his team to play. Determine what your team is, then set the course for where you want to take them.

Know your own team.

If you are going to analyze your own team, either individual players, positional units or in its entirety, you must first know your team.

What is your base formational alignment?

What are the variations to the base alignment or alternative alignments you employ?

What is your system of play?

Does your system of play and formation(s) compliment one another or are they at odds with one another?

Does your formational alignment and system of play fit the strengths of a majority of your players?

Do the skill sets of your players fit the system of play and formation you wish to employ?

Have you defined specific roles for each position and positional unit within the formational alignment and in tune with the system of play you desire to utilize?

Have you aligned personnel within the formation in such a way as to play to the strengths of the individuals?

Does your system of play factor in how to link the positional units and within that context how to link your best players within each unit - you do want your best players getting the most touches on the ball, don't you?

Do your players know, understand and appreciate their roles within the formational alignment and system of play?

You may or may not be surprised to learn that many, perhaps even a majority of, youth coaches never consider these questions with specific intent. I find that many wish to begin the process of analyzing their teams play by beginning in the middle of the analyzation process. This, of course, will not work.

I suggest coaches begin learning to analyze play by learning to analyze their players technical play first and how this is impacting the teams ability to execute tactically.  Fix the technique necessary to perform the tactic. Then you can move on to adjusting tactics be that through formation, shape or system of play.  Look to first make change where your team can most beneficially do so and then take a look at the larger picture. 

With our spring team I will use our indoor practice sessions to focus almost entirely on technique.  Over the course of the first few sessions I will identify specific techniques to be focused on. Then I will use our first college showcase event to analyze our formation and tactics. By the second college showcase event I have set the teams seasonal course. Adjustments after the fact are minimal. I want to provide a stable environment in training and in play.

This is who we are.

This is what we do.

I feel drifting of course with personnel and or formation changes can send the wrong message to the team unless the reasons for doing so are made crystal clear.  The last things you want is to have players questioning the coaches judgment or even worse, the coaches confidence in the players. Choose your course wisely. Select the provisions you will need - a season long training plan to achieve your vision. Provide a confident, stable rudder for your team as they navigate towards fulfilling your vision for them.  There are going to be rough seas. The key is to not allow rough seas to blow you off course. Stay true to the seasons course and come out of those rough season having made progress in the process. Come out stronger, wiser and with the experience of having done so. This is how you grow a team. 

Happiness is playing your favorite position.

On our spring team we have several players who play center midfielder for their high school teams. Obviously not all of them can play center midfield for Grand Lake United. There must be an acceptance of position change and of the role the team needs them to fill. In high school soccer, we find the process can be a bit in reverse. A club defender might be a target forward while a club target forward may find himself playing as a defender. This might even occur on the same high school team.

I have found a common truth in asking players to change positions; if it is something they do not completely buy into you are better off not going down that road. An unhappy player tends not to play anywhere near his potential. 

Some players don't care where they play. They are just happy to play. Others identify themselves only as a forward or a midfielder or a back.  I have documented such a case elsewhere on this site - a gifted athlete viewed himself as a forward. There was an opening as an outside back on the Varisty team. All-state caliber forwards in front of him.  The kid spent 3 years playing forward on the JV soccer team instead of being a 4 year Varsity letter winner. He was happy playing "his" position. His favorite position.

Sometimes a coach or captains have to perform a real sales job to convince a player the change of positions is in the best interests of the team. The idea of becoming a more versatile or well rounded player might be a selling point to some. Referencing the USMNT can sometimes help as well - DeMarcus Beasley is a prime example of a world class player who has changed positions. Many of the USMNT came up through the youth ranks as center midfielders only to move to a different role as they climbed the ladder to the professional ranks and the national team. 

And sometimes nothing you say or do will change their mind.

In the end though it's all about happiness.

If the player isn't happy with his assigned position, no matter how talented that player may be, it might be wise not to force him to play there. If his heart is not in it, he just isn't likely to play to his potential and the team will suffer for this.

Happiness is playing your favorite position.

And quality of performance is tied to happiness.

Four Phases of Development. Part I

This will be a four part series looking at the development phases for youth soccer. I believe one of the priorities in coaching is to prepare those who wish to move on to a higher level to do so. It is with that premise in mind that I write today. I am going to look at a microcosm of the overall developmental process - U6 through U19 or Kindergarten through the end of high school. So, the end game here would be to prepare an athlete to play in college or professionally.

Romance - a feeling of excitement and mystery that results in one wanting to explore further.

The ages of 5 through 9 years of age are when the game is introduced and the love affair begins.

These are the technical or foundational years. It is important for young players to enjoy this phase of development. There should be an abundance of opportunities for everyone to experience scoring a goal and making a great save. Rotating players through all positions is not an option, it is an absolute necessity. This is the best way to develop individual skills under the pressure of space, time and an opponent with the aim of not only teaching and developing technique but also increasing the speed and comfort level at which the technique can be proficiently performed.

Receiving - The player's first touch on the ball. Inside, outside, sole and top of the foot. Thigh, chest head. Begin stationary but as soon as possible make it practical. Receive by checking to the ball, by being sideways on.

Shielding - The ability to maintain possession while under pressure by lowering the center of gravity and utilizing short share movements such as spins, change of direction and change of pace to gain separation from an opponent.

Dribbling - The ability to run with the ball.

Footwork - Moves to beat an opponent.

Combining Dribbling and Footwork to maintain possession while defeating an opponent.

Passing - The ability to accurately convey the ball to a teammate with appropriate pace. Inside of the foot push pass, outside of the foot flick, laces drive, heading the ball.

Contain - The ability to be patient on defense. Stay in front of the ball carrier to slow forward progress of the attack.

Force - The ability to take options away from a ball carrier and make him predictable thereby allowing your teammates to easily provide defensive help.

Tackling - Teach the cues for when it is appropriate to tackle as well as the proper technique for doing so. Do NOT attempt to tackle when the ball is between the ball carriers feet. Stay BIG when tackling. Do not dive in, stab or turn sideways.

Tactics in this developmental phase should have a heavy emphasis on 1 v 1 situations with appropriate attacking and defending emphasis. 

Small group tactics should be limited to 2 v 1, 2 v 2, 3 v 1, 3 v 2, 3 v 3, 4 v 1, 4 v 2, 4 v 3 and 4 v 4.  Remember when working on attacking in small groups the attackers should begin numbers up and work towards competing at even numbers. The same holds true when working on defending in small groups.  Defenders should defend with numbers up and work towards defending with even numbers.

* This is extremely important. As playesr advance in age and development they will learn to look for, create and utilize numerical advantages in games. It is best to begin playing in those conditions ASAP.

Positions - Players in this initial development phase must play a variety of positions This is the only way to develop an awareness for the  game in its entirety. Emphasis must be on developing an understanding of all principles of play and exposing the player to the total game.

Physical Training - Any and all fitness work at these ages should be done with the ball.  It should also be done with partners or in small groups whenever possible. Playing the game is enough, but make sure the practice activities or games have a large emphasis on FUN!  Lot's of competition, scoring and blocking of shots.

Psychological Training - Keep it FUN!  Encourage players to explore the game to their fullest ability. Allow and encourage players to make their own decisions on and off the ball. Praise effort.  Mistakes are okay. Mistakes are learning opportunities. Kids are expert game players. They learn from mistakes. They go back to the start and work their way through the process until they advance to the next level. Trust them to learn from the mistakes they make on the pitch and praise them like crazy when they do.

The Game - If we are truly focused on developing players and not winning games, these age groups should play 4 v 4 without goalkeepers or 5 v 5 with goalkeepers included.  There are 4 basic elements to the game of soccer - Penetration, depth, width and mobility.  4 v 4 covers all of these without duplication.  There is no clutter to the 4 v 4 game. The problems encountered will be in their simplest form and the decisions to be made will not be complicated by excess.

For a number of reasons local leagues will play games at 6 v 6, 7 v 7, 8 v 8.  These are recognized as acceptable if not optimum numbers for play for the 5 - 9 years of age groups. Anything more than 8 v 8 is frowned upon as unacceptable and even a disservice to the youth.

Outside Midfielders in the 1-4-2-3-1

Previous articles in this series:

The Goalkeeper
The Linking Midfielder
The Center Midfielder
The Attacking Midfielder
The Central Midfield Triangle
The Center Backs
How the Center Backs and Linking Midfielder interact.

The Outside Backs

The technical considerations for the outside midfield positions center around speed to and with the ball.  Physical speed in making runs to draw defenders and open space for teammates. The ability to run onto the ball coupled with a high quality of first touch  and the ability to run with the ball / speed dribble. Outside midfielders must be able to cross the ball early and effectively along the ground and through the air. They also need to be able to finish around the net with a high degree of accuracy and pace. Endurance is also a key consideration. Wing midfielders will be called upon to make numerous runs up and down the flanks to either secure the defense or stress the opponents defense.

Tactically the outside midfielders must be committed to getting back behind the ball quickly when possession is lost and they are not immediately involved in pressing to regain possession. Outside midfielders must be astute game watchers especially on the attack as they are the decision makers who must read the opponents outside backs. What they see and execute determines the runs made by outside defenders and directly impacts the choices made by the central midfielders in distributing the ball.  Patient on defense and aggressive in the attack.

 

Physically the considerations for the outside midfield positions centers on physical speed, endurance and the ability to use change of pace effectively. Agility and strength are essential.  Leg strength to cross the ball with authority is especially helpful.

 Psychologically these players have to be hustlers on defense and risk takers in the attack. They are defenders, but also key instigators of the attack. Their runs create and open space both for themselves and their teammates.