As I was watching film from high school matches a rather strange, yet very pertinent, thought crossed my mind. What if the players drove their cars in the same manner as they play soccer?
Think of the player who receives the ball, does a U-turn and runs right into on-coming defenders? It's kind of like doing a U-turn in your car, ignoring the wrong way signs and causing an accident, isn't it?
Or the soccer player who is going at full speed towards goal right into multiple defenders in front of him. A wrong way driver on I-75?
And what about the player with ballwatchingitis? Nothing like parking your car in the middle of a busy thoroughfare so you can watch the chaos of honking cars going on around you, right?
These are the thoughts bouncing around my head as I watch players and their teams "play" at the game of soccer. There are so many different paths to goal but so many only see the most direct route.
When I am driving to the same destination repeatedly I often find alternative routes to take. Just a change of scenery. Soccer should be like that. Sometimes we take the direct expressway route. Other times we take a (possession) scenic route. When the preferred road is closed we detour and meander around the obstruction until we find our path once again - we find the path of least resistance to the goal.
Isn't it better to actually play soccer instead of creating chaos in the game environment by playing at soccer? When you drive your car there are accepted standards that allow you to have an enjoyable experience while making your way to the intended destination. When someone deviates from these standards it can result in chaos on the roadways. Attacking soccer is very much like this - there are proper techniques and tactics - soccer standards - that must be adhered to or chaos ensues on the pitch.
A smart driver will map out his route before starting his journey. He will have a plan but be flexible. If he encounters congestion on the roadways he will alter his route. The driver of a car strikes a balance between speed and arriving safely at his destination. Rules of the road are followed and perhaps sometimes bent, but when broken often come with severe consequences. If the driver does something stupid he will draw the ire of others on the roadway - honks, gestures and or screaming? When the driver arrives safely home he is warmly greeted and if it's been a while there might be quite the celebration.
Yeah, soccer is a lot like that.
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Showing posts with label smart soccer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label smart soccer. Show all posts
Sunday
Wednesday
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."
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."
Sunday
MAP for Success
My eldest son taught me an invaluable lesson some years ago. While in middle school Grant carried some "baby fat" as many boys do before the fully hit puberty. I believe it was during his 8th grade year that he began to grow tall. That summer Grant had to have a tonsillectomy. Definitely not the way to spend ones summer when you are 14 years of age, but there was a side benefit - Grant shed all his baby fat and with the help of Tim & Tina Lones at F.A.S.T the transformation of his body in a few short months was astonishing.
Grant was blessed with average physical abilities. Not exceptional fast or quick his best attributes are strength and intelligence. That combination provided him with great endurance while on the pitch and provided me with the invaluable lesson I spoke of before.
You see, once in shape, Grant never stopped moving on the pitch. His movement was not that frenzied all out activity we sometimes see in players. No, Grant was simply in constant motion while on the pitch. Walking, jogging, loping, sprinting, backpedalling, shuffling... just constant movement. Maybe most importantly, his eyes and mind were in constant motion as well which made Grant an intelligent player and directly impacted the quality of his physical movement on the pitch.
The lesson?
MAP for Success.
Motion
And
Participation
For
Success
Grant was a game watcher at an age when most of his peers were still ball watchers. He had a coach at the U13 age level who made an indelible impression on him. That coach underestimated Grant. All he saw was a big kid who couldn't run well. Then, in a game where Grant had been inserted as a left back, Grant made a run from his own half to the back post to an attempted shot off a cross. The midfielders and forwards were nowhere to be found, but there was Grant at the back post. That coach chastised the rest of the team scolding them that if Grant could get to that ball, then the mids and forwards should have been there too. It was an overt reference to Grant's physical conditioning at the time. I had watched the described action unfold and knew that Grant had not outran anyone to the back post. He had not been a blur of physical speed on the pitch, but his eyes and mind had allowed him to anticipate the play while his steady pace put him in position to make a play.
Grant's junior varsity teammates hated him. Well, not really, but they did not like the "warm-up" runs Grant would lead them on as a Captain. Several players and parents commenting on these runs stated something to the effect "Grant can run forever" and there was more than one suggestion that he should perhaps consider cross country as his sport of choice.
Grant made up for average physical quickness and speed with endurance. Constant motion won out over short bursts time and time again and more so as the game progressed. Imagine if you will, a wing or a center mid never being substituted for in high school soccer. That was Grant.
Grant knew at what pace he needed to move and when he needed to be somewhere on the pitch. He used his eyes and his mind in conjunction with his feet and lungs to rarely be out of position. It gave him a distinctive edge over those who simply saw the ball and moved accordingly. Watch a youth... or even a high school soccer match... and take note of the players who are giving huge physical effort. Note that when away from the ball they typically stand and watch. When the ball comes near, when they believe they may have a chance to touch it, only then do they become active often times exerting tremendous physical energy. Then ask yourself, what if they had been in motion before that opportunity for a touch had begun to materialize?
I like to frame that question in this manner; What if that player were a game watcher instead of a ball watcher?
So it becomes a matter of timing the motion in pursuit of success. Motion, or effort, alone are not enough to bring you consistent success. One must participate fully in order to accentuate and take full advantage of ones movement. How one does so determines the consistency and measure of one's success... on the pitch and in life.
Some players are ball watchers and as such only fully participate in the game when the ball is near them. They are content to watch their teammates and opponents play the game when the ball is away from them. They enjoy success sometimes - they make a good defensive stop or score a goal but don't do so as often as their "talent" suggests they should. We hear those players, their parents and casual bystanders make comments like, "when given a chance that kid is really good".
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in awhile.
When not taking advantage of the full measure of one's resources scoring a goal or making a great defensive play is a lot like that blind squirrel finding a nut. All the physical gifts in the world sans intelligent effort will bring nothing more than inconsistent and limited success. Whereas intelligent usage of all available resources will lead to sustained excellence and reward... in soccer and in life.
The question becomes, do you wish to participate only when you personally have something to gain or will you participate in the full measure of the game? Do you wish for a partial experience or will you immerse yourself in the entirety of the experience. Do you want full reward or are you seeking only the limelight?
Motion - constant and consistent. Predicated on what the eyes see and the mind interprets.
And
Participation - motion gets you to what you see. The more you see, the more you get to. The more you get to, the more opportunities for success you will find for yourself and create for others.
Success - is found in direct proportion to the intelligent effort you give. One must constantly maximize all of one's resources to their fullest measure as consistently as they can. This is the difference between spectating (ball watching) and participating (game watching and analyzing play).
For you kids out there today... imagine playing a video game with a broken button on your controller or being able to view only half the screen. You may have some success, even spectacular success, but in a limited fashion. Only by employing all your resources - a fully functioning controller and being able to see the complete picture can you maximize your success, right?
Grant was blessed with average physical abilities. Not exceptional fast or quick his best attributes are strength and intelligence. That combination provided him with great endurance while on the pitch and provided me with the invaluable lesson I spoke of before.
You see, once in shape, Grant never stopped moving on the pitch. His movement was not that frenzied all out activity we sometimes see in players. No, Grant was simply in constant motion while on the pitch. Walking, jogging, loping, sprinting, backpedalling, shuffling... just constant movement. Maybe most importantly, his eyes and mind were in constant motion as well which made Grant an intelligent player and directly impacted the quality of his physical movement on the pitch.
The lesson?
MAP for Success.
Motion
And
Participation
For
Success
Grant was a game watcher at an age when most of his peers were still ball watchers. He had a coach at the U13 age level who made an indelible impression on him. That coach underestimated Grant. All he saw was a big kid who couldn't run well. Then, in a game where Grant had been inserted as a left back, Grant made a run from his own half to the back post to an attempted shot off a cross. The midfielders and forwards were nowhere to be found, but there was Grant at the back post. That coach chastised the rest of the team scolding them that if Grant could get to that ball, then the mids and forwards should have been there too. It was an overt reference to Grant's physical conditioning at the time. I had watched the described action unfold and knew that Grant had not outran anyone to the back post. He had not been a blur of physical speed on the pitch, but his eyes and mind had allowed him to anticipate the play while his steady pace put him in position to make a play.
Grant's junior varsity teammates hated him. Well, not really, but they did not like the "warm-up" runs Grant would lead them on as a Captain. Several players and parents commenting on these runs stated something to the effect "Grant can run forever" and there was more than one suggestion that he should perhaps consider cross country as his sport of choice.
Grant made up for average physical quickness and speed with endurance. Constant motion won out over short bursts time and time again and more so as the game progressed. Imagine if you will, a wing or a center mid never being substituted for in high school soccer. That was Grant.
Grant knew at what pace he needed to move and when he needed to be somewhere on the pitch. He used his eyes and his mind in conjunction with his feet and lungs to rarely be out of position. It gave him a distinctive edge over those who simply saw the ball and moved accordingly. Watch a youth... or even a high school soccer match... and take note of the players who are giving huge physical effort. Note that when away from the ball they typically stand and watch. When the ball comes near, when they believe they may have a chance to touch it, only then do they become active often times exerting tremendous physical energy. Then ask yourself, what if they had been in motion before that opportunity for a touch had begun to materialize?
I like to frame that question in this manner; What if that player were a game watcher instead of a ball watcher?
So it becomes a matter of timing the motion in pursuit of success. Motion, or effort, alone are not enough to bring you consistent success. One must participate fully in order to accentuate and take full advantage of ones movement. How one does so determines the consistency and measure of one's success... on the pitch and in life.
Some players are ball watchers and as such only fully participate in the game when the ball is near them. They are content to watch their teammates and opponents play the game when the ball is away from them. They enjoy success sometimes - they make a good defensive stop or score a goal but don't do so as often as their "talent" suggests they should. We hear those players, their parents and casual bystanders make comments like, "when given a chance that kid is really good".
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in awhile.
When not taking advantage of the full measure of one's resources scoring a goal or making a great defensive play is a lot like that blind squirrel finding a nut. All the physical gifts in the world sans intelligent effort will bring nothing more than inconsistent and limited success. Whereas intelligent usage of all available resources will lead to sustained excellence and reward... in soccer and in life.
The question becomes, do you wish to participate only when you personally have something to gain or will you participate in the full measure of the game? Do you wish for a partial experience or will you immerse yourself in the entirety of the experience. Do you want full reward or are you seeking only the limelight?
Motion - constant and consistent. Predicated on what the eyes see and the mind interprets.
And
Participation - motion gets you to what you see. The more you see, the more you get to. The more you get to, the more opportunities for success you will find for yourself and create for others.
Success - is found in direct proportion to the intelligent effort you give. One must constantly maximize all of one's resources to their fullest measure as consistently as they can. This is the difference between spectating (ball watching) and participating (game watching and analyzing play).
For you kids out there today... imagine playing a video game with a broken button on your controller or being able to view only half the screen. You may have some success, even spectacular success, but in a limited fashion. Only by employing all your resources - a fully functioning controller and being able to see the complete picture can you maximize your success, right?
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