The 10 Commandments for Attacking Soccer

1) Thou shall not spectate when thou should be playing. It is impossible to support your teammates on attack or when defending if you are watching play instead of adjusting your positioning each and every time the ball moves. A coaching phrase I use to remind players to do this is “When the ball travels, we travel!” It can be called, ‘When the ball travels” by a coach or player and answered “We travel” by the remaining team members

2) Thou shall check to the ball when winning loose balls and receiving passes. Waiting for a ball to come to you is inviting an opponent to win the ball. Perhaps even worse is running away from a ball thinking you are played through and allowing an opponent to step in behind you to win the ball. Inexcusable. We should never lose a possession due to not checking to the ball. Never.

3) Thou shall position yourself so your hips are open to as much of the field as is possible. If your hips are closed to the direction the ball is coming from, your play is predictable. Open hips to as much of the field as possible is a secret to successful possession. In this manner thou shall receive the ball across your body whenever possible. We call this being a back footed player. Receiving in this manner allows the player to stay in compliance with Commandment #3. Failure to comply with this commandment makes you a predictable player and one easily defended and dispossessed of the ball.

4) Thou shall make a safe pass upon winning possession of the ball. It is senseless to win the ball and attempt to advance into pressure. Make a safe pass and allow that receiver to establish the rhythm of the attack.

5) Thou shall not stop the ball between thy feet when receiving it. The path of the ball must be changed away from pressure when receiving it. This forces any defender in pursuit of the ball to change course thus buying the receiver space and time to play the ball. Failure to do so changes the pressure to make the play away from the defender and onto the receiver.

6) Thou shall support your teammates at proper angles. It is extremely difficult to make a straight pass, especially if the teammate is running away. This type of “vertical” support can devastate an attack. It is just as critical not to support the 1st defender in a vertical line as you offer virtually no support in doing so. The rule of thumb is 45 degree angles when defending and 45 degree angles or bigger when on the attack.

7) Thou shall not pass square in your defensive third nor in the middle portion of the field. Square passes are the easiest passes to cleanly intercept and immediately transition to attack on. Square passes tend to happen when there is a lack of diagonal support for the passer.

8) Thou shall play the way you face. This is a rule of thumb so there are exceptions. It holds especially true when you are under pressure. Drop or back passes are okay to relieve that pressure. Maintaining possession is what we want to do.

9) Thou shall not shoot from impossible angles. Intelligent defenses seek to deny shots in general and especially those from in front of the goal. Many defenses seek to limit shots against them to coming from a line that extends from the goal post to the corner of the 6 to the corner of the 18 or wider. Shots from those angles leave the goalkeeper with a greatly reduced goal to defend. You must seek to cross the ball when in this deep or take the ball to and along the end line for a cut back cross. Thou shall go to goal each and every time you get your inside shoulder in front of the opponent defending you. When you are breaking free and have the opportunity to eliminate the closest opponent to you, do so. It is not an option. It is mandatory.

10) Thou shall shoot the ball whenever in position to take a quality shot. When in front of the goal and from 25 yards in there should be no hesitation. No extra touch to set the ball up just right. No extra passes. Just put the ball on net. Toe pokes are fine. Knees are fine. Love headers for goals. Strike at the midpoint or higher on the ball to keep it low. Whatever it takes to get the ball on net. Just do it and do it at the first available moment.

You dissed me!

When I hold a “parents meeting” in preparation for a season one of the things covered is consequences for misconduct on the field and on the parent’s sideline. I do often wonder why it has become necessary to even do so. It is a bit discouraging to realize how often our young people use the word “disrespect” as a verb and to justify their own disrespectful actions toward the perpetrator of this crime.

Yes, I am old and very definitely old school as the kids would say.

I believe sports teach life lessons and one of the most important of those is to respect one another. In the context of a sporting event, players, coaches, referees, parents and spectators as well as organizers and hosts must operate with a healthy measure of respect for one another for the event to be a success.                        

PLAYERS are the focal point of sporting contests. Whether you are a starter, a substitute or even a seldom used bench warmer the respect you give towards all others in attendance sets the standard. On match day the expectation is for you to work with your coaches and captains to allow the referee to perform their role as managers of the game without the abuse of dissent.

You have a duty to respect the game you play and all of its participants. We have a severe shortage of referees and the primary reason for this is the abuse players, coaches, parents and spectators subject them to. Protect the game you love by showing respect for the referee crew and all participants.

COACHES have the most important role in establishing a healthy level of respect in the game. They are not only responsible for themselves, but also for their players and the spectators present to cheer the team on.

On game day, it is a responsibility of the coaches to work with their players, the players parents and all spectators to insure the referees can fulfill their role in the contest without be subjected to abuse.

By setting the example in demonstrating respect for all other participants coaches can insure the overall success of the sporting event.

REFEREES have the most difficult job on game day. Players, coaches, parents and spectators all expect perfection from the referees. It can be difficult to maintain respect for people who dispute your judgment and constantly heap verbal abuse on you. Nonetheless, this is what the referees must do.  

Referees who manage the game with respect for both the game and its participants can diffuse tensions and keep the game on course toward a successful conclusion.

Referees can also provide a valuable service to coaches and organizations by providing feedback on player and spectator behavior during matches. It is not only a sign or respect to listen to referee feedback but vitally important to address their legitimate concerns if securing high quality officiating for future matches is important to you.

PARENTS AND SPECTATORS cheering in a respectful manner goes a long ways towards an enjoyable experience for all. Unfortunately, sometimes the competition along the parents sidelines or in the stands is as fierce as it is on the pitch.

Our league requires parents to sign a Code of Conduct. There are severe repercussions for violating this Code of Conduct that extend to the teams coaches as well. Obviously there was a need to implement these measures. This is not only a shame but a disgrace to youth sports.

Parents need to set a proper example for their children. Verbal abuse to an extent a referee removes a parent from a venue sets a horrible example. In my opinion, it is worse even than a coach or player being dismissed from the contest. Respect starts at home.

Verbal abuse of players by parents / spectators amounts to nothing short of bullying. Shameful behavior that should not and will not be tolerated on my watch. Respect starts at home, but unfortunately disrespect starts at home as well. I applaud the commercials on TV encouraging kids to make a stand against bullying. We should all heed the message.

HOSTS AND ORGANIZERS show respect by taking care of the details and being prepared to host the event. The field is properly marked. Corner flags are in place. Restroom facilities are open and clean. Concessions are available. Ball boys are available. All the details that go into hosting a contest are readied in advance. 

In the unfortunate advent of an uncooperative participant they are prepared and ready to support the referee’s decisions, handle the situation and diffuse tensions.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS on Respect and Disrespect: If you want respect, you earn it. You earn respect by following the golden rule. Matthew 7:12, So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you. It really is that simple. If you would not want someone to come to your place of work and verbally abuse you, do not verbally abuse the referees, coaches, players or other spectators. If you do not like being disrespected, do not disrespect others. And when you witness disrespect or bullying, make a stand!

Burn Off

I was awoken this morning by a deafening explosion.  An isocracker at the local refinery exploded and shook our entire house.  There were no injuries or fatalities associated with the explosion and fire. They have everything contained and are allowing the remaining crude oil to burn off. 

This mornings events got me to thinking of players, coaches, parents and even referees who can be volatile during matches. Sometimes people allow their emotions to explode and when this happens it is often prudent to allow whatever is fueling the outburst to burn off before confronting the individual or attempting to address the issue.  Sometimes a yellow card caution or a red card send off is unfortunately necessary to allow the cooling off period to ensue. 

Some memorable incidents I have witnessed fall into two basic categories - uncontrolled and controlled.  The uncontrolled might include a parent being "thrown out" or sent to the parking lot for abusive language or behavior toward an official.  Or perhaps a player sent off for violent conduct.  I have seen coaches, more so in basketball, intentionally gain a referee's attention with a controlled or intentional outburst designed to do so.

In each case it seems to me the person "going off" feels a need to be heard. Once they have had their say, the incident often ends then and there.  The impact such outbursts have can be wide ranging. Sometimes a coach needs to "fight" for his or her players.  Giving a referee a good ear full perhaps sends a message to the players the coach has their backs.  When done intentionally, this could fall under the heading of gamesmanship.   A controlled explosion for a designed purpose, if you will.  Limited collateral damage.

Uncontrolled explosions, or when emotions run amok, are far more dangerous.  Left unchecked these explosions can lead to violence, injury and as we are sometimes reminded of, death.  When this occurs the intrinsic value of athletics is lost.  When winning or losing becomes more important than the spirit of the game emotions get the better of people - almost always with negative consequences. 

The character Chick Hicks in Disney's movie "Cars" is used to drive this point home. I use this example because it is one this generation of young players is familiar with.  Chick is focused solely on winning the Piston Cup much as the movies protagonist Lightning McQueen is at the start of the story.  The tale is of Lightning McQueen's growing to appreciate the intrinsic value of the overall experience.  That it can never be and never is about the individual.

A soccer match is a team effort. It takes two teams, two coaching staffs, a referee crew, ground crew, spectators, ball boys, scoreboard operator, box office personnel, concessions workers and more to have a quality experience.  Everyone has a role to fill.  No one person's role being more significant than another persons role.   We are all dependent on one another.

The refinery fire this morning will have a similar impact on its operation.  My understanding is the isocracker that exploded is one of the first steps in the refining process. It heats the crude oil so separation can begin to take place before  different parts are refined into a various products.  That explosion will set things back for quite some time.  An uncontrolled explosion on the pitch can have much the same effect. 

Why Soccer Struggles as a Spectator Sport in the U.S.

It is amazing the amount of stuff I have accumulated over the years. In search through files, computer and conventional, I often come across notes, articles, outlines of practices / drills / small sided games from many years ago. Sometimes I wonder out loud why I ever saved something.  Other times it's a bit like Christmas morning when opening up old files.  This morning I found this article from 8 years ago in note form about why high school soccer is not a bigger draw than it is.  I briefly considered updating it, but then decided to publish as is. I may edited / rewrite or update it sometime in the next few days, but I think it interesting to look at where soccer was nearly a decade ago compared to today and consider what, if anything has changed.

Imagine if you will...

There have been multiple requests made to re-post this article. I am honoring those requests because the points of emphasis contained within are worthy of being reviewed again.


I have been coaching various sports for nearly 30 years now. Sometimes I wonder why I have stuck with it but mostly I enjoy working with players. To be witness to individuals developing their talent and combining it with others to form a team can be a wonderful experience. There is a process to it all and it never seems to grow old.

As a coach I want to see consistency in performance from the players I work with. Since I demand consistency from them I believe they deserve consistency from me. When we are able to combine consistency with continuous and constant improvement, good things happen for everyone involved. Sometimes things work out better than others but generally progress is made, experienced gained, a little something about life is learned.

Columbus Crew Stadium experience doesn't measure up.

I have been attending matches at Columbus Crew Stadium since it opened in 1999.  It is a great venue for high school soccer and I have enjoyed many a reserve match there. I have watched my son referee there and truly enjoyed the experience. Watching an MLS match is not an enjoyable experience for me. In fact, I have never had a "great" MLS experience at Columbus Crew Stadium.

Three experiences will serve to highlight what I perceive to be short-comings in marketing and presentation.

1) The first time I took my young family to Columbus Crew Stadium I purchased tickets in advance from the Crew Ticket office. I explained I was bringing my family including 2 young sons ages 11 & 7 and wanted to purchase good seats in a "family oriented area".  They sold me seats in the north end zone right in the middle of what today is known as The Cult of the Crew rowdy fan section.  The vulgar chants, cussing and swearing were so bad, we left rather than subject our young children to such behavior and language.

Note: I am not against rowdy fans / behavior, but I have a real issue with the Columbus Crew if this is what they believe is a family atmosphere.

2) On a subsequent trip to Columbus Crew Stadium we took our 3 young sons to see the Crew play. I purchased lower level tickets along the west touchline for the family so as to avoid the "rowdy adult section".  This worked out pretty well in that regard. Friends of ours had purchased $10 tickets in the upper level for the match.  Imagine my surprise when less than 10 minutes into the match a Columbus Crew Stadium usher seated our friends who had purchased the cheap tickets in the row in front of us.  I paid more than double per ticket from the Columbus Crew ticket office and here they were getting the same experience I was.  I couldn't very well complain openly at the time but I did contact the Columbus Crew offices the following Monday. They explained to me it was a televised game and they wanted to fill the lower bowl so as to present the image of a large crowd.  Yes sir, they admitted to purposefully upgrading customers for no other reason than to present a better image for those watching on television.

I proposed submitting my ticket stubs for a refund of the money I had spent in excess of those who purchased $10 upper level seats.  Yeah, the Crew didn't go for that either.

3) At every Columbus Crew home match I have attended my ears have been assaulted as if I were at a rock concert or in a crowded bar.  It's so ridiculously loud as to be difficult to carry on a conversation with those around you. Piped in music blaring from pregame through post game. Even the announcements, often made over the top of the music, are obnoxiously loud.  When I go into a restaurant or bar where the music / atmosphere is that loud I always become suspicious - What are they attempting to distract my attention from?  What are they attempting to cover up?  In the Columbus Crew's case it might be the vulgar chants and general potty mouthed language coming from a very vocal minority of crazy fans.  Can their product, the Columbus Crew soccer team, not stand on its own?  (It most certainly can!)

For high school and reserve matches the Columbus Crew Stadium is a great venue. Take your family and enjoy quality time. You can actually converse with one another, discuss your favorite players as you watch them warm up / play, discuss strategy, play and highlights/ One can generally have a great time with family and friends. It can be an intimate setting to see a sporting event, unless the Columbus Crew are playing when it is like watching a soccer match while attending a rock concert. I like soccer and I like rock concerts just not at the same time. It's a shame because Major League Soccer has improved over the years. It still isn't Champions League or Bundesliga quality but it has improved tremendously over the years.


***** Frankie Hejduk (pictured above) is a wonderful ambassador for the Columbus Crew and MLS. My sons were walking the upper concourse during half time of last nights match when Treg recognized Mr. Hejduk exiting a suite. The never shy Lance introduced himself to Mr. Hejduk and I understand a conversation about ODP and Academy soccer ensued. Mr Hejduk was wearing his 2008 MLS Championship ring and that made almost as big an impression on the kids as he himself did. Kudos to Frankie Hejduk! 

SNOW doubt about it!

My U17 team played a college showcase event in temperatures that hovered around 30- 35 degrees last week and it actually wasn't too bad. Our league has been postponing matches because of cold weather and forecasted cold weather for days now. And then there was our United States Men's National Team playing a World Cup Qualifier against Costa Rica in Denver, Colorado during a blizzard!

I love the idea of home pitch advantage. We took the Costa Ricans to the Mile High City to play at altitude and seasonably chilly weather only to be blessed with blizzard conditions. And they played on!

Have to credit the Costa Ricans for playing through it all. Great effort by them!  They could have folded and just played it out, gotten on their flight home and cursed the soccer gods for such rotton luck, but they battled and were quite dangerous at times.  At the 55 minute mark when it looked like the game might be called, the Costa Ricans were standing side by side with the Americans extolling the referee to allow them to play on!  Gotta love it!  That spirit and their effort made this an epic match to watch!

That's not to discount the United States effort for it was superior as well. Dempsy slamming home the rebound for a goal will be frozen into US soccer lore for all time. The images of players and referees with snow accumulating and freezing in their hair. Snow crews shoveling lines, injured players lying in the snow... pretty sure no one was flopping last night.  All memorable and in front of a sold out stadium crowd whose numbers will go from 19,000+  to 190,000+ as the tale of this game is recounted through the ages.

An extraordinary effort by the referee crew as well.  How they could see the lines at times is beyond me. Did the CR miss a foul in the PA that would have given the US a penalty kick?  Who knows?  Sure looked like the player was inside where the PA was supposed to be, but who knows?  Just thankful the visibility was good enough for the AR to see the offside on the Costa Rican goal... and for the CR to see the AR's flag up although I imagine they had buzzers on the flag and a communications system for the referees per usual.

I found myself yelling at the TV for the US players to "Clear it!"  or "Just boot it down to the other end!".... lol.... normally sacrilege, but last nights game was anything but normal. Far, far from it.

At the final whistle, The United States had earned a much needed 3 points... and a huge amount of respect for fighting through a blizzard to secure them. Well done gentlemen!

Coaching High School

It is the off season for high school soccer here in Ohio. There are a few job openings in the area and I have been approched about some of them either to judge my interest, make a recomendation or called upon as a reference for someone else.

Coaching high school athletics is difficult. Long hours, little pay and politics make this an endeavor of love for the game and the athletes you work with.  It is not for every coach.  And as I have learned there are distinctive differences between coaching boys and coaching girls.