Planning Challenging Practice Sessions.

In a recent conversation a young coach "Marc" expressed concern about training his team. It seems there exists a fairly wide disparity in the range of talent amongst team members and Marc was struggling to find activities that challenged all while not overwhelming some. He was searching for activites that all could participate in with a reasonable expectation of success. It was a struggle to watch the same couple of players constantly breakdown exercises challenging to the more advanced players and also to watch the more advanced players lose interest in activities "beneath them" that others found challenging.  He was looking for a magic activity challenging on a variety of levels while overwhleming  no one.

There's another way to look at this situation.

A team can only be as strong as its weakest player so it is in the best interests of the best player(s) to work with weaker players to help them improve their games. The challenge for better players need not exist on a technical or tactical level, but can exist on a leadership level.  Asking an individual to assume a leadership role can serve to move someone out of their own comfort zone providing an opportunity for success... or failure.

If not handled appropriately a situation with a wide disparity of talent can also see a degeneration of satisfaction spread throughout the team. There will be some that feel the talent gap should be closed by cutting weaker players and adding stronger players in their place.  Others will become disgruntled that certain players are ball hogs refusing to share the ball with (weaker) teammates. Relationships on the team and especially along the parent sidelines can become strained and quickly spiral downward.

I admired Marc for not giving up and fighting to make the experience as enjoyable as possible for all involved on his team. It was clear he himself was being overwhelmed by the situation he found himself in.  The good news is, he recognized the developing problems stemming from disparity in talent levels on the team and the seeds of discontent along the parent sidelines. The bad news is, Marc himself was struggling to find the right answers. And if truth be told, I'm not sure a great answer is always available in situations such as this, but I did have a couple of suggestions with the future in mind that I encouraged Marc to consider taking a look at.

Instead of separating the team in terms of advanced players and weaker players, separate them by placing a couple of the better players with weaker players in one group (A) and leaving the "middle" group (B) intact to work together.  Then have them run the same exercise.  I love watching the advanced players problem solve when working with weaker players. How long until they recognize the biggest challenge they have been presented with is one of psychology and leadership instead of one involving technique or tactics? 

The players in group "B" will almost always progress through the exercise more rapidly than the those in group "A" who will struggle on technical and tactical levels, but both groups will eventually get it. In group "B" the challenge is received on a technical and tactical level with a component of leadership involved. The physchological aspect is focused more on being disciplined in their thought process and execution of technical and tactical aspects of the exercise.

The weaker players in group "A" also have these challenges present albeit on slightly different levels. The advanced players have a stronger psychological component involved from the perspective of how they receive being placed in this group.  Will they view it as punishment? Will they feel they are too good to be in this group, that the weaker players are beneath them?  Will they rise to occasion and embrace the opportunity to be a mentor, a facilitator, a leader in their assigned group?  Sometimes an "advanced" player will become angry and pout resulting in poor mental performance that sees them actually become the ones to break down the exercise time after time.  It is discouraging when this happens, but it is also revealing.

What we hope to see is the advanced players recognize and embrace the different and all so important challenges they have been blessed with. Can they set good technical and tactical examples for their teammates?  Can they grab the reins of leadership and facilitate play within their group?  Do they encourage their teammates?  Do they inspire their teammates to raise the level of their play?

Marc raised a good and valid question - Should he address the advanced players in group "A" prior to beginning the exercise so they have an understanding of why they have been placed there and what the expectations for them are?  My reply was that would be like giving them the answers before the test.  Personally I think it much more practical and certainly more revealing to allow the players to identify the problem / challenge they face and to observe their thought process / problem solving skills on the fly. This is after all what they are tasked with in playing the game. It might be necessary to "debrief" someone who struggled to rise to the challenge, but allowing them to fail can lead them to change and change can lead them to improvement and success.

Challenges, whether naturally occurring or contrived are always revealing, but they are never an end point. How we respond to challenges encountered, what challenges reveal about us, define a new starting point. Sometimes we need to step back and take on the same challenge again... and again, until we successfully negotiate it.  Even then a challenge met and conquered merely leads to future failure and the opportunity to grow again through new challenges.

In conclusion, my advice to Marc was to design practice sessions with a variety of challenges on several different levels instead of attempting to come up with an exercise that challenged all players in the same manner. Different challenges for different players.
 
 
 

Sometimes I feel like I am beating a dead horse.

Here is another good article about youth sports. It's a short read and well worth the time.

http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/health/mdmama/2013/05/parents_lets_keep_some_perspective_about_youth_sports.html



At my son's soccer game the other day, a parent kept yelling very loudly at one of the players on the other team, giving various directions as to what the player should and shouldn't do. When I say "very loudly", I mean so loud--and harsh--that it startled me each time.

The kids were first graders.
 

The mother of one of my son's teammates (who was wincing along with me) told me how at her daughter's soccer game earlier that day, the coach of the other team was berating the players, telling them what a terrible job they were doing and calling them names.
 

Those kids were sixth graders.
 

Really?
 

Now, I get that these are extremes. But with five kids, I've been to a lot of sporting events, and have listened to a lot of parents and coaches pushing--in good ways and bad ways--kids to achieve. And while achievement is generally a worthy goal, I'm not sure it's the best goal for youth sports.
 

Often, when I talk to other parents, I hear stuff about hoping for athletic scholarships. I've got two kids in college now, and so know first-hand how outrageously expensive it is and how every little bit helps. But only about 2 percent of high school athletes get athletic scholarships to college--and very few of them are full rides. The chances of "going pro" are even smaller: about 0.03 percent for basketball, 0.08 percent for football, for example. Basically, unless your kid is extremely gifted and extremely lucky, he's not getting any money out of sports.
 

Here's what your kid can get out of youth sports:

• Exercise. With a third of US kids overweight or obese, we need to get more kids moving. Not only does exercise help kids now, it builds healthy habits for a lifetime.
• Friendships. Sports can be a great way to build relationships and social skills.
• Positive self-image. Feeling strong and learning skills can make a kid feel really good about herself.
• Involvement in positive activities. Sports are a way better way to spend your time than video games or hanging out on the streets; for many kids, sports are what keep them on a good life path.
• Time management skills. Athletes, especially high school athletes, need to learn to get homework and other things done around practice.
• Fun! With the right approach and attitude from the athlete and the coach, sports can be a lot of fun.

They are, however, not fun when you are being yelled at--or pushed all the time to achieve. Which is probably why the majority of kids drop out of sports before high school--and miss out on all the benefits entirely.
 

So, parents, let's keep some perspective. When you are at the sidelines, let the coach do the coaching--if you are going to yell anything, make it encouragement. If you see coaches treating kids badly, speak up--and find a different team if it continues. Don't push your kids to achieve--we should always try to do our best, but it's not always the point of everything. It's certainly not the point of youth sports.
 

Sometimes it's good enough--better, even--to show up, play the game and have fun.

The view from the parents sideline.

Had the all too rare honor and privilege to watch my son Lance play from the parents sideline. I'm usually watching him play as a coach and trust me when I say the two perspectives are vastly different. Lance guest played for league rival ISC Storm in the Mayfest tournament and I thoroughly enjoyed myself watching him play as a parent / fan instead of as a coach.

For his high school team Lance plays right back and center mid. For our club team he has played almost exclusively as a right back. It was good to see him play almost exclusively as a center midfielder this weekend and despite being a bit rusty in the role, he played very well. His distributions from the center midfield position resulted in 10 assists on the teams 13 goals for the weekend. The calculated and well-timed runs he made from his center midfield position resulted in his scoring a game-winning goal! An astounding statistic.  Yeah, I'm proud of what he accomplished. ;)

I learned quite a bit watching Terry Paulus, the ISC Storm coach manage my son.  Lance played a lot of minutes until results of game were secured. I'm not entirely sure how much instruction Lance received about how to play center midfield within their system, but he settled in as the defensive center mid / pivot player from where he could change the point of attack, distribute to forwards / wings and make runs into the box.  It is a very dynamic role and within our own team system what I consider to be the most important position to be effectively manned.  Providing a protective presence in front of the backs while also being the key facilitator on offense is not an easy task. Great job Lance!

The ISC Storm play a far more direct game than our own team likes to play. I loathe straightline kick and run soccer but must admit Lance's service to the forwards this weekend reminded me of how effective a tactic it can be when the "kick" part is accurate effective service rather than just "whacking the ball forward."  In the finals Lance had 3 assists in the first 12 minutes and the game was pretty much over at that point. Our club team lacks that type of dynamic distributor and this may lead to Lance playng more in the center midfield as we close out the season.

I actually thought our team had someone who could fill that role for us, but his heart is in a different position. One thing I know and appreciate as a goalkeeper coach is the neccessity of having a passion for the position. If a player does not embrace the position, you might as well not play him there. Last spring our team had a number of players asked to play out of position and most did not embrace the roles they were asked to play. This neccessitated changes in the roster for this spring to match roles with players that embraced playing them.  We still have a couple of players "playing out of position", but most of the players have embraced the positions they have been asked to play and the  roles they have been asked to fill. They have made personal sacrifices for the good of the team.  As a coach, I value this dearly. It is, in part, what differentiates decent teams to elevate their collective games and become great teams.

New friend Cathy Rau also introduced a new-to-me phrase describing the parents sidelines - she calls it the "expert side."  This was applied mostly in reference to the referees but is also applicable to coaching I would think.  It's is actually a very apt description as every parent seems to believe they know more than the trained and licensed officials... and often times more than the coaches as well. We were quite fortunate to have one of the best officials around in Mr. Greg Reynolds for two of the matches this weekend. Mr. Reynolds does an outstanding job of communicating to players on the pitch often using his voice to control the game when others would resort to excessive whistles and cards.  I have always apprciated  Mr. Reynolds officiating from the coaching sideline, but do so even more having watched him facilitate the game from the perspective of the parents sidelines.

Perhaps the most interesting thing this weekend was watching a team grow together and mature right before our eyes.  Their first game they played well. The guest players assimulated well and the team as a whole not only accepted them but embraced them. The second game saw the relationship between team and guest players struggle a little bit as everyone let their guard down, so to speak. Passes just missed and timing was not nearly as efficient as it had been in the first game. Growing pains in the relationship.  The third game was a really solid showing and the champonship game was a dominating performance.  Everything was clicking early and often. I know this, ISC Storm this Monday morning is not the same ISC Storm team we defeated twice in the last two weeks. They have improved significantly. The guest players were a part of that for sure, but even when they were not in the game the improved team play was obvious.

So, Congratulations to the ISC Storm U16B 2013 Mayfest Champions!  We will see you in a couple of weeks at the Creek Classic. I sincerely hope our own team continues to improve at a similar rate. Should be a great matchup. Thanks for a great weekend!

Coaches need to pay attention to the details of the process too.

I am constantly reading, watching and learning about the game of soccer. Over and over again I am struck by the smallest of details in the process of coaching and playing the game. Today I want to look at the technical aspect of this by taking a well known exercise and tweaking it just a bit to enhance it.

I do not recall exactly when I first saw this exercise although it seems to me it was at a licencsure or diploma course from my early days in coaching soccer.  The exercise is typically called the Dutch Diamond and is employed as a warmup. It's the simple type of exercise that offers repetitive touches and serves to develop muscle memory.  Like any exercise worth the time to use it comes with coaching points. In this case, preparing to play, quality of first touch and the correct execution of a push pass.  There is also movement after the pass although it is not necessarily game related in the simplest version of this exercise.

Using four cones set up a 20 yd x 20 yd grid and divide the players between the four cones.
Begin with one ball being passed around the outside of the grid. 
The touch sequences are all 2 touch and begin coutner clockwise with right / right,  then right / left. Change directions to clockwise utilizing left / left and left / right touches on the ball.
Pass and follow.

Simple and useful exercise when executed properly.  The coaching points listed above can help improve upon it. The video linked below illustrates a very simple means to drive those coaching points home even more effectively.  It's a quite simple tweak of the exercise.

Breaking Lines  (Thanks to Randy at soundsoccerdotcom)

I add 2 cones to each corner forming a "L" or "V" shape dependent on abilities. In this manner we can perform all 4 sequences without resetting. By adding two cones to each corner a greater emphasis is placed on preparing to play (receiving across the body) and quailty of first touch (pushing the ball across and break the line to lead into the second touch)

The after pass movement portion is still not as game related as I would like it to be so I continued tinkering with possible progressions.  What I came up with was to have the passer make a diagonal run through the center of the grid instead of following their pass (a sometimes useful play in-game, but one we over-emphasize in skill exercises, imo).  For the purposes of this warmp exercise that the players will be merely exchanging positions between two diagonal corners as opposed to circling the grid matters little as the touches are the same at all four corners.

Victory isn't a result of spontaneous combustion.

 

You must set yourself on fire.

I am not entirely comfortable with the picture this paints, but the message rings true. Success does not just happen. Success is earned. It is earned every minute of every day through devotion, dedication and discipline. There is no one who can give you success nor is there anyone who can keep you from success. It is belief in yourself that propels you to success.

Resiliency.

Every season, every team has its ups and downs, its peaks and valleys.  Our U17s have been down for a couple of weeks. As I probably mentioned in previous writings it can be frustrating as a coach to see the start of a slide come on and not be able to do anything about it.  Sometimes it just takes a good ol' fashion whupping to enable everyone to refocus. Ours came this past Sunday in the Elite 8 of President's Cup. I had hoped it bottomed us out... and it did.

We returned to league play this evening against a very good side.  I made a couple of lineup changes based in part on observations of play the last two weeks. We emphasized flank play tonight. After a bit of a slow start the lads developed a rhythm and the flow of play really began to go our way.  At times we played beautiful soccer.  Attacking down the flanks opened up the middle of the field and backside.  For the first time all season we were dynamic and versatile on attack.  Our wing defenders became much more involved on the attack with one getting a goal!

As a parent I know children have an incredible resiliency.  I marveled at how our own sons bounced back from adversity as if that was what one was supposed to do.  A child never seems to have a thought of doing anything else. That is not always the case with older youths and adults. Our team might have hung their collective heads and went through the motions for the rest of the season, but instead they came out determined to regain focus and momentum.... and they did.

Coming off our worst defeat of the season, the boys played their best game of the season.  Defense and attack were both quite good this evening.  Miminium of breakdowns on either side of the ball. Best team play and teamwork we have had all season.  Team shape and team support were the best we have had all season.  It was wonderful, as it always is, to see a team pick itself up, dust itself off and regroup.  I am so proud of the lads response to the whupping they received.  It's a good feeling knowing they will take this lesson in resiliency and carry it over to their lives as well.  Good job gentlemen!

And Congratulations on an outright League Championship!

I need to work harder... and smarter.

Our U17 team got thumped 1-6 on Sunday.  The match was both closer than the score indicates and worse than the score indicates. How can that be?  Well, there were periods where we passed the ball well, built attacks and were dangerous. There were also times our defensive alignment was the best its been all year.  So, consistency was obviously a problem.

With a talented and deep roster "buy in" becomes a critical consideration and unfortunately not everyone has bought into the team style of play we are attempting to implement.  As a coach, little is as frustrating as having to correct the same mistake repeatedly. This is unfortunately the position I find myself in these past two weeks. Old habits can be difficult to break, but I expect effort in attempting to establish new, better habits.  That "buy in" to improve individual play for the benefit of the team has been lacking. It's my job to do a better job of selling sacrificing self for team.

As an experienced coach I know that sometimes team chemistry never does develop to an extent that allows collective achievement to rise to potential.  Some of the most talented teams I have ever been associated with have under achieved because some key players never came to appreciate and understand what it means to play for their teammates.  I'm not sure we are that point with this team, but we have a need for greater buy-in to a team first approach.

To date, I have started the best individual players with the belief that as they learned to play together they would develop a team approach to the game. Our practices are team oriented to re-inforce this. We don't do a lot of individual work. Almost everything we do is based in playing together as a team.  Support on offense and defense.  Sharing the ball ... or allowing the ball to do the work for us. 

Johan Cruyff once stated that "the most difficult thing is to play simply" and this is a message we need to heed. Too many lost possessions caused by taking on multiple defenders or by attempting fancy passes instead of a simple push pass.  Trying to be spectacular rarely works. The "Play of the Day" plays arise from making the simple play on a routine basis, then when extraordinary is called for it is based in simple fundamental play.

For the next match I will start the 11 that play best together instead of the 11 best players. A subtle difference at times, but success is found in the smallest details of the process.  The small details is where our process has faltered in recent days.  As a coach I must encourage paying attention to the details of the process. I must help this group of players develop individual and collective discipline where it concerns the details of the process. Once we re-establish that base I am confident we will regain momentum and finish the season strong.

Lots of work to do. 

Time to get started on it.

Truths about parents and youth sports.

After 3 decades of coaching youth sports I have learned a few basic truths about parents.

1) Parents over value the talent of their child, sometimes ridiculously so.

2) Parents live vicariously through their children.

3) Parents believe if they pay for their childs playing experience they are also purchasing the right to interject their opinions and suggestions into the process.

4) Parents seriously restrict, hinder and otherwise impede their childs passion and progress for the sport they play.

In short, well intentioned parents can turn youth sporting experiences into nightmares for their children ...and by extension for everyone they come in  contact with as well. I remember one particular mother whom we shall call "Mary".  She cheered wildy for her son. The team? Not so much and especially not for any teammate perceived to be competition for her son's playing time or accolades. Her son was one of the unhappiest players I have ever encountered. He practiced angry. He played angry. Horrible teammate. Refused to help with equipment or take any other responsibility for himself or his play. Mommy had his back. In her eyes he could do no wrong. He played because his mother expected him to. He played to make mommy happy. Everyone else was an obstacle to the success Mary wanted for her son.

Your child will only go as far as his love for the game carries him.

Make sure your child is playing soccer because it is what he or she wants to do.  Make sure they have a passion for the game and are not playing because of your passion for the game.  There are better ways to seek your approval than by allowing you to live vicariously through their youth sport experience. Support your son's or daughter's interests and passions and accept that their's might not be yours.

Unless you played professionally, you really weren't all that good when you played either.  Don't build your own youth sports exploits into larger than life tall tales. Your child doesn't need the pressure of living up to the blown out of proportion mythical memories of your youth

Our local youth soccer league has what they call "Silent Saturday" that calls for complete silence while their child competes that day. I love it!   Don't insert yourself into your child's game.  It is your child out there competing, not you. You don't have a joystick to control your child's action on the pitch. Screaming instructions at your child only serves to add pressure to the situation. Your child wants to please you so imagine how he feels when he fails to execute as you are telling him to. Don't complicate his on-field decision making process by inserting what you want him to do into the equation. Your perspective is not his in the first place. Your "helpful insights" will be recieved as confrontational emotionally driven intrusions and you know how kids respond to those, don't you?

If you want to coach, sign up to coach otherwise keep your mouth shut and allow the coaches to do their job. Most youth sport coaches donate their time - planning time, practice time, game time and the time spent away from other activities.  You don't and therefore you do not have a say in coaching decisions and particularly not as it concerns lineup, playing time or general direction of the team. You don't have to remain with the team, but you better ask for your child's opinion before yanking him off the team.  If you want input on coaching decisions, sign up to coach otherwise keep your thoughts to yourself.

Remember always that this is about the child, allow him to enjoy the experience.  Youth sports are a learning experience for children and not just about fundamental techniques and tactics of the sport, but socially as well. The skills, be they athletic or social skills are his to learn, practice and develop. Be supportive. Provide a guiding influence but not an overly intrusive one. Just allow your child to enjoy the process.

My personal story of involvement with my son's sporting adventures?  Yes, I made some of the mistakes discussed above. Others I was witness to from the coaching sidelines.  My love was basketball. None of my sons have developed the same level of passion for basketball that I possess. I have supported their passion for soccer.  They play soccer. They referee soccer. They coach soccer.  Athletically speaking soccer is their passion. Through my support of them I have developed a passion for the game as well. I think that is how it should be. 

Our family has been fortunate to have many wonderful experiences centered around soccer. We have made countless new and lasting friendships through our participation. Occasionally we have rubbed shoulders with truly "great" athletes, coaches, referees and administrators of the game. Our lives have been blessed and enriched through our soccer experiences mainly because we have understood that soccer is something we do and enjoy doing together, but it does not define who we are.  The friendships I speak of having made? Those were made possible through our children's participation in soccer. That's the value of the game to us as parents.  The championships?  The trophies? The individual awards and accolades?  All fleeting at best.  The friendships are lasting.  The memories and bonds built with our children are lasting.  Allow your child to enjoy his youth sport experience and you will all benefit from it.

 

Sometimes the Process Falters

On Monday our U17 team had its worst practice ever. As a coach, I saw the process breaking down in the days leading up to Monday's practice. The team was becoming over confident due to their successful run through the league. Standing at 5-0-0 and within a victory of clinching the league title their focus was wavering. The truth of this can be found in a simple quote from one of the players "This is too easy. We should have played (in a tougher league)." 

I cautioned repeatedly of how our next opponent would play well against us despite their lacklustre record to date. Excellent coach and they had nearly two weeks to prepare for us. I could tell the players were not heeding these warnings. They were riding high and basking in their success while largely ignoring the very things that brought them to that point in the first place  - the details of the process.

The process of reaching our goals takes place every day.

The process is taking place when working on your own, in every practice and during every game.

The process is taking place at every meal and in the amount of rest we get each night.
We cannot allow ourselves to become bored with the process.

Ultimately the quality of our performance, our ability to achieve the goals we have set, will be determined by the attention paid to the details within the process.

I have traveled this path with teams before. I often allow them to fail and have at times aided in their failure in interests of long-term goals.  Failure can lead to change and from change success can arise. With a home and home against a quality side looming sandwiched around a Presidents Cup match winning our match on Tuesday was imperative, in my opinion.

Upon arriving at our opponents pitch it was obvious our team believed all they had to do was show up and the game was ours. Pre-match warmups were lethargic and punctuated by off-topic discussions. The opposing team was far more focused going through their pre-game rituals. They had a crispness and business-like approach.  

We began the match strong with good teamwork and excellent passing to get in behind their defenders 4 times in the first 3 minutes of the game.  We failed to finish on any of those chances. At the 7 minute mark our goal keeper played a soft ball up the middle of the pitch off a pass back that was promptly deposited in the net behind him. It was a horrible passive mistake by an experienced goalkeeper. A play born from a lack of focus and lack of attention to the details of the process. The tone was set for the rest of the match.

To further complicate matters the referee crew was subpar by the weakest of standards. I would hate to think it was intentional bias but we were whistled for 21 fouls as opposed to 6 for the opponents and were issued 3 yellow cards while the opponents recieved one.  My team rarely receives yellow cards and in my opinion none of the issued were warranted last night.

We fought through it all to tie the score 1 - 1 at halftime.  I was extremely frustrated with many aspects of our play. In particular the team having completely ignored the pre-game instructions regarding limiting touches in the defending and middle thirds of the field. We continuously attempted to dribble through multiple defenders. Selfish play rooted in not having a plan for what to do with the ball before recieving it.... the very thing that has been our point of emphasis all season long.

I attempted to re-establish some of these points of emphasis at half time, but it was clear the team was still tuning me out. They offered excuses for why they had abandoned the things we worked on. They were quite clearly not yet ready to admit the path they had chosen was one of false steps that would lead to the undermining of their goals, of their team mission.

We went down 1-2 shortly into the second half and my usually positive team began to get chippy with one another. Once again, I seriously considered alowing them to fail.  In the end I felt circumstances dictated we find a way to win this match.  I went with a line up of our most rugged kids and sought to simply overwhelm the opponents with our physical presence on the pitch. Yes, this did contribute to the discrepancy in foul calls. Yes, all 3 of the yellow cards issued against us came in the second half.  Yes, we did end up intimidating the opponents and setting them back on their heels. Almost the entire final 30 minutes of the match was played on their end of the pitch.

We evened the score at 2-2 and then saw a player coming from the midfield called offside on a bangoo - a pass back toward the 12 from along the endline. Bizarre call at best. We got the go-aead goal with 14 minutes left and hung on for the victory that clinched the league title.  I suppose we should have celebrated but I was nearly sick to my stomache over the way we played. We abandoned everything we worked on and reverted to playing American high school soccer. U-G-L-Y straight line soccer with no forethought of play beyond individually winning the ball and taking it to goal.  A style that will surely get our heads handed to us this weekend in Presidents Cup play.

We have our work cut out for us as we attempt to regain focus and re-establish positives from our play leading up to this last match. This match was a step back, but we will re-group and move forward again. I am just hoping it can be a quick turnaround.

 

Talent is not enough.

A dear friend passes recently.  I played left field and he had played left-center field on a men's softball team some years ago. By today's standards we would have been described as a bunch of redneck farmers playing softball. It's true, most of us played in blue jeans and more than a couple played in work boots. Never thought anything of it.  At least not until we entered a tournament and saw other teams in actual uniforms.  Our jersey top?  Purple mesh with gold lettering. Yeah, you could spot us coming from a mile away.

I think people took one look at us and laughed, until the game started.  We might not have looked like much but we were good, real good.  Speed and power on offense, gloves and throwing on defense. We rarely lost and were usually shocked when we did. Our greatest strength was found in our friendships off the field. We all attended the same church and knew each other outside of the game. We knew each others strengths and weaknesses as players and people, but most importantly we understood how working together we could cover for each others weaknesses and accentuate our strengths.

A coaching colleague's team recently lost in a state championship game and he expressed concern about feeling ambivalent about it. He thought maybe he should feel more upset about the loss than he did and was wondering if his passion for the game was perhaps waning. I cannot answer for him but I think perhaps he understood they lost to a better team. His team was comprised of a great group of girls who also happened to be pretty good soccer players. They accomplished all they could, they reached their potential and in doing so could not feel disappointed about falling to a better team. He felt a sense of satisfaction with having come in second and that seemed at odds with his competitive nature.

Recently I fielded a request to be interviewed about my time as head coach of Lima Central Catholic's girls soccer team. This team was a blend of the two described above. Little to no equipment, old uniforms, practice site was a construction landfill, never a winning record in 11 years and little school support. We self-transported or crammed into two school vans for most matches.  The girls seemed to accept such was their lot.  For years they played to expectations which was to underachieve. A small (17) but passionate about soccer group that I saw potential in.

That first season we won more games, scored more goals, allowed fewer goals than any team in school history. The situation immediately changed. The summer before the second season the AD introduced me to the new school president with a statement that I would have the girls soccer team playing in Columbus that fall. He meant the state championship game at Crew Stadium. Somehow we had gone from just experiencing our first ever winning season to expecting to play for the state championship in a matter of about 7 months? 

I had secretly been thinking we could make a serious run at a state title, but had never spoken of this to anyone. The talent was on hand to make such a run, but talent alone is not enough. Team chemistry was the terminology we used back in the day. Today it is often referred to as team bonding. The softball team I played on had it.  My colleague's recent soccer team had it.   The LCC group did not have it and the struggle to establish it would eventually decide how far the team would go.

I had always played second base as a kid. Usually batted second in the lineup.  As an 18 year old playing with men in their 20's and 30's on that softball team I found myself assigned to left field and batting 9th out of 10.  I did not care. I had made the first team, was starting and we were winning. I had the time of my life. My colleague had related similar stories of the girls on his team. Position changes, accepting roles, sacrificing self for team. 

The LCC group never achieved "team" status. Personal agendas took precedent over team goals. Talent carried them far but when adversity struck they did not have each other to rely upon. Trust had never taken root because personal agendas always trumped team mission. Truth be told there were two exceptional leaders at LCC. The problem was there were 3 negative leaders with overpowering personalities.  Parents of the negative leaders exacerbated the situation by insisting their children play a more significant role than they were capable of and holding the school financially hostage in order to get their way.  Finally the administration agreed a certain matter required disciplining specific athletes, but chose to ignore the transgression under threat of financial consequences to the school leading to the end of my time at LCC.

FWIW, I declined the request to be interviewed. I write of my experience at LCC now because I can relate it to my colleagues confusion over how he feels about his recently completed season. I felt a sense of relief in stepping away from LCC.  I will always wonder if they had ever become a team whether we could have won a state title. I believe the necessary talent was on hand, but talent alone is not enough. I walked away knowing I had done everything I could under my control to build a respected program and develop a team atmosphere. Without admistration support, I could not take that paticular group any further. I was, to me, strangely satisfied with what we had accomplished even while feeling we had left so much on the table from a talent perspective.

It's the same type of satisfied feeling I had after each softball season with the St. Matthew Lutheran Church team. The difference being the softball team achieved to its full talent potential because we were a team in every sense of the word. I think this is what my colleague has been feeling as well.  It is also what I am feeling with this spring's club soccer team.  A collection of U15-U17 boys playing U17 soccer.  The results have been good thus far, but the comradery has been exceptional. This is a group with many strong personalities some of which could certainly be negative if they chose to be, but everyone has bought in to the teams goals. Everyone.

These guys are true friends off the pitch as well as good teammates on the pitch. The truth of real friendship is a powerful force.  Call it team chemistry or bonding or whatever else you will. It is that elusive magic some collections of talent never find.  It is this magic that can bring out the best in individual talent as it pursues team objectives. I have been lucky to be a member of teams both as a player and a coach that have had "it".  This may well be why I can look back at a situation like LCC and not have regrets on a personal level.  I understand the decision to be a member of a team is made by each individual. We can work to include everyone but ultimately each member of a group must make their own decision. Sometimes people refuse to sacrifice personal agendas for team objectives and we cannot change their minds, but when it all comes together.... what a wonderous thing!

So far this spring I have been fortunate to be a part of a team loaded with talent and equally loaded with TEAM spirit.  I am thankful to have been so blessed. I know on talent alone these guys have a chance to achieve, but with the trust we have in one another we have a chance to really achieve. It's a great feeling to have. 

Is he coachable?

Invariably when a coach contacts me about a player the question of whether he is coachable arises in one form or another and usually very early in the discussion. Coaches want to know a player's capacity for listening to instruction, constructive criticism and suggestions. Will the player be receptive and will he use these focal points as points of emphasis to improve his game and advance to another level of play?  Is the player willing to learn or is he a know-it-all stuck in his ways?

There are lots of skilled athletes looking to play in college.  One of the determining factors in closing the deal between coach and athlete is the players willingness to learn. Is the athlete willing to accept feedback? Will he recognize the constructive criticism, instruction and suggestions are offered to make him a better player?  Athletes who fail to be receptive to coaching are the ones coaches tend to pass on.

On the club and high school level the same holds true. During tryouts coaches will often give "pointers' to the group and then watch carefully to see which players work to address these suggestions. I do this frequently with teams I coach. If there is a battle for a starting position or role on the team, which athlete do you think is more likely to win out?

How do you take constructive criticism, instruction and suggestions?

Do you react or do you respond?

Reacting typically involves competitive responses.  A coach will offer insight, instruction or suggestions and the athlete will be argumentative or dismissive either in word or deed. There is a disconnect between coach and athlete. Coaches dealing with this type of athlete will often invoke the word "trust" or lack thereof in association with this type of athlete. A lack of "buy in" will be cited. Coaches choose not to waste their time with this type of athlete.

Responding typically involves reflective, open minded thinking on the part of the athlete. There is a willingness to step out of established comfort zones with an acknowledged prospect of broadening their game. There exists an eagerness to learn as opposed to a stubborness to new ideas. Responding often involves question and answer discourse between coach and player that serves to build a relationship whose foundation is trust.  When a coach knows the athlete buys into the program he is more apt to be willing to invest as much time as necessary to help the athlete develop.

Coaches, the good ones anyways, are hyper-sensitive to "coach-ability".  The best coaches are  themselves coachable. These are the men and women that are students of the game. They are always in search of more knowledge.... and by extension they expect the athletes they coach to be receptive and eager learners as well. Technical and tactical knowledge are musts but the ability to build reltionships that foster receptiveness to learning from constructive criticism, instruction and suggestions is also a focal point of a coaches continuing education.  In the end though a coach wants to see the same level of committment to the relationship from the player as he himself puts into the relationship. If a player is not receptive and responsive, coaches typical dismisss them and find others who are. It comes down to decision-making on the athletes part. It's an athlete's choice to be coachable.

There is no secret about successful teams:

They understand the importance of role acceptance;

They play hard;

They play for each other.

 

 

Proper

 

 

 

Practice

 

 

Prevents

 

 

Poor

 

 

Performance

The Process Continues

After a couple of snow storms the team was finally able to take to the pitch for our first league match. I have to admit that this match held a certain amount of trepidation for me. I was not sure what to expect from our team let alone the opponents. The grass hasn't really begun to turn green yet and lawnmowers are still in storage here in Ohio. I wasn't even entirely sure the field would be lined when we arrived. Sometimes you just have to have faith and trust eveything will come together.

When, after an hour drive, we arrived at the pitch it was lined and the goals had nets! The pitch itself was far from ideal. Clumps of crabgrass had sprung up but the good grass was still dormant resulting in a very clumpy surface - a goal keepers nightmare for sure. Tempertures were in the low 40's with a brisk 15+ mph blowing out of the west. The field ran west to east.

As I mentioned in a previous writing, after the college showcase event I re-evaluated team formation and system of play. It was apparent I was asking too much of some players. My fault, not theirs. I assumed a certain level of soccer IQ or game intelligence was present as these kids have been playing for 10-12 years.  Believe it or not, some have specialized in a single position for the vast majority of their playing time and therefore lack a rounded or overall knowledge of the game. Even in regards to "their position" there is only a rudimentary understanding of the nunances of the poition they play.  Again, this is not the players fault, but more an indictment of the youth / development system they have come through.

The changes we made were to move to a 4-4-2 zonal system.  Many people feel the 4-3-3 is the easiest formation to learn the game in, but I disagree.  The 4-4-2 played with a flat back and flat midfield is the easiest formation / system to teach as there exists a certain amount of overlap in positional responsibilities.  Four channels of play with a defense based on pressure, cover and balance utilizing the channels for positioning. It is more static than I prefer, but also returns many of the players to a comfort level that will allow for the cross training necessary before we can consider moving back to the 4-3-3 formation.

Training to implement the changes was hampered by the aforementioned snow storms.  We did virtually no pattern play and a minimum of shadow play in the few training sessions leading up to this match. the focus was instead on breaking down old habits and establishing new habits centered on individual and collective patterns of play.  Many of the players receive the ball and then attempt to figure out what to do with it - one decision soccer.  Playing in this manner is terribly slow soccer that self-inflicts pressure.  Our focus has been on knowing the play you will make before your first touch on the ball.  Preparing to play before the ball is received allows for the first touch on the ball to be in the direction of your next play. This speeds up the pace of play.

There is much more to it than just having an advanced vision of the play you will make. For instance, movement without the ball is critical. It is player movement without the ball that predicates the movement. of the ball.  The majority, probably 85 % of our preperation for this match was focused on preparing to play / movements without the ball with the midfield being the focus of attention.  This was done with purposeful intent as midfield play was our weakest link at the showcase event a few weeks back. 

The match went well with our side earning a 6-2 decision. Overall, I feel very comfortable with our starters. Attacking play through the midfield showed dramatic improvement. I could see multiple decision soccer and forethought of play taking place to a far greater degree. The backs and midfielders linked well together. The forwards were still one dimensional and our focus in training will shift to their play this week.  Defensively the starting midfielders played very well individually, as a unit and in linking with the backs.  Our substitutes played well in attack, but allowed the opponents too many counter attack opportunities. We really lost control of the midfield when the starters were out. This will have to remain a focus of our training going forward.

The important thing to remember is to treat the season's journey as a process. We started down a path in Februrary. March saw us decide to alter our course. April has shown positive intitial results but there is a long ways to go yet. We cannot become bored with the details of the process. It is the small details that ultimately determine the success of our journey.

The Starting Point for a New Development Model?

For those of you in the United States, have you ever seen a soccer scout?

Think about it for a minute.

Baseball scouts taking in a high school game?  Yes.

College football coaches coming to your local high school? Yes.

Basketball coaches coming to your school or watching AAU games? Yes.

A recent article about Boston Celtics assistant GM  Ryan McDonough details his contributions to their scouting department. Of note is his tracking 750 - 1000 professional, college and high school plaers at a time. The articles provides an example of a recent scouting trip where he takes in 4 games in 4 different cities in 4 days. Such are the lengths the Celtics go to in search of players.

In almost 15 years, I have seen exactly one college soccer coach at a high school match evaluating talent. This despite some excellent high school programs producing student ahletes who go on to play in college. I have never seen a "professiona" scout at a high school soccer match.  In nearly 20 years I have never seen a college or professional soccer coach evaluating talent at a club team league game. College coaches can be seen at a handful of major tournaments and at the popular showcase events where they invariably track the players on "elite" club teams.

For the most part, soccer clubs expect you to come to them. There is "poaching" of players from other clubs with each new tryout season, but even those players are usually identified by a team having played against them the prior year. I actively scouted nearly 100 players last fall for a spring roster of 18-20. I felt compelled to if I wanted to assemble a quality team.  I've been wondering for months why clubs, colleges and US Soccer does not scour the ranks of youth soccer to identify young players?

Let's pick on ODP for a minute.  If you coach or play club soccer ODP officials will use your contact information for a mass emailing announcing the ODP tryout and training schedules.  I do not know of anyone who has ever received a personal invitation to the initial process. They expect you to come to them. I have taken part in this process and it is ridiculous. Anyone from the lowest level of recreational play to eventual state or even national team players show up in droves. 

If we want to change the development model I feel strongly the place to start is with a scouting department in each "state."  We need scouts on the local level indentifying taent and reporting to a state level scout who comes out to the local pitches and scouts individuals more in depth. That state levl scouting director should be tracking a thousand student athletes each year in order to identify players with the potential to play on state and national teams. No stone should remain unturned in pursuit of talented players.

It's simply time for the tail (clubs) to stop wagging the dog.  Instead of parents paying for their children to play club soccer, clubs should be scouting / identifying players and then funding their development.  This is how it is done in baseball (college and minor leagues), in basketball  (college, D-League, overseas) and football (college). Youthful players are scouted, recruited and provided an education, room and board or are paid while they develop their game.  In soccer we expect people to pay to be developed. That's not working out real well for us, is it?