Pace of Play

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

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

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

In order to play faster we must emphasize the following:

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

Prepare to Play the Ball

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

Shared Responsibility 

Pass the Ball to the Proper Foot.

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

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

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

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

Receive the Ball with the Proper Foot

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

Communication

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

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

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

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

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

Gimme Three Steps ...

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

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

* Passer

* Potential receiver or passing option

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

*  MOVE!

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

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

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

Ask Questions of Yourself.

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

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

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

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

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

Attitude. Work Ethic. Productivity

I've been pondering what makes one team more efficient and effective than another team. By no means is this a scientific undertaking, It is very much my musings on observations I have made about teams I have been a part of in one capacity or another.

Mission. Goals. Standards.

Teams with a clearly defined mission tend to be successful. The mission statement defines who we are and what we are about. Separate from a mission statement are a team's goals. These can and should range from short term goals to long range goals. The goals can be viewed as stepping stones toward fulfilling the mission. Standards are how we are going to go about achieving our goals. What behaviors are acceptable and which are unacceptable.

Communication and Respect.

Among the standards successful teams share are effective communication and respect.  All opinions are welcomed and valued. Beginning in the 1980's a cottage industry came to the fore that focuses on team bonding activities. Both the corporate world and the sports world has taken advantage of such activities to promote effective communication, conflict resolution, the organizational structure and decision making process. The underlying premise is every team member is acknowledged and valued for the contributions they make towards the team's goals and fulfilling the team's mission,

Cooperation and Teamwork

Together Everyone Achieves More. Effective teams have a spirit of cooperation and collaboration. All voices are heard in the decision making process. Team members who trust the decision-making process tend to cooperate even the when a decision is not entirely to their liking. When teamwork extends beyond the field and into every facet of the team buy-in to team philosophy, mission and goals comes much easier.

Appearance and Character

A former coach of mine was fond of saying, "If you want to be a champion, you need to look the part." At first I thought this meant we had to tuck in our shirts and pull up our socks.  I came to realize the dress code was only a very small part of it. How our team was perceived and how the team perceived itself was the lesson being imparted to us. Team rules and standards of conduct.  Conduct detrimental to the team mission, goals and standards cannot be tolerated. In short, the personal decision making process begins with, if your behavior or conduct would reflect negatively on the team, don't do it.

Attendance

My high school coaching mentor addressed attendance in one brief sentence, Attendance is mandatory and will be punctual. One unexcused absence or tardiness resulted in suspension. A repeat offence resulted in dismissal from the team. This might sound strict, but Coach understood that disruptions to the team caused by unexcused absences and tardiness reduced productivity. Unexcused absences affect and impact the entire team in a negative sense. Being recognized as a dependable teammate is a prerequisite to earning trust. Dealing consistently with misconduct in a manner positive to the team's mission, goals and standards directly impacts trust, respect and productivity.

Organization

In many ways it is how a team structure is organized that determines its Attitude, Work Ethic and Productivity. If the organization is sub par, then productivity will likely be less efficient than it should be. Ownership is a shared responsibility.  If the team is set up as a dictatorship with the coach in the lead role it will be difficult for team members to fully buy-in to his process because they will not view it as their process.  It's difficult to fully enjoy an experience when it's not yours to enjoy. Ownership or lack thereof also impacts ones motivation.  If you feel ownership of the team, you are much more likely to be self-motivated as team performance will reflect directly on you as a member of that team.

To end I will tell the story of Alex.  I was coaching a club team comprised of the very best players in the area. I hand selected this team not only on talent, but on attitude, character and maturity.  Still, early on the team was not performing at peak level. Then we faced a disciplinary issue involving a member of the team. We discussed the situation with the team captains. When an agreement was reached as to what the discipline would be our lead captain, Alex, took charge.  The captains, led by Alex, met with the individual. They described the conduct detrimental to the team and informed the offender of his discipline.  I thought we might lose the player, but we did not. He was not happy, but it came to be a turning point for both the player and the team as a whole. The team rose to new heights and went on to a tremendously successful season. The player who had committed the violation of team conduct became a very productive team member who contributed significantly to our success.

The team captains took responsibility and addressed the situation and individual on their own, but with full support of the coaching staff.  I spoke with the individual in question after the captains had addressed him, but this was only necessary so that he understood I supported the captains decision. I had their backs on this.

If we had not upheld the teams mission and standards at that point in time our season might well have been lost. Thankfully we had an organizational structure in place that allowed us to address the issue with positivity and within the framework of expectations and the standards of how we wanted our team to be viewed and remembered.

Soccer is a read and react game.

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

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

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

Soccer is a read and react game,

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

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

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

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

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

Mental Toughness

Teach them to work... intelligently.

Teach them to compete.

Teach them to win.

Sometimes that last step is the most difficult to achieve. No two situations are alike and there are so many different factors in play in the process. If I were to lump many of these factors together I would call the collective mental toughness. Factors that might be included in this group include the following:

Attitude: The quality of decisions we make directly reflects the quality of our play. In the case of attitude each player has a choice to make between having a positive attitude or a negative attitude. Whatever decision an athlete makes will directly impact his teammates as well.  Both positivity and negativity are contagious.

Concentration: Teams that can bring focus to bear on relevant game related factors have a much improved chance of performing well.  The details of the process are factors we can control because they involve decisions we must make.  These range from executing with proper technique to knowing, accepting and adhering to individual roles on the team. In short, taking care of our individual business so we may be trusted by our teammates.  Are we responsible in our technique, tactics, physical fitness and mental approach to both preparation for and playing of the game?

Preparation: I strongly recommend athletes develop a daily in-season routine with a focus on proper nutrition, proper sleep, proper physical preparation, proper mental preparation to play. Failing to prepare properly is preparing to fail. This is a basic truth, but one many athletes do not give full due consideration to.  Goal setting is also a part of preparation. This means constant monitoring of goals, possibly adjusting goals in-season. And constant discussion of the process to achieve our goals is necessary.

Resiliency:  The best teams I have been a part of have been resilient.  As I have considered this trait it occurred to me that in club soccer while at tournaments I was often times unsure of our opponents playing level. I would research teams on the Internet or by word of mouth through coaching colleagues.  I tell the cub teams we might be in over our heads even while encouraging them to play every minute of the game to the best of their ability and we'll see where we are at the final whistle.  In taking this approach I have allowed the team to think of the possibility they will encounter adversity but also that we will continue playing through it.  Visualization.  Encounter adversity and plan for it. What will be our response?  Develop a clear and strong concept of what we can control and focus on these areas while blocking out all things beyond our control.

Belief: It all comes down to believing in your abilities as well as those of teammates. Being trustworthy and being able to trust your teammates is the backbone of believing, Maintaining your role and positional responsibilities is essential in the face of adversity,  Resisting the temptation to play outside your abilities, role and responsibilities is being resilient, Panicking and attempting to do more than you are capable of is the enemy of resiliency , Being accountable to yourself, your role, your positional responsibilities and your team is key to earning trust.  Trusting each teammate to perform their responsibilities and helping them to put things right in the face of adversity instead of attempting to play hero ball by stepping outside of your own abilities and role is key. Instilling confidence and belief in one another is much preferred over trying to do someone else's job at the expense of your own responsibilities.

I believe each of these factors have a common trait - decision making.  When we make good decisions about factors within our control, good things will happen including learning to win through being resilient and overcoming adversity.

Our Soccer Sons

When I coach a team the players and their families become extended family. We refer to the players as our soccer sons. We break bread with them, celebrate birthdays, graduations and weddings with them. And we comfort them when a loved one dies.

This week a former Grand Lake United and current Shawnee high school player took his own life. Jonathon Andrews was a wonderful young man. Raised to be a gentleman by loving parents. A good student, a great athlete and an even better person. He was a loving individual and greatly loved.

It is a tragedy that Jonathon fell victim to suicide.

I am a better man for having known Jonathon. The days the Lord provided to share with Jonathon were a blessing whose proportions are only now becoming fully understood. What a joy to have known this young man,

The loss of this young man weighs heavily on me. I waited in line with members of both our Grand Lake United and Lima Senior high school teams for well over an hour to make our way to Jonathon's parents, Scot and Julie.  Scot and I cried as we hugged one another. We spoke of simpler times and fond memories. Much like Jonathon's life this time together ended much too soon.

I will miss the funeral tomorrow morning as our Lima Senior team will be playing crosstown rival Elida. The Bulldog's were also at the viewing this afternoon. We stood together to offer our sympathy to Jonathon's family this afternoon. We will stand together on the pitch as friendly rivals tomorrow as Jonathon is being laid to rest,  I think Jonathon would understand.

Rest in Peace Jonathon Andrews

November 4, 1997 - September 20, 2015

Mail Bag

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Why does this athlete do this?

Because he believes he can get away with it.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

_________________________________________________________________________________

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

Team Chemistry

I've not been writing as much as I am actively involved as an assistant coach / GK coach with a high school team. It's difficult to write in-season and not use the team I am coaching as material for the articles so I have refrained from writing at all. I'm breaking away from that line of thinking today because I believe there is something happening worth sharing with you. It involves team chemistry.

To be honest, our team chemistry is average at best which is to say we have good days and some not so good days. I've been doing a lot of thinking of ways to improve the team's chemistry and I'm not talking about the ever popular team bonding activities although those certainly have value. If you are a regular follower of this blog you will appreciate that my mind often takes the path less traveled and perhaps that is the case in this situation as well.

Not to say that our team has a problem, but I believe it important to properly identify any situation before attempting to address the situation.  What factors are involved and at play influencing the situation? This is what I have come up with for team chemistry in our situation.

People
As individual members we are drawn together as a group by a common interest. In this case that common interest is soccer.  We are a diverse group in more than a few ways. This diversity brings a complexity dynamic to the group that I believe is a key to our team chemistry. As we witness in the world about us, diversity can tear us apart or make us incredibly strong.  I am not sure we as a team have fully determined which it will be for us at this point in time. Diverse team members will have diverse points of views based on their experiences, knowledge and skill levels. The respect afforded to each diverse opinion might actually be more important than the opinion itself which brings us to,

Interactions
How members of a group interact with one another directly impacts the efficiency and effectiveness of a groups performance. In a basic sense each player must have and accept a defined role. In a broader sense each player must embrace his role within the standards set by the team. There must also be appropriate enforcement of the standards set for the team.

The most prominent or noticeable role on a team is that of leadership.  When there is no formal leadership structure in a group setting different people will step in to fill the role of leadership at different times, If the group is blessed with a multitude of quality leaders this might be a good thing - I have been part of teams who operated under a leadership council rather than captains. It has been my experience teams operate best when there is a single unified direction for the team orchestrated by a single voice or perhaps two voices in harmony with one another.

Effective teams are not led by dictators.  Each individual of a team is equally important as any other individual. Therefore secondary leadership roles are important to acknowledge, foster and grow. In a high school setting, those filling secondary leadership roles are often next years leaders in waiting. It is important these secondary leaders accept their role as subordinate to the present team leaders,

A struggle for leadership of the team can be necessary at times, but be assured a team will not perform to its full potential during a time of struggle for leadership. There might be flashes or glimpses of what the team is capable of, but when the leadership voice is not unified peak performance will be difficult to sustain.

In a battle for leadership it is often an individual who feels slighted over not being a named leader who attempts to force his way into a leadership role by taking on responsibilities of leadership thereby intentionally intruding on the accepted and expected role of designated leadership. This is where established standards and accepted norms for the team must guide the process.

Standards are the written rules that every team member is expected to conform to while norms are the often unwritten or informal rules all team members are expected to conform to. The norms are a teams culture and whether the norms are functional or dysfunctional a team tends to sanction those who violate the norms. A sign of growth would be when a team member or members take a stand against a dysfunctional team norm and gets the team to change it, Such a person would be viewed as a team catalyst.

Catalysts
A team catalyst is usually someone in a leadership role on the team. It does not have to be a designated leader as a secondary leader can aptly fill this role as well, but it  is probably best if it is a leader - the teams coach or team captain. Leaders provide direction, structure activities, provide and share information, promote positive relationships, support and encouragement,

Motivation or Energy
Every team has an energy all its own.  It is defined by how the individual energy of its members interacts with that of other team members. When individuals are motivated by team goals energy tends to be very positive. When individual agendas permeate a team its energy is usually very negative.

I do believe there is a general misconception that good team chemistry is devoid of conflict. This goes back to our diversity as a team. We will have many different perspectives on any given situation and an honest open exchange of ideas and opinions should be encouraged. The difference between a healthy team chemistry and a toxic team chemistry is found in the level of acceptance to what is ultimately agreed upon by the team as a whole.

It might be individuals believe they should be designated leaders on a team, captains, but were passed over for others. How those individuals deal with this disappointment can be critical to identifying team chemistry.  If they actively seek to continue campaigning for a leadership role or attempt to sabotage the recognized leadership negative energy will be rampant on a divided team.

Negative energy clouds the vision of what a team aspires to be.

Therefore a primary responsibility of leadership is to promote positive energy. Goals to motivate both the individual team members and the collective team are necessary to focus our energy in a single direction much like a laser beam.  Goals are often specific and measurable, but a vision... a vision is a collective goal of what a team can aspire to be.  A vision is what a team draws its inspiration and passion from as a collective group. A vision can be what makes a team an attraction,

Attraction or Cohesiveness
Growth in team numbers occurs when the team is an attractive destination. Before this takes place team members must be appreciative of being a member of the team and feel an attraction and devotion to the team. This cohesiveness fosters and facilitates a spirit of collaboration, mutual support and an infectious spontaneity of positive energy while also reducing counter productive conflict rooted in personal agendas.

Adversity
Collectively overcoming adversity is the surest way to develop cohesiveness. Trust is the single most important ingredient to collectively overcoming adversity.  It is easy to trust one another in an atmosphere of positivity but can a team sustain its trust in one another when adversity is encountered?  Will blame be cast or excuses made when things go against us? Or will we look into each others eyes to find a determination, respect and truthful trust that we draw collective strength from?

Honesty and Trust
Trust is the glue of life, the most essential ingredient in effective communication. Trust is the foundational principal that holds all relationships together. And relationships is what team chemistry is all about.  Without honesty their can be no trust and the resulting poor relationship will negatively impact the quality of performance ... and life.  Differing opinions and even constructive conflict are healthy parts of honest and productive relationships. It's only when individual agendas refuse to yield to the collective good that things turn negative and destructive.

Simplicity
Like so many things in life team chemistry is a very simple thing.  When the focus is on WE rather than ME good team chemistry exists.  When ME is the individuals primary motivation conflict exists with WE and team chemistry suffers.  It really is that simple,

In conclusion it seems to me our diversity is not the strength it might be. The commonality we share is soccer in a general sense.  It appears to me we must find a way to share soccer in a deeper way.  I sometimes refer to a difference between playing at soccer and actually playing soccer. That could also describe our current team chemistry situation.  We say a lot of the right things when in the collective but are not completely honest with one another. There is a reluctance to call someone out when they deviate from team standards or expected norms. Consequentially individualism is allowed to flourish over an attitude and atmosphere of the team.

I am not being negative in this assessment.

I am being honest.

In simple terms, we need more people putting WE ahead of ME,

Playing Soccer is very Simple

Playing soccer is very simple, 
but playing simple soccer is the hardest thing there is.

Johan Cruyff

Johan Cruyff is one of my favorite soccer people of all-time.  Today's youth players may well know "the Cruyff" but not many will know anything about him as a player or even as a manager.  And that is a shame for the man was a brilliant soccer player and possesses one of the truly brilliant minds ever in the game.

The quote at the top of this article has long been a favorite of mine. Soccer truly is a simple game complicated by ...  And this is something I have pondered for countless hours over the years.  How do we manage to so complicate such a simple game? Maybe more importantly, why do we insist on complicating such a simple game?

I have spent the last few years defining a vision for playing soccer in its simplest form.  To be honest, I have borrowed and stolen from others as I have formulated these ideas based around certain truths of the game.

For example, we know there are four phases of play:

1) attacking

2) transitioning from attacking to defending

3) defending

4) transitioning from defending to attacking

Each of these four phases of play must be acted upon in as simple a manner as possible.  The actions required to act within each phase of play are the techniques we will employ. The decisions of how to employ these techniques are our tactics. Technique and Tactics can be influenced through physical and psychological aspects of play.  There, we just defined the four pillars of play in soccer: Technical, Tactical, Physical and Psychological.

The game itself has four elements necessary for simple play. These are Penetration, Depth, Width and Mobility.  When any of these are not present or exist in unnecessary duplication clutter and chaos exist. Or we might say we have complicated the game.

Within each of these concepts for the game of soccer are opportunities to complicate the processes involved. And boy do we take full advantage of those opportunities!  

Attacking play is all about establishing rhythm.  

Allow that to sink in for a minute.

Utilization of proper technique helps to establish attacking rhythm.  

Toes up / heel down / strike with the ankle bone is a mantra soccer coaches repeat ad nauseam and one that many likely cry out in their sleep in-season. Why?  Because when improper technique unnecessarily self-inflicts pressure and breaks the teams attacking rhythm possession is commonly lost. 

A defender dives in or stabs instead of adhering to channel first, close down second, use of a bounce step and the cues for when to attempt a tackle unnecessarily complicating the process by self-inflicting pressure.  Why?

The truly good teams have common characteristics beginning with why they have come together to play the game.  The "why" in the case of good teams manifests in a desire and willingness to play for one another.  It is important to the members of such teams not to let teammates down through inattention to details of the process - things like having their toes up / heels down and striking through the ball with their ankle bone or not diving in on defense.  The good teammates hold themselves and their teammates accountable allowing for the collective team to develop, establish and maintain a simplicity to their play that weaker teams cannot begin to ascend to due to self-inflicted pressure.  

Trust in communication

My twitter profile includes the following quote:  

Trust is the glue of life, 

the most essential ingredient 

in effective communication. 

Trust is the foundational principle 

that holds all relationships together.

Have you ever participated in the ice breaker activity where the leader whispers something to the first person in line followed by that message being conveyed to everyone else by whisper one at a time?  The last person then speaks the message out loud followed by the leader sharing what the actual message was. Yes, the message invariably changes from the first person to the last.  The changes may (or may not) be significant in nature, but changes will almost certainly occur.

I was witness to such a phenomenon recently where I as the leader conveyed a message that was then changed significantly in the retelling of it. When in the retelling a message is changed it might occur quite honestly and simply. The message might be changed to embellish the actual truth - The movie Sergeant York contains a great example of this. And sometimes the message might be changed intentionally either in an attempt to protect one's self or bring harm to another.

All of these examples occur in team sports. The movie Remember the Titans contains an example of intentionally misconveyed information that sees "Rev" become injured. In baseball we see "missed"signs.  In soccer it might be something as simple as instruction over which way to force an attacker that brings confusion to the defense and results in a goal allowed.These are some of the reasons we teach players to be concise and precise in their communications. Short and sweet. Simple, on point and directly to the point.

Arrow
Stick
Force right
Force left
Line
Square
Drop
Diagonal
Channel
Close down
Contain
Feet
Space
In-swinging
Out-swinging
Step

All examples of concise and precise communication that is difficult to misconstrue or misunderstand. And because it is difficult to misunderstand the information being shared the requisite trust to make it effective is inherently present.  Like any other facet of the game, communication must be practiced and trained for. Be diligent in this pursuit to bring out the best in your team.

 

Change the Channel

 

Cross the Lines

Intelligent Effort

I've watched a lot of soccer this month. I always marvel at how hard high school athletes compete.  Rare are the occasions when I witness a lack of effort from individual players or a team. That said, I don't always see intelligent effort and that is often the difference between winning and losing a match.

I recently caught up with a couple of our camp teams each of which demonstrated they were in different places of the process.  The first team came out and played a very solid opening 10 minutes of intelligent team soccer. As the opponents began to settle into their own game our camp team began to unravel. It wasn't long before intelligent team effort gave way to strong individual effort or what we call "hero ball."  The result was predictable and it did not end well for our camp team.

A second camp team entered a match in which they were likely considered underdogs if only because they lacked the same quality depth as their opponents.  This camp team came out and gave great intelligent effort for 80 minutes against a quality side and came away with a good result. They did not dominate the match but they held their own in a battle of styles and wills.

The difference between the two camp teams at this stage of the respective processes? 

I've been giving that a lot of thought these past few days. One obvious factor is the 2nd team referenced has been camping with us for a number of years whereas this was the first year we have camped with the first team referenced. I don't think that fully explains the differences though. Both teams started out well but while one team continued their strong intelligent play the other faltered mightily. I suspect the difference is trust.

Trust in the process. Some will call this buy-in. And buy-in itself can be a process. There has to be a taste of success to whet the appetite. Once the hunger is there the process can thrive and confidence grows.

Trust in each other.  The second team played with a spirit of camaraderie that carried them through the rough patches in the match. They bent but never broke. They were resilient in the face of adversity. The first team panicked in the face of adversity. They were good until the opponents counter-punched at which time they retreated from intelligent team effort to a previous comfort zone of great individual effort. They did not trust the process nor did they trust one another as teammates. They went from possessing the ball to whacking the ball and the rout was on.

I really believe in both of these teams. The talent is present on both squads to have very good seasons. Each team is at its own point in similar processes.  Where each goes from here will be extremely interesting to observe. I am expecting good, possibly great things from the second team.  If they build upon their recent performance good things will follow.

In regards to the first team, I believe good is an obtainable goal this season if, and only if, they can build upon and sustain the level of intelligent play I witnessed them give in those first 10 minutes of of a recent match. It's a start. Can they build 10 minutes into 15 minutes and progress from there?

Next week I am off to check on another of our camp teams.  This particular team just completed their third year of summer camp with us. I was amazed by the improvement witnessed last month and early results are indicating something good may be happening with them.  Where once technique was a weakness they have developed a strong understanding not only of how to execute skills but are now able to apply these skills in a cohesive intelligent manner. They are not a finished product, but from what they demonstrated in camp I am excited for them.

When WE replaces ME.

I recently purchased an e-book titled When "WE" replaces "Me" by Denise Schilte-Brown. I'm not entirely sure why I did and admittedly fretted over having the luxury of spending $10 necessary to do so given our current work status.  I suppose it was the title that captured my attention. This is a short book of 120 pages written in novel form. I cannot say it is especially well written yet it delivers its message in a powerful and meaningful way. It is the best $10.00 I have spent in a very long time.

Throughout reading this wonderful book I was reminded of my son Lance's spring soccer team.  We achieved extraordinarily on the pitch and I think everyone would be in agreement it was in no small part to our team culture we carried with us on and off the field.  Many of the concepts and ideas addressed in When "WE" replaces "Me" we had amazingly stumbled upon. From shaking one another's hands in greeting and departure to caring enough for one another to help each other out on on the training pitch and in life.  WE definitely replaced ME over the course of those 3 extraordinary years and especially culminating in that last year together.  The comparisons and similarities drawn to our own team is not why I am in love with this book though,

It is the message delivered by a women's soccer coach to a men's football coach and his team that makes this book worth the investment. It is a message pertinent to athletics and even more so to life, There are four simple yet effective principles put into play:

1) Positive Self-talk
2) Make Time for Fun
3) A Servant's Heart
4) Breathe and Be Here

I like very much that I have come to incorporate some of the ideas presented in When "WE" replaces "Me" into my coaching philosophy and life. I am in awe over what I have learned in the two short days it took to read this book.  I am motivated with enthusiasm previously unknown to explore more thoroughly the concepts, ideas and philosophies that have obviously touched me deeply.  I highly recommend purchasing a copy and giving When "WE" replaces "Me" a read. You will not regret it.

We are Family! Maybe not so much.

We are Family was the Sister Sledge disco hit the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates adopted as their theme song on the way to a World Series title. Since then referring to a team as a family has been the popular thing to do, I'm sure the ideal is The Walton's, or the Cunningham family from Happy Days. If only all families could be like those TV families.  Stark reality tells us it just isn't so.

For example, I have an older brother who abused and perhaps still abuses drugs. He's mean surly and genuinely not a nice person to be around. I love him, but do I want him on my team?  No way!  He's family but he's not getting anywhere near my team.

When we hear the term "family" most of us will think of the fictional families portrayed on television. The warm fuzzy people who love and are loved unconditionally.  The championship teams, the championship cultures I have been a part of are not unconditional.  In fact, the championship teams I have been a part of have been highly conditional cultures.

Every team practices technique, tactics, physical conditioning and to some degree in one fashion or another psychology.  This last term, psychology seems to be a catch-all phrase for many. A big part of it to me is the culture of the team. Culture must be practiced and adhered to just as technical and tactical principles of the game must be practiced and adhered to.

It is important to build a strong team culture and just as important to protect the team culture. Just as we fight battles between good and evil in every aspect of our life on a daily basis, we must fight for and protect our team culture on a daily basis,

Winning is important. Success even more so. We must measure ourselves individually and collectively by our performance. Did we improve today? Am I a better player as I step off the pitch than when I stepped onto the pitch a couple of hours ago?  Did we improve as a team?

Accountability.

Accountability to the process must be a primary focus.  The great players hold themselves accountable to improving on a daily basis. They continuously hone their skill sets - technical, tactical, physical and psychological.  The members of special teams hold one another accountable.

Blame is unacceptable. Instead the great players and great teams look for the origin of the "problem" and then put their problem solving skills to work to make that problem go away.

There is no complaining. Instead ways to improve the situation are actively sought, researched and implemented.

There is no procrastination. There exists an urgency to get things done and get it done correctly as soon as possible

A spirit of determination exists that enables individuals and the team to give more than they are asked to give to the cause.

In conditional cultures the individuals seek as much responsibility as they can handle.  Eleven Captains on the field each leading in his own way. And yet they are smart enough and confident enough to share the load with teammates.

Continuous Improvement is a way of life. In the conditional culture there is a constant striving to improve both the individual and the team.

Trust is the glue of conditional cultures. It is the most essential ingredient in effective communication. Trust is the foundational principle that holds all relationships together. Relationships are what define culture and bind individuals together therefore honesty is the cornerstone relationships are built on.

In someways, and most regretfully so, a strong team culture can transcend a family culture. The truly great teams have this type of culture.  ... so too does a truly great family.

AGOGE!

The training all young boys underwent in ancient Sparta was called agoge. It was all-inclusive and took place 24/7/365.  Young boys growing to be Spartan warriors were dedicated to this training to such an extent only the strong survived. The Spartan was one of the best warriors in the ancient world as depicted in the movie 300 where a small band held off thousands for days.

The school I am now coaching at has a Spartan for their mascot. Recently an athlete asked of me, "What do you think I need to do to become a better player just from what we have done the past two weeks?"

First of all, asking this question is a great start. My actual response to him follows.

I believe you must discover the WILL to prepare properly. Agoge was 24/7/365. Failing to prepare properly is preparing to fail. Once the mindset is correct, improvement will come at a more rapid pace. Until then explanations and excuses will continue to rule. The ability to be coached, to be receptive to coaching is improved when the body, mind and spirit are well rested and eager for the opportunity. Most everyone is enthusiastic for game day, but the truly great ones bring the same enthusiasm to training / preparation.  (Last night) you stated you began preparing for today's match "now", but the correct answer should have been "the moment last season ended." What will the bus ride be like today? Will you / we be focused on playing or will there be a lot of messing around and talking about anything other than the game? AGOGE was complete training - physical, technical, tactical, psychological / mental and spiritual.  The bus ride will conclude approximately one hour before match time. Is one hour sufficient to prepare for a match?  Buy a composition notebook at the Dollar Store and begin keeping notes on your preparation -what you drink and eat and when you do so. When you rest and for how long. Detail every practice - mistakes and successes, what you learned. LISTEN to the game, your teammates, opponents, referees, our athletic trainer, your coaches - they all provide information / feedback. Note the information shared. Write it down. Become a student of the game. The moment you move on from playing AT soccer and begin to learn to truly play soccer is when you will really begin seeing improvement,  You have the tools to build a stronger game. We have been and will continue to supply them to you and your team. But the decision to care for the tools and actually use them is YOURS alone to make. No one else can make that decision for you. Anyone can fill their tool belt with shiny new tools, but the carpenter I want is the one whose tools show wear and tear from having been used.  Bet you were expecting a litany of technical and tactical work? That's not what is missing from your game.  See you this afternoon.  AGOGE!

The response received back from the athlete was, "Yes, I was actually like in practice you always say back foot to me. I was expecting that but thank you. I will copy and paste these into a big paragraph and read it every day."

Will this athlete follow through?  I have no idea. More importantly I know I have no control over whether he does or does not.  I do care, but as life teaches us sometimes caring is not enough.  The decision rests solely with this athlete himself.  I am encouraged by the fact he sought help of his own accord. That's a positive first step. He's talking the talk, but will he be dedicated to walking the walk?

Never say never.

It is no secret that after having coached the Lima Central Catholic girls team I proclaimed I would never coach girls again,  Time passed has allowed me to gain better perspective and realize that one bad experience with a challenging group of players (and parents) should not be an indicator that all experiences coaching girls would be the same  These last two weeks of camp have been extraordinary and both involved coaching girls teams. 

Last week I worked with the Coldwater girls team whom I found to be sincerely polite, eager to learn and hard working. They were attentive and readily tried and bought into the ideas we presented. The improvement they made over 5 days of camp was noticeable to myself, the coaches and players alike. It is a good thing to see confidence blossom and grow throughout camp and manifest itself in their play during the Elida pre-season tournament this past weekend

This week I have been at Liberty Center. This is my third year in a row working with the Lady Tigers and the improvement has been startling over that time frame, but especially so this week.  The improvement is evident in technical and tactical ability, physical fitness and soccer IQ.  The girls have been a delight to work with and the team chemistry is at its best since I have been associated with the team.  I was granted permission to coach this team in camp as if they were my own team I was preparing for the season.  It has been a blast! I have thoroughly enjoyed myself.  Good players and better people. Great experience.

So it is that I have once again learned not to deal in absolutes.  The LCC experience, as I have come to refer to it, was not without its rewards or satisfying moments despite the difficulties and stress.  I found it easy to focus on the negatives of that situation allowing these to overshadow all the good that came from the experience.  These last two weeks have "restored my faith" in those that play women's soccer.  Two young and improving programs whose current teams hold the potential for record breaking seasons ... all due to the incredible young women who comprise their rosters. 

Thank you Lady Cavaliers and Lady Tigers!  You have been a blessing to me.  I sincerely hope you have benefitted from our camps and I wish you the very best in your 2015 seasons!