Context Over Content
Look I’m not trying to turn my pockets inside out and claim that players don’t need extra training. I’m challenged by the demand over the last decade of individualized training and I think lockdown accelerated what has become a staple of any player who would argue they are being told this is the way to succeed in the game. Given all the social media exposure to online training. I’m seeing coaches and players that create a perceptive mindset in how development should be. It's about likes and followers and who’s sharing and tagging who in today's world. Let's be honest no one is reinventing the wheel when it comes to player development over the last 10 years. Would Dennis Bergkamp be better in today's structured world than in a world of playing unstructured games and banging a ball 10s of thousands of times against a wall, I doubt it. Would Lionel Messi be a better dribbler if he had spent all that time dribbling through cones and not developing on the playgrounds having to move and protect a ball playing against older bigger players who would kick him into submission? Again, I doubt it. Greatness is within and the desires and personality of a player will always outweigh let's say training with no plan or real context that just looks good to the 1000 followers. Coaching is not just about content. As coaches we can fall into the habit of one size fits all. Running the same set of kids through drills without the breakdown technically for an individual. In short, the individualized training should suit the player and the game that is specific to them. I question players with a what and why every time I’m initially introduced to a new player and it's important to keep asking those questions. WHY are you here and what are you aiming to achieve along with WHAT position do you play and how can we personalize this training to you. For many, the importance of repetition away from team practice is vital, especially in today's world. The player that constantly touches the ball outside of practice and lives with the ball at their feet is naturally developing the so-called ball mastery. But these players are few and far between and the majority fall into a category of needing a structured environment to develop. I realize that the player will not fulfill potential with just team practice nor 1 hour a week private lessons. I’ve never told a player you have to train with me or I will make you great. Instead, I (tongue in cheek) tell them I can’t make you get better. All we can do as coaches is guide the player and break the game down to areas where a player needs to go work on their own. This is not boot camp nor will soccer ever be. The complexity of soccer training has many developmental areas. Understanding tactics, movement off the ball, speed, and agility should be incorporated into every session but also the encouragement to watch and study live soccer gives the visual of how the game is needed to be played. I can’t even comprehend how a player expects to play the game of soccer without spending more time watching it. Otherwise, our training ends up developing robotic talent and teams and we see this everywhere even at the elite levels. So how can the coach make a difference? For me to differentiate my sessions I’ve started to work with collaborated software like IOS -Notes just to share video, screenshots of a player's technique within the session along with guided homework so the player not only gets the visual breakdown but then can work on improving specific skills. For me a picture speaks a 1000 words and if a player understands the breakdown and has the desire to put in those many many many... hours the results are powerful. So coaches while I concur that repetition is key, make it quality and start to focus on the CONTEXT over the general CONTENT of a session and encourage the player to own their development.
Lets Train Over The Winter
I’ve recently been using an old banquet table that was laying around a facility. Im a big endorser of using walls, benches and tables and I’ve found you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to recreate what an expensive rebounder can give you. What’s great about this table was not only the sturdiness of it but when moving the hinges/legs further up the table I was able to create a flat surface and angled surface when flipped for elevated control activity. Perfect for the big basement, garage, driveway tip up the table and get to work.
A Ray of light in Indy - A tribute to Ray Gaddis
I was surprised to hear Philadelphia Union defender Ray Gaddis is hanging up his cleats after nine seasons in Major League Soccer. As a 30 something I’ve got to think he had more years in him but his attention has turned to his passions off the field. All the same what a great career Ray and congratulations. In no way am I going to claim Ray as one of my own #skillskoolers but I remember fondly a couple of skill skool sessions Ray came in and worked alongside all the other talent that was kicking around at the time. We’re talking Petts, Corrado, Mares, Estridge, Kitchen. Due to my age I’m forgetting others, no disrespect. It was at a time I was still playing myself and all I remember is how competitive our games and possession activity was. Ray stood out with his play. He was an unassuming kid. Not as showboat as some, but technically gifted and played with a smile on his face. One of those kids that at the end of practice would come up to you and shake your hand and say thank you. I don’t forget those kids. We need more Rays. After hanging up the boots Ray has turned to his strength in faith and his philanthropy work.
Gaddis is an executive board member of Black Players for Change (BPC), an organization comprising current and former professional soccer players, coaches and staff aiming to combat racial injustice and improve Black equity in soccer at all levels of the game. BPC and the Black Women’s Player Collective (BWPC) partnered with the U.S. Soccer Foundation, Adidas and Musco Lighting on the Mini-Pitch Initiative, raising about $1.2 million to build 12 mini-pitches – aka futsal courts – in 12 cities across the country. Each community selected has a deep-rooted connection with at least one member of BPC or the WBPC. One of the mini-pitches has come to Indy, in honor of Ray. From the Indy Soccer world Ray welcome home and thank you.
The article regarding the new field can be read in the link https://bit.ly/3Fj9xeo Follow Ray on Twitter @raygaddis
CAPTAIN EL SALVADOR
The Hoosier state is being well represented in World Cup Qualification. We had previously commented on Paul Nevin’s (former Evansville standout) rise to prominence off the field as an assistant coach with England. But did you know one of our most decorated youth players is not only representing but leading the El Salvadorian back line in their quest for World Cup qualification. The 24-year-old from Westfield,IN , is following his roots where father Carlos represented the Central American country currently ranked 114th in the world. Carlos has been a prominent fixture in the local soccer community, coaching for Carmel United, Indiana Fire, FC Pride and running ISA Futsal. Eriq Zavaleta was part of U.S. Soccer’s under-17 residency program and played in the 2009 U-17 World Cup. He was also part of the American under-20 team pool before playing collegiately at IU and winning a national championship in 2012. He may have changed allegiances but you can’t take the Hoosier out the boy. We wish Eriq all the best in their qualification to Qatar 2022.
Coach with Indiana connection making a huge impact in world football.
As a former Evansville Ace ‘Nev’ has traveled the world developing his craft and impacting the game by breaking down the racial barriers that exist in the game across the globe. As part of the BAME scheme an FA (Initiative aimed at increasing the number of Black, Asian and minority ethnic players moving into full-time coaching roles in the professional game), Paul has been a role model for the next generation of minority players and non-players. Paul's work has taken him around the world as an ambassador and academy youth coach but it's back in his homeland where professionally he has made a name for himself coaching in the Premier League with Fulham, Norwich, and presently West Ham. In October 2018, ‘Nev’ was temporarily appointed to Gareth Southgate's England coaching staff as part of the BAME coaching initiative across all national teams. He remained with the Three Lions through to their third-place finish at the 2019 Nations League Finals. Arguably, he is the most successful coach we Hoosiers have helped produce, and like all of his former teammates and associates Stateside, glad to call him a mate. Keep up the great work on and off the field Nev and let's hope the state of Indiana Soccer recognizes the great work and influence sooner than later.
Video and Rights Courtesy of West Ham United
One sad reason why kids quit soccer: boorish adults
I witnessed a youth game in town this week that was disrupted by the the behavior of parents. Incredibly I had predicted the outcome before the game took place. Ironically I wake up Monday morning to this excellent article by Beau Dupre in Soccer America. Its definitely a take a breath moment. I ask you all to read on and if you have that parent that creates the scene then ‘PASS IT ON!’
Pre-pandemic, the decline in soccer participation in the crucial 6-12 age bracket had finally stopped, with the rate nudging upward from 7.4% to 7.7%. That’s still a lot lower than 10.4% in 2008.
Over the weekend, I saw part of the reason why.
I also saw why retaining referees isn’t easy -- which, as Soccer America contributor Ian Plenderleith notes in his blog on refereeing in Germany, isn’t a problem limited to the United States -- but we’ll get to that in a minute.
I was assigned to be the ref for a tournament final. Don’t get too excited. This wasn’t the World Cup. This wasn’t even the A bracket final. And it was U-10 girls.
But it felt really important. To the parents and coaches, anyway. The kids didn’t seem to be having a blast.
Team A played a “physical” game. I had to blow my handy electronic whistle, which I might keep using even after the pandemic, quite a few times -- blatant shoves from behind, a hockey-style hip check, etc. Team B’s coach had to come onto the field several times to check on injured players.
The worst incident was when a Team B attacker had the ball in the box, and a Team A defender simply slid through her legs. Nowhere near the ball. That was the second PK I awarded to that point. Team B missed that one, which made Team A’s parents very happy.
Team A was leading 2-1 in the closing minutes, and the action was once again in their own box. Then the ball struck the arm of a Team A defender.
I ran through the rules in my head in a split-second. Her arm “made her body unnaturally bigger.” It had not come “directly from the head or body (including the foot) of another player who is close.”
Whistle. PK.
Amid the general outcry from Team A’s parents, I heard one of George Carlin’s words you can’t say on television.
I’d never been in this situation before, and I didn’t handle it correctly. I should’ve gone to the coach and asked her to control her parents. I confronted the parents directly, and they each said, “Not me!” One of them was lying, but I couldn’t tell which one.
But no, I couldn’t get back to the game right away, because one of Team A’s parents’ complaints finally drew a response from a Team B parent standing nearby. And things escalated from there. I tried to make them stop, and when they wouldn’t, I didn’t think I had a choice. Get out. Both of you.
Oh yeah, we still had a game. Team B converted the PK. 2-2. Game goes to PKs. Team B wins.
It’s safe to say there were some postgame conversations, and I could’ve done a better job disengaging. But in a way, I’m glad I kept talking with the coach because I wound up eliciting a confession. Well, several. She admitted someone yelled a magic word because she told me I threw out the wrong parent, not realizing I’d thrown out her parent (and one from Team B) because they were about to re-create a scene from the classic Little League episode of South Park. She initially said all three PKs I awarded weren’t legit, but she eventually conceded that sliding through a player’s leg is indeed a violation of the rules of the game.
The biggest confession, though, was chilling. The conversation went roughly like this:
“I had to call all those fouls. Your team was fouling, and the other team was getting hurt.”
“Look, we play a tough game. If the other team can’t handle it, that’s on them.”
Did I mention these girls were U-10s? All the coaching licensing courses I’ve taken have told me to focus on skill development, even at the expense of winning. I guessed I missed the part about teaching kids to knock down their opponents until they can’t get up any more.
I had a long drive home, giving me all too much time to reflect on what had happened. It was tempting to add my name to the large number of referees who quit. The next day, I was able to take stock. I was still confident in all the crucial calls I made. (Aside to parents -- a throw-in at midfield isn’t “crucial.” If it was, we’d have assistant refs in these games.) You can read about "Laws of the Game" interpretations all you want, but we refs aren’t adequately prepared for an experience like this. Fortunately, other refs are happy to serve as mentors, and I’m learning a lot from talking with them. I’ll get back to nagging U.S. Soccer about the glitches in the online referee courses this week so I can keep going out on the field with my notebook and my whistle.
When I got home, I checked the tournament site to see who else that team had played, and I was able to get a report from an earlier game. It was no better -- worse, in some ways.
But I wasn’t alone in having a long drive home. Both teams had traveled several hours to get there.
So somewhere on a long interstate drive, a little girl was headed home with a father who had just been tossed out of a game for nearly getting in a fight with an opponent’s father.
Another little girl was riding with a mother who had yelled a dirty word at a referee. (Over a correct call, though the girl might not realize it.)
And they were all riding home thinking about their next practice with a coach who’s modeling a U-10 soccer team after the Al Davis-era Oakland Raiders.
The girls themselves weren’t monsters. I talked with a couple of them during the game, getting down on a knee so I’m not a scary tall guy with a black mask lecturing down to them. (Thank you, F-license coaching course, for teaching me to do that.) They all seemed like sweet kids.
And they all looked scared. And sad.
That brings us back to Project Play, and the alarm bells that have been ringing for a long time.
The concern over kids quitting sports is sometimes overstated. It’s perfectly natural to do several activities at age 7, narrow it down to a smaller list at age 10 and then focus on some particular passion at age 13. That passion might not be a sport. That’s OK.
But the thought of a 10-year-old girl sitting in the backseat of a car staring out at the autumn leaves and wondering if this is all worth it should haunt us all.
WHEN ALEX MET HEATHER
No question the biggest buzz a coach can get is seeing the results of hard work within a team or maybe through playesr. Those results typically are defined by the success they have on the field but the influence a coach has can have way more of an impact when you feel like you have passed on your methods or simply the love and motivation within the game. The last week I had the pleasure of connecting two former skillskoolers. 5 years apart, different paths but equally motivated to stay on top of their game and reach that next level. Over the next few weeks through the blog I hope to vlog some of their trainings and in turn inspire others to train when no one is watching. Meet Alex Knox and Heather Macnab.
5 Ways To Become a Better Soccer Player
Courtesy of David-Smith Copeland and BEAST MODE SOCCER.
#1 Improve your SAQ. What’s SAQ? Speed, Agility, & Quickness. These three things are important in most sports, especially in soccer. SAQ is needed to compete athletically with other players, but can also be the determining factor in you being successful in beating players. Imagine you are racing to the back post for the cross to score a header, chasing down someone on a breakaway, or maneuvering through defenders to score; speed, agility, and quickness can help you be successful in these actions.
Alex Morgan doing SAQ w/ SKLZ
#2 Be strong and physically fit. The second one is pretty obvious. You have to be able to run for 90 minutes. It’s not just running at one pace either. Start and stop. Sprint, run, jog, and sprint again. Soccer is nonstop and the pace is always changing. Unless you are a goalie, you have to be able to keep up with the running (keepers require a different kind of fitness). As for strength, it is important, to once again, compete athletically with players. You need to be able to hold your own. You need strength going up in the air for a 50/50 ball, or when you are holding off a defender and waiting for the rest of your attack to get involved. You don’t want to be all muscles though. Core strength is key soccer. Instead of bulking up, look to do bodyweight exercises. You still want to be able to be quick and agile; having too much muscle can actually hurt you.
Ali Krieger with SKLZ-> Soccer Strong
#3 Improve your footwork and practice on your own. We don’t do this enough! It’s great to be physically adept at the game, but technique is key. The only way to better your technique is to practice! Find any way you can to get touches on the ball. Take a ball everywhere with you. Or do like Beast Mode Soccer and juggle a tennis ball! You can take that anywhere with you. If you have a wall, use a wall to hit the ball against the wall.
Ally Riley (New Zealand National Team) & Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy) at a Beast Mode Soccer session
Take it from the legend, Dennis Bergkamp:
“There, a worn-out brick wall still stands testament to the innate footballing mind, maturity and drive present even in an 8 year old Dennis. He spent countless hours practicing, kicking the ball against it, experimenting with different ways of how to control it, seeing how it bounced and how many times, how that affected how it came back … things that still don’t occur to most professional footballers. It was here that his technique was refined to such precision that he would aim for a corner of a particular brick, each time with different pace, power and spin to see how the ball’s trajectory changed. That wall is the birthplace of Bergkamp’s obsession with control, the importance he gave to that first touch, the challenges he set himself from a very young age in order to come as near that perfection as possible.”
“It’s not thinking. It’s doing … Most of the time I was by myself, just kicking the ball against the wall, seeing how it bounces, how it comes back, just controlling it. I found that so interesting.”- Dennis Bergkamp
Arsenal’s Dennis Bergkamp
#4 Play Fifa. No seriously, play fifa! How can playing fifa improve your game? In playing fifa you have to make decisions for the players. This helps with your tactical game. You also get of sense of what to do in ALL positions. Playing fifa will help you improve your decision making. Also, you will start to learn about the players and the teams. This will help with #5…
FIFA by EA SPORTS
#5 Watch soccer!!!! This is so important. Watching the game will take your game to new heights. Watch a player in your position and you will really benefit. You can then know what to do offensively as well as defensively. If you were doing #4 and playing Fifa, you will be able to really get into watching as you will know the players and teams. You can even join a fantasy league picking your own team and players. Getting into soccer in any aspect you can is the true way to become the best soccer player you can be. Beast Mode Soccer completely supports all things soccer. Whether you need to better your touch, better your fitness, or better your brain, we are here to help you achieve your goals. A great place to start is The Soccer Vortex (www.thesoccervortex.com). You will find ways you can work on for your game whether it be technical, tactical, physical, mental, and even information on nutrition.
Watch Soccer!
Go out there and starting working on your game so you can become a better soccer player! #ownyourdevelopment
Inspiring The Next Generation
As the last of the ticker tape gets cleaned up thoughts turn to the impact the last world cup has had on its next generation. What we supported this past month was the result of these soccer playing women who with painted faces and loud screams cheered on their heroes 16 years ago. A group of women, some with iconic one name status that now refer to themselves as the 99 ers. What was cool was reading the email thread between this group of players in their support of those girls who once supported them. Read on and lets look forward to the next generation of players inspired from their heroes past glory.
7:13 a.m.
From: Julie Foudy
Hope you all are well. I have an idea. If the U.S. wins on Sunday, I have been charged with writing a piece for ESPN to sum it all up.
I, of course, want to do something on the joy we all have in seeing them do well because I am so tired of the narrative around us not wanting them to win. I'd like to just capture the emotions of you all to the moment if they win. I want it to be raw. As they win, soon after they win.
I just think that may be so cool to see... All I need is one to two sentences. Short and sweet summing up how you feel. If you would be so kind as to email me that reply (just to me so as not to kill all your inboxes) that would be great. I will try and wrap it into a neat piece. THANK YOU and hope everyone is well. Holler if anyone else going to be in Vancouver! We can have a little reunion...
Jules
***
12:02 p.m.
From: Julie Foudy
Hi again everyone. I am actually hoping everyone can just reply all with responses as I think it will be fun to see the conversation unfold post game and for everyone to share in that. Plus, I added Coach DiCicco to the chain. Whoop whoop. Now, here's hoping the US can bring back that 3rd World Cup star dammit... I am feeling it. Get 'er done!
Jules
***
4:40 p.m.
From: Saskia Webber
I have been in tears of joy since the Germany game, can't stop crying ... ok it could be early menopause lol. We haven't started the stream right lol? Go USA love u all.
***
6:07 p.m.
From: Tony DiCicco
It is this team's time. They earned it and made us all proud and inspired a country. Soccer is alive and well in large part to these women! Three World Cup Championships to go along with 4 Gold Medals. Great Job '15ers!
***
6:38 p.m.
From: Julie Foudy
Just reading these all and smiling from ear to ear. Love and miss u crazies so much.
***
6:57 p.m.
From: Sara Hess
And away we go... LET'S DO THIS LADIES!!!
***
7:00 p.m.
From: Lorrie Fair
Here we go!
***
7:19 p.m.
From: Mia Hamm
Great idea, Jules. What a performance and statement by this team. You all left no doubt about who is the best in the world. Thank you for taking the game to a new level and inspiring so many of us. World Champions! Enjoy it because you have earned it. Mia
***
7:21 p.m.
From: Carla Overbeck
HELL F--G YEAH!!!
***
7:38 p.m.
From: Saskia Webber
Has anyone taken a breath yet? Just realized I haven't.
***
7:46 p.m.
From: Carla Overbeck
Holy s---t, what a WORLD CLASS PERFORMANCE! They saved their best game for last and peaked at the right time! I am so proud of this team, they are amazing athletes, players, and people! CONGRATULATIONS WORLD CHAMPIONS, you totally deserve it!
***
7:57 p.m.
From: Briana Scurry
Carli "They call me PRIMETIME" Lloyd!! Enuff said...
***
8:00 p.m.
From: Tisha Hoch
Ok so I just started watching.... Holy s--t we are on fire!!!! We are so dominating!! No way we lose this game with the team we have! Go USA
Tish
***
8:03 p.m.
From: Joy Fawcett
I love it !! Awesome sitting in a bar full of USA fans so fun to be a part of all the excitement!!! 1 more half, take no prisoners and make sure Japan never forgets the USA!
***
8:09 p.m.
From: Tisha Hoch
S--t, it's 4-2. Sub me out quick!
***
8:14 p.m.
From: Sara Hess
OMG, Tish. U are hilarious.
***
8:15 p.m.
From: Joy Fawcett
Go USA!!! I love the teamwork it took to bring the Cup home! Love this game!!
***
8:48 p.m.
From: Tisha Hoch
What an amazing game! That was so fun to watch! So proud of our entire U.S. Team and staff. World Champs... Rock Stars! Classy Japanese side too! Miss you freaks!!!
Tish
***
8:57 p.m.
From: Shannon MacMillan
So beyond proud of this group of women! They have inspired a whole new generation of soccer players and no words can explain how excited I am for them! They fought through so much adversity and came together in the end to win big and erase all doubts! Welcome to the World Champion sorority ladies!!!
***
9:03 p.m.
From: Kate Markgraf
It's hard to be what you can't see. There are young girls and boys who will forever remember your legacy and dream of greatness themselves. Thank you for continuing to grow the game and get ready for the '15ers comments (great number by the way).
***
10:09 p.m.
From: Cindy Parlow Cone
Wow! What a statement to the world! I am so happy for this team! They deserve to be champions as it was well earned! Well done '15ers and thank you for inspiring the next generation!
***
10:15 p.m.
From: Joy Fawcett
Go USA!! I love the teamwork it took to bring the cup home! Love this game!!
***
10:35 p.m.
From: Lorrie Fair
It was a baaaaaaaaaad day to be Japan! Thanks for pulling us together for this little email pow wow. It's funny, I remember bits and pieces of our matches in 99...but more than anything I remember the awesome moments with teammates. And it was so great to feel that connection again through this World Cup. I miss and love you all! Fur
***
10:42 p.m.
From: Brandi Chastain
As the 175 girls at Region IV ODP camp erupted in joy, chills went up my spine and tears rolled down my cheeks. 16 years since that joyous day in Pasadena and for the first time in the lives of these girls, they were witness to the U.S. Women winning a World Cup Championship. What an emotional roller coaster all ending in a crescendo of gold confetti. Today I am as PROUD to wear the U.S. crest as I was in 1999!
Technology in Training
I've started using the new Iphone 6 in training and have found it to be an amazing tool for showing kids within practice, the visual of what they are doing right or wrong and what adjustments need to be made. All done quickly without the need to interrupt the practice for a lengthy time. The capability of the slow-mo cam allows 240 frames per second, enabling great action video that can be analyzed. I believe this visual training is imperative to quick learning and correcting faults. Leading to quicker development.
Take a look at the video shot this week showing the capability of the phone shooting 1st touch,
and striking the ball.
Striking Ball from Skill Skool Soccer TV on Vimeo.
Work with your child. Take video. Break down the technique. I'm sure if like myself getting your son/daughter to listen to your direction may be hard :) . You may have to get your coach involved.
You've been benched
The use of the wall is under rated and continuing from this I've started using benches in training. The use of benches create a moveable wall that can be moved to facilitate the working on specific skills that require the ball to rebounded back into space (away from a wall) or angled to work on a specific 1 touch, passing , finishing activity. The opportunities are endless. Just use your imagination.
Skill Skool Soccer works with small groups of kids in the summer and the themes in training allow myself to be creative and use props to aid in the training environment. Below is a couple of examples of its use in training using small groups of players passing receiving and moving in line.
Obviously the indoor space typically will provide more opportunities but be on the look out for benches beside your training field. You may be able to use them as apart of your training assuming you keep the environment safe.
Don't get benched. Use them.
Bench from Skill Skool Soccer TV on Vimeo.
Private Lessons
I'm a big believer in players working with the ball outside of the training environment. Specific needs are never met in team training so make sure you are attending to those development needs. It may be that you ask your coach to watch a soccer game with your child. At Skill Skool Soccer we aim to provide all that need based skill training in small groups. Contact me for all your individual and small group needs.
Creativity in Training
Well I never. Would you believe it. Great use of creativity by coach. Difficult to transport in your car to and from a session.
Automatism
New buzz word in soccer Automatism. Nice blog from the Author Christopher Cramer Explains.
AUTOMATISM vs TACTICS
It is said that FC Barcelona does not directly teach tactics to young players at La Masia, and instead they focus on automatism. Check out this article for further background on the concept and the context.
Here is a dictionary definition of automatism:
“The performance of actions without conscious thought or intention.”
The take away for many youth soccer “experts” is that FC Barcelona does not teach tactics to young players. Full stop. They use this to justify their belief that technique alone should be the primary focus at the young ages. However, to say that FC Barcelona does not teach tactics does not do the academy, it’s teams, or it’s players justice.
The idea is to design training sessions and exercises that train tactical concepts and patterns so that players are receiving tactical instruction without realizing it.
This is where rondos and positional possession games come into play. They are used to train players what do when they have the ball, what to do when they don’t have the ball, and how to transition between those two moments.
For those that do not know, a positional possession game places players in specific spaces within the playing area to best replicate the responsibilities and situations they will face in a game. One of my favorite positional possession games is this 3v3+3 game:
I decided to use this mentality to develop my own drills to help better initiate the movement and teach the responsibilities to my U11 and 12 teams. Let me know what you think.
WORKING WITH YOUNG OUTSIDE MIDFIELD PLAYERS
SET UP : 11 players in grid 40 by 40 (field and numbers can be adjusted ). 3 v 3 + 5. 4 of the 5 players are positioned on the outside and all 5 players are all time offense. We are using defenders as all time offensive players to simulate movement/switching of the ball and working the ball into outside midfield players feet.
Possessional objective is to move the ball from target to target. This initiates wide players involvement that can receive a free pass into the channel. Opponent can only enter the channel when ball is played in to it. Defensive players should be encouraged to move the ball across the back line and then choose to play to feet or look beyond the defender if the defender is too square or too close to receiving player (in channel).
The drill initiates great lateral movement and allows the play to build without the midfield player being put under immediate pressure. Restrictions and stipulation of passes/touches can be created within exercise.
When Your Forward Can't Hit a Cows Backside With a Banjo
Move it Move it
"Keep moving the ball but what are you moving." This season the theme for my teams is to build on an objective around possession style soccer. We have talked before about the art of keeping a ball, but what we do with it is key. My 11 and 12 year olds have the hardest time tactically transitioning to the bigger fields. In the girls game extra effort has to be made to paint the picture of where/how/why we move it.
I saw this quote today and I think it sums up what we are all trying to achieve. It's not just how you move the ball but how we move the other team.
Indy Eleven
Indy Eleven finally won their first home game and everyone can't stop talking about it.
#arrived
SOCCER MOVIE : NEXT GOAL WINS
Fantastic story and a must watch for any youth soccer coach or player. Especially those that have ever lost 31-0 or a game that may have seemed like a lot to a little. #againstallodds
Possession : What you doing with it?
Stats don't lie but they do sometimes paint a picture that doesn't always reflect the effectiveness of soccer teams. It has been the vogue of late to maximize the possession stat and was very much the way of clubs like Barcelona and Arsenal that would typically have the ball 65%+. But you can argue that unless you have a purpose or can execute in the final third than possession is simply a statistic. Many clubs have now adapted their play to compensate for their lack of possession and concentrate more on the pressure they exert and where on the pitch, complimenting it with quick counter attacking soccer that think less of possession and really more of what you do with it.
Many club teams coaches are guilty of playing possession for the sake of just learning to keep a ball. There is much value in this, as I have sometimes played non directional possession with better teams for the simple task of playing quicker and more controlled in tighter space. But the possession drill can be manipulated 1 million and 1 ways. Their has to be objectives to your possession. Areas of concern that I preach to teams, especially young teams, is support and communication (yes 10 year olds can talk on the field) and utilizing a thrown-in to restart possession which most teams struggle in keeping the ball when having to start from their hands.
Here is two drills that work on both of these objectives.
COMMUNICATION
SET UP : 6 players in grid 20 x 20. 3 players in the middle with 1 defender. 2 players on the outside of square.
Possession starts by players moving the ball in the area. Defenders get out by winning ball or loss of possession. Players on the outside look for opportunities to step on to the field but have to
1. Recognize an area of the field that they can move in to and
2. Communicating to a player on the inside to drop out.
Players will learn to be creative in their transition from out to inside and should look to not just replace players position but replace into a mother area of the field that the ball can be played to.
THROWINS
Set Up
6 players in grid 20 x 20. 3 players in the middle with 1 defender. 2 players on the outside of square one has a ball in their hands.
Possession starts by players moving the ball in the area. Defenders get out by winning ball or loss of possession. After 3, 4, 5.... passes ball is played out to player who does not have a ball. Player that passes ball to the outside steps out of square. Restart with player with ball throwing in and possession resumes.
1. Work on speed of transition of one ball to the other.
2. Supporting players creating space in the square to receive quick throw-in.
3. Work on the quality of the throw and the technical ability of players receiving and playing quickly out of the air.