Uncommon to Achieve the Uncommon

When successful people are studied, sometimes I think there is something that we miss. It is something that is glazed over as a “natural” part of the process of achieving their level of skill or rising to that level of success. We see these people as special or different than most, but we tell kids that if they work hard they can achieve the same things in life or in sports. Although I agree with this sentiment, and it is a good thing to encourage kids to work hard, at the same time, I believe that is also not true to some degree. By working hard, you will have a certain level of success and do better than if you did not work hard or even try, but to achieve success at an elite level, at anything, takes a very UNCOMMON type of effort that the majority of us are just not willing give.

Often hard work is mistaken for just trying or giving more effort than a person normally would in a given situation or over time. When most of us feel that we have “worked hard,” we really have not scratched the surface of how hard we need to work to reach an elite level on that particular task or towards our goal. Working hard at that level is an extremely uncomfortable state to be in most of the time, and most of us cannot tolerate the discomfort for long enough to get to that next level, a level beyond where we are currently comfortable.

On top of this, we have a misconception that hard work usually comes with instant gratification or rewards. We put in effort and immediately expect some type of reward or tangible item to show for the effort spent. Unfortunately, the harder the task, the less of a “reward” a person will see through the process. That is until the person has worked hard enough, for long enough, that the reward is actualized and another level of success has been achieved. On average, most of us quit way to early due to the first set back or stumble.

Many of us work hard to try to impress a coach, teammate, parent, friend, teacher, or boss, but those who really work hard never do it to try to impress anyone. Really, they just do not know any other way of doing things. It is what is necessary, so it becomes the norm for them. Although it is foreign, uncomfortable, and hard for us to do, and may even seem slightly excessive, for this type of individual, it is just their standard mode of operation. At some point, what we may consider as pain and discomfort, they find soothing and reassuring to what they are working towards. Maybe because they understand those are the indications they are heading in the right direction towards what they want to achieve? They know without the pain and discomfort they will never get to where they want to be, and for them, that result, would be intolerable. It would be a higher cost than the sacrifice needed to get there.

For these reasons, we cannot mistake effort for an uncommon effort and expect the same results. It is just not possible, and it is a mistake we often make. We ask ourselves and others to work hard to achieve great things, but we do not expect a necessary level of commitment to that hard work that is required to achieve great things. This is a key distinction that we need to make with kids.

When we tell kids that if they work hard they can do better on the soccer field, are we clearly defining what we mean by that? What are their goals and how hard will they need to work to achieve them? If we tell a player to work hard all season and he will earn more playing time, or move up a team, in a way, we can be setting that player up to fail. Why? Because we are not clearly showing the player what “working hard” means to achieve what he wants. The idea of working hard is different for each person, and his definition, or belief about what is required, could be way below what is actually required. While this player may see his hard work as enough, the other players he is competing against may consider that level of effort to be minimal. Thus, the player could be working hard by his definition, but not doing nearly enough to really help him overcome the obstacles ahead or surpass his competition.

As mentioned above, working hard will look and feel different for each player. What one player sees as working hard, another player could see as barely working at all or possibly working way too hard. Working hard is subjective, and how each person perceives that is different. This is a major reason for a difference in the level of success of players on the field (and off the field). Some players will just work harder than others, for longer, and see greater results and achieve more. Not all players will fit this mold, and that is ok. It is unreasonable to think that everyone will push themselves to the same level, and that is why a small percentage of players work their way to up to the top… a very small percentage. It is probably the same percentage of players who are willing to work at an uncommon level of effort to achieve an uncommon level of success.

Here is a quick story to illustrate my point… a mom of a player I had the pleasure of coaching called me very concerned one day. She told me her son is spending hours in the backyard each day with the soccer ball. He would just go in the back yard and then come into the house dripping with sweat after a couple of hours of working with the ball (juggling, dribbling, and passing against the side of the house). She was concerned about if it was too much for him, if it was safe for him to do that? I asked her if she was encouraging him or rewarding him somehow to get him to do that. She said no. In fact, she was trying to get him to come in the house and do other things, but he refused.

I told her to keep an eye on him to make sure he is not doing anything that can put himself in danger (not taking needed breaks or drinking enough water), but if he is doing that on his own free will then I would not be concerned. If he seems happy and is motivated to do that on his own, as long as it does not negatively affect other key areas of his life (with the understanding there is always some level of sacrifice), he will be fine.

This player in training, and obviously on his own, practiced with a very uncommon level of effort on a consistent basis. I know I did not train and practice to that degree, but I felt I worked hard as a player. But my level of working hard was not even close to this player’s effort. It was a completely different commitment level to the goal of getting better.

Over the years, this player was seen by many as a “special talent” as he was growing into an elite player. What people did not see is the amount of work he put in on his own and in training that others were not willing. For me, this is what made him “special” or uncommon. While others saw it as just a natural progression of a player born to play the game, I saw nothing natural about the progression as it was only possible due to his unnatural effort.

This player was recently signed by an MLS team and I am sure will continue to grow as a player, not because he is just that good, but because he is willing to work hard enough to be that good. Like other players at that level, they did not get their by chance or good fortune (even though we may like to believe so as it helps us feel better about it).

If we want to be honest with our kids, with the players we coach, we need to make sure we do not just point to elite athletes or very successful people and just say, “If you work hard, you can do the same thing.” Simply, that is not true. We are setting them up to fail. If we point to those people and really show a kid or a player what that person had to do to achieve what they achieved, then the player can make an honest assessment on whether or not they want to walk that same, very difficult, but fruitful, path to that elite level of success.

Our Warped View of a Youth Coach

When we think of great coaches, we are drawn to the greats that we watch on ESPN each week. They are the brilliant college and professional coaches who are exceptional strategic tacticians, who prepare their team each week to step on the field, compete, and win. They utilize their players strengths, place them in the right positions to use those strengths, and make sure the other team cannot expose their weaknesses. Their goal is to use their players, get them to play in a system, and win more games than they lose. That is what they get paid for, and frankly, not producing that result will find them quickly out of a job. These coaches are paid to win, and they approach the season with that goal in mind. Unfortunately, as coaches and parents, we watch these coaches and assume this is how a coach of 9 year olds should coach as well. We have a warped sense of what a "great coach" looks like because we tend to only study the ones who get paid to win. We know little about the ones who are the best at coaching with kids.

When a coach takes over a team of kids, is his primary job to evaluate these kids' strengths and weaknesses, find out which position they are best at, and then formulate a team system to give those kids the best chance of winning all season? When youth coaches do this, they are often praised. The coach's approach is one that helps professionals at the higher level keep their jobs, but is fundamentally backwards for kids in terms of their development and learning. It helps the team win, makes the coach look good, makes the kids look good, parents are happy, so it must be the right way to approach the season. I am sure there are not a lot of complaints to coaches who take this approach and finish the season on top.

But I believe the coach fails at his most important task when approaching his responsibility in this manner. He fails to actually teach. Let me give you an example...

I read a story about a basketball coach who asked his team to press when defending. When the other team inbounded the ball, he wanted his team to try to win the ball close to the basket for easy lay ups and shots close to the basket. On the surface, this sounds like great coaching. And fundamentally, the idea is not wrong. That is a part of the game. But the reason behind it was where the coach failed to do his job.

He had his team press because his players were not very good at handling the ball. They could not bring the ball up the court and they did not pass very well. When his team was forced to bring the ball up the court, they often lost it and gave up lots of points. Instead of teaching the players to improve their dribbling, passing, and challenging them to get better in this area, the coach chooses a different approach. He tried to hide his team's weakness by applying a very smart tactical plan which would help his team win more games and have more success (in terms of wins and losses).

This coach was proud of his team and their ability to execute his plan. They ended up winning the league championship. This in a lot of people's mind would be an example of high level coaching. Maybe this coach even won "Coach of the Year" for helping his team of players who were not that good individually achieve so much. But the sad truth is that this coach took the very easy, LAZY way, out and failed to actually coach.

If you have a team of players who cannot perform fundamental skills, or you have players on your team who individually struggle in certain areas of the game, COACHING IS NOT FINDING WAYS TO HIDE THOSE WEAKNESSES or helping the kids compensate for those weaknesses by tactical decisions you force them to make. Coaching, actual high level - youth coaching, is helping those kids improve on those areas. Your job is not to help them win. Your job is to help them learn how to play the game so they can win.

In the case of this story, I feel a coach who was truly concerned about helping those kids get better, would ask each player on that team to constantly work on their dribbling and passing, trying to bring the ball up the court in each and every game (not just practice), until the players learned how to do it. Now, that is something that would have lasted much longer than just a single season of success for the players. It would have much more value than the plastic trophy. They would have learned how to work to get better and what it takes to EARN success.

Now what do you think would have happened if the coach took the “development” approach? How do you think that would have been received by the parents? Most likely, as the players were taking their lumps, giving the ball away, and losing games, the coach would have received many emails or phone calls questioning why he kept making the kids try to dribble and pass the ball up the court. In the stands, the parents may have muttered to each other or under their breath, “This coach has no idea what he is doing! Can’t he see the issue? Why doesn’t he have the kids just….”

So, I do not put the blame on just the coach. At times, it is the coach perpetuating what the parents are expecting of the coach, or what a coach feels the parents are expecting him to do. Often a stray from our warped view of the role of a coach is not accepted well by the masses. Again, we have an idea that a coach is suppose to be the same type of guy or woman we see on ESPN, and we fail to see that a youth coach should act, teach, and interact with players in a much different way and have completely different goals for the group and each individual.

In this case, do I have any issue with a coach teaching his team how to press? No. I think kids playing a sport should learn all different ways to attack and defend. Pressing is part of basketball and kids should learn how to do that. My issue is simply with the reason behind it, and the motivation to make the kids play a certain way to avoid actually teaching them how to play the game and helping them get better. Short term success, a single season, is given more value than a longer term purpose and value of sports… to help kids learn how to learn, struggle, develop, and grow.

Now, the one thing that coaches who we love to watch on ESPN, and I look up to, that I try to adapt to my coaching with the players I work with is how those coaches help each player believe they are capable of doing much more than they think is possible. They understand how critical a player’s confidence and belief in their ability is to their performance on the field. They are experts at making sure their players are in the right mindset when faced with competition or an obstacle to overcome.

You should expect that from your youth coach. It is one of the most important things a coach can provide a young player. If a coach can instill in a player the mindset that skills can be learned and developed, to be confident in what they are capable of doing, and never be afraid to fail, that any type of REAL SUCCESS will require a large amount of failure, then the coach has given the player much more than any single win or trophy will come close to providing.

I have said it before... youth coaches are not paid to win games. They are paid to teach and develop young people using a sport. A youth coach should not act like or have the same goals as the coaches who get paid to win games; whose jobs depend on it. The approach is different because the goal is different. We need to stop confusing the two and assume our child’s coach should act the same. In fact, the more of a difference, the more strange it may look and feel, the more appropriate and better of a job the youth coach is doing.

We should not treat the kids like they are professional athletes, and we should not expect our youth coaches to act like they are coaching professional athletes.

Youth Team Rankings

This article is a plea for some sanity in the youth soccer system. There are a lot of good coaches and clubs out there trying to implement appropriate developmental plans for youth players who aspire to learn how to play the game. As coaches, we are told through US Soccer and other organizations that the focus at the younger age groups should be development and learning. The number of wins and losses are irrelevant at these age groups as the kids are just learning how to play. Although player's need to be taught how to step on the field to compete to try to win, it should be a pressure free environment where risk taking, creativity, free-flow of play with less coach direction, and proper ways to play should be encouraged. As coaches develop practice sessions and manage games for their players, the focus is to help them learn and develop with a goal being for the players to have the tools to compete at the older and senior level teams, and enjoy playing the game.

Well, if that is the case, I need someone to explain to me the need of a youth ranking system for U11 teams… for 10 year olds? Seriously, someone tell me what the value is to rank teams at this age group? What does that really mean? Most importantly, how does this promote a better youth soccer experience for the players and help the United States reach their mission of developing better soccer players?

If you can answer these questions with anything that could be seen as a rational response, and with the benefit of the kids (not parents or coaches in mind), than you are smarter than me (which is not an exclusive club). I have tried to understand the need and justify something like this being needed in our youth soccer system, but I have not found a way to do that.

How does a team get a number one ranking? The team has to win a lot of tournaments. I guess a team can consider being “successful” by winning a lot tournaments, but I would measure success about HOW those teams are winning those tournaments. I would measure success with a youth team by the level of GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN EACH PLAYER. Now... show me that "ranking" for a team or club!

If a team is stepping on the field, with a development first approach, trying to play the game the right way, focusing on possessing the ball, giving all kids opportunities to contribute equally in the game, giving kids the chance to play and experience the game in different positions, encouraging them to take risks, and they win the game, than that is fantastic and should be applauded (and it is how it should be done).

But, I would make a hefty bet, that the teams that are winning many of these tournaments take a much different type of approach. An approach probably closer to the other side of the spectrum than what is being promoted as appropriate for these age groups by US Soccer and other coach education organizations and leaders. I would venture a guess that the team relies on a couple “special” players to be difference makers for the team. These players are relied on to score most of the goals, control the game, take all set pieces, and never come off the field. (I bet the team does not attend a tournament that one of these players would have to miss for personal reasons. Not worth going if you are not going to win, right?) While the rest of the team is probably made up of better than average players who are asked to get the “special” players the ball as quick as possible. The other players are never given the same responsibilities or given a chance to play that type of role on the “team.”

Kids on these teams probably all play in the same position the entire time. In order to win, it helps to have your players in the position they are best (at 11) to put the strongest line up on the field. Hard to have as much success when kids are placed in different roles to help work on their weaknesses in games, and challenge the player to develop an understanding of how to play the game in those positions. Although this would benefit the players’ develop, it could be catastrophic to keeping that number one ranking.

What type of players make up the best team at the country at U11? Is it a team full of kids who are already 6 ft tall while most of the other teams are still not nearly at the same physical maturity level? These teams are physically probably much superior than your average team, comprised of 10 year olds who have the speed, strength, and size of kids years older. Will this team still be able to compete, have as much success in five years down the road, when other teams are beginning to catch up physically to them? Was the team taught the technical and tactical skills required to play that game at the older age groups, or were they just focused on using what worked to win at U11?

I bet there is very little risk-taking during games on a team like this. If a player gets a ball in his team's penalty area, I bet the player is encouraged (screamed at) to “clear it” or get it out of “danger.” Having a player try to use his skills to control the ball and build out of the back or find a way to break the pressure and keep possession is not worth the cost of a possible goal when the goal is solely to win. Again, although that composure and skill development is key for the players to gain at the younger age groups, in order to be ranked number one, some things will need to be sacrificed. Again, how many teams can say they are the best U11 team in the country? Number one baby!!!

Though I do not blame the team or the coach for any of this (for the most part), as again, the team is playing in a system that rewards this type of play through these types of accolades. What system is out there to recognize and rank teams based on what the players are being taught and how well they are being prepared to play the game at the next level? Where is that measurement? Where is that ranking? That is a ranking that I would deeply care about because A) it would recognize the actual best coaches/clubs/programs and B) it would help parents see which organizations are actually worth the investment for the benefit of their child.

The youth system is creating an environment that is sending two very different messages. On one hand, the professional coaches and leaders of the soccer community (US Soccer) are telling youth coaches and parents to focus on development and teaching their players how to play the game. On the other hand, the coaches are trying to do that in an environment that will punish a club and team for not playing to win from a young age. Tournament wins and league championships are how you get your teams ranked and recognized as the top in the country. The system promotes, encourages, and rewards coaches, teams, and clubs to focus on the wrong things from the start!

For a team, that does not have all the impressive tournament wins as a youth team, who is part of a club who really believes in a “player first development model” and it is not just a tagline on the club’s website, it will be harder for them to move into more competitive leagues or be accepted into higher level tournaments at the older age groups because they do not have an impressive resume of tournament wins. Since the system is set up to punish coaches and teams who are not in it for wins from the get go and actually really want to help players learn how to play this game, what do we expect those coaches and clubs to do?

Am I saying that winning is an indication that a team is just playing for wins and not trying to develop players? No, if a team is winning, obviously that can be a great thing. It can be the result of how good of a job the coach is doing with helping each player on the team develop and learn the game. So for me, it is not an issue with winning. It is simply HOW a team is winning at the youth ages? As I have said before, development takes time, but there are plenty of short cuts to take with youth teams to win which takes no time at all.

I am sure there are some great U11 teams out there that play fantastic soccer, and are being prepared to play the game years down the road. A measure of that would be IF those teams are still winning as time passes when they get to the older senior level age groups. Should that not be the goal for all youth coaches, teams, and clubs? To help the players learn the game so they can come back and be better next year? It would be unfortunate to watch a team who was considered “high level” at one point, slowly fall behind each season, and never be able to get back to having the same success they experienced early on in their young careers.

If as a soccer community, as a nation, we are serious about making sweeping changes about the youth soccer system, to promote and encourage coaches to teach the game, this is one part of the system that needs to be eliminated. There is no need to rank teams at the younger age groups. You cannot promote a better playing and developmental experience for players, and promote a youth team ranking system at the same time. It immediately switches the focus for the players, parents, coaches, and clubs to a part of the game that does not matter at the youth level. Step on the field to compete, and try to win, but do it in a way that teaches the kids how to play the game. Do not do it so the team moves up a spot in the rankings.

For fun, I tried to find out where Barcelona’s U11 team ranked in the world. Unfortunately, I could not find that information. Either they like to keep it a secret, or they do not care.

A Ball Hog

When at youth soccer games, one of the main things I hear yelled from the sideline at the players is, “Pass it!” We LOVE when players pass the ball, and we should. Passing is a critical part of the game and it is necessary for every player to be able to pass with accuracy and the proper pace to teammates or space to keep possession and create scoring chances. One of the most beautiful parts of the game is a sophisticated build up of possession to create a goal. But… if from the youngest age groups kids are pushed to pass the ball each time it comes to them, when do the kids get the opportunity to learn how to dribble? When do they get to practice working their way out of pressure using their feet, penetrating with the ball between defenders, or taking a player on to go to goal? A player who tries to dribble more in a game is often referred to as a “ball hog” or scolded for trying to dribble (especially if possession is lost). In terms of development, I am a huge fan of the “ball hogs” of the younger age groups as those players have a much better chance, to not only become better passers of the ball, but to become those exciting players we love to watch create something out of nothing with the magic of their feet.

When a kid is being a “ball hog” on the soccer field, it is seen as a negative thing. From my perspective, I think it is a great thing. The player is showing confidence to keep the ball at his feet and move with it in a game situation. This confidence needs to not only be commended but it needs to be nurtured. Instead of telling the “ball hog” not to dribble and stifling his willingness to try, help the player become better at dribbling… recognizing space, keeping his head up, and utilizing teammates when he thinks he needs help.

Just telling a player to “stop dribbling” and “pass the ball” is not coaching. As this game requires players to be able to dribble the soccer ball with great control and speed, telling a player not to dribble is denying that player an opportunity to work on a vital aspect of the game. Furthermore, you are taking a required skill of the game and making it “wrong” in the player’s mind. If you continue to tell a player not to dribble the ball, it will eventually become something that should never be done, like it is breaking a rule of the game.

The first and most important thing a player needs to develop when they start playing soccer is a relationship and confidence with the ball. Without that, everything else becomes much harder to teach down the road. Think about it this way, when a child is 13 years old, do you think it would be harder to teach that player how to pass or teach that player to dribble? In reality, both are needed to be learned by that age, but the point is that one is much harder and takes much longer to develop than the other. I have always found it harder to convince a player to keep the ball than it is to convince a player to kick the ball away or pass it. This is why it is critical to not stop players who love to dribble from dribbling because maybe they do it more than you would prefer or cosmetically appealing to our adult vision of the game.

Am I saying kids should be discouraged to pass the ball? Absolutely not, that would be the same as asking a player not to dribble. It would stop them from learning a vital element of the game. The key is helping players understand how dribbling is part of the game, how it can create space to pass, how it pulls defenders out of position, how it is required when there are no passing options, or how it is needed to take space when given. In other words, the value of dribbling and what it can be done to make the game easier needs to be reinforced. Just as we always do for passing and moving.

Here is something to consider as well… those “ball hogs” tend to be those “ball hogs” later on in the game who are difference makers. They are the players who can create something out of nothing, create havoc for a team to try to stay organized defensively as the player moves the ball aggressively forward, and have those exceptional moments that we all watch on YouTube when we are suppose to be working. Those players still pass more than they dribble, but find the moments that they can unleash their ability on the ball that most other players lack. When the other players have no other choice but to sit back and look for a passing option, these players see other options and have the ability to capitalize on those hidden opportunities.

Finally, what do you players down when they do not have a passing option if you have screamed at them not to dribble? Yep, you guessed it… without a passing option, the next best thing, and the least likely action that will cause them to be criticized, is to “just kick” the ball forward or out of bounds. If your players have been told not to dribble, then when the game actually is demanding that they should dribble, they will have no idea what to do. You have not prepared them or taught them that aspect of the game. When teams are younger and less organized defensively, moderately good movement will provide passing options for the player on the ball. When teams are older and more organized defensively, they are quicker to shut down passing lanes and eliminate options which will require the player on the ball to create something individually at times to open passing lanes and penetrate space.

So what do you do with your “ball hog” on your team? First, do not tell them to stop dribbling. Second, help them learn how to utilize their desire to be on the ball in the game. Third, encourage more players to develop some of those “ball hog” qualities. Fourth, show the "ball hogs" the benefits of using the other skills they need to practice and learn to use in the game that compliment their desire to dribble.

A little bit of “ball hog” is a good thing to have in all of your players. You want all your players to want the ball and be able to keep the ball at their feet. It is much easier to help your kids learn how to find opportunities to pass more than it is to go back and try to get them to dribble more when they have been told for so long not to dribble.

Ball hog or exceptional?

Is Youth Soccer a Team Sport?

Most people would answer this question with a simple, “yes.” Of course soccer is a team sport, right? It is played by a group of players working together to try to win a game. Naturally, it is a team sport. On the outside looking in, this is very true and it is hard to argue with that logic. Since we have this view that soccer is a team sport, coaches of young players will focus more on teaching “team” concepts and spend less time working on each player’s individual skill. Practice time is spent on team tactics, roles and responsibilities of different positions, set plays (corners/free kicks), etc… all areas that will help a team win. Being a team sport, these are critical for a coach to focus on with their players as it gives them the best chance of winning, right? Well, yes this will help youth teams win games NOW, but will hurt each individual player’s ability to play on a team that wins games later, when they are older, when it matters a little more.

Until U13 soccer should be coached as an individual sport. Coaches should be more concerned about each player’s individual development versus how the team does as a whole. Coaches who work with players in this age group have the awesome responsibility to make sure each player has all the tools necessary to compete in an 11v11 match when they are older. This requires players to be a master of the soccer ball, be in great physical condition, and have a strong will to compete. In addition, the player needs to have great awareness of the game in relation to their positioning/spacing on the field, when to dribble or pass, and be able to apply their technical abilities to the game. This is developed through the player being put in different situations in games and training that require the player to find solutions to all the different problems the game presents.

Before anyone calls me "anti-team," I want it to be clear that this focus is as "pro-team" as a coach can get. By focusing on individual development and learning, the coach helps the ENTIRE TEAM GET BETTER. All the players have the opportunity to improve and learn the game, and as a result, the team as a whole will continue to improve. Although immediate game results may not be easy to get because of how a coach is asking their kids to play, overtime the kids will continue to get better and results will be earned later on. Is not that a key part of sports too? Learning how to work hard, learn a new skill, apply that skill, and EARN success over a body of hard work? When success comes easy, when it is handed to the players by the coaches through "quick fixes" and "short cuts", we are just teaching the kids how to cut corners and to find immediate satisfaction.

A coach should teach players how to be a part of a team, work hard for one another, trust one another, play for one another, support one another, and improve for one another. These life skills should still be taught to players because these skills are part of each player's individual development. The kids will need these skills to play on their current team, and have success on any "team" they "play" for throughout the rest of their lives. When coaches do not try to coach each player to help them improve, give them opportunities to learn, or create an environment where the team success relies on only a few players, in my opinion, there is nothing more "anti-team" than that approach.

If youth coaches are working on tactics to help the players win games instead of teaching critical skill areas in training or are not giving the players opportunities to work on their individual ability with the ball in games (no matter what the result), the players will not develop the skills, confidence, or awareness necessary to compete at higher levels of competition. Simply, they will not be able to execute actual team tactics when they are older, and will not have the tools to play the game. By focusing on their individual ability on the ball, the ability to dribble, receive, pass, and finish, the ability to move off the ball, support the ball, and how to defend correctly, the players will transition with less issues into the larger, faster, and more complicated game of 11v11.

With younger teams, it is not uncommon to have defenders sitting in their own 18 yard box the entire game with instructions not to go forward and to just clear it, or the biggest and strongest players with the strongest leg to always go to goal and shoot all the time. This type of coaching will definitely help a team win a U9 game, but will do very little in terms of helping the players develop the skills needed to continue to play the game in the future. The coach is coaching the game to win, not coaching the game to help the players improve. Sadly, this happens as soon as kids begin playing soccer in recreational leagues when it should be all about the player, all the time.

As strange as it may seem, although the game is a team sport, the coach needs to approach everything from an individual player standpoint (which will help the team). The coach’s job is not to win games. The coach's job is to teach the game. The coach’s job is to create an environment conducive to player development and focus primarily on this area. Training sessions and games need to be approached with the goal to give each player the opportunity to improve their individual skill level and understanding of the game. This includes players getting fair playing time and opportunities in different positions each game, and spending most of their time in practice moving and playing with the soccer ball, with less time standing around.

Areas of focus for these age groups in training:

• Control – In every aspect of the game with the soccer ball. If a player cannot control the ball, the player cannot play the game. The ability to dribble, pass, and receive the ball is critical area of development of this age group. This is the age where players need to work tirelessly to make the ball become an extension of the body, and little thought goes into the basic and most often used skills of the game when they are older. For this to happen, players need to be encouraged to control the ball when it comes to them and always try to do something with the soccer ball (dribble or pass). Players tend to “just kick” the ball when it comes to them to avoid losing the ball or because it is simply easier (and are often praised for it). Coaches must reinforce that players take multiple touches on the ball and try to dribble, pass to a teammate, or try to score after bringing the ball under control.

In addition to control of the soccer ball, players need to learn how to control their body. The better coordination, balance, and body awareness a player the more success the player will have with the soccer ball and without the soccer ball in a game. This is another key area for coaches to focus on with young players.

• Creativity/Confidence - Players need to be put in a lot of 1v1 situations where they cannot hide and must take players on with the soccer ball or defend against a player with the soccer ball. Players who feel confident in 1v1 situations will be stronger players as the game is many 1v1 situations when broken down to the simplest form. In these situations, players need to be encouraged to be creative and try skills with the soccer ball to solve the problem presented to them. At the younger ages the touches on the ball in these situations are invaluable to development. As the numbers on the field increase, the players get fewer touches on the ball on a consistent basis giving them fewer opportunities in these situations. This is why US Soccer and other organization push for small sided games when kids are younger (3v3, 4v4). This maximizes touches on the ball and opportunities to make decisions while being involved in the game.
• Competition/Fun – If players are having fun, they will compete. By competing, players will have fun. This does not mean putting an emphasis on winning, but putting an emphasis on working hard, doing their best, with a big smile. It is required to want to compete in sports and a player must develop a competitive attitude, but a coach cannot take short cuts with players to help them win games thinking that is what helps kids become competitive. Instead, the players need to be challenged to improve their skills and develop the tools that will help them be competitive in games and find individual success. As soon as a player equates hard work and improving their skills to success, it will be a lifelong lesson that will stick. Coaches should make it appoint to recognize and reward a player’s effort and progress during training sessions and in games.
• Awareness/Problem Solving – Biggest mistake coaches of youth players make is giving them all of the answers to all of the problems on the field. Coaches do not give players time to figure out skills and situations in games on their own. When coaches are quick to step in and TELL kids what they SHOULD do, it gives little opportunity for the player to figure that out. Moreover, the kids understanding of the game will never be broader than the understanding of the coaches. A big responsibility of the coach is to give the kids the tools and opportunity to solve problems on the field and make up their own mind (right or wrong) and learn from it. When they are older, the game requires players to think for themselves on the field and cannot rely on the coach for play by play instructions. Coaches should let the design of an activity do a lot of the “coaching” and step in to ask the players questions at the right time to promote critical thinking to make an appropriate coaching point. This allows the players to come to their own conclusions and will develop into smart, aware, and problem solving players who will have much more success in the future.
• Technique – Coaches often miss the opportunities to teach technique. When teaching dribbling, passing, or other skills of the games, coaches tend to make general comments like, “keep the ball close” or “play an accurate pass.” Both comments are good advice, but do very little to help the player execute the skill. Modeling is one of the best ways to teach technique. All players do things differently, but by being able to watch an older player or a coach perform a skill, the player can try to mimic what they observe. To assist with modeling, give the players concrete coaching points which they can implement. For example, is “lock your ankle” as effective as “pull your toes up through the top of your shoe and show the ball the inside of your foot”. Yes, a little longer of a comment, but the coach is giving the player information they can physically implement to help perform the skill. A player pulling their toes up to the top of their shoe naturally locks the ankle to pass the ball. The coach is explaining not just what the player should do but, more importantly, how to do it. Technique should be taught all the time in the context of the game, and then allow the kids to take those principles to figure out how they will implement the skills in the game.

As you can see, these areas have very little to do with the team concepts, BUT all of these areas will help the players be able to focus on team concepts and tactical game plans when they are older. Simply put, these are the primary tools the players need to play the game, and a player who still needs to focus on these areas when they are older, will not be able to focus on the game going on around them. These skills need to become automatic and move to a subconscious level for the player. If a player is still focusing on what is going on at their feet with the soccer ball, they will not be able to concentrate on the game as it becomes faster and more complex in the older age groups. Players, who focus on these areas as a child do the smaller technical things right all the time This allows them to concentrate on the tactical areas of the game that are important to team success at the older levels.

So, yes, soccer is a team sport (obviously), but at the younger age groups, the development of the individual player is more important than the development of the team. As the players get older, this should slowly begin to change and the team becomes more of the focus. Coaches should teach important principles like cooperation, unity, trust, and accountability that are important to being part of a team, but at the same time, the coach should teach and focus on the individual skills needed to play the game over other areas of the game that are focused on helping the team win now. The team tactics become more of the focus in training and in games at the older age groups, but at that time, it will be necessary for the player to already have developed most of the fundamental skills needed to play the game. If they have not, then it will be too late to go back…

What Makes Up a Player?

As a Director at SuperKick, I have the opportunity to watch many different players train and play throughout the year. From the youngest beginners to the older more experienced players, all are very different from one another. Players share similar qualities, but I have not been around two players who play the game, or approach playing the game, the exact same way. While coaching kids, I have asked them to tell me what they think makes them a good soccer player or why they are different from other players. Most struggle to give me an answer to these questions. Coaches know the basic “pillars” that make up a player (technical, physical, tactical, and psychological), but most players do not understand what these things mean. Knowing and understanding these areas can help a player be more aware of their strengths and weaknesses. I wish I knew more about these areas when I was growing up. Often, I was not sure what my coaches were looking for when they watched me play.

Below are the different parts that make up a player:

The Tools (Technical & Physical Ability)

When I meet with players and I discuss their “technical ability”, I simply refer to those areas as the players’ tools. Like a mechanic with all of their machines, wrenches, lifts, and whatever else mechanics use, a player’s technical ability and physical ability are the basic tools needed to complete the job (play the game). The more time players spend working on these areas when they are young, the more “tools” they will have as they get older to use to play the game. Unfortunately these tools become harder to acquire as kids get older. A young player needs to try to fill up their “garage” with as many tools as possible and older players need to continuously “upgrade” their tools with continued technical training.

A player’s technical ability is the tools used to control or manipulate the soccer ball. Whether it is receiving the ball, moving with the ball, or striking the ball, the player needs to develop the tools required to do all of these things with a tremendous amount of variation, consistency, and speed. If a player is missing any of these tools, his ability to have success on the soccer field becomes harder . The more advanced a player’s tools are, the game becomes easier and actions be done faster and more efficiently.

A player’s physical ability is their capability to use their body efficiently to its full potential. As players get older, they will develop more strength and size, but even from a young age, it is important for players to learn how to control their body effectively by developing good coordination, foot work, balance, body awareness, and running/moving mechanics. Many of these areas develop faster at younger age groups (5 to 13).

The Know How (Tactical Ability)

So a player has worked hard to develop a garage full of state of the art tools to use in the game, but does the player know how to use them? This is the next area that is important to a player. A player needs to learn how to use their tools when playing the game. This is developed over time through a coach facilitating the process with the design of training activities and the player’s experience on the soccer field. The player needs to learn which tools to use, when to use those tools, why to use those tools, and where to use the tools. The coach can help by putting the “hammer” in the kids hand when they try to use a “wrench” to drive in a nail.

Imagine a mechanic who is in a garage with amazing tools all around, but the mechanic has no idea how to use any of them. It would be a tragic waste of resources! This is why it is very important for players to learn the “Know How” of the tools they develop so they can use them efficiently on the field. It is critical to teach technical skills, or the tools of the game, in the context of how they can be used to help the player be successful on the field.

One of tough things about soccer is that there are very few absolute answers to any single problem on the field. Players have to constantly make choices on the soccer field, and those choices have to be made in real time. There is usually more than one right answer to any problem and the right answer depends on the “tools” the player has, along with the variables of the game. With a coach’s guidance and being aware of past success and failures, a player will develop the “know how” to use their tools in different situations to solve problems on the field.

It is common to find players with incredible tools who do not know how to use them or players with incredible Know How but lack the tools to be able to execute. Both situations can be very frustrating for a player. This is why it is critical that technical skills, the tools of the player, are taught along side, the tactical, the Know How, of the game. This will help develop players who are capable and ready to play the game at a higher level, well almost...

The Will (Psychological)

I am not a psychologist, so I will not try to speak intelligently on the inter-workings of the human mind. When a player or parent hears about the psychological pillar of player performance on the field, it encompasses an extensive area of mental aspects of the game that can be hard to understand. For the sake of keeping things simple, the psychological aspect for a player can be summarized as “The Will” or want to use/showcase their Tools and Know How. The will to play the game.

In other words, does the player want to compete and put forth the effort necessary to have the best chance to develop and have success? A player’s work rate, or willingness to work hard, is a key component of a player’s success. A player can have all the needed talent to be great, but if they are unwilling to compete and work harder than the other players on the field, it does not matter.

Can this be developed by coaches? Yes and no. Yes, coaches can create a competitive environment in training and push players to want more than they think is possible, but the players still need to WANT to do it. A player has to make a decision to compete. If the coach creates the right environment and the player decides to compete, it can create a player who can thrive in games and in other competitive environments. If the environment is right but the player chooses not to compete, then the player will never have the necessary mentality to be successful on the field. Players make this choice at different times in their development. Coaches have the responsibility to try to nurture this decision and process for each player overtime.

The Control (Emotions & Lifestyle)

These are two areas not normally talked about when discussing areas that make up a player, but none the less, both are very important to a player’s performance on the field. These are two areas that are in control solely by the player, but the coach can direct players in the right direction and advise when needed.

A player’s emotions may seem like it would fall under the psychological/mental pillar but I separate them. There are many players that have a ton of will and love to compete, but cannot control their emotions in big games or competitive environments. They can overreact or under react to situations on the field that can hinder performance. This includes their overall mood and relationship to other players on their team. A player must be able to control their emotions at all times. As we see in professional sports frequently, when emotions are out of control, players tend to make poor decisions on and off the field.

A player’s lifestyle is what they do when they are not on the soccer field. As players get older, this becomes a bigger factor. When players are young, many of their lifestyle decisions are made by their parents. Eventually, a player will begin to decide on their own how they spend their time away from the soccer field.

Although kids do not think about it much, what they eat, how much they sleep, how much exercise they get, and other lifestyle choices can impact their performance. Simply, poor choices away from the field can implode a player’s ability to perform before training or a game even begins. Without enough sleep, a player will be physically tired and mentally dull. Without eating properly, the player will not have the energy needed to perform. These are just a few examples of areas that can be affected by a player’s lifestyle choices.

Parents and coaches can help a player understand how to handle their emotions and instill good lifestyle habits off the field. Often, this comes from “teachable moments” that occur as kids grow up, where a parent or coach needs to step in and guide a player towards making better decisions in the future. Whether it is a player blowing up on a teammate for a bad pass or deciding to eat poorly before a game, a coach or parent can use the result of those actions to motivate the player to find a better solution to create a better outcome next time.

If players understand the components that make up who they are on the field, the player can identify areas of strengths and weaknesses and address them both. A player can use their strengths to hide weaknesses while working on improving those weaknesses until they become strengths. In the end, there is no “cookie cutter” profile for a complete or high level player. All will have a different mix of all these attributes that will determine a player's overall performance. All players, in order to be successful need enough of the Tools, the Know How, and Will to play the game. How successful the player is depends on their emotional control and choices made on and off the field.

Organized Sports

When I was a kid, it was common for me to spend most of my time out of the house playing in the neighborhood. I spent the majority of my time playing games, making up games, and just playing with other kids in the area. Everything from baseball, basketball, football, roller hockey, skate boarding, riding bikes, every tag game you can think of, and of course, soccer. We were just always looking to play. There have been plenty of articles written about the importance of “play” for kids and how that seems to be missing from the daily lives of today’s child. I do not know what specific benefits I gained from my experiences playing in the streets with my friends, on our own, with very little adult supervision (for better or worse), but I am positive it played an important part of my development as a soccer player and young person. As the world has changed, and it is not as feasible and safe for kids to spend hours unattended outside, so kids have lost the opportunity to play like I did when I was a kid. This is why “organized sports” needs to be called on to fill that void.

The problem is well documented that kids do not play on their own as much anymore (if at all) as in the past. It is not just a soccer related issue, but a wider issue for kids. Everything, from the start of their day, to the end of their day, is often adult driven. When kids are around other kids, most of the time it is under direct adult supervision and control. The adult is controlling what the kids are doing, how they do it, how long they do it for, and if what they are doing is RIGHT or WRONG. When kids play on their own, they decide all of that.

Many sport organizations are beginning to make a transition to help fill the void of “play” in kids’ lives. Within the context of organized sports, they are creating “unorganized” opportunities for kids to be kids and enjoy games in their purest, backyard, grassroots, form. These might be events the organizations hold or just how the coach approaches a practice session or part of a session.

Open Fields and Pick Up are becoming more popular. Soccer clubs and facilities provide days for kids to come out and play without any adult interference. The kids pick the teams, type of game, and the rules. Everything is in control of the players. The game starts and ends when the players want it to, they play for as long as they want, they add players to teams when needed or take turns playing. It gives control to the players and lets them play freely. They can experiment, try things on their own, joke around as they are playing with friends and teammates, and no one will correct them. No one will tell them something was done well or done wrong.

Some coaches include this type of format within their training sessions. When players arrive at practice, they are told to begin playing. As players arrive, they form teams and play. Again, very little guidance from the coach in regards to what type of game to play, who is on each team, size of the field, how they score, so the kids just decide on their own. For the first 15 minutes of practice or until practice is scheduled to start, the kids play on their own. On teams that do this, I have heard of players begging their parents to get to practice 30 minutes early so they can play more.

By play, it does not always have to be an actual game with two teams. It can be any type of game between a couple players or a whole group. Sometimes there can be several different games going on at the same time. A couple players could be trying to hit a tree from different distances, while two others are trying to keep the ball from one another. Another small group could be playing keep away or a game. No matter what they are doing, they are playing and having fun with one another.

Another good idea is having team events where soccer is not even involved. The kids get together and play other games or sports. They play but not the game the group normally plays together. This incorporates more of the free play benefits as now the kids are interacting and playing games they are not as familiar with. The kids can show each other different things they are good at and teach each other. This is similar to what would happen in the neighborhood growing up. One kid may be a really good basketball player, and we would all play with him. As we were playing, the kid who was a little better would help the kids just learning or we would try to make the teams fair based on the one kid who was much better than everyone else. By watching and playing with other kids who were good at different things, I got better at those activities as well.

Although these are not truly “free play” as in the context of what it was like when kids just played all day in the neighborhood moving from house to house and backyard to backyard, there is still an “organized” piece to it, it is closer to that play experience that kids do not get as much anymore. It provides those opportunities to be around games and sports without a coach or without a purpose, other than to play. When kids play, they are not doing it to improve a skill or get better at something. They just do it because it is fun. They are interacting with other kids, making friends, making memories, and again, having fun. When you remove adults from the equation, it allows the kids to have more freedom of what they can do. Often, the kids can figure out and imagine things that are no longer as available in our adult mindsets. Kids see the world differently, and when allowed to play on their own, create the games they want to play.