Control Defined

Coaches talk to players a lot about their control of the ball and how to improve it. It is probably one of the most common things a player gets feedback on during training and games. “Better first touch” or “keep it close” are both examples of what a player might hear from a coach when the ball gets too far from the body and possession is lost. The coaches want the players to keep the ball closer to the body so they can protect it from defenders, while at the same time, be able to execute their next decision on the ball. With that said, is that really all that “control” is when it comes to handling the ball during a game? It is just keeping the ball close to the body? Yes, these are parts of what control of the ball entails, but it is not the complete picture. So, let’s define control….

Control is defined as “the power to influence or direct.” Throughout the game, a player’s ability to influence and direct the ball is the foundation of being able to play this game. So, control is not just keeping the ball close to the body. No, a player who has real control of the ball, can make it do whatever he wants, whenever he wants, and wherever he wants.

A player with great control is a player who can consistently have the ball react to the body exactly how the player anticipated. If the player wanted to go left, the player went left. He wants his touch on the dribble to move the ball three yards from him, the ball moves three yards or somewhere very close. With any part of the body the player can legally use in the game, the player can direct and influence the ball to do exactly what was intended with little need for corrective touches or adjustments.

When we talk to players about “controlling” the ball, it cannot only be in the context of keeping the ball close to the body. It needs to be applied to every aspect of the game. Whether it is dribbling, passing, finishing, or trapping the ball, the player must have that element of control.

Dribbling does not just require a player to keep the ball close to the body when moving with it. Instead, dribbling requires the player to be able to make contact with the ball with the appropriate part of the foot, on the correct part of the ball, with the proper weight, and at the right time in order to successfully maneuver the ball around pressure and into space. The slightest miscalculation in any of those areas usually results in a loss of possession or a lost opportunity due to the player needing extra touches or time to get where he wanted to go.

When you watch a player handle the ball, does it look like he knows where the ball is about to go or does the player look like they are reacting to every touch? In other words, do they look surprised by the direction or distance of their touch? A player with good control is confident in where he is directing the ball with each touch. Whether he is trapping the ball, passing the ball, finishing, or dribbling, the touch taken on the ball looks intentional and with purpose.

Keeping the ball close is also not always the goal for a player. There are times in the game when a larger touch on the dribble ,or with the first touch, is needed to get away from pressure or quickly move forward into space. If a player is running with the ball, and has plenty of space, the player is faster the less number of times the player needs to touch the ball while running. The player needs to manage the distance of each touch to make sure nobody else can get to the ball before he does, but a touch may need to be farther from the body to allow the player to accelerate faster into the space before the defender can get there.

When a player receives the ball, to keep it close to the body may hurt the player’s ability to keep the ball. It could trap the player in pressure making it easier for a defender to close the player down. It is necessary in the game to be able to take a first touch away from the body into space versus keeping it close when appropriate. This allows the player to escape pressure or take advantage of space before the defender can close him down.

In both of these situations, the player must be able to direct and influence the ball to determine where it will go next. A miscalculated touch a little too far right or left, too soft or too hard, can quickly cause the player to lose possession of the ball. The more control players have of the ball, their influence and direction of each touch, the more likely they will have success.

Control is directly related to a player's ability to strike the ball to pass or finish from close or farther distances. A player with great control knows how hard and where to hit the ball to get the desired result of the strike. By using the correct part of the foot and proper follow through, the player can get the correct pace and texture to the strike. All of this is “control” because it is the player’s ability to influence and direct the ball. Players with great control are usually tremendous at passing and finishing, especially in regards to putting different types of spin and loft on their strikes.

Control of the ball directly correlates with a player’s ability to control the body. With great body control and positioning, the player puts himself into a better situation to get the desired contact with the ball. When a player is off-balance or out of position, it is difficult to get the necessary touch on the ball. This is why foot speed, agility, and coordination work is important for players in training. When players are deficient in these developmental areas, it is harder for them to be successful with the ball. Improved body awareness gives the player the ability to control how they are making an impact with the ball. Being able to direct and influence the body allows the player to more easily direct and influence the ball.

Again, control is not only keeping the ball close to the body. A player can trap a ball or dribble with it close to the body and still have a considerable lack of control of the ball. Control is about total influence and direction of each touch on the ball. A player with great control has few limitations to what he can make the ball do. As a result of that control, they not only can influence and direct the ball, they tend to be the players that can influence and direct the outcomes of games.

Change is Coming

In Ohio, most teams are winding down their spring season and have tryouts approaching at the beginning of June to select teams for the Fall season. Tryout time is an anxious time to begin with, but this year will add a new level of anxiety and uncertainty with many of the changes taking place for next season. With the change to move to birth year to organize teams and a change in platform for many age groups (4v4, 7v7, and 9v9), there will be some significant differences next year for players, coaches, and parents.

Now, this article is not about taking a position, arguing in favor or against any of these changes. There are plenty of articles and information about that, and I would be adding nothing new to the discussion on whether or not there is validity and/or need for the changes. What I want to focus on is something more important, and what all of us should be really directing our attention to in preparation for the changing landscape of the youth soccer experience.

In my view, coaches and parents have a tremendous opportunity with the upcoming season, and it is an opportunity that is critical for each child’s development so we need to take full advantage. Change is a part of life, and with change often comes a lot of frustration, fear, discomfort and uncertainty. It often drags us, kicking and screaming, into a foreign place where we do not think we will be happy or want to be. Although, if we look hard enough and adjust our attitude, it is in these moments that we find significant opportunities for growth in character, perseverance, and ability.

Every coach and parent should not be looking at the coming changes through the lens of fear wondering how this will negatively affect their child or players. Instead, we should be guiding and preparing the players on how to properly handle the upcoming changes in a way that will help them be better… not bitter.

We have a “teaching moment” ahead of us that we can use with the players affected by the change. A moment that does not come around often. Although most kids wish things would stay the same and their teams would stay together, it not a reality of next season (or life). The life lesson that this situation can be used to teach is a powerful one, and maybe one of the most important for kids to learn. When change occurs that they are not happy about, which will happen often in their lives, how will they respond? Will they get bitter and complain about fairness, try to find loopholes, or ways to prevent the change from happening or letting it affect them, OR will they be able to respond in a better way… a more positive way, the way we hope they will respond to similar situations later in life (when it is much more important).

It is fine not to be happy about the change, or change in general, as there are many times change happens that we wholeheartedly disagree with. Dealing positively with change is not avoiding it or ignoring it. Dealing positively with change is analyzing it, and understanding how it will affect you, and what you need to do to NOT let it stop you from continuing down the path to your goals. Again, change will move us out of our comfort zone, whether we like it or not, forcing us to adapt, learn and develop new skills to deal with the change. But, the consistent “silver lining” is those new skills learned stay with us once we have weathered the adjustment, and we are better for it.

For younger kids, this can be an opportunity to help them prepare for situations they will have to deal with as they get older. If the family moves to a different city, the player will be more comfortable playing with a new team and making new friends. When a player goes to high school, it will make the transition of playing with older players and in a new environment easier. For those who play soccer in college, there will be less fear and discomfort when confronted with the most challenging playing environment experience up to that point.

All of these are moments of change for youth players. The “small” changes coming up this year can begin to help players learn how to deal with the bigger changes coming their way in the future, both on, and off the field.

As kids head into this tryout season, we need to help them look ahead with uncertain optimism. Not being completely sure how everything will end up next season or how the players will be affected is ok as long as the players understand how to deal with the change and focus solely on the things they can control. They need to see the upcoming changes as an opportunity to be challenged as a player and person, an opportunity to play in a different environment with new players, and opportunity to make new friends, opportunity to learn ways of playing the game, and an opportunity to learn how to deal with change.

Our primary responsibility as parents and coaches is to guide our kids and teach them how to do that. It is not to get upset for them or try to shelter them from it.

Change is coming… there is no stopping it now. How we react to and handle the situation as adults will impact how the kids handle this change and learn how to manage change positively in the future. Do not miss this opportunity, an important “teaching moment, that does not come around often. Make this moment about helping your kids learn valuable lessons and life skills. Do not make it about short-term, unimportant things, that really will have little effect on the rest of their lives.

A Letter to Me

Dear Tony,

Hey, it’s me (or you), Tony, 12 years from now. Yea, this is going to be a little strange, but bear with me. You are probably getting ready for your first practice of the first team you get to coach, the Grandview Middle School boy’s soccer team. Take a quick break from planning your session for their first practice to read this letter.

Also, on a side note, you are going to get lost on the way to training and miss it anyway, so you would be better off getting a head start on the apology note to the players and parents you will need to write...ok back to why I am writing this letter.

Well, you are not going to believe this, but this “coaching” thing becomes a little serious in the future for you. Although you are studying to be a teacher, which will come in handy, you will only spend a couple years in the school system. No, you do not get fired, but you make a pretty gutsy decision to leave the classroom for the soccer field (a bigger classroom).

Now, I want to give you a few quick tips to prepare you for the path you are going take. Don’t worry. You made a good decision, but I want to share some things I have learned over the past 12 years with you that are important to know.

Learn as much as you can about the players you coach.

You will continue to study and learn more about the game and new coaching methods, but it is the knowledge about the kids you are working with that will be your biggest asset and make you a better coach. In show business, it is often said, “Know your audience.” This is true in coaching as well. “What” and “how” you are coaching are only as good as they are appropriate for your audience (the players). You will design fantastic sessions that will fail, in epic fashion, because they were not appropriate for the kids of that age or level. You will get mad and blame it on the kids, but with experience and moderate wisdom, you will realize it is your fault, not theirs.

Parents are your ally.

You will be around a lot of coaches who tell “horror stories” about parents and their involvement in their child’s soccer experience. While some are true, and you will witness some firsthand, the vast majority of parents want to do what is best for their kid and support you as a coach. Do not let a rare few paint the entire group in a negative light. You will learn very quickly that your job is much easier, and enjoyable, the more you engage parents in the process. Communicate, communicate, and communicate…. and when you are done...communicate some more. Have the tough conversations, do not leave things open to interpretation, seek feedback, provide feedback, agree to disagree respectfully, and be open minded. You will become a parent one day, and when you look at your daughter, and get the sense she is even slightly being mistreated, you will understand where a concerned parent is coming from. Lastly, even the parents you will never find common ground with are the ones you will learn the most about yourself and your coaching philosophy.

Make it fun.

You will find as an adult you have a different agenda than the kids when you arrive at training. You will be overly serious about getting things done a very specific way, and expect each player to be focused on getting better, winning, and having success. Yes, you will want players to be focused, get better, and be successful, but making the game too serious too fast will do the exact opposite. Do not forget what you were thinking about when you arrived at training as a player. Did you really show up and say, “Today I am going to improve my first touch and ability to pass and move.”

No, you did not. Sorry, you cannot lie to yourself. When you showed up, you were just excited to see your friends and get to play. You were lucky to have coaches who made the game fun and taught you how to play the game. It is going to take you some time to remember that because you want to be the best coach you can be, but once you do, you will find the kids will respond much better to your coaching style, have more fun, learn more, and have more success. They are there to have fun. It is why they signed up to play to begin with...just like you.

It is a game. Make sure you keep it a game, and not make it into a job for them. Your goals are different than their goals, and most are not overly serious about the game. Remember, you always played because it was fun, and it never really got “serious” until you were in high school.

By the way, I know you think you want to coach in college one day. Turns out, with this slight change in approach, your favorite age groups to coach will be the younger players. Sorry for the bad news, but look on the bright side. If you do your job well, you are going to help a lot of players stay in the game long enough to get to college one day.

Learn, but don’t copy.

You do a great job seeking out other coaches to observe in order to learn new coaching methods and training activities. You will attend conventions and coaching schools, spend a lot of time on YouTube, and all will be an invaluable resource for your development as a coach. Make sure you never stop doing that!

BUT… here is something you will learn overtime. Learn from the great coaches around you, but do not try to BE the great coaches around you. By trying to do things the way they do them, to coach the way they coach, talk the way they talk, you will become frustrated and fail. Do not copy what you see, instead, adapt it to the type of coach you want to be and the players you are working with. By doing that, you can take what is great about every coach and use it in a way that works for you. You are unique in your style, like all coaches, so you need to do more than just see and copy. You must see, dissect, question, build, adapt, and integrate into your pedagogy.

Evolve...changing your mind is ok.

It shows wisdom, not uncertainty, to change your mind as you gain more knowledge and information about the world around you. In time, those whom you were impressed with by their ability to “stand their ground” will seem more ignorant and intolerant to change, child-like in many ways, than being confident and an expert in their field. Although, always be in awe of those who stand by principle based on current information and will do what is right in the face of adversity without a consensus of the masses. Be weary of the , “back in my day” people who refuse to accept new information that proves the old way maybe was not that great, or really never worked.

You will stand strong on a lot of issues, and then come to many crossroads where you can stay on your current path, stubbornly, ignoring what you have learned, or you will choose to do what is hard, and adjust your approach in light of what you know, admit you were wrong, and change course. To be honest, you will be stubborn at times and take the wrong course of action, but your proudest and toughest moments of your coaching career will be when you evolve. Changing your mind is ok. Do it often. As soon as you stop changing your mind, it means you have stopped thinking. If you stop thinking, you will no longer be an effective coach.

One last thing…

Remember that bitter is one letter away from better. Things will not always go your way, and you will be frustrated often about what you see happening around you in the youth soccer world. You will want to scream at the rain and punch at the wind when you see what some people deem important and unimportant. You will feel like you are making progress by impacting the game and culture in a positive way, and then you will witness actions of coaches, parents, and those entrusted with governing youth sports that make you seriously doubt that real, lasting change, is even possible. You will struggle with being bitter or being better. If you really want to make a difference always choose to be better, not bitter. By doing that, you can do your very small part to make the game you love something others can love as well. You really like quotes, so always remember one of your favorites:

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world;

indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” - Mead

You are lucky enough to work with such a group of people, so take advantage of the opportunity.

All the best,

Future Tony

P.S. - You are not going to believe this, but you still live in Ohio.

Be the Best Part of the Day

When I was student teaching as part of my requirements to earn my teaching license, I had the opportunity to work in different schools across Columbus and learn from some of the best teachers in the classroom. With all I learned in my time student teaching, there was a defining moment for me one Friday afternoon when I walked into a middle school classroom to do a lesson I prepared. That moment has been the foundation for the way I approach teaching and coaching.

As I entered the room classes were changing, and the kids of the class I was about to teach followed in behind me. It had been a rough day before arriving at the school to teach the class. I woke up late for work that day, and got an ear full from my boss earlier that day. On top of that, a friend who was suppose to be coming in town to visit cancelled at the last second, and I was not feeling well. I had a pounding headache, and I just wanted the day to end. Teaching this class was the last thing I wanted to do.

I guess I was noticeably unhappy by my facial expression, body language or the way I “gently” dropped my bag on the desk. The teacher for the class came over and asked me if everything was ok. I brushed her off with a quick, “I’m fine” and got ready for the lesson as the kids started taking their seats.

As I started class, there were a couple kids in the back of the class taking their sweet time to sit down and get their notebooks out. Although they were probably taking the standard amount of time it takes a teenager to do anything, my current mode was expecting military type precision to my instructions. With the first snap of the last straw of my patience, I screamed, “Sit down.”

Before I got to continue with what was about to come out of my mouth, the teacher quickly stood up and asked me step outside with her. Obviously, this was the last thing I wanted to deal with and was ready to snap on her as well. As soon as the door closed behind us, she changed how I would approach my job from that point on.

She got to eye level with me, and simply said this, “I do not care what is wrong with you, and those kids do not deserve anything less than your best when you step into that room. Leave all the other **** out here. Do not bring it in there with them. This could be the best part of their day, and you can never let yourself be selfish enough to take that from them. Now, you be the adult, and make this a great day for them. Deal with ‘your stuff’ later.”

She was right, and probably why she is one of the best at what she does. I made a promise to myself that I would adhere to what she asked of me, not just while student teaching in her classroom, but each time I have the privilege and opportunity to teach, or coach, a child.

Her point, which she did not make very subtle, was two fold:

1. We cannot be certain what each kid deals with throughout each day. It is possible that a child’s hour with me could be the only positive part of their day.
2. It is up to me to make sure that I do everything I can to make that time the best part of their day, NO MATTER WHAT, without exception.

I have modeled my approach to coaching with this “be the best part of their day” as the foundation of what I do each time I run a training session for a player or group of players.

Before you start to think that I am all about ice cream and skittles during my time coaching kids, that is not the case. I believe you can establish a learning environment with a high level of discipline AND enthusiasm. Any high level training environment requires both of these at all times.

All this means, is that when I step on the field with kids, they always have my undivided attention and I will be focused on helping each kid feel important, empowered, and confident in their ability to learn. They will know that I care about them. I care enough about them to not make the session about anything else except them, and helping them improve.

When you are having a bad day, and you are about to step on the field, although difficult at some times, you need to leave the “bad” in the car before you get out. A player, a child, does not deserve to have their practice spoiled by a coach with a short fuse and irritated demeanor, or a coach who will have less than normal patience or rip into a kid mainly just because he is having a bad day.

All kids fight battles either at home, school, or with friends, at some point throughout the year. Other kids are in a constant battle, some much worse than others. Many of these situations we are not aware of, some we are are, and for those kids, their time at practice or playing a sport is their one place of solace. It is their escape, for a short amount of time doing something they love, from what they are forced to face the rest of the day.

By making a player’s time with you the best part of the day, it does not just make it a great experience, and possible refuge, for the kid, but it also makes you a much better coach. This is a key characteristic of the best coaches. They are fully engaged and committed to each player to make sure they are challenged and enjoy training and working towards a goal.

I think back to my best coaches, and teachers, and it was very hard to ever tell what type of day they were having at any given moment. There was a steadfast consistency to what my experience was going to be like in their classroom or on the soccer field. There were very few, if any, shocking moments for these teachers and coaches that were completely out of character. It is what made their classrooms and training sessions “safe places” where I wanted to be, learn, and work incredibly hard.

In the end, to be the “best part of the day” for the kids you teach or coach is a simple, but powerful, philosophy and approach to the most important profession. Teachers and coaches, at times, spend more time with kids during the day, than anyone else. By taking this approach, not only will you make an incredible difference in more kids’ lives, but the kids will learn more, work harder, and have a terrific example to model their behavior after. As this is an important approach for teachers, it is something we should all strive for when it comes to those we interact with each day… friends, family, and even complete strangers.

Classroom Management

When I was in graduate school studying to be a teacher, classroom management monopolized much of the curriculum and the focus of study. From the beginning, our professors and teachers who worked with us said, “everything begins and ends with classroom management.” Meaning, no matter how skilled a teacher, how great the lesson plan, it did not matter if there was a lack of classroom management. From the moment the students step into the classroom to the end of the class, everything that happens is important. This is true for coaches. As teachers, in a bigger classroom and a different topic, the focus of “classroom management’ is just as critical. Without it, a training session will never reach its potential to impact the players’ learning and development.

Let’s take a look at how classroom management can be applied to your team’s training sessions:

When the Players Arrive

I have seen two types of teams. One in which when the players show up for training, their bags are thrown all over the field, and the players are all doing something different. Some are shooting at the goal, others are running and chasing each other, some might be wrestling or squirting each other with water, while others just sit and watch the chaos. The second type of team, the players arrive and all place their bags in a designated area (normally lined up), and then the players are all engaged in the same activity. They might be partner passing, juggling, playing keep away (rondo), or getting right into a small sided game on their own.

Which team do you think will have a more productive training session?

The second team is going to be ready to start training when it is time, and is already in the proper mindset to get the most out of the training session, while the first team will probably take much longer to get focused and be ready to practice.

The activity does not matter as much as the understanding that there is an expectation of what should be done by the players upon arrival. Think of the coach of the first group, and the moment he tries to start practice. How long do you think it would take him to get the group organized and focused to start training? With all the players disorganized and running around, there will probably be a lot of wasted time getting everyone “settled down” before training begins.

Coaches with good classroom management have set clear expectations with their players about what is expected upon arrival and how training will begin. With all the players already participating in the same task and on the same page, when practice begins, it can be set up to be a smooth transition into the first activity (we will talk about transitions later).

Another benefit to this is when the coach is running late or coming from another training session that ends when the next session begins. Many coaches either work another job full time or have other teams they coach. Often, it can lead to coaches running late, or arriving just as practice is scheduled to start. A team that knows what to do when they arrive, will not waste any time and can utilize all of their practice time. It is impressive to watch a coach arrive a couple minutes late to training and their team is already warming up, or playing a rondo, until the coach is ready to start. It is a much better use of time than the players standing around not knowing what to do.

Flow of Activities - Transition

One of the best pieces of advice I received as a student teacher from a mentor was to eliminate “dead time” in my lesson plans. He called it “dead time” because nothing would be going on, and those were the moments your lesson plan was most likely to be “killed” by losing the kids’ attention. Progress made during the class can be stalled or even reversed. When nothing is happening, the kids will fill the time for you, and you might not like their choice of activities.

When moving from one activity to the next in a training session, transitions need to be:

Quick - 2 minutes at the most (much less with younger players) Active - there needs to be direction in what kids are doing during that time.

The more time you give kids to find distractions during activities or get themselves into trouble (for lack of a better term), the harder it will be to get the next activity started in a timely manner or have the players’ full attention. Often, when too much time has past, the first moments of the new activity are spent dealing with behavior or focus issues versus the substance of the activity.

Any break should have clear expectations of the players. The players may be instructed to get water, and then collect all the soccer balls in a certain area, or assist in moving cones/goals. I have seen some coaches have the players get water, and then “juggle” until called back on to the field. Again, no downtime. No opportunities to “check out” of the training session.

Coaches can assist with this by the setup and flow of their activities. When designing sessions, as it is taught in many coaching schools, layout the final activity first and then build down into the first activity. Ideally, coaches only need to remove a few cones or add a few cones for the next phase of training to be begin. Coaches should try to avoid situations that everything needs to be picked up and then reset again for the next activity. This usually causes a much longer pause in the training session, and even players who have been instructed to do things during the break, will lose focus due to there being an excessive amount of time between activities.

The kids want to play. Most behavioral and focus issues for players are born out of boredom from too much down time during training.

Proximity

To help with focus and attention during training, it is important the coach finds a way to move between the players and give individual attention to each player. When coaches tend to just stand in one spot, leaning up against a goal, talking to other coaches, checking their phones, and simply not fully engaged with the kids, there will be a significant lack of focus and effort among the players (on average).

Players pick up on when coaches are not really paying attention to what is going on, or seem to not particularly care. This tells the players what is currently going on is not that important. I am going to use a classroom example. Often when students are working on an activity at their desk quietly, teachers use the opportunity to sit at their desk and get work done. Understandable as free time during the day is limited, but it does send a clear message to the students about the importance of the activity. I found when I would walk around the room and stop at students’ desks to ask questions or assist, not only did the quality of the work improve, the students showed more of an interest in what they were doing. As they saw me walking around, they were more likely to raise their hand or stop and ask questions than when I would be sitting at my desk.

Same is true for coaches. As kids are training, by getting around to all the players, not only does it help significantly decrease behaviour and focus issues, but it sends a clear message that what they are doing is important. You are engaged, interacting with the players, and they will be engaged and interact with you (and each other).

Demeanor

The leader sets the tone of each training session. What type of tone? This is up to the coach, but demeanor and approach sets the tone for everything. As the leader, the attitude and approach that you bring to a training session will permeate through the session.

If you are expecting a very high work rate and focus on very important items in training, then starting out the session in a loose or “laid back” manner way may not be appropriate. If you are joking around with the players one second, and then try to quickly transition them into a serious issue, you may find it difficult.

Your demeanor should be similar each session. If the players do not know if a clown or a drill sergeant is going to show up to practice to coach, it makes it hard for them to understand what will be expected of them each session. The trick is:

Finding a good balance of the clown and drill sergeant (depending on age/level of team). Making your tone, approach, and demeanor synced with what you want to accomplish during the training session. This is where a teacher or coach can move skillfully along the spectrum between a clown or drill sergeant without getting too far on one side or the other.

Expectations

Instead of having rules and consequences as the foundation of behavior management, have a firm set of expectations for both the players and yourself (the coach). These expectations should span the scope of how players talk to each other, to the coach, being prepared, being on time, eye contact, body language when speaking to or listening to another, and how to properly and respectfully approach others when there are disagreements.

Ask the players what they expect from you? Adhere to those expectations that align with your coaching philosophy and clearly explain to the players if some of their expectations are not possible. This process should happen in reverse as well. Ask the players what you should expect from them and what they should expect from each other.

Although this does not eliminate behavior and focus issues that can slow down or halt a training session, it can provide quick and clear actions to address and correct these issues. Often, players will begin to hold each other accountable for them, relieving the coach of some of this burden. When the coach is required to correct the action or behavior, it is more of a reminder of the agreed upon expectations than a punitive action.

This is a better process than no one knowing what the expectations are and your practice is congested with an excess of “don’t do that” or “that is not acceptable.” All coaches accept or do not tolerate certain behaviors, so do not just “expect” your players to know what your expectations are for them at each training session. Also, do not pretend to automatically know what their expectations are of you. You may be surprised to hear what your players expect from you.

The Importance of “Why”

Finally, there needs to be clear purpose in everything you do with your players throughout each training session and the entire season. It is amazing the difference in the level of “buy in” from the players when they clearly understand “why” things are done a certain way. Especially, when the “why” clearly explains the way you run training sessions, the expectations you have set, the activities you use to train your athletes, and everything else you do to help make your players better, on and off the field, you will see a dramatic change in focus and behavior. Help your players understand “why” the little things are important, “why” paying attention to the small details makes a big difference in performance and success, and “why” trusting the process will help them get to where they want to be.

Like in the classroom, when you help kids understand why doing “A” helps them get to “B” which will then allow them to have success with “C”, it is a much more powerful tool to manage focus and behavior than, “Do it because I said so.” When players clearly understand your approach and reason for your actions, they know why complying with what is asked helps them achieve their goals.

The best teachers and the best coaches, not only have tremendous content knowledge of the subject matter they are teaching, but have great command of their environment in which they teach. The mastery and artistry of their craft is not just molding the child but also building a “learning center” that is conducive to growth and development. By being deliberate in how each moment with the kids is managed to support the intended curriculum, both you and your players will have more success.

Who Wants It the Most?

There is no way to predict which players will be the ones who will end up playing at the highest level or achieving the most over their soccer careers. As coaches, we like to think we are good at identifying the soccer stars of tomorrow, but we are often wrong. There is just no way to know how a player will develop and change over time. Too many unknown variables lay ahead of each player that will directly or indirectly affect his or her path and where that path eventually will lead. With that said, with any team or group of players I have coached over my years in this profession, I can easily identify the players who WANT TO BE THE BEST by their focus and effort during training. It is easy to see who wants it the most!

You might be thinking that I am talking about the player who does exactly what is asked and is never a “behavior issue” in training, but I am not. Although that may fit the description of this type of player at times, it is not a defining characteristic. I have coached many players who other coaches would describe as being inattentive, disruptive, and stubborn, but I saw something different. I saw a player who was inattentive because they wanted to play, disruptive because they came up with their own rules, and stubborn to be the type of player they wanted to be.  No matter how a coach might label this player, there is no denying that this type of player would put his heart into everything he did. Passion and desire is often not obedient and structured. Some of my most passionate players and those who wanted to be the best, were also the most difficult to manage in training and in games. This is the type of player who does not stick to the path, but creates their own.

On the flip side of the coin is the player who never takes his eyes off the coach and is zeroed in on absorbing as much information as possible during each training session. This player is a coach’s dream in training and in games. He will do whatever is asked and more, while taking advantage of every opportunity to get better. It is obvious this type of player is determined to be the best and his actions show he wants it more than others. Like the player who is driven by passion and desire, this player is driven by other forces. This type of player is fueled by purpose and the quality of each and every action. He wants to be the best and will jump through any hoop, leap any wall, and overcome any challenge to move closer to the goal. This is a player who sticks to the path, and runs through anything standing in the way.

A player who “wants it” is a player who does the little things right all the time. The player who does not take a second off during a training activity or game. A player that is driven to improve and is actively working towards that goal. Most importantly, these players do the most of their “work” when no one is around. They do not just work hard when people are watching, or do what is asked for the proverbial “good job” from a coach or parent. They don’t care about that. They just care about their ability to play the game. Since that is their goal, they take every opportunity possible to work on their craft. They do not just do it when asked to do it by someone else.

When kids are young, the better players can sometimes be the players who have just developed physically or cognitively faster up to that point. There can be as much as a two year difference in physical and cognitive ability of players of the same age group. We point to the players who are more mature in those age groups as being the stronger players. We assume those are the players who be the best in the future, and some may be. But, we must also give our attention to those players who seem to want it the most, who love to play the most, and who have the most passion, drive, and purpose when they play. These players may need time to physically and cognitively catch up to their peers, so they cannot be overlooked. When these players develop, hopefully they received the same coaching and attention needed along the way to help them reach their potential.

Let me give you two examples of what I am talking about….

My first example is a player who I have coached over five years starting at age 8. He was always a “wild one” on the field and showed a tremendous amount of passion and joy to play the game. He was never happy unless he was competing, playing, and winning. He has never had much patience for standing around and listening for instructions, but I could always tell he was listening. When working on one skill, he was always the first player to try the skill his own way. It was common to hear, “What about this coach?” while he tries a heel pass versus the inside of the foot passing the rest of the team was working on. When I called the group in to talk, he used that time to work on his favorite skill move or start an impromptu 1v1 challenge with a teammate by megging him. Although the behavior could be seen as distracting at times, I understood where it was rooted. The kid just loved to play.

As he aged, his passion and creativity matured with him. In his age group, he may be one of the most exciting players to watch on the ball and is completely unpredictable (in a great way) on the field. He never ceases to amaze in what he has the guts to try when he plays that no other player would even dare think about trying during a game.  The way he moves on the ball and what he is capable of doing was not a product of my coaching. It was a product of him wanting to be the best. What many people do not know about this player is the amount of time he spent at home on his own just trying things with the soccer ball. Lifting, chipping, bending the ball all around the house and backyard, along with many other challenging skills, provides this player with a distinct advantage when he plays. He is capable of manipulating the ball in a way that other players cannot creating a number of options only available to him when he has the ball.

Second example, I currently work with a player who always arrives early for training. When waiting for training to start, while other players are talking and hanging out, this player finds space to work with the ball. Either dribbling and changing direction, juggling, or anything else the player feels the need to work on, gets its needed attention before the organized training session even begins.

During training, he never trains below a maximum effort and he can be someone tough on himself when mistakes are made. Although undeterred, he will quickly use disappointment as fuel to try again and work even harder. When the session stops, and I am talking to the players, he never cuts away from me with his eyes and often asks questions about the training. More often than not, I can count on him stopping me after training and asking specific questions about his performance and ideas on how he can work on skills on his own.

On a final note about both of these types of players, and the players in my example. The players who want it the most, seem to appreciate their coaches and parents who provide guidance an opportunity the most. These players have never left a training session with me, or any other coach, without saying thank you. Of the two players I talked about above, the first always walks by me on the way out of training with a quick “finger point” and says, “thanks coach.” The second player always shakes my hand, says, “thank you” and then usually asks me a question that is based on helping him improve.

Both of these players are very different in almost every way, but both are very similar in where it matters the most, they both want it the most!

Tactical Regurgitation

What is most important? Teaching young players individual skills or a tactical understanding of the game? It is a debate many coaches have, and often a stark contrast you can see between two teams when they play against each other. Although both sets of coaches want their players to be successful, there may be a difference between WHEN they want their kids to have success and the type of “tactics” being taught.

So, what is more important? Simply, it is not one or the other. The answer is both are important, but too often, it is the “tactics” that takes precedent over skills.

It is critical young kids develop necessary skills to play this game in order to be successful later on. If you cannot control the ball, you do not have a mastery of the skills, you cannot play this game to your full potential. With that said, as you are teaching young kids the skills to play the game, you also teach the ability of how to use those skills in games.

When you are working on 1v1 skills, it is not just how to beat the player, but WHY and WHEN? Is it best to dribble or pass in that situation? When working on passing and receiving it is not just the technique of how to do it, but WHY and WHEN did you take a certain type of touch in a certain direction with a certain foot, or why did you play that pass, at that angle, at that moment, in that direction, with that speed or with that texture.

When playing and training, you talk about finding space, and helping them see what is going on around as part of the skill development and ability to use them and that is learned over time. The biggest complaint I hear about coaches of older players is not about the players' understanding of the game, although it can always be better, but their lack of ability to do the simple things well enough, all the time, to play at a speed that is necessary at higher levels of competitions. Their control touch and competency on the ball is not good enough to deal with the high speed, unpredictable, pressures of the game.

With that in mind, and I think this where some coaches of young players make a huge mistake, sometimes a false or "rehearsed" type of tactics is taught to young players trying to learn to play. Players only move and stay exactly where the coach asks them to, not having to think, make decisions for themselves, or respond to what is happening in the game. It cosmetically looks great when you watch the team play, and it is often assumed that the players have a great understanding of the game. But the understanding is shallow, it is only on the surface, as it does not show a strength in competency, but rather a demonstration of the players ability to follow instructions. The players cannot solve the problems of the game. They can only do what the coach asks.

It is like teaching a kid that 2 + 2 = 4, but that is it. You never teach the child why, so he has no idea why that is the case. The kid has no idea about the actual value of each number, or that you are adding up its value to get to 4. So if you phrase the question differently, "If you have 2, but you need 4, how many more do you need?", the kid would not know the answer. All the kid understands is the statement that 2 + 2 = 4 because that is what he was told.

At times, coaches with young teams will teach the skills needed only to play the way the coach wants them to, and only allow the players to do exactly what the coach wants. But what about when the coach is no longer the coach, and the next coach asks them to do more? Or what happens when the game evolves, and there are more players, playing in different positions, more decisions to make, and the speed of the game is increasing? In the moment, a very well organized U8 year old team can have a lot of success in terms of results, but how many of those players have the same type of success later on as circumstances change and the game gets harder?

Helping players use space properly and how to make decisions on the field can start at an early age, but it cannot be done in a way that limits players options and ability to explore and learn the game by trial and error. Simply, neither skills or tactics can be taught in a vacuum, and both need to be done at a cognitive level that is both appropriate and promotes growth.

As kids move up levels, coaches will continue to look for important qualities in players. Do the they have the skills required to play the game? Are they intelligent players who understand the intricacies of the game?  Can they make decisions on their own? Can they learn from mistakes and make adjustments? Can they compete and mentally handle stresses of the game?

The goal is for any player who is willing and works hard enough to have all those things by the time he is in his competition years (15+). All the years before that are part of the process in getting there, so nothing can be skipped or prioritized in the wrong order for short term results, UNLESS the coach’s end goal is different.

Long term development is not everyone's goal. And if it is not, then that process does not have to be followed. Since only less than 1% of kids will ever play at the highest level, many would argue that it is more important to just make sure the kids are having success and winning. Give them the best chance to win now. I understand the logic, but do not agree with it. I believe you teach every kid like they will be a professional because we have no idea who that will be, and I do not want a kid to miss the chance because of something I did to meet my own short term goals.

To use another school analogy, it is the same reason why you teach kids letters and sounds, and then teach them how to create words, that can be used to make sentences, and then can be used to write paragraphs/stories. It is a progressive process builds on itself. You can instruct a young kid to copy a long sentence down, and show that to someone else and say, "look what this kid just wrote", but the kid has no idea what the letters, words, or sentence means. They are "just copying" what they have been asked to copy. What might look to be impressive is really not. It is just regurgitation of what was asked of them to do, and does not show meaningful understanding.

So in short, skills are critical to be taught at a young age and the game should be fun. It has to be fun or the kids will not play very long. Within that context, the kids can be taught how to play with other players and work as a team. In smaller numbers at the younger teams (pairs), then progressing into threes, and then into larger numbers as they get older.

An older player with great skill but no understanding of how to play will struggle just as much as a player who has a great understanding of the game but lacks the skill to execute a decision.

I have heard an overemphasis of “tactics” at a young age defined as teaching “smart” soccer. I am not sure how you teach "smart soccer" without teaching skills required to play that way. "Smart soccer" with the youngest teams translates to "mistake free" or "paint by numbers" soccer where little learning and development is taking place. Just a regurgitation of rehearsed soccer from a practice where kids spent most of their time listening to instructions and walking through set plays versus actually playing or practicing (or learning). Like rehearsing for a show, the kids go over their lines each practice and are asked to stick to them when they get to the game. Any deviation from their scripted roles is punished.

Now, I have heard a coach use the term “Brain Ball” with his players. This is something completely different. He asks his players to make choices in the game based on what they see. He asks them to solve the problems of the game using their brains and the skills learned in practice. For me this is “smart” soccer because the coach is asking the players to think for themselves, make mistakes and learn from them, and use all the skills learned in training during the game. The result? Players with the skills needed to play the game and ability to think for themselves when they are older. The players will not be like many who have no idea what to do unless they are told. The players will not be those who can regurgitate tactics when it is clearly defined for them, but have not idea how to apply them on their own.

Unplug the joystick and the player will stand idle.

I will end with this though... there is no set formula/timeline. Coaches will constantly debate the delicate balance between the time spent on skills and tactics in training, and debate is always good. It usually breeds new ideas and innovation in pedagogy. But in the simplest terms, at the youngest groups, if they are learning good habits in training, the skills needed to play the game, having fun, and at each practice and game learning a little more about how to play, the players and coach are on the right path.