Jogo bonito anyone???
Posted on May 3, 2010
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Soccer (or football), being the kind of game it is, has accumulated a worldwide nickname. That name is best expressed in Brazil by the term “jogo bonito”. Literally “play beautiful”, it is best translated the “beautiful game”. Now before you say….”Hey wait a minute! I just watched Borussia Mochengladbach play FC Kaiserslautern and there were a LOT of ugly dudes out there!” I am not talking about the beauty (or lack thereof) of the players. WOW, and what about those team names?????? They are ugly too! But I am talking about the simplistic beauty of the flowing, creative passing game. Passing is the essence of the game. Sure, awesome dribbling skills are a thing of beauty also but it lacks the team element of the passing game. As coaches we should teach the passing skills (primarily the push pass and the corresponding sidefoot trap) first. Dribbling just comes naturally to some younger players (who…ME??? give up the ball??? NOWAY!!) and those skills can be taught and fine tuned certainly. But it is the passing game that teaches skills and a team spirit. And that is what the game is truly about. The higher levels of play (competitive teams, high school, college, Olympic Developement, etc.) require an emphasis on team play…..passing and possession.
So…how can we teach these skills?? There are many (yeah, almost too many) drills out there for passing skills. Use the KISS principle especially for the younger kids. Teach the push pass as a short ground pass that is accurate if properly done. It is simple and effective. DO NOT ALLOW TOE PASSES!!! I have seen high school players still using the toe to kick with….that is ridiculous when you are playing at that level! Find drills that keep players moving….if standing in line is required have several lines, but avoid lines if you can. Find games that feature passing skills and allow the team in possession to have “numbers up” or more players than the team in defense. Good examples are games that feature three teams….two being in possession together at one time or that have two equal teams but there are several neutral players that play with the side in possession regardless of which one it is. These games require no goals and are basically variants of the old keep away games. Remember we are looking for success in what we are teaching so numbers up is the formula!!!
When you have worked about half of your practice on skill drills (10 minutes) and goal-less games (15 minutes) it is time to go to goal with a scrimmage (after you have heard the whining “Can we scrimmage N-O-O-OWW????” for the forty-leventh time!!). Hey…they want to play, so let them. But do not fear putting restrictions on the scrimmage. My favorite is to require they touch the ball no more than three times (or five times for the young ones) in possession. A fourth touch is a turn over…an indirect free kick for the opposition (I AM COACH…I MAKE THE RULES UP AS I GO!!!) This makes them think pass instead of dribble. Instead of the dreaded touch restriction (they hate that) you could require they complete five passes before they can shoot (get shot privilege is what I call it). They hate that too!! But let’s face it how many times have you practiced a skill or tactical procedure and thought they had it and then never saw it in a game?? Often you must require that they use a new found skill in practice before you will see it there. And you will not see it in a game until they have been required to do it enough in practice to master the skill and gain confidence!!
Another way to accent passing is to stop play periodically and point out a pass that could be made. Shout “freeze” and make everyone stop (you may have to reposition some) and point out a passing lane with a teammate at the end of it, a gap between two defenders with a teammate heading into it or a drop pass that could be made. Then have everyone stay still until the passer makes that pass successfully and then allow everyone else to move and resume play. Remember we are fostering success here .
And then you can give points during your scrimmage for completed passes (and of course goals). Soon there will be one or two that catch on and realize the easiest way to score is to pass for the points!
And never hesitate to stop play or at the next stoppage in play and call someone’s name out loud and then begin to tell them what it was they just did that was just beautiful….a pass, a move, a tackle, etc.. Give em a high five, a round of applause, etc… And just sit back and watch at those that want some of that recognition and pick their game up too!!! A game that’s destined to be “JOGO BONITO”!!
Twit face space tube
Posted on April 23, 2010
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Now you can post Coach David’s posts onto space book, my face, or even twituber. Just click one of the Icons you want on the right, log in(if you aren’t auto logged in) and post it. It’s simple, easy and pleasurable, it also helps show your friends and family whats going on with your league.
Hey Coach…give ‘em a cookie!
Posted on April 23, 2010
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One of the truest maxims to live by is the Biblical Golden Rule. You know….do unto others as you would have them do unto you (no it’s not “before they do unto you”!!!). Few of us can take criticism well. It’s a medicine that does not go down well at all. But if I have to take criticism I would like it tempered with a bit of praise. No one wants a barrage of negative comments as we know good and well that we do many positive things. One way to accomplish this (and I think fulfill the Golden Rule requirement) is to administer a cookie. No, no not THAT kind of cookie, but a psychological one (Oreos for the egos anyone?).
It works like this….I once coached a young man who I enjoyed playing alongside in our practices as his strike partner. Once I sprung him in behind the defense with a through ball he would smoothly dance his way around the charging keeper and slot a ball into the back of the net with ease. Better than anyone I had ever seen. But his problem was he would not stay at the striker position in a game but, like many who I put to playing “up top” felt compelled to wander about midfield and never could properly contribute their striking skills because they were invariably 40 yards from goal if they got the ball. So one day in a game I got particularly upset with his wandering feet and subbed him out to discuss the problem with him. So I sat him on one side of me on the bench and prepared a cookie for him.
Now the cookie goes like this….one part praise to start with, one constructive criticism slipped in followed by a positive summation of the situation. This acutal cookie went this way: “Casey, you’re the best striker I have seen at beating one defender and a goal keeper. You’ve got the pace, the skill and ice water in your veins in front of goal. But you are 40 yards away from the goal typically when you get the ball. You have to stay up top. The midfielders will get you the ball. That’s their job. You do yours. Stay in position. Be patient and when the ball comes to you use your skill to get us a goal. Hey, you’ve got the best job on the field…scoring goals AND the best skills on the team to do that.” Cookie applied. While Casey was digesting the cookie the player sitting immediately to my right said, “Hey Coach, you use psychology when you coach don’t you?” Wanting to know exactly what a U-12 player knew about psychology I slyly asked. “What do you mean?” He replied, ” You mess with our heads don’t you?” Yep, he knew!!!
If you ever have found yourself in a negative battle of wills with someone (say a stubborn player intent on doing things his way or one who is a disciplinary issue) the cookie is a good way to defuse the situation. It is best applied early and often as opposed to a barrage of criticism and negativity. By applying praise tempered criticism to someone YOUR status is raised in their eyes. They realize that you see good things in them and yeah, maybe you said they weren’t playing their position well but WOW you really like the set of skills they bring to the game. And then when heavier issues arise where you really must lay down the law they understand that you are someone who is fair minded and not just someone who is always on their case about something!!!
Am I messing with your head yet????
Tied up in knots….(NOT)
Posted on April 20, 2010
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Ever go to a soccer game to see loose shoes flying off feet and across the field??? Or, see how many players can be down on one knee tying a shoe at one time??? No??? Me neither and for good reason. Loose shoes and tying shoes kill the flow of a good game and also can be dangerous situations if those around the kneeling shoe tyer are unaware of him or her (and that would be just about everybody sometimes). Let me make a suggestion….no not double or triple knots. IF, as most soccer shoes do now days, the laces are ridiculously long run them both under the opposite side of the shoe and back around to the side they originated on and then tie them. Usually there is just enough to make a good knot…and then apply a “Hot Spot”. A Hot Spot is a wide rubber band that slides up over the shoe and covers the laces. This prevents the laces from coming untied GUARANTEED (well almost). In years of using them I have not had to tie a shoe during practice or play. In addition they hold the laces flat and provide a better surface for contacting the ball as opposed to the knot itself thereby allowing greater control. You can purchase a pair for a nominal price at Academy or any place that sells soccer gear. Wouldn’t it be great if everyone wore them??? Then if you saw a child kneeling in the field of play and the game swirling all around him you would know for sure that it was just little whats-his-name looking for bugs!!!
Pardon my throw in….
Posted on April 19, 2010
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It looks like we have another great season underway. A couple of terrific Saturdays and a lot of fun soccer still to play….but….what’s that you say???? If you have to sit through another ugly throw in you will what!?!? It seems that the art of the throw in must be refined for the sake of the game here!! For all but the younger division (who kick the ball in) throw ins have been quite problematic. As with all new things taught to youngsters (and me too these days) repetition is the key. First a review….a legal throw in consists of the following…both feet behind the touchline, ball in both hands starts behind the head and comes straight over the head and is released by both hands simualtan…simueltain….AT THE SAME TIME. The feet must both be on the ground at time of release (although one can be dragged behind the other) and they must point in the direction of the throw.
This is a problem that is encountered by all soccer coaches everywhere…even the pros commit foul throws. The solution is to find some fun way to get reps making proper throws. Many years ago I invented the “Throw In Game” (yes, I actually DO make some of this up)!! The Throw In Game (hereafter referred to as TIG) consists of all rules of play of soccer EXCEPT the ball is not kicked but is propelled downfield by proper throw ins. Kick offs, free kicks, passes, shots on goal are all done with throw ins. NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO KICK THE BALL EVER in TIG!!!! Reception of throw ins are made with hands like in basketball with players contesting and interceting the passes. Once someone has possession of the ball they may not walk or run they must throw from the spot they are at to another team mate or throw at goal. If the ball hits the ground (and it will) the first player to put his or her foot on top of the ball (NOT KICK IT) gains possession and you as coach must monitor this closely….even confirm possession with a call “Green’s ball” or such. Give bonus points if some brave soul wishes to head the ball into goal or head it to a team mate instead of catch it! Kids love this game once they get the hang of it and about 30 minutes or so of it and throw ins are much more successfully done.
And of course, somewhere out there in cyber space among the gazillions of soccer practice games there is one just like this. I really did invent it….but like Al Gore said “It just depends on how you define “invent”.”
Inaugural post….thank you coaches!!!
Posted on April 19, 2010
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This blog is dedicated to those who give of their time to become soccer coaches for our young people. Our time is one of the most precious commodities given to us by God and to give of our gift to others is truly special. Thank you coaches for all you do!!!
Coaches Corner is for the passing on of knowledge about the game of soccer and specifically how to coach it, teach it and train our youth to enjoy it as they play. Topics of discussion will come from issues in current league play, coaching philosophy, methods of training, technical skills (passing, trapping, dribbling,etc.), tactical issues (player positions, teamwork and responsibilities) and anything else that interests, concerns or downright perplexes you coaches!!! Your comments and posts are welcomed and required to keep this blog up and running like it should be!! Thanks again!
Coach Eaton
Hello Hueytown
Posted on April 16, 2010
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Welcome to Hueytown Soccer Coaches Corner. Here we will have various articles to assist coaches to become better teams. Thank you!