Coaching Point #1

One of the most challenging aspects of coaching is dealing with priorities in practice. With youth players, the younger the group, the less they know, so the more that needs to be addressed. What to do first is a repeated refrain.

From discussions with coaches, classes, and training, we learn early on (not just in soccer, but in life, too) that the beginning point is to establish goals for both the individual and the group–in our case, the player and the team. One coach told me that in his league, the emphasis on winning was so strong that the team focused on getting the biggest, fastest players, teaching them to play long balls, run the ball down, and try to score that way. These teams spend a significant amount of time on establishing "plays" for dead balls, and on goals geared only toward winning. In many instances this creates short-term success (although not always), when success is defined entirely in terms of winning versus losing on the scoreboard.

As anyone who has known me for more than one season is aware, I am fond of the parable of the kid from St. Louis. Under this parable, one must be careful about defining success in terms of winning only because, just when you think you are the most successful, the kid from St. Louis shows up and puts you in your place. In terms of team play, there is inevitably going to be a bigger, stronger group that shows up one day if all you are interested in is winning. But even if not, the question has to be asked whether focusing everyone’s attention on winning does not detract from player development? Obviously, I hope, we have to strike a balance. We must develop individual player skills and team skills concomitantly. Dead ball restarts are part of this, but a minuscule one. Yes they can be scoring opportunities, but relatively infrequently. And many dead ball restarts present the same type of opportunities as live ball opportunities–that is, someone needs to move without the ball to an open space to receive a pass.

So, where does this leave us when not talking about individual skills? It leaves us focused on team and small group tactical and technical. Where to be, how to gain the advantage, etc. Most of soccer (perhaps all) is a small-sided game. Three players on one side versus 2, 3, or 4 on the same side. Two forwards threading through four defenders, etc. These are games within the games. They represent continuing opportunities for the boys to make decisions and to learn to make decisions. We teach them in practice some of the types of decisions that they can apply to different situations (and then hope and become overjoyed when they actually apply such teaching!). And we talk with them about their individual decisions after they make them on the field. In this way, we hope to bring all of the boys along as both individuals and team players.