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With one of my teams last weekend I decided not to coach while the ball was in play. The team had played a tournament the previous weekend and they had heard enough from me :-). I wanted them to take total ownership of the game and make their own decisions whenever the ball was in play. I also didn’t want to break their focus on the game so I stayed out of their way.
This is something I’ve done in the past but not with this team so it seemed like a great time to try it right after a long weekend tournament. If you haven’t tried this with your own team then I would highly recommend it. You will learn more about your players and they’ll feel more empowered to take control of the game.
This week’s question comes from Kevin. He asks a question about teaching positioning.
Kevin described his team and then says,
“One thing that I have focused on, along with our DOC, is to let the girls be “free to play” rather than tie them and restrict them to specific part of the field. What we often see, especially in our rec league, is players in a Right Back position basically never leaving a 10 x 10 area. I have seen Backs playing 25 yards from any other player, just to stay in that area. I’m just curious what you think about this issue.
Admittedly, my girls get WAY out of position at times due to the freedom that I give them, but I’d rather them be in the play than way out of the play.”
Thanks for the question Kevin!
I think there’s a middle ground between strict positioning on the field and a total free-for-all. It takes time but you can teach the players at this age about how positions relate to each other and how they can create open space on the field.
In This Episode
There’s a tug of war currently underway in the US. It’s between the US Development Academy and High School sports. We place a lot of importance on high school sports in the US. Many other countries do not. With year round club soccer becoming more wide spread, players at the top end have to choose between playing at the highest club level or playing for their high school team.
Today I look at why this is happening and how players can navigate this dilemma to choose what’s best for them.
Future Episodes
Next week I’ll discuss the idea of ‘Silent Saturdays’ that has been used in many areas in an attempt to give the game back to the players.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this POD Cast Coach Tom Mura.
I tend to speak very little and when I do I use questions to inspire critical thinking rather than provide specific situations that may be happening during the match. My number one rule is to not direct any questions or conversation to the player on the ball. My inquiry is short and swift and infrequent. An example if the time continues moving the ball into high pressure environments I would say – where is the weakside? I may identify a player by numbered position (Premier League Numbers). #10 what is your specific objective today? (I provide each position with objectives that they must try and meet.) Like my number 10 must try to switch the point of attack at least four times in one half of the match. Number 7 and eleven must provide at least 3 crosses each into the penalty area. Number 9 has the objective to try and clean up at least one rebound, disrupt one pass to the full backs and drop one pass for a shot to number 10. That gives players a hyper focus on achieving specific actions when ever the situation is ripe. Players feel that they can put their arms around smaller objectives and achieve. If all players execute on their objectives then the team will show long term success. Each player has a role. I provide the team with three simple objectives for the match like resetting the play back to the keeper to open up lanes and spread our opponent. This allows me a chance to focus on execution then only reminding players with questions when they are off the ball. I also inquire on what I am seeing with out telling them what it is that is happening. Ultimately I am focused on developing critical thinking decision making athletes that problem solve. At half time I ask them what is working well and what is our top two challenges? Then I will make the adjustments I believe are necessary and ask for feedback to gain consensus. I let my players know that I seek quality input and welcome a well thought out challenge. I want players to have a solid argument rather than inspiring someone who wants to hear themselves speak. This time is critical and our collective minds come together to solve the challenges of the game. I do not permit critics who want to point out teammates but rather encourage ideas that may elevate success. Asking question allows me to talk less and think critically about what I need to ask to help them be aware. Last example: If a keeper punts the ball on to our back line (to our fullbacks), then I ask where is our “line of confrontation”. so that the team can adjust their position on the next occasion and force the opposition to play it short on their defensive 1/3 and then we choose when to press.
Sounds like a great approach Carlos.
Hi Tom – I have enjoyed the pod when I can get time to listen and have been coaching soccer in the midwest for the last 25 years or so. I have been a successful club coach, and HS coach at different points over those 25 years. I have thought about the current state of soccer and how we can improve the sport we love in the USA. I cannot be more opposed to the way US Soccer is going about development. To me, there are two places that need desperate attention:
1. Grassroots coach education – There are still way too many good intentioned coaches that are just getting it completely wrong on the field. Make education easy to access, and affordable (ie. free), and then set standards (see US Hockey for a great example of how to do it, their ADM model for youth coaches is fantastic) that must be followed by all.
2. This pay to play culture has to end. There are so many bad coaches making money off unsuspecting parents. Some have great resumes, and a sharp smile, but could care less about the kids (or just aren’t great coaches). It also makes soccer an elitist sport. Can’t play if you can’t afford it. DA isn’t better…kids don’t get noticed unless they are already in the pay to play system. So, despite some being somewhat free, the kids won’t get noticed unless they are playing in expensive clubs already. US Soccer should take that 100M excess and build soccer fields on every inner city corner. Until that happens, basketball will continue to be the dominant sport.
I know it seems like the academy approach is the only way since it is the way other countries do it. HOWEVER…some of those countries aren’t doing any better at developing players than we are, despite a great league and academies (see England).
For me, the iceland approach, or Spanish approach, or even the German approach would be better…(France too). Build fields, educate ALL coaches, not just the “Elite”, make the sport affordable and you will see great improvement. I personally feel like it started going south about 15 years ago, when the pay to play kicked into high gear. Before that you had passionate coaches that did it because they love it and love working with kids. You had competitive kids playing the game, rather than spoiled rich kids whose parents wanted a babysitter for 4-6 hours a week. Look at other sports…where are the NFL academies? They must exist…no, they don’t. Where are the MLB, NHL academies? They don’t exist. I know there are differences, but still…they are world class athletes that got there without having a fancy academy coach. If they are good enough, they will be found. Look at Pulisic for a recent example. He is 19…he didn’t get found at a DA…he was busy drinking slurpees and eating doritos after his Hershey Club team games. Everyone seems to think that US Soccer must know best…they don’t, or we wouldn’t be sitting here, watching the World Cup from the outside looking in.
The level of play has not improved. At least in our area, the DA is nothing more than the rich high profile club, now with unlimited backing from US Soccer to continue their closed system elitist club. Their team isn’t any better…they just won’t play anyone locally any more, so who knows if they would or wouldn’t beat the best of the other clubs. My guess is that they would get more meaningful games than they think.
Craig,
Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts. I agree that the education system has to change so that we can have more educated and qualified coaches.
The pay to play system is a common target and I think it has to be reformed but it’s also a function of our modern society. There are similar club systems in many other sports. I have nephews that play club baseball and it’s every bit as expensive at club soccer.
The difference is that those other sports have a MUCH longer history in the US so there are many more options in addition to PTP clubs.
Pulisic had the HUGE advantage of having a father that was an accomplished coach so he grew up on a soccer culture at home. His move to Germany made all of the difference in his development.
There’s so much that we need to do to improve our system from bottom to top. Hopefully our elimination from the WC will prompted change.