Competitive Soccer Drill - 4v4 in 3 groups

Each month we will feature a soccer drill from one of our soccer practice books. We will show you the training secrets behind the drill, how and why they improve your players and your team. This information is exclusive to this site. All our soccer drills in all our books have the same depth and training benefits behind them.

Today's soccer drill is Tactical Drill #10 from our Competitive Practice Book. Please click on the link below to open the drill, print it and enjoy finding out the training concepts behind it:

4v4 in 3 groups

Tactical Development

Defenders:

This drill teaches the flat back four system (although coach can instruct defenders to play with a sweeper and man-markers). Defenders need to release from the goal line as soon as the attacking team crosses half. One defender needs to challenge the player with the ball while the other defenders cover the rest of the attackers. Also, once the defenders gain possession, they must quickly transition to move the ball out of their end.

Attackers

Attackers can freely bring the ball to the half and then face the challenge to beat four defenders. All variation of attacking can come into play, based on coach's tactical preference. For example, two attackers can go central, with two others playing wide. The key tactical elements for attackers to consider are diagonal runs, crossover runs, overlaps. 1v1 situations on the wings will utilize "moves" followed by precision crossing. Passes into space and through lanes between defenders are good tools to slice apart the defensive block. As with defenders, attackers get an opportunity to win the ball back.

Mental Development

This drill is extremely effective in developing all aspects of thinking, problem solving and decision making in soccer.

Attackers

Attackers need to decide in which formation to attack. They need to make runs into spaces and at the same time the ball carrier needs to anticipate the runs and play the ball into space. When the pass is not available, they need to decide whether or not to go 1v1 or to hold and wait for support to set up another attack. Once in the opponents half, they need to communicate verbally and non-verbally to be effective. They need to recognize the defensive shape and strategy and devise ways to solve these problems.

Defenders

Defenders need to recognize the attacking shape and communicate quickly as to who is to challenge and how the others will cover the rest of the attackers. They need to recognize runs and passes and close down passing lanes quickly. They need to decide and communicate if they want to win the ball by "doubling up" on the ball cariier. After winning the ball, they need to quickly break and again be organized in their attacking formation. That requires quick mental and physical transition play abilities. These skills will be developed extremely well in this drill.

Skill Development

This drill finetunes short distance passing and 1v1 skills. As with all our competitive drills, it puts to use skills already present in game competitive situations.

Game Application

This is the basic set-up of modern soccer with a flat back four defense. It trains defenders on how to respond to opponents once they have conquered the midfield. From an attacking perspective it sets up the basic two striker formation with two wingers. It can also develop the single striker with three supportive offensive midfielders concept. The attackers are at an advantage to develop their skill because they face less defensive players than they would normally in a game. On the other hand, it very well duplicates fast break or counter attacks.

Coaching Tips

Choose which defending and attacking formations you want to train. It is probably best to choose only one per session. Allow the players to try the drill a few times before helping, if necessary. The key to watch out for is that players follow the rules. Defenders must wait on the goal line until attackers pass the center line. Likewise, after winning the ball, defenders must be encouraged to transition quickly, while the previously attacking team needs to get into position on the goal line (which they were just attacking) as fast as possible.

Overtalented Soccer Kids

A problem in kids soccer (< 8yrs old) can be if one kid on the team clearly is more skilled and athletic than the rest of the team. We answered the following question from a concerned parent:

Question:

I'm not sure how or if I should address something that is happening on our team. My son is simply overwhelming every other player. They only play 3 on 3 in this age group (AYSO rules, I think) and for whatever reason my son is just way more developed than the other players. He's the third youngest on the team, the 3rd smallest (out of 10), so it isn't a size of age thing. I ask this because I am really concerned about how it might affect him long term, the possible restrictions they might place on him (more on that in a minute) and also how it affects the rest of his team.

The first few weeks he was clearly better than the other kids, but it wasn't yet so exaggerated. He'd score a few goals a week. Maybe 3 out of 4 goals for his team. But each week its gotten worse. Last week he scored 9 goals in a 10-1 game (no score keeping, but all the kids keep score no matter what you say). I'm not going to lie, for the first 3 or four goals I was happy for him. But then it got embarrassing.

After the game, here is what concerned me most:

1) I don't want my son to become a ball hog. In those first few weeks he was passing to teammates, but no one seemed to know what to do with a pass. Last week he just took off with the ball when he got it. He is far and away the fastest on the team, so when he goes with it, there is rarely anyone near.

2) I don't want his teammates to be adversely affected. Two weeks ago we were out of town and when another parent asked a teammate how the game went, he said they couldn't score because my son was in Pittsburgh (we live in LA now)

3) I've been told that when a team complained about another more advanced kid the league asked that that child be forced to play defense and not cross the halfway point. That might sound like a good idea, but I think it's awful. 3 on 3 is on a pretty small field. There is no OFFENSE or DEFENSE. Making a kid stay on his half the field is punishing him for being good. That cannot be good for long term development.

Don't get me wrong, I'm elated that my son likes soccer, gets soccer, and quite frankly is good at soccer. I'm glad he's good (I was never that good). But I want him to have a chance to be great someday and want to make sure we do everything right now to ensure his development in a healthy way.

Our Answer:

First, let me congratulate you on having spent time playing the greatest sport on earth with your son. It has obviously paid off with his skill and physical development. Second, I commend you on your care, both for your son and the team and the thoughts you are putting into this. And third, I detect that you are ambitious about your son's soccer future and as long as you keep his passion going, there is a good chance of success.

I'll address your concerns based on my experiences and philosphy.

The most important thing at this age is for all the kids, including your son to have fun and be motivated to come back. That includes the opposing kids. I can see some discouragement there when faced with a kid continually running through them and putting the ball in the net. So in your situation there are many interested parties:

1. your son
2. yourself
3. your team's players
4. your coach
5. your team's parents
6. the opposing players
7. the opposing coach
8. the opposing parents
9. the league or association you play in

I can tell you right up front that it will be impossible to satisfy all those diverging interest.

My personal prioritization puts the kids first. Everyone else needs to play a supporting role. And frankly, as long as everything is done right by the kids, I don'd care what the adults think.

So let's look at the kids:

At this age, they just want to be out there ( and some don't even want to be) and play with their friends or make new friends. There will be a range of skills and a range of awareness of the sport in general and the competition in specifics.

Generally speaking, the less interference with the process of kids playing, the better. So my advice is to let the team be the team and not to worry about the opposing teams because you can't influence them anyways. Let the kids play and pose no "official" restrictions on the game. They'll all get through the season and most of them won't remember what happened a day after the season end party. Parents and coaches will remember, so what.

The key thing for you to do is to manage your son. You need to keep him interested and motivated for the rest of this season.

So I suggest you devise some ways of managing him through the games. Let him run free and do his thing of scoring goals. Use this as an opportunity to teach him about team play. Tell him that passing to team mates is good for the team mates. It gives them an opportunity to practice receiving the ball. If they lose it, no big deal. Your son can help win it back. It will teach him transition play and defense. Work out a "secret" signal so you can let him know during a game when to switch modes from "all out play" to helping his team mates learn.

That'll be the best you can do in the context of the team.

Now to challenge him and get him exposure to higher skill levels, you can explore two options, if they are available where you live:

sign him up for advanced soccer camps or clinics
find an older age group team and ask the coach if your son can practice with them.
Then do your research for next season. If there are different levels of competitiveness available at this age group, get him into a more competitive team. If that doesn't exist, sign him up for a higher age division. keep the camps going as a "reward".

And do not forget, ask your son what he wants. As long as he agrees with your direction, go ahead. If you push him too hard, he may lose interest. Allow him to recognize and develop his dreams and wishes.

Mid Season Soccer Reports

Individual and team feedback is very important. The general rule is that feedback needs to immediately follow the action requiring feedback and it needs to be constructive. It needs to aim at improving and lifting individuals, not at knocking them down.

Typically you would have had a pre-season meeting with the parents, the team and each player. We suggest that half way through the season you provide a brief written update to each player. Sit down for about five minutes and discuss it and then let the player leave with the piece of paper.

This allows you the opportunity to communicate to the individual and and to send a consistent message about your feelings on the team and season. It also allows parents to become engaged if they wish.

A sample of a concise report is available as a MS Word document by clicking:

mid season report

Team Goal Setting

You are planning your first team meeting. On your agenda is the setting of team goals for the upcoming season. You want to involve the team in setting the goals, so that they are committed to achieving them. You are to be commended for this very positive and inclusive approach. We'd like to give you some ideas on how to prepare for the goal setting discussion.

Goals May Differ

You need to be prepared for the team to come with different goals than you might have in your own mind. You might want to win the championship, your players may want to make new friends. The answer is not to choose between a competitive and a social goal, but to accept both as realistic goals.

Social Goals

As coach, you want to achieve team harmony. It is well known that a harmonious team performs better. So let the players make suggestions for social goals. Listen carefully and record all suggestions, if possible on a flip chart. When all the ideas are down, try to combine them into one overriding "goal statement". Examples are:

team harmony
feeling good about the season
personal development
making friends

Then take some of the ideas presented and turn them into specific tasks you can put on your team calendar, such as:

pre-season team social
one overnight trip to tournament
mid-season pool party
post season team event
after practice "fun times"
meetings with each player

Competitive Goals

This will rely more on the coach's input. Likely when asked, most people want to win the championship. After all, isn't that why we compete?

You need to be cautious. An unrealistic goal may set high expectations. High expectations when unfulfilled lead to frustration and possible disharmony.

We sugest you do some research. Gather information about the league you compete in. If you coached in the league last season, you already know. If someone else coached, ask to meet them and discuss the level of competition. Watch the other teams in pre-season exhibition games or even play them in a friendly match.

Then look at the skill level of your own team. Write down strengths and weaknesses, not against your own standard, but against the competition. This exercise will also help you in developing your pre-season practice plans.

Knowing the competition's strengths and having assessed your team you can formulate a realistic goal. It might well be to win the championship, but other alternatives:

have a winning record
make the play-offs
not finish last
score more goals than you let in
don't get relegated

When you're discussing the competitive goal with your team, provide them with the information you gathered and talk it through. You will most likely want to express the final goal as realistic with a bit of a stretch:

"We want to make the play-offs, and if we do, we will be ecstatic. Once we're in the play-offs, it's anybody's game and we'll try to go all the way."

Monitoring

Monitor progress against the goals throughout the season. Ask players for their views. Be prepared to make adjustments in your program to meet the goals or be ready to adjust the goals. The most important thing at the end is that the team believes it accomplished what it set out to do. There must be a positive end to the season.

Summary

The pre-season team meeting is a great opportunity to set team goals. You must know your team and your competition before you have the goal setting event. Let players lead the development of the social goals. You guide them in the development of the competitive goal. Remain flexible. Celebrate success at the end !

Kids Soccer Drill: River Pirates

Each month we will feature a soccer drill from one of our soccer practice books. We will show you the training secrets behind the drill, how and why they improve your players and your team. This information is exclusive to this site. All our soccer drills in all our books have the same depth and training benefits behind them.

Today's soccer drill is Motivational Drill #6 from our Kids (4-8)Book. Please click on the link below to open the drill, print it and enjoy finding out the training concepts behind it:

River Pirates

Skill Development

Kids with the ball will learn how to dribble. both in a 1v1 situation (when they meet a pirate) as well as in traffic. They will control the ball close to feet and make quick turns to avoid traffic. It is an excellent drill to encourage players dribbling to keep their heads up as much as possible so they can see obstacles and opportunities.

The pirates are the defenders and they will learn to take the ball away from players. At this age they are not likely going to slide tackle, but thy should learn to close in on an attacker and "steal" the ball.

The role reversal gives every player the opportunity to be an attacker and a defender.

Tactical Development

For attackers, the key tactical component is to recognize space and dribble to it to avoid getting caught. Also, trying different moves and ways to beat an opponent are encouraged.

Defenders have two tactical opportunities. First they need to choose a target, because players are coming at them from two directions. If the team is advanced or if there are some talented players, they may figure out that two defenders have a better chance of stealing a ball.

Mental & Social Development

This will be a good start to teach kids decision making in a fun game environment. Attackers need to decide where the openings are and which ones to exploit. Defenders need to be aware of traffic from two directions. There are more attackers than defenders, so defenders (pirates) need to decide which ball carrier offers the best opportunity for a "win".

Communication can be encouraged, certainly amongst the pirates.

Trying to get each attacker to count their successful river crossings provides a simple means of motivation and introducing the concept of competition.

From a social development perspective, kids are working together as teams and will get a glimpse of the benefits of group work. With attackers outnumbering defenders 2:1, the defenders are clearly the underdog and may develop even more unity, while the attackers pretty much work on their own. This is supported by the fact that each attacker has his/her own ball while the defenders have none.

The fun part comes from setting the popular scenario of defending a "territory" while others need to conquer it.

Co-ordination

Agility is developed in this drill. Attackers need to make quick directional adjustments to avoid traffic and defenders. Defenders need to pivot 180 degrees to be able to see attackers from both sides and chose a target.

Everyone should be moving at all times so that during the 10 minute drill there will be sufficient physical effort.

Game Application

The basic 1v1 dribbling element is fostered which is a key component of attacking soccer. Defenders will learn to defend while being outnumbered and may begin to see the benefit of the "challenge & cover" concept.

Coaching Tips

Set the drill up as a fun game of "good guys" vs "bad guys". Let the kids learn and discover on their own, let them have fun. There should be lots of vocal interaction and laughter. Don't worry too much if the skills are being messed up.

Only intervene if the kids don't get the basic idea of direction (attackers) or ball winning (defenders).

Great Soccer Links

Please find below some very useful soccer links, based on requests for information we frequently get.

FIFA Laws Of The Game:

Laws of The Game

GOLTV - TV schedule and live results:

Live Results & TV

Soccer Players Directory:

Soccer Players

UEFA - European Championships

UEFA


Adidas Gear:

Ideal Mental Performance State I - Soccer

Achieving the ideal mental performance state (IMPS) for individuals and teams is an important component to playing at or above potential. Today, we offer you a checklist to learn about how each player feels and suggest what the ideal state is. The answers from your players will lead you to develop specific exercises. Try it out.

It is available exclusively here. It is an MS Word document and you can download it by clicking:

http://www.soccerpracticebooks.com/mentalstate.doc

Soccer Training And Fitness

Question:

What tests have been done to prove that soccer training improves Endurance, Strength, Flexibility and Co-ordination?

Response:

There is no absolute proof.

Whether or not soccer training improves endurance, strength, flexibility and coordination depends on a combination of two things:

1. The initial condition of the athlete
2. The content of the soccer training program

There are measurements to test the fitness condition of athletes, such as lactic acid build up, lung capacity, heart rates at exertion, at rest and time required to get back to rest, speed measurements, time and distance, strength tests, etc.

Example 1:

A person has not engaged in any physical activity for years. The measurements indicate that the physical fitness level is low overall, say 2 on a scale of 0-10. The person joins a recreational soccer team. There is one training session a week that lasts one hour. During the session, this person is very static and moves little such that the heart rate does not change much. There is one game a week and this person plays for 10 minutes but doesn't run much. This person's fitness level will not improve, although they me claiming that they are in soccer training.

Example 2

Take the same person joining a team. The team trains 3 times a week for two hours. Training is rigorous and endurance, speed and strength training is built into the program. Our previously inactive person participates as much as possible and is able to do more and more each week. There are two 90 minute games a week and the person increases playing time from 10 minutes to 90 minutes and runs the typical 8-12 km per game, with the normal amount of sprinting. That person will improve fitness and can say that soccer training improved their fitness.

Example 3:

A person joins the same team as in example 2. However, this person has been a triathlete for the past five years competing at a high level. They just decided to do something else. It is very likely that this athlete's fitness level will be reduced as a result of a change to a less intense and demanding sport.

The real answer is that any increase in endurance, speed, coordination and flexibility training will improve the fitness of a person. It doesn't matter what the sport is that provides the training, what matters is the training program the person is subjected to relative to what they did before.

Soccer Passing Drill: 4 v 2

Each month we will feature a soccer drill from one of our soccer practice books. We will show you the training secrets behind the drill, how and why they improve your players and your team. This information is exclusive to this site. All our soccer drills in all our books have the same depth and training benefits behind them.

Today's soccer drill is Technical Drill #8 from our Youth (9-12)Book. Please click on the link below to open the drill, print it and enjoy finding out the training concepts behind it:

4v2 passing drill

Skill Development

Attackers will learn receiving the ball in a tight space under pressure. They will need to move the ball quickly and therefore will need to set up a good first touch. Passing must be accurate over a short distance. Players will learn the proper weight (pace) of the pass for these short distances. One and two touch passing will quickly become the standard. The small size of the grid will ensure maximum number of passing opportunities in a very short period of time. There is very little opportunity to set up 1v1 moves. Attackers will learn to judge the movement of players and pass into space as well as to the feet.

Defenders will learn to close down players with the ball putting on pressure quickly. They will have opportunities to practice slide tackles at the appropriate times. Once defenders win the ball, passing is not likely an option. However, they will learn to keep possession, mostly through shielding the ball.

Tactical Development

The tactical underpinning for the attackers is to learn how to split the defense. That is why there are more points for a pass between defenders. They will learn to anticipate where spaces between defenders will open up. The player with the ball will need to develop vision and play a ball into the space that either is open or will open up shortly. The other attackers need to recognize the same space at the same time and move into it before the ball arrives. Therefore timing of runs and passes will develop into automatic movement after a while. It is a great drill to have two forwards and two midfielders play against two defenders.

Defenders will learn the key tactical element of "challenge and cover". One defender will put pressure on the ball carrier while the other needs to be in position to (a) challenge if their partner gets beat in a 1v1 or (b) intercept a pass to the most likely target. In particular, the covering defender is responsible to shut down the passing lane and opportunity between them. Once the ball is passed, it is typically the covering defender who now challenges and the challenger will move into covering position.

All players will learn quick transitions from offense to defense and vice versa. As soon as possession changes to defenders, defenders will now need to play a possession game to keep the ball away from attackers. Attackers on the other hand will learn how to apply pressure and win the ball back.

Mental Training

The key mental aspects being trained are anticipation and quick decision making.
Attackers need to make a decision first as to how to receive the ball, i.e. is the first touch a pass or a set up in a certain direction for the pass. Once in possession, they need to anticipate the runs of any of the other three, always looking for the pass between defenders. They then need to decide if the 3 point pass is available or not. There is little time. They also need to be able to change their decision quickly if the play they thought was available has been closed down.

Defenders also need to make quick decisions. They need to decide who will be the challenging and who the covering defender. That will require verbal communication. Once in position, they will need to read the movements of the attackers and anticipate the pass. The decision then becomes whether or not to move to close down a passing lane or to wait and intercept the actual pass. It all depends on what skill level and pace the attackers operate at. So defenders will also learn to judge the abilities of their opponents.

All players will rotate through all positions so they will all learn the responsibilities of various functions. That will make them better in reading opponents and ultimately get them to make better decisions. Communication, both verbal and non-verbal will be required and acquired.

Finally, the point system adds a natural competitive element, forcing players to play quickly and look for the play that gives maximum points.

Fitness Impact

This drill will have lots of short sprints for all players. As the players get better there will be a lot more running. The drill will deliver both aerobic and anaerobic benefits when the players are good enough to keep in constant motion, playing with few interruptions. Initially, however, expect some static breaks and hence the key benefit will be short distance speed development. There will also be lots of turns and quick body rotations so that flexibility and co-ordination should benefit.

Game Application

Playing the ball through lanes between defenders is one of the most effective ways to penetrate a defense. Two attackers can easily play through two, three or even four defenders. For instance, your team has possession in the opponent's half. The opponent plays with a flat back four defense and your forwards are covered by the central defenders. The ball carrier anticipates a diagonal run by the striker in behind defenders and plays the ball between the neares two defenders. That can open up much more space and a quicker attack than playing the ball to the feet of a covered striker with their back to the goal. Also this is a crucial technique to play the ball out of defense when being pressured.

If you watch some soccer on TV you will see this play a lot and you will see its effectiveness. It is valuable in all areas of the field.

Coaching Tips

Introduce the drill to the players, stating the objective and ask them to do a quick demonstration. If they don't seem to understand, step in and show them. Do not explain the entire theory behind the drill up front. Getting them organized and started should not take any more than two minutes.

To get the maximum benefit out of this drill, encourage the players to be in constant motion.

Do not stand in the practice grid, but rather on the side to be able to observe. Let them play without constant interruption or shouting of instructions by you. They need to learn to make decisions on their own. If the drill really is slowing down or the players are not catching on, then take a brief time out and show them what they could have done better in a specific situation. Give positive feedback as they improve. You will notice smoother and faster play as time progresses.

Have two or three grids going at the same time and spend time which each group. That allows the two groups not being observed to develop independence. Do glance over though and see if they are doing the drill or slacking off because you're not there.

This drill may give you new ideas as to which positions might be better suited for some players than where you thought. Some good passers, communicators and decision makers may offer themselves for midfield positions. Quick runners with good sense of spaces opening up may be new candidates for forwards. A forward who slide tackles may be a defender in the next game.

After the drill is done, call everyone in and ask what they learned or thought was important. They should mention most of the points above. The missing ones, you fill in. Take no more than a minute for the review.

If you think the team didn't quite get as far as you'd like, repeat the drill at the next practice, explaining clearly what needs improvement.

Soccer Midfield Tactics I

The soccer midfield is the engine of the team. It connects defense to attack and steps in to defend after loss of possession in the opposing half. Therefore, one cannot discuss midfeld tactics without at the same time discussing defensive and attacking tactics. That is a common error amongst unexperienced coaches, to view the different functional units in isolation.

Looking at the recent world cup there was a significant development in midfield play. Most teams played with a flat back four defense, very few with a flat back three. So let's consider the flat back four defense (by the way, if you are playing with a sweeper and three defenders, this still is relevant).

The next question is how to organize the remaining 6 players between midfield and attack. There seemed to be an even split between teams with two strikers and those with one. Today we'll deal with the two striker concept, a future topic will consider single striker formations.

With two striker systems we have 4 defenders and 2 strikers, leaving 4 midfielders. There are four practical ways of organizing the 4 midfielders.

There is a flat four across midfield. Typically the wide players become wingers when attacking and the central players can join the attack through the middle (typically only one at a time). Attacking down the flanks is really the hallmark of this system.

There is a diamond midfield, with one attacking midfielder, two wide midfielders and one centrally defensive midfielder. The key here is that the offensive central midfielder is typically the playmaker and quite a bit of the play comes up through the middle as opposed to down the sides. Often the wide midfielders also pull into the middle to fill in behind the attackers or simply because that is where the action is. If the team has the discipline to adopt a central as well as a flank attack, then this system offers many advantages.

There is a system with one central defensive midfielder behind three flat across players. Two of the three typically are wingers while the third plays the role of the attacking midfielder. It very often looks like the diamond midfield. The difference is that any of the flat three misdielders can be the playmaker and these three often rotate positions. So it tends to be not as static as the diamond midfield.

Finally, there is a system with two central defensively oriented midfielders and two wide players. This is probably the newest tactical concept. The two central midfielders must be very versatile. Their main job is to win balls in midfield and then set up the attack. The outside midfielders quite often are wingers, however they can pull into the middle to support central attacking. Why? Because in this system the outside defenders often overlap and become wingers as well. They can afford to do this knowing that in case of loss of possession there are two central defensive midfielders who can provide cover. The advantage of this system is that the attack can be very variable, particularly if the central midfielders play a bit staggered. The drawback can be a gaping hole in the middle between the central strikers and midfielders if a) the central midfielders don't stagger, b) none of the outside midfielders draw into the middle or c)none of the strikers drops back. This system requires more tactical training than any of the others.

How to choose what's right for your team? Look at your players skills and tactical understanding. Consider how much time you have to train before competition. Consider which system you, as coach, think you know best and can most easily convey to your team. Then pick the one that you think will work best. Try it out with your team and see how comfortable they are with it. If they catch on quickly, teach them a second system to add another weapon to your game strategic arsenal. If they don't catch on, ask them why. If there is no specific reason you can fix, then try another system.

For an introduction to systems of play and game tactics, click:

Scouting Soccer Opponents

A critical part in preparing for your next game is to know as much as you can about the opposing team. Getting that information is called "scouting". The most effective way to scout is to go and see the team play, if possible against someone similar to your own team. We recommend that you take notes while you watch them play. That makes your data specific and you will remember the details. That will help you design the practice before the game against that team and with preparing your team prior to the game. If you can't watch yourself, recruit someone else who is knowledgable about soccer. Or try to get a video of a game from that team. In all cases, taking notes is important. To help you, we have researched and developed a soccer scouting form. It is available exclusively here. It is an MS Excel spreadsheet and you can download it by clicking:

http://www.soccerpracticebooks.com/scouting.xls

Team Leadership in Tough Times

This tip applies to competitive teams, age 16 to adult.

We have all been there. We have practiced hard. The players are motivated. The season got off to a great, or at least a decent start. Whether winning the championship, making the play-offs or accomplishing whatever goal we have set, we can envision making it.

Then, about half way through the season, THE UNTHINKABLE HAPPENS:

THE TEAM SLUMPS

Suddenly, the intensity at practice is down, the motivation for games seems to lag, the better players are ordinary, the ordinary players disappear.

You address it at the next practice, talk to the team, talk to individuals. Everybody feels something isn't quite right anymore, but nobody can define what it is or even why it is.
You try some fun practices to take the pressure off, doesn't work. You tighten the screws a bit, doesn't work either.

You have consulted fellow coaches, read up on sports psychology, tried the best motivational techniques - nothing. You wonder if you still know how to coach. You do still know how to coach. You haven't done anything wrong. The team and players haven't done anything wrong either. If they had, they'd know and someone would tell you.

So how do you get the team back on track?

TEAM LEADERSHIP

At this point, the team needs to take responsibility for its destiny. You have provided the tools, the knowledge, the tactics and the skills. The team has proven in the early season that all has been successful. Something has changed.

If you have done your homework so far in understanding your players and your team's structure and dynamics, you should be able to identify one or two players that can lead the team. Who are they? They are players who have demonstrated leadership and at the same time have earned the respect of their team mates. They are not necessarily the most skilled players.Here are some hints of who might be team leaders:

They have a solid attendance record
They always give a 100%
They don't complain
They have volunteered for tasks during practices
They have been vocal on the field and during practice, encouraging others.
They don't always agree with the coach
They seem to understand what your philosophy is
They have shown ability to solve problems.

With any luck, they already are your team captain(s)

So what do they need to do?

They need to get the team together without the coaching staff present. They need to lead the team through an open discussion about what might be wrong. What are the coaches missing? They need to appeal to the honour and integrity of individuals.

They need to develop a plan for how to approach the next game and the next practice (mentally - the practice still belongs to the coach). They need to be ready to tackle the issue again and again.

Once the team has taken responsibility for its own destiny, an immediate change will occur.
The motivation will rise, the confidence will return, the effort will be restored.

THE TEAM WILL BE BACK ON TRACK

Most of all, the leaders and everyone else will have learned a great life lesson.

CAUTION:

Make sure that the team does not take on coaching responsibility. You are still responsible for designing and running practices and game plans. This is all about the state of mind and attitude the players bring with them.

Trusting Soccer Coaching Sites

There has been an increase in web sites offering soccer coaching materials for sale.

How do you know if your money will be well spent, if the material is what you expected and if you will get service?

Here are some things you can check out to increase your level of confidence before you make a purchase:

1. Does the web site provide contact information?

2. Does it provide a mailing address?

Usually you will find that by clicking on an "About Us" link.

3. Does the web site provide samples of what you will be getting?

4. Does the web site describe the product in enough detail?

5. Are there guarantees?

6. Is payment handled securely?

Send an e-mail with a specific question to the web site contact and see how long it takes to get a response. Does the response satisfy you?

Is the price of what is being offered reasonable? Check other offers.

Are discounts quoted to make you believe you are getting a deal or are they real?

Check out our site to see one that can be trusted:

http://www.soccerpracticebooks.com

Staying Healthy In Bad Weather

Soccer is a sport played in all weather conditions. While professionals and competitive players are more trained to cope with inclement conditions, younger players often suffer. Here are some practical tips to deal with two extreme conditions.

Cold And Wet Weather

It is very important to keep the body as dry as possible, particularly for situations when players don't move enough during practice/game to generate body heat. This is almost always true for goalkeepers. Put on a thin pair of socks. Over each sock, put a plastic bag. Blow in the bag first to make sure it has no holes. Then put your uniform socks over top. This should keep your feet dry. Put on a thin shirt. Over the shirt put a very thin rain jacket. Over the rain jacket put your uniform. Play with the hood on if possible. If not, dry your hair as often as you can during the game. Bring a bag with a change of clothes for after the game. Put the bag inside a plastic bag so the fresh clothes stay dry.

Hot And Humid Conditions

First and foremost, keep your body hydrated with lots of water or pure fruit juice. At halftime or after the game, replenish your electrolytes with a sports drink or by eating a salty snack with lots of water. Don't overdo the sports drinks, plain water is preferable. Put ice cubes in your water bottle and avoid sharing it with others. Have one or several water bottles near the sideline so you have access during breaks in the game. Put on sunscreen, the sports variety that doesn't run into your eyes with the sweat. When off the field, wear a hat. Players on the bench must be in the shade, either under a tree or under a tent/umbrella. If you feel dizzy or faint, get medical attention immediately. Never jump into cold water when overheated, cool down a bit first and enter the water slowly.

Faking Injuries & Diving

Now that the 2006 world cup is over, you have probably read all sorts of analyses on how the game has changed over the years. I want to talk about the world cup final, the 1966 final between England and Germany.

I watched a tape of that game just prior to watching the 2006 final. What a difference! Remember, no substitutes were allowed in 1966. I didn't see one dive. I didn't see one fake injury. The game was faster than the 2006 game. Players were running more. there was continuous action. The 120 minutes just flew by. Oh yes, there were tough tackles, from behind into the legs - the ones that warrant red cards today. More importantly, the ones that have players go down and roll around now for minutes in "agony". Stretchers come out.

Back in 1966, the player tackling pulled up the tackled player to get the game going. The "injured" player at most limped a bit and kept on playing. Oh, and if the team didn't want to restart play quickly? The referee grabbed the ball, tossed it or ran it to the nearest player and got them going. Today, I believe a 90 minute game actually has 56 minutes of playing time. In 1966 it must have had 80 minutes of playing time, so who is fitter?

How do we get back to this type of free flowing soccer?

Every player who stays down for more than 10 seconds needs to be taken off the field for a mandatory 10 minute medical assessment. Or the player may be substituted.

Every "dive" should be reviewed on video after the game, just like fouls can be reviewed today. If a dive has been established, the player gets suspended for 1 game.

You think we'd get back to 1966 finals??

FLAT BACK FOUR SYSTEMS

Flat back four systems have replaced the "sweeper" system for quite some time now, in most countries. Certain countries have manadated this style right from their youth systems to their national teams. As opposed to the old sweeper/man marking systems, flat back four (or zonal) defending offers more defensive and attacking versatility. The most common version is the classic 4-4-2, but a reincarnation of the traditional 4-3-3 is becoming popular. There are variations depending on the team strategy, such as 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-2-1.

Flat Back Four defending requires a lot of practice due to it's lack of a constant covering defender, or sweeper. Defenders need to be careful so they don't blow the off-side trap and give up break-aways. They need to stay in constant visual and verbal contact. They need to automate shifting, forward, sideways and covering movements. When it works, it's beautiful, when it doesn't, it's ugly.

Let's look at the world cup coming up. One of the perennial powerhouses and home field favourites is Germany. The new coach, Klinsmann, is bringing a modern style to the established German system. And that includes a flat back four defense. With all the good things Klinsmann is doing, this might be the biggest risk and could turn out to be the achilles heel for Germany. The German youth system is not unified in training this system. The national team players need to learn the basics, starting three weeks before the opening game. Watch for Germany struggling with the system. On the other end of the spectrum, watch Holland and Brasil play it to perfection.

If you are interested in learning about systems of play, click:

Left/Right Foot Kicking

Most players have a naturally stronger foot they prefer to dribble and shoot with. Few players are equally as strong with both feet.
This impacts the optimal position for the player to play in and how the team chooses to execute set plays, in particular free kicks and corner kicks

Positional Play:

Keep it simple. Play the player on the side of his/her strength. Left footers play left defense, left midfield and left forward. Right footers on the opposite side. Some coaches like players playing on their off-side, but that only makes it difficult for the players.

Set Plays:

Here is where there are real options.
Right footed players crossing balls in from the right will typically hit "outswingers", i.e. the ball curves away from the net, sort of in the shape of a banana.
Right footed players crossing balls in from the left will typically hit "inswingers", i.e. the ball curves towards the net.
The same is true for left footers from the left (outswingers) and right (inswingers) sides.

Corner Kicks:

If on a corner kick from the right, you want the ball to curl away from the goalkeeper, have a right footed player take it. If you want the ball to curl towards the goalkeeper, have a left footer take it from the right side.
The decision is based on where you want to apply the pressure and which runs the other players are making to get to the ball.

Free Kicks:

On free kicks near the penalty box, where a wall is in place, similar thinking applies.
If the free kick is from the right side (when looking at the goal) and you want to play a cross curling away from goal towards the far post, use a right footed player. If you want the ball to curl toward the goalkeeper, use a left footer.
If you want to take a shot on goal, bending the ball around the far end of the wall, use a left footer. If you want to take a shot around the near end of the wall, use a right footer.
Again, the opposite is true from the other side.

Soccer Goalkeeping Principles III

Principle # 3: Hands

If at all possible, get two hands on the ball. Don't cheat with one hand or making foot saves when you could dive.

This may require you to be more courageous, but that's what goalies must be.

The number 1 priority is to secure the ball. Getting your body behind it is key. The hands are the part of your body that allows you most secure handling of the ball, and two hands are better than one.

Only lazy goalies or those who are afraid to dive will cheat!

soccer goalkeeping practices

Soccer Goalkeeping Principles II

Principle #2: Cushioning The Ball

First, make sure you get your body behind the ball as fast as possible. Not any part of the body, but soft muscle tissue. This will prevent rebounds. For instance, getting your quads (upper thigh) behind the ball while picking up or saving a low shot is safer than getting your shin or knee behind it. That's why a quick drop is important. Second, while you need to attack the ball, at the time of contact you need to relax your hands and body just a bit, to the point of slightly retracting. A good practice exercise is to have a couple of soccer goalies play catch with raw eggs. Throw the egg a little short of the body forcing the goalie to step into the throw, i.e. attacking the egg. At the last second, the goalie will relax the body to avoid braking the egg. Same is true for shots. The coach may choose to bring hard boiled eggs and tell the goalies they are raw eggs, just to avoid a mess the first time around.

Get complete soccer goalkeeper practices and drills at:

soccer goalkeeping practices

Soccer Goalkeeping Principles I

Principle # 1: Reaction

Unlike all other positions on a soccer team, where anticipation and proaction are necessary, soccer goalkeepers must react. Goalkeepers must wait to know where the shot is going, then react appropriately as fast as possible. That is why improving reaction speed and reflex speed is so critical. After knowing where the ball is going, the soccer goalkeeper must anticipate where the ball will end up in order to time the dive and body positions accordingly.

Get complete soccer goalkeeper practices and drills at:

soccer goalkeeping practices

Soccer Goalkeeper Drills

We are pleased to announce the release of our latest book filled with drills and practice plans for soccer goalkeepers. To get all the details, click:

Soccer Goalkeeper Practices

The book has drills for all elements of soccer goalkeeping, from training leg strength to improve vertical leaping ability to organizing your team during a game. Your goalkeeper's reaction time will be reduced, recovery after saves will be quicker and reflexes will be faster. Learn our successful method for saving penalty kicks and much, much more. If you have been looking for goalkeeper drills and practices, look no further.

Soccer Goalkeeper practices

Soccer Goal Scoring - Basic Strategies

Goals in soccer are scored mainly from within the penalty box. There are two predominant ways to get the ball into the penalty box.

One is to play a passing/dribbling game through the center of the field, eventually passing the ball to a team mate running between defenders or dribbling past a defender and going for a shot. When a team attacks through the middle, it draws defenders into the middle and compacts the game there.

The other predominant way is to stretch the defense by playing the ball out to the wing. This pulls defenders wide and opens gaps in the middle. The outside player (wingers) cross the ball back into the penalty box and there should now be space for central attackers to run in and shoot or head it towards goal.

Real good and experienced teams can mix up plays. They may attack through the middle, compacting the defense, thus creating space on the wings. They would then pass into that space and outside players would run into it to get the ball. Depending on the circumstance, the outside player can cross the ball or play it back into the center, They would play it back into the center because the defense is now stretched such that there may be gaps. Now an attack through the center is more likely to be successful.

The outside players (wingers) can be the wide midfielder, an overlapping outside defender or a central striker making a diagonal run to the wing.

soccer moves & soccer skills

Coerver Coaching is based on the belief that a team is only as good as the players that form it. The essence of the Coerver® method is ball mastery. All other aspects of the game - from receiving and passing to group play - flow from this basic building block.

The Coerver® Coaching Pyramid of Player Development Approach will let you Learn Faster, Easier and with more confidence then ever before.

Click on pyramid for free videos

BALL MASTERY - each player works alone with a ball using both feet.
RECEIVING & PASSING - improve a player's first touch, accurate and creative passing.
MOVES (1 V 1) - Exercises and games that teach individual moves creating space.
SPEED - improve acceleration, running with and without the ball and change of pace.
FINISHING - teaching technique and encourage instinctive play.
GROUP ATTACK - Exercises and games that improve combination play.

more info ....

soccer in bad weather

Hot and Humid Conditions

First and foremost, keep your body hydrated by drinking regular small amounts of water or pure fruit juice. Use sunscreen, preferably the ones for sports, they won't run in your eyes and irritate them. Wear a hat when not playing. If there is no shade on the side-lines, bring an umbrella. If you feel dizzy or get headaches, you may have suffered from sunstroke. Get edical attention immediately. Make sure you bring your own water bottle with plenty of ice cubes and have it close to the field for the quick water break. Do not share water bottles with others if you can avoid it. Never jump into cold water immediately after strenuous exercise.

Cold and Wet Conditions

Put on the shin pads. Over the shin pads, put a thin sock. Over the sock put a plastic bag (no holes-blow air in to test). Over the plastic bag put your regular soccer socks. Put on a T-shirt. Put a very thin rain jacket over the T-shirt and put your regular uniform on top. When practicing or on the sideline, put the hood on. Bring an umbrella and a change of dry clothes in your sports bag. Protect the sports bag by placing it inside a big plastic garbage bag and keep it on the bench or on a chair to keep contents dry.

Soccer Parents: Friends or Foes?

One of the greatest challenges of coaching a youth soccer team can be the management of parents, particularly for a volunteer coach. So let's examine the issue from the parents' and the coach's perspective.

Parents Perspective

Parents sign up their kids for soccer for various reasons:

• to get exercise
• to meet friends and develop social interactions
• to play the sport they themselves played or still play
• to live their dreams of soccer success through their kids
• to develop the competitive nature of the child

Most reasons are focussed on the child or the parent, hardly do parents have their kids join a team with the goal of doing what's best for the team. In a way, a team with 16 players is composed of 16 self interest groups. There is nothing wrong with it, it's human nature to want the best for one's children. It's an extraordinary human trait to subordinate what's best for oneself to the greater good, i.e. the team.

Unfortunately, the various interests of the parents express themselves in behaviour such as complaining about the child's playing time, criticizing the coach for his practice content, her game strategy, substitution plans. Quite often like minded parents join ranks and grumble together about the coach.

Fortunately. there are parents who understand the team concept. They volunteer for team jobs such as refreshments, host team parties and help the coach during practices.

Coach's Perspective

Most coaches are volunteers, with or without a child on the team. The coach's major concern is the development and success of the team as a whole, not the happiness of each individual family. Good coaches make plans for team development and individual development, but at game time, the goal is to win the game. The exception to that would be recreational leagues where game scores and standings are not kept.

Coaches start the season with great intentions and are not always well equipped to deal with the self interest groups described above. Just like parents, there is diversity within coavhes. Unfortunately, there are coaches who consider themselves mini-dictators and are abrasive towards parents and kids, particularly in the heat of the moment of an important game.

Fortunately, there are coaches who are skilled and trained in dealing with the people side of running a team.

The Grid

One of the following situations is bound to occur in every team:

Good Coach/Good Parents: a good experience for all

Good Coach/Bad Parents: frustrating for coach, may lose interest

Bad Coach/Good Parents: frustrated parents who may not come back

Bad Coach/Bad Parents: war

The Solution

We recommend that every coach writes down his goals for the team and each player. The coach also needs to be clear and write down his coaching style and philosophy. A pre-season meeting between coach and all parents is recommended for the coach to set the expectations for the parents, the kids, the team and the season. A pre-season meeting between coach and each individual player with parent(s) is also recommended. The coach then needs to follow up as the season progresses in communicating frequently on how he/she views the season unfolding and any changes being made to the coaching style and philosophy. Feedback on the development of each player is important. Honesty in the communication is key. If you're a dictator-coach, be open about it. If you are a parent whose key concern is playing time for the child, tell the coach.

It is really important to keep lines of communication open, even if it is difficult.

The overriding concern ultimately must be to provide the kids with the opportunity to learn, grow, develop and have fun. Some of these lessons may mean learning how to serve the team by being a great substitute. No harm for the kids - most of the ball contact should be in practice anyways.

It is a challenge to maintain harmony, not just between players, but also between coach and parents.

Good luck!

Soccer Styles of Play

The style of the coach/team is how the ball moves once it is in possession of a player. We propose that there are two basic styles:

Penetration style:

Typically has the fewest touches on the ball to move play quickly into the opponent's penalty box. Uses long balls frequently.

Possession Style:

Typically has lots of touches by the same team. Builds up play through many passes to set up scoring chances.

The style is ultimately determined by the coach's preference in conjunction with the players skills.

Teams with excellent passing and receiving skills can string passes together to look for an opening in the opponent's defence. They also have the flexibility of breaking quickly.

Teams with poor ball control skills are probably better served playing more of a penetration game.

SOCCER GOALKEEPER TRAINING

The key difference between soccer goalkeeper training and regular team training is the experience of the coach. Most coaches have played soccer and can easily understand player and team skill deficiency and are able to provide corrective help, including demonstrations.

Not many coaches have goalkeeping experience and quite a few struggle with what to do with goalies during practice. Those who come up with drills and techniques are to be commended, yet, when they see errors they don't have the knowledge to correct them. So what is one to do about training one of the key and only specialty positions on the team?

Our advice is to first of all not to ignore the goalkeeper(s) and to get a dedicated person to work with them. If that person is a former goalie, great.

Second, find some specific goalkeeper training material in your bookstore or on the web and work out a practice plan for your keeper, just like you do for the team.

Third, send your goalie to goalkeeper clinics. Most of them are well worth the money. If at all possible, observe or even take a clinic yourself so you learn what a goalie should do and you acquire the skill to help your keeper.

We, at soccerpracticebooks.com are developing a goalkeeper drills and practice plan book combined with a photo series to demonstrate key points. We expect to launch this addition to our portfolio by May 1, 2006.

Physical Play - "Leaning In"

This is a bit of a controversial topic, mostly as it relates to if and when to teach a team physical play. In my opinion, this shouldn't happen until the age of 12-14 and then only in a competitive environment. However, reality has coaches at all levels and sadly, all age groups, teaching kids physical play instead of skills. So consider this article as a self defense primer which you can employ if circumstances dictate.

The basic concept for this is to put your body between the ball and the opponent, leading with the shoulder. Contact shoulder to shoulder is not a foul. What is a foul is if a player has possession of the ball and someone pushes/knocks them off. What is not a foul is if someone is dribbling, pushing the ball a bit too far ahead and someone else angles themselves in. For the latter case, teach your kids to dribble the ball close to their feet and when under pressure to shield the ball. When in possession, it is legal to move your arms away from your body to protect your space and prevent the leaning in or angling in by others.

To teach trying to get the body "in there", consider these drills:

1v1 Drill # 1

Put two players facing each other 10m apart. Put a ball in the middle. On coach's whistle both players sprint trying to get control of the ball. This is not trying to touch the ball or to kick the ball. This is trying to get your body between the ball and the opponent and then shielding it such that the opponent can't touch it with their feet.

1v1 Drill #2

put two players 5m apart facing a ball 10m out, such that the two players and the ball make a triangle. On whistle, players sprint trying to get control of the ball.
You can turn this into a whole practice session as a fun game by having 1v1 round robin tournaments, declaring a toughness champion at the end.

Team Drill

To get them used to physical contact, put all your players into a 5m x 5m grid. The object is to push other players out of the grid. Last one in the grid wins. This is a little dicey: make sure there are no pulls, grabs or other dirty tricks. Players can use hands to push, not throw. Use your coaching judgment to guide them so that it's safe and meaningful. If it doesn't work, stop it and move to something else. Again, it should have a fun element, not a nasty one.

Fundamentally, you may also consider sprinting/speed exercises. Getting to the ball first is more than half the battle.