Week Four. A Blur of Soccer.

Thanks for your patience.
Looking back on the games I recall that everyone played very well.  The Thunder Bears had a double header and played great in both games.  Ashley, Ava and Carson all had much better games this week, playing aggressively but with some more thoughtfulness.  Micah played well too.  Most of the players on the Bears are as aggressive in going to the ball as you could hope but they all still play with a bit of tunnel vision, failing to see where their teammates are and to remember which way the goal is.  But that just comes with time and repetition.  We talk about it before every game and eventually they'll start to get it.

The Sharks, on the other hand, have largely gotten this concept as a team.  They look down field past the ball and scan the field behind them.  There are a few players in particular who lead the way in this regard but I'm seeing everyone pick it up.  Karolyn has been doing beautiful work anticipating the action and this past week Jagger and Trey both had great games because they channeled their energy a bit, playing with more discipline and field awareness.  Maya was showing that skill too and had a great game in terms of her ball control and anticipation.  Samuel, of course, always amazes with his understanding of when to run away from the ball toward the goal.  That kind of awareness got him a goal in the last game.

One highlight of the game was a bit of defense from Austin.  I often talk to the kids about taking control of the situation when I work with them on ball control.  When you are dribbling with the ball toward the goal you want to act rather than react when you encounter a defender.  Make a move.   Deceive them.  Take control.  We've got several players on the Sharks who get that and put it to work every game.   A good defender can handle those encounters in the same way by intentionally lagging behind the other player or letting it appear that there is an opening to one side.  You've probably seen basketball players on defense let a shooter have room to move to the left if that shooter is known to be weak with their left hand.  The defender takes control of the situation sometimes too.
In the last game Austin put on a clinic for how this is done in soccer.  As a player on the other team approached him with the ball along the right side of the field Austin hesitated to engage with the player and ball just long enough to let the player think the space between Austin and the wall was open.  When the player started to take the ball that way, to Austin's right, Austin made a quick stabbing step to the front of the ball that stopped the ball and sent the other player tumbling.  We call that a "stick".  Austin stuck that kid perfectly.  I don't know if that is something he's learned or if it's simply instinct but that sequence of hesitation followed by rapid action was clearly intentional.

Other highlights for the Sharks included a goal from considerable distance by Sam E., some great field leadership work from Jackson and some great play in keeper for Elizabeth.

See you all Saturday.