The U4 team had a pretty good game really. All of the kids did very well in practice and were very attentive. Sammy was more involved in the game than ever before and Hunter got a goal, so that was a great game. One thing I spoke to the team about after the game was, again, to remember to be looking at the ball all the time. I think a major hurdle for many kids to get over when learning a team sport is that they have to resist their natural urge to make eye contact with other kids when they are close to them. It seems like their natural instinct to treat their collisions on the field like any other social interaction gets in the way of them being able to learn how a game flows. When they form a scrum over the ball in one of the corners invariably only a few, if any, of the kids are actually looking down at the ball. Most of them are looking at each other. It's comical because often times the expression on their faces seems to be saying "why are we doing this?" I'm not sure that anything that I might say to them about this would make any sense so we just have to be patient and let them figure it out on their own.
The U6 Bears had a great practice, really focused. Then they had a weirdly disjointed game. Zychick was really focused in as keeper and did great work and there were flashes of brilliance from everyone but there was also a lot of aimless jogging around the field. I didn't expect that given how well they had focused in practice. Oh well.
My highlight of the game was Cole holding his keeper pose, like some sort of ninja awaiting an attack. That's how Ava got started in keeper and she turned into a good one, so keep an eye on Cole.
The U6 Sharks were also just a bit less than sharp this week, maybe because they were missing Karolyn. Diego did manage a goal and Trey continued his trend of playing with more and more confidence. He put a few moves on this week including a nice pull-back that showed how he is beginning to trust his skills. Samuel came in as keeper for the first time and was crazy good. He's too good in the field to ever specialize as a keeper but wow! is he fearless.
For the U8 Sharks it was a reversal of their fortunes from the week before. In last week's game they were the dominant team and they were able to stretch out and play a more controlled type of soccer. This week they faced a team that was bigger and more skilled and in response the Sharks seemed to fall into a panic mode right from the start. By the third quarter though they were getting their groove back and they finished the game with some excellent play.
Here's video from the game. I tried putting notes in the video...we'll see how that works.
When you're watching this with your player be sure to point out all of the times you see one of the Sharks basically standing still while the other team takes control of the ball. That was a big problem in this game.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Find Your Rhythm.
Next time you're practicing your foot work at home try working to some music. It seems to help.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Week Three. Seeing it All.
Sorry we had to miss the U4 games this week but the conditions early Saturday were just too slippery to risk it. That cancelation did create a unique opportunity though; Ruby, of the U4 Lakers, got the chance to play up with one of the U6 teams. Zychik had to miss his game with the Bears due to the weather so Ruby came out to cover for him and get a feel for what U6 is like. For her it was like every other soccer game...you take the ball to the goal. Ruby's instincts and natural skills are fantastic and she was a great addition to the team for this game. Jackson and Micah were on the attack all game too and so the Bears put on their most impressive performance yet. As a group, the Bears played well but they are still a team that sees the entire game through the ball. The next big step for all of these players is to begin to see the game as it happens all over the field, not just around the ball. We'll be on the lookout for that development.
The U6 Sharks were showing in this week's game how a team can take that next step. They are all developing rapidly in terms of their skills and with greater confidence in their skills comes an ability to anticipate the action in the game. Three of the Sharks had real break-out games this week. Trey simply had his best game ever. He got a goal, which was a beauty on a short pass across the middle from Karolyn, but his performance overall was marked by great patience and imagination with the ball. He was possessing the ball, not just kicking it and as a result he had repeated runs toward the goal that could all have ended in scores. McKenzie showed some great anticipation on the field. In her best moment I saw her run back into a defensive position when the other team got a break-away opportunity. She didn't chase the ball but rather took the shortcut toward the goal so as to cut-off the attack and as she fell into position she kept her eye on the ball, turning to take her last few steps backward so as to be ready. She looked like a pro right then. And finally we had Ava back from a week off and she was amazing. She wanted to start out in defense and the way she played across the field, keeping herself between the ball and the goal, never getting trapped into chasing the ball, was just brilliant. She played with so much intelligence and anticipation, and then, when the opportunity presented itself, with such fierce determination that she really was controlling the flow of the game from that full-back position. It occurs to me now that if we play her and Karolyn in the right positions in each game we should be able to hold every opponent scoreless.
Diego and Samuel led the attack, as usual, and they are both rapidly developing their ball skills now that the team has to rely on them so much. Diego had his goals and then Samuel made a few slick moves with the ball that were fantastic. I see Ashley beginning to follow their lead and I'm sure she'll be in the scoring mix soon. Great work from everyone this week.
They call it the beautiful game and the U8 Sharks showed us why this week. The first quarter line-up was all speed and power with Kaleb in at keeper setting his teammates up for attacking with some beautiful punts. Conner, Addie and Aiden were in the lead up front with Zach holding the middle while Jaden and Nathan covered on defense. That line-up was very effective. Conner and Aiden both scored. Conner had three goals. Addie was playing with great patience on the ball, possessing it and trying out her moves. Zach smothered nearly every breakaway the other team got and did great work distributing the ball up to the front three. He is so fast and runs into the crowd so fearlessly I'm sure the other team was really annoyed by him. Nathan and Jaden were solid in defense with Nathan especially taking control of the field and making some very smart plays, even settling the ball a few times before clearing it out. I love seeing that sort of confidence. It was a great start to the game.
Then in the second quarter things changed. In the first the Sharks were all speed. In the second they were all grace, poise and control. Sam E., Austin and Elizabeth were up front. Sam A. and Jackson were in mid and Owen was holding the line as sweeper. Right from the start they seemed to be playing in slow motion, settling the ball, looking around, moving confidently then passing sharply. It was beautiful to watch. Elizabeth managed two goals in that quarter, one of which was a powerful strike on a ball that came loose in the penalty area. Jackson was dribbling in close and had a good chance but one of the defenders stepped up to strip the ball away. Elizabeth saw the chance and streaked in from behind Jackson and blasted the ball right off the defender's feet and into the net.
Sam A. was holding firm in the mid and over and over again he collected the ball and brought it confidently out into the open before delivering his pass. Austin and Sam E. did great work maintaining their spacing and both of them fearlessly tried to get their dribbling moves working. Owen was the anchor for this line-up and I was so proud of the way he calmly controlled the flow of the game, looking up before settling the ball then making smart passes off the dribble.
On the bench we tried to get the rest of the Sharks to see how their teammates were playing and they did take that to heart. They came back out in the third and with Kaleb now in the field that group, too, showed some great patience and imagination, confidently possessing the ball more often than they were kicking it away. Nathan managed his first goal! Then they were saved from a few defensive blunders by the wonderfully tough goal-keeping of Addie.
When the second line came back in the fourth it was finally time for Sam E. to get that first U8 goal. Jackson was holding things down in defense as keeper and even on the bigger field showed all of his typical confidence. He strolls around the box like it's his living room. Owen was up in front with Sam E. and Austin and Sam A. and Elizabeth were in mid. Sam E. got the chance to make one run after another into the other team's goal and he never gave up on trying to use his skills to get around other players. There was a great moment where Sam had made a few moves to get around two defenders then as he entered the penalty area he ran into the other team's tallest player. He tried a shot but she blocked it and then he hilariously strolled out of the box alongside her, talking to her about how she'd just blocked his shot. The height difference between them was such that Sam had to practically look straight up to see her. A few minutes later he charged in again and made the moves he needed to get around the defense, took his shot and put it in the net. Seeing him and Elizabeth get those first goals was spectacular. I'm sure that Sam A, Austin and Jackson will all get theirs too soon.
The U6 Sharks were showing in this week's game how a team can take that next step. They are all developing rapidly in terms of their skills and with greater confidence in their skills comes an ability to anticipate the action in the game. Three of the Sharks had real break-out games this week. Trey simply had his best game ever. He got a goal, which was a beauty on a short pass across the middle from Karolyn, but his performance overall was marked by great patience and imagination with the ball. He was possessing the ball, not just kicking it and as a result he had repeated runs toward the goal that could all have ended in scores. McKenzie showed some great anticipation on the field. In her best moment I saw her run back into a defensive position when the other team got a break-away opportunity. She didn't chase the ball but rather took the shortcut toward the goal so as to cut-off the attack and as she fell into position she kept her eye on the ball, turning to take her last few steps backward so as to be ready. She looked like a pro right then. And finally we had Ava back from a week off and she was amazing. She wanted to start out in defense and the way she played across the field, keeping herself between the ball and the goal, never getting trapped into chasing the ball, was just brilliant. She played with so much intelligence and anticipation, and then, when the opportunity presented itself, with such fierce determination that she really was controlling the flow of the game from that full-back position. It occurs to me now that if we play her and Karolyn in the right positions in each game we should be able to hold every opponent scoreless.
Diego and Samuel led the attack, as usual, and they are both rapidly developing their ball skills now that the team has to rely on them so much. Diego had his goals and then Samuel made a few slick moves with the ball that were fantastic. I see Ashley beginning to follow their lead and I'm sure she'll be in the scoring mix soon. Great work from everyone this week.
They call it the beautiful game and the U8 Sharks showed us why this week. The first quarter line-up was all speed and power with Kaleb in at keeper setting his teammates up for attacking with some beautiful punts. Conner, Addie and Aiden were in the lead up front with Zach holding the middle while Jaden and Nathan covered on defense. That line-up was very effective. Conner and Aiden both scored. Conner had three goals. Addie was playing with great patience on the ball, possessing it and trying out her moves. Zach smothered nearly every breakaway the other team got and did great work distributing the ball up to the front three. He is so fast and runs into the crowd so fearlessly I'm sure the other team was really annoyed by him. Nathan and Jaden were solid in defense with Nathan especially taking control of the field and making some very smart plays, even settling the ball a few times before clearing it out. I love seeing that sort of confidence. It was a great start to the game.
Then in the second quarter things changed. In the first the Sharks were all speed. In the second they were all grace, poise and control. Sam E., Austin and Elizabeth were up front. Sam A. and Jackson were in mid and Owen was holding the line as sweeper. Right from the start they seemed to be playing in slow motion, settling the ball, looking around, moving confidently then passing sharply. It was beautiful to watch. Elizabeth managed two goals in that quarter, one of which was a powerful strike on a ball that came loose in the penalty area. Jackson was dribbling in close and had a good chance but one of the defenders stepped up to strip the ball away. Elizabeth saw the chance and streaked in from behind Jackson and blasted the ball right off the defender's feet and into the net.
Sam A. was holding firm in the mid and over and over again he collected the ball and brought it confidently out into the open before delivering his pass. Austin and Sam E. did great work maintaining their spacing and both of them fearlessly tried to get their dribbling moves working. Owen was the anchor for this line-up and I was so proud of the way he calmly controlled the flow of the game, looking up before settling the ball then making smart passes off the dribble.
On the bench we tried to get the rest of the Sharks to see how their teammates were playing and they did take that to heart. They came back out in the third and with Kaleb now in the field that group, too, showed some great patience and imagination, confidently possessing the ball more often than they were kicking it away. Nathan managed his first goal! Then they were saved from a few defensive blunders by the wonderfully tough goal-keeping of Addie.
When the second line came back in the fourth it was finally time for Sam E. to get that first U8 goal. Jackson was holding things down in defense as keeper and even on the bigger field showed all of his typical confidence. He strolls around the box like it's his living room. Owen was up in front with Sam E. and Austin and Sam A. and Elizabeth were in mid. Sam E. got the chance to make one run after another into the other team's goal and he never gave up on trying to use his skills to get around other players. There was a great moment where Sam had made a few moves to get around two defenders then as he entered the penalty area he ran into the other team's tallest player. He tried a shot but she blocked it and then he hilariously strolled out of the box alongside her, talking to her about how she'd just blocked his shot. The height difference between them was such that Sam had to practically look straight up to see her. A few minutes later he charged in again and made the moves he needed to get around the defense, took his shot and put it in the net. Seeing him and Elizabeth get those first goals was spectacular. I'm sure that Sam A, Austin and Jackson will all get theirs too soon.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
U4 Games Canceled. U6 Games On.
Due to the slippery conditions, especially on the parking lots and sidewalks at Midwest, the 8:30 AM U4 games are canceled. The U6 games at 9:30 and 10:30 AM will be played as scheduled.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Week Two. Playing it Cool.
This week everybody was relaxed. Excited to play but not nervous. The U4 Blue Lakers had a great game that was preceded by a very nice warm-up. They were quite focused during the practice time. I hope as we go forward they get more accustomed to the routine of practice so that we can get the most out of that time. Ruby is clearly the team leader right now. Her skills and instincts for the game are precocious, to say the least. During the game I was talking to the other kids, trying to get them to pay attention to how Ruby moved with the ball. They always seem to learn faster when following the example of another kid.
You might also have seen me explaining to them a little hand gesture I use where I point with two fingers at my eyes. That means "look at the ball, find the ball with your eyes". What you notice about kids of any age when they play is the difference between the ones who can maintain their focus on the ball for a long period and those whose attention drifts away easily. Just like proper kicking form or dribbling, attending to the game is a skill that most kids have to learn through repetition. It's always about repetition. So when you talk to them about soccer you might reenforce that idea, that they should always know where the ball is.
I was thrilled with how engaged everyone was generally. Max seems to think we're playing a combination of soccer and American football where sometimes we kick the ball but sometimes we need to fall on it as though it had been fumbled. William is very close to putting it all together and already has a very nice touch on the ball. I just have to get him to stay in the game for longer stretches. Ava was in and out of the game a bit but when she's in she has one of the best kicks I've seen. Mylie had a great run toward goal that nearly ended in a shot. She was showing some very good ball control there. And finally, I was happy to see Sammy get out on the field for a long period. It just takes time and we've got plenty of that.
The Polar Bears played well despite not getting a very good practice in. That was my fault. I'm also the league Administrator and sometimes I get approached by Coaches or parents who seem not to notice that I'm in the middle of working with my own team.
Jackson and Micah were the leaders on offense again this week, both of them playing tirelessly. Jackson has a great instinct for getting up field once his own keeper has the ball. Unfortunately he usually gets out of our keeper's range. Derron found himself in the right spot to get the Bears lone goal this week. I hope he remembers how that worked. Getting the kids to understand how to play away from the ball is hugely important and for most kids the revelation occurs when they get a goal because they were in the right position to receive a pass and then shoot.
There was a lot of complaining about being thirsty and sweaty and tired this week but the kids all seemed to be having fun and their complaints seemed to be meant to impress upon me that they were all working very hard. And they were.
The U6 Sharks were very impressive. There was a great deal of thinking going on in this game and that is something I love to see. After the game I spoke to the team about how well they played, how fierce they were in their attack. But I also complemented them on how often I saw them looking up from the ball to see where they were and where their teammates were. That is critical. The pressure of having the ball at your feet typically gives the kids tunnel vision. They don't see where they are going or who they might be fighting against. In this game I thought I saw each of the Sharks having flashes of real coolness, those moments of un-panicked confidence where they trust their skills and try to take control of the situation.
Diego, of course, is the prince of unflappability and had his two goals by calmly walking right up to the keeper for tap ins. The first was off of a great pass from Samuel. Samuel had tried to deliver to Diego several times prior to that and when Diego finally realized how that was working he got into the right position for an easy shot. Samuel too is unflappable, even inscrutable sometimes. He plays with speed and intensity then suddenly with patience and grace and through it all he rarely seems particularly excited.
Karolyn was the player who impressed me the most. Her play in goal during the first quarter was brilliant. She used her speed and she anticipated the action, making one good decision after another. Later in the game she came onto the field and was just unbelievably fast to the ball. We need to work on her ball control skills so that she can really take advantage of that speed.
Trey had a great game and again extended himself to be more in control of the ball, to trust himself more. Jagger had a great game in terms of his game awareness. He had some moments where he was clearly thinking a few steps ahead, anticipating the action. Great game Sharks!
The U8 Sharks managed a victory and was it a good one! We had solid play from everyone. After a bit of stiffness early in the first quarter that allowed a goal in the Sharks woke up and played with speed and determination for the rest of the game. We had goals from Kaleb, Owen, Zach and Aiden. Zach's was a beautiful rainbow that floated over the keeper and into the upper right corner. He took that shot from some distance too, maybe nine yards. Zach wanted me to count an earlier shot as a goal too, one that banged off the interior of the goal post but didn't go in. He was going crazy up front there for a bit.
Owen's goal was a nasty worm-burner that hugged the turf all the way in from about twelve yards out. Those are hard for the keeper to get his hands on. Aiden's goal was exemplary in that he got it by being in the right spot at the right time. We harp on this with the kids a lot: when a teammate has the ball near the goal you've got to get in there close to get a rebound or pass. Well, Aiden was just out of the box on the left when he collected a ball coming in from the right, took one more step and then easily chipped it into the net.
Kaleb was pounding the boards near the goal in the second quarter without getting one in. We were yelling at Sam E. to get in front of the goal to get one of those rebounds but he's still in ball-chasing mode. Finally he did break off the ball to get a rebound and had his best attempt on goal yet. On the bench he complained to us that he hadn't done it right. "I hit it here" he said pointing to his toe. "I wanted to get it here" he said sadly, pointing at his shoe laces. I tried to console him by telling him that he's the "dribbling dude" so don't give up on those skills yet. Just keep trying to get in closer and you'll get a goal. Sam then turned to Kaleb and said that they should do that thing again where Kaleb bangs it off the wall then Sam takes a shot. So now they're developing strategies together. And Kaleb finally did get one of those shots to go in.
Nathan was great in goal again and much more effective in the field too. Addie had a great game in defense but next game we'll get her up front for some attacking. Conner was solid in defense and deferred to everyone else as far as offense this week. I'll get him back up front next week. Austin looked good all game but didn't get a lot of touches on the ball with Sam E. and Kaleb pinching it from him repeatedly. Jackson took his first big-league turn in goal and was great. His outlet passes and kicks were casual and accurate as usual. He's always cool.
Sam A. was back! His first game jitters were gone and in this game he played with confidence and skill. He repeatedly thwarted the other teams efforts to break through and he brought the ball up the middle for his teammates over and over again. And Elizabeth was at full speed too this game. She was attacking with confidence, trying to use her skills. I have no doubt that she and the Sams and Jackson and Austin will all quickly adapt their ball moves to the new situation and begin getting free often. I just need to get them to keep moving toward the goal a few more steps before shooting.
Bonus highlight: You might have noticed that they usually have music on on the field at Midwest. Most of the time the kids don't seem to notice it but I'm pretty sure that at the start of the third quarter Elizabeth was getting her groove on a bit just before the kick-off. Keeping it cool.
You might also have seen me explaining to them a little hand gesture I use where I point with two fingers at my eyes. That means "look at the ball, find the ball with your eyes". What you notice about kids of any age when they play is the difference between the ones who can maintain their focus on the ball for a long period and those whose attention drifts away easily. Just like proper kicking form or dribbling, attending to the game is a skill that most kids have to learn through repetition. It's always about repetition. So when you talk to them about soccer you might reenforce that idea, that they should always know where the ball is.
I was thrilled with how engaged everyone was generally. Max seems to think we're playing a combination of soccer and American football where sometimes we kick the ball but sometimes we need to fall on it as though it had been fumbled. William is very close to putting it all together and already has a very nice touch on the ball. I just have to get him to stay in the game for longer stretches. Ava was in and out of the game a bit but when she's in she has one of the best kicks I've seen. Mylie had a great run toward goal that nearly ended in a shot. She was showing some very good ball control there. And finally, I was happy to see Sammy get out on the field for a long period. It just takes time and we've got plenty of that.
The Polar Bears played well despite not getting a very good practice in. That was my fault. I'm also the league Administrator and sometimes I get approached by Coaches or parents who seem not to notice that I'm in the middle of working with my own team.
Jackson and Micah were the leaders on offense again this week, both of them playing tirelessly. Jackson has a great instinct for getting up field once his own keeper has the ball. Unfortunately he usually gets out of our keeper's range. Derron found himself in the right spot to get the Bears lone goal this week. I hope he remembers how that worked. Getting the kids to understand how to play away from the ball is hugely important and for most kids the revelation occurs when they get a goal because they were in the right position to receive a pass and then shoot.
There was a lot of complaining about being thirsty and sweaty and tired this week but the kids all seemed to be having fun and their complaints seemed to be meant to impress upon me that they were all working very hard. And they were.
The U6 Sharks were very impressive. There was a great deal of thinking going on in this game and that is something I love to see. After the game I spoke to the team about how well they played, how fierce they were in their attack. But I also complemented them on how often I saw them looking up from the ball to see where they were and where their teammates were. That is critical. The pressure of having the ball at your feet typically gives the kids tunnel vision. They don't see where they are going or who they might be fighting against. In this game I thought I saw each of the Sharks having flashes of real coolness, those moments of un-panicked confidence where they trust their skills and try to take control of the situation.
Diego, of course, is the prince of unflappability and had his two goals by calmly walking right up to the keeper for tap ins. The first was off of a great pass from Samuel. Samuel had tried to deliver to Diego several times prior to that and when Diego finally realized how that was working he got into the right position for an easy shot. Samuel too is unflappable, even inscrutable sometimes. He plays with speed and intensity then suddenly with patience and grace and through it all he rarely seems particularly excited.
Karolyn was the player who impressed me the most. Her play in goal during the first quarter was brilliant. She used her speed and she anticipated the action, making one good decision after another. Later in the game she came onto the field and was just unbelievably fast to the ball. We need to work on her ball control skills so that she can really take advantage of that speed.
Trey had a great game and again extended himself to be more in control of the ball, to trust himself more. Jagger had a great game in terms of his game awareness. He had some moments where he was clearly thinking a few steps ahead, anticipating the action. Great game Sharks!
The U8 Sharks managed a victory and was it a good one! We had solid play from everyone. After a bit of stiffness early in the first quarter that allowed a goal in the Sharks woke up and played with speed and determination for the rest of the game. We had goals from Kaleb, Owen, Zach and Aiden. Zach's was a beautiful rainbow that floated over the keeper and into the upper right corner. He took that shot from some distance too, maybe nine yards. Zach wanted me to count an earlier shot as a goal too, one that banged off the interior of the goal post but didn't go in. He was going crazy up front there for a bit.
Owen's goal was a nasty worm-burner that hugged the turf all the way in from about twelve yards out. Those are hard for the keeper to get his hands on. Aiden's goal was exemplary in that he got it by being in the right spot at the right time. We harp on this with the kids a lot: when a teammate has the ball near the goal you've got to get in there close to get a rebound or pass. Well, Aiden was just out of the box on the left when he collected a ball coming in from the right, took one more step and then easily chipped it into the net.
Kaleb was pounding the boards near the goal in the second quarter without getting one in. We were yelling at Sam E. to get in front of the goal to get one of those rebounds but he's still in ball-chasing mode. Finally he did break off the ball to get a rebound and had his best attempt on goal yet. On the bench he complained to us that he hadn't done it right. "I hit it here" he said pointing to his toe. "I wanted to get it here" he said sadly, pointing at his shoe laces. I tried to console him by telling him that he's the "dribbling dude" so don't give up on those skills yet. Just keep trying to get in closer and you'll get a goal. Sam then turned to Kaleb and said that they should do that thing again where Kaleb bangs it off the wall then Sam takes a shot. So now they're developing strategies together. And Kaleb finally did get one of those shots to go in.
Nathan was great in goal again and much more effective in the field too. Addie had a great game in defense but next game we'll get her up front for some attacking. Conner was solid in defense and deferred to everyone else as far as offense this week. I'll get him back up front next week. Austin looked good all game but didn't get a lot of touches on the ball with Sam E. and Kaleb pinching it from him repeatedly. Jackson took his first big-league turn in goal and was great. His outlet passes and kicks were casual and accurate as usual. He's always cool.
Sam A. was back! His first game jitters were gone and in this game he played with confidence and skill. He repeatedly thwarted the other teams efforts to break through and he brought the ball up the middle for his teammates over and over again. And Elizabeth was at full speed too this game. She was attacking with confidence, trying to use her skills. I have no doubt that she and the Sams and Jackson and Austin will all quickly adapt their ball moves to the new situation and begin getting free often. I just need to get them to keep moving toward the goal a few more steps before shooting.
Bonus highlight: You might have noticed that they usually have music on on the field at Midwest. Most of the time the kids don't seem to notice it but I'm pretty sure that at the start of the third quarter Elizabeth was getting her groove on a bit just before the kick-off. Keeping it cool.
Monday, January 9, 2012
Winter I Begins. "If only they played U6 and U8 forever." The Shark Report
On opening weekend I typically stay at the field all day both days and get to watch a lot of games. Everything went well this time around with only a few snags but after watching six hours of fairly fierce U10 competition Sunday in which there were a few blow-outs, some questionable sportsmanship and a lot of grumbling about the officiating I left the field feeling a bit burned out. U10 can be intense. Many of the kids are starting to really develop their skills and they have begun to relish the thrill of hard-fought games. They want to play hard and be played hard against. Their idea of "fun" is evolving at this point. That's all good but the intensity of it doesn't leave much space in the game for some of the goofy casualness that can make a U6 or U8 game so much fun. And you actually can see in the U12 games that as the kids mature further they get some of that casualness back. They realize that NKYA is rec soccer, not Champions League.
I saw some of that goofiness in the U8 Sharks game on a run that they made late in the third quarter. Sam and Austin were running up into the other side's half and Sam passed the ball up to Austin. He made a great touch to control the ball which Sam had sent his way with a little too much zip on it. Sam was so impressed with the way Austin casually settled the ball that he just started laughing as he ran up and as he closed in on Austin he started talking to him about that great stop, just ignoring the rest of the game, like he and Austin were the only two kids out there. Like two good friends just out playing around.
There was a lot of that sort of thing in this first U8 Sharks game and I like that. They stayed relaxed enough to actually have fun and to actually test their skills without being in a panic. Aiden, Addie and Zach are kids who always show in practice that they have the basic ball skills to play but then they tend to get a little stiff in the games. Not yesterday. I saw each of them flexing their muscles a bit and showing more confidence in their own abilities. Zach was a real revelation, the way he was streaking into the action and coming out with the ball.
Elizabeth showed up and was ready to go this time. She tried to stay on the bench in the first quarter but I told her that if Sam, Austin and Jackson were going out she had to go out too. Well, that's all it took. Bigger field, bigger kids, it's still just soccer and that's what Elizabeth is in for. Jackson is still looking to quarterback the game, just like in U6. He created a few great opportunities by getting his back to the opposition goal then trying to receive the ball so that he could distribute to a teammate. Unfortunately he and Sam E. haven't quite got their spacing worked out yet so there was frequently confusion as to who should be taking the ball. They'll work that out as we go but his instincts are still right on. Putting himself in that position where his body language clearly says 'I want the ball' is so huge.
Sam A. needed this game to get warmed up to the new situation but by the end he was his old self and was tough as nails in as goalie in the end. I was hesitant about letting him and Jackson play keeper yet but Sam seemed to really need to get back in that familiar position to get relaxed. His instincts were right too.
Nathan did great work in as keeper for us and was hilarious at the same time. He made sure to check with me and Coach Ben after every stop he made, looking over to the bench to get our approval then kind of diving back into the game. He's much more focused and ahead of the action in that spot than he is when playing out in the field but if we can get him to bring that focus with him to the midfield position he'll be a huge help since he has such a big kick. He and Jaden did some good work together in defense in the last quarter. Jaden is relentless and that's what you need in a defender.
Finally, I'm thrilled with the trio of experienced players we have to lead this team. Conner, Kaleb and Owen did great work the whole game, taking charge of the middle and allowing the little guys to attack. All three of them are surefooted and can boom it when they need to. Conner has all the speed and toughness you could want plus some superb ball skills. He was our most consistent scoring threat and is a kid who always wants the ball. Kaleb has speed and power and of course is a shutout keeper. Then there's Owen, who makes up for his lack of speed by having good anticipation and (if you're on the other team) annoyingly sticky feet. He was really possessing the ball well in that game. That was a really fun game and I can't wait to get back on the field next Sunday. Thanks for showing up early for that little bit of practice. I'll let everyone know if we get another opportunity like that.
The U6 Sharks were simply awesome. The last player added to the roster was Luke Zumbiel. His dad, Ed, and I have played soccer together quite a bit. When Ed saw Samuel and Diego connect for a goal on a free kick, like Beckham crossing one in to Donovan, he asked me with amazement "do they do that a lot?" Well, yeah. They're the Sharks.
At the start of the game I pulled the Sharks together and introduced the new players then I said to all of them "Sam, Austin, Jackson and Elizabeth are playing on another team now. Now it's your time. You gotta work together. You gotta look around and know where you are." Man, did they ever. Trey played great in the field, leading the offense when our new all girl trio of Abby, Ashley and Ava were in. He was showing the kind of great anticipation that let's you play faster than your running speed. Ashley is a natural with the ball at her feet and shoots well off either side. I expect her to be a constant threat to score. Abby was a great surprise and was really focused on the game and very involved. I was happy to see the way she and Ashley worked together, maintaining some good spacing most of the time.
Ava is perhaps the most intensely focused player I've ever coached. So much so that she has a bit of tunnel vision for the ball and that is hurting her right now. She plays great defense because she aggressively attacks the ball but on offense she gets stuck fighting her own teammates. I know that for Ava it's just more game time that she needs. The more she plays the more she'll be able to look up a bit and know where she is as she attacks.
The kungfu/soccer highlight of the game was Jagger doing a kind of barrel roll after being tripped then popping right up into a dead run with the ball. He then drove into the corner with the ball and made a kind of whirling-dervish move to get clear of the defenders before attempting a shot from the left side. I love that. You see players who are very graceful and use fancy footwork to dance the ball through the defense, players like Sam E.. Then there are kids like Diego, Austin, Elizabeth and now Jagger who just keep the ball stuck at their feet as they stumble through the defenders. They sort of shamble and ramble and come out on the other side with the ball, often leaving the defense in a heap. That's how Diego got his first goal of the game, with one of those signature zig-zag walks through the defense for a tap in from right in front of the keeper.
I know we're going to see some great soccer from this group and probably a lot of very rapid improvement too as they all get their turn to step up and take the lead.
The U6 Polar Bears were back and better than ever with some new teammates and a new intensity that I really like. They played flat-out hard for me the whole game. Micah was the revelation of the game. With Ava and Carson playing on other teams, Micah had the space to posses the ball and go with it. His run to the goal along the spectator side early in the game was fantastic. He blitzed through the defense then made a right turn to the goal and then took a shot from a really shallow angle but was this close to putting it in the net. He hit that shot with authority too. I wish I had that one on tape because it was beautiful.
Micah got a lot of help from his returning teammates, including Zychick, who was as solid as ever in at keeper. We also gained a very energetic trio of players in Jackson, Cole and Derron. They all played very aggressive on the attack and Jackson was especially tenacious. I expect a lot of shots on goal for him.
The Polar Bears were also joined by Kalib and Joshua, both relatively new to the game, but both getting off to good starts. Eileen and Delaney round out the squad and they played very well, although in very discreet bursts.
I saw some of that goofiness in the U8 Sharks game on a run that they made late in the third quarter. Sam and Austin were running up into the other side's half and Sam passed the ball up to Austin. He made a great touch to control the ball which Sam had sent his way with a little too much zip on it. Sam was so impressed with the way Austin casually settled the ball that he just started laughing as he ran up and as he closed in on Austin he started talking to him about that great stop, just ignoring the rest of the game, like he and Austin were the only two kids out there. Like two good friends just out playing around.
There was a lot of that sort of thing in this first U8 Sharks game and I like that. They stayed relaxed enough to actually have fun and to actually test their skills without being in a panic. Aiden, Addie and Zach are kids who always show in practice that they have the basic ball skills to play but then they tend to get a little stiff in the games. Not yesterday. I saw each of them flexing their muscles a bit and showing more confidence in their own abilities. Zach was a real revelation, the way he was streaking into the action and coming out with the ball.
Elizabeth showed up and was ready to go this time. She tried to stay on the bench in the first quarter but I told her that if Sam, Austin and Jackson were going out she had to go out too. Well, that's all it took. Bigger field, bigger kids, it's still just soccer and that's what Elizabeth is in for. Jackson is still looking to quarterback the game, just like in U6. He created a few great opportunities by getting his back to the opposition goal then trying to receive the ball so that he could distribute to a teammate. Unfortunately he and Sam E. haven't quite got their spacing worked out yet so there was frequently confusion as to who should be taking the ball. They'll work that out as we go but his instincts are still right on. Putting himself in that position where his body language clearly says 'I want the ball' is so huge.
Sam A. needed this game to get warmed up to the new situation but by the end he was his old self and was tough as nails in as goalie in the end. I was hesitant about letting him and Jackson play keeper yet but Sam seemed to really need to get back in that familiar position to get relaxed. His instincts were right too.
Nathan did great work in as keeper for us and was hilarious at the same time. He made sure to check with me and Coach Ben after every stop he made, looking over to the bench to get our approval then kind of diving back into the game. He's much more focused and ahead of the action in that spot than he is when playing out in the field but if we can get him to bring that focus with him to the midfield position he'll be a huge help since he has such a big kick. He and Jaden did some good work together in defense in the last quarter. Jaden is relentless and that's what you need in a defender.
Finally, I'm thrilled with the trio of experienced players we have to lead this team. Conner, Kaleb and Owen did great work the whole game, taking charge of the middle and allowing the little guys to attack. All three of them are surefooted and can boom it when they need to. Conner has all the speed and toughness you could want plus some superb ball skills. He was our most consistent scoring threat and is a kid who always wants the ball. Kaleb has speed and power and of course is a shutout keeper. Then there's Owen, who makes up for his lack of speed by having good anticipation and (if you're on the other team) annoyingly sticky feet. He was really possessing the ball well in that game. That was a really fun game and I can't wait to get back on the field next Sunday. Thanks for showing up early for that little bit of practice. I'll let everyone know if we get another opportunity like that.
The U6 Sharks were simply awesome. The last player added to the roster was Luke Zumbiel. His dad, Ed, and I have played soccer together quite a bit. When Ed saw Samuel and Diego connect for a goal on a free kick, like Beckham crossing one in to Donovan, he asked me with amazement "do they do that a lot?" Well, yeah. They're the Sharks.
At the start of the game I pulled the Sharks together and introduced the new players then I said to all of them "Sam, Austin, Jackson and Elizabeth are playing on another team now. Now it's your time. You gotta work together. You gotta look around and know where you are." Man, did they ever. Trey played great in the field, leading the offense when our new all girl trio of Abby, Ashley and Ava were in. He was showing the kind of great anticipation that let's you play faster than your running speed. Ashley is a natural with the ball at her feet and shoots well off either side. I expect her to be a constant threat to score. Abby was a great surprise and was really focused on the game and very involved. I was happy to see the way she and Ashley worked together, maintaining some good spacing most of the time.
Ava is perhaps the most intensely focused player I've ever coached. So much so that she has a bit of tunnel vision for the ball and that is hurting her right now. She plays great defense because she aggressively attacks the ball but on offense she gets stuck fighting her own teammates. I know that for Ava it's just more game time that she needs. The more she plays the more she'll be able to look up a bit and know where she is as she attacks.
The kungfu/soccer highlight of the game was Jagger doing a kind of barrel roll after being tripped then popping right up into a dead run with the ball. He then drove into the corner with the ball and made a kind of whirling-dervish move to get clear of the defenders before attempting a shot from the left side. I love that. You see players who are very graceful and use fancy footwork to dance the ball through the defense, players like Sam E.. Then there are kids like Diego, Austin, Elizabeth and now Jagger who just keep the ball stuck at their feet as they stumble through the defenders. They sort of shamble and ramble and come out on the other side with the ball, often leaving the defense in a heap. That's how Diego got his first goal of the game, with one of those signature zig-zag walks through the defense for a tap in from right in front of the keeper.
I know we're going to see some great soccer from this group and probably a lot of very rapid improvement too as they all get their turn to step up and take the lead.
The U6 Polar Bears were back and better than ever with some new teammates and a new intensity that I really like. They played flat-out hard for me the whole game. Micah was the revelation of the game. With Ava and Carson playing on other teams, Micah had the space to posses the ball and go with it. His run to the goal along the spectator side early in the game was fantastic. He blitzed through the defense then made a right turn to the goal and then took a shot from a really shallow angle but was this close to putting it in the net. He hit that shot with authority too. I wish I had that one on tape because it was beautiful.
Micah got a lot of help from his returning teammates, including Zychick, who was as solid as ever in at keeper. We also gained a very energetic trio of players in Jackson, Cole and Derron. They all played very aggressive on the attack and Jackson was especially tenacious. I expect a lot of shots on goal for him.
The Polar Bears were also joined by Kalib and Joshua, both relatively new to the game, but both getting off to good starts. Eileen and Delaney round out the squad and they played very well, although in very discreet bursts.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Winter I Opening Day.
The game schedules are posted and the rosters are set. The U4 team plays at 8:30 AM Saturday. The U6 Bears play at 9:30 AM and the U6 Sharks play at 10:30 AM on Saturday.
The U8 Sharks play at 11:50 AM Sunday. (My original team email on that had a typo on the game time. Sorry) Since we have that first game we can actually get a little practice time in. I'll be at the field at 11:20 to turn the lights on so if you show up early we'll be able to do a little work prior to the game.
I'll see you all this weekend. Go Bengals!
The U8 Sharks play at 11:50 AM Sunday. (My original team email on that had a typo on the game time. Sorry) Since we have that first game we can actually get a little practice time in. I'll be at the field at 11:20 to turn the lights on so if you show up early we'll be able to do a little work prior to the game.
I'll see you all this weekend. Go Bengals!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)