U10 Kick-off! What to look for as the season goes forward.

     Saturday was the season opener for our younger U10 boys team (in my schedule I've been referring to them as "the juniors").  With only one practice together to build on I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of play from the team Saturday evening.  Prior to the game I talked with the team just a bit about what I'd be looking for in the game and I'd like to elaborate on that here for the sake of helping our team parents to understand how I work with my teams.
     If you haven't already heard, the focus of all Legends training sessions will be the development of each player's ball control skills with a constant emphasis on deceptive dribbling skills or "moves" as we call them.  A typical Legends practice will involve only activities that have players getting lots of repeated touches on the ball.  We avoid any type of drill that has players standing in line for long periods of time and we will rarely if ever spend time working on passing or other tactical aspects of the game.  The reason for this is a simple one:  learning how to be an effective dribbler is a time intensive process for most players and so we need to devote as much of our practice time to that as possible.  We proceed under the assumption that all of our players can learn to be attacking players capable of penetrating defenses with good dribbling technique.  Every practice and every game is an opportunity to work on the set of skills an attacking, goal scoring player needs.
     As the season goes on I'm sure I'll have more opportunities to discuss how our Legends approach differs from how other clubs, even at the select level, train their players.  For right now let me give you a brief summary of what a typical Legends practice will look like.
     First we'll begin with ten to fifteen minutes of warm-up involving some sort of game that has players running a lot, usually with a ball.  Some sort of "tag" is our go to for this warm-up period.
Next we'll have fifteen minutes of skill work involving basic ball-touch techniques such as toe-taps and foundations.  From there we'll work into some specific sort of dribbling skill or "move" and have the players practice it first in a no pressure situation where they can figure out the details.  Then we'll put them in a smaller space and give them a set time period in which to complete that "move" as many times as possible.  So, at that point we're adding a little pressure.
     Finally we'll end every practice with at least twenty minutes of 1v1 play.  If you haven't seen a Legends 1v1 session, be prepared.  It's crazy.  We play all of the players on the field at the same time, paired up into separate 1v1 matches played simultaneously.  It's crowded and chaotic so there's some very game-like pressure put on them.  We play games of two or three minute duration then re-pair the players and go again and again until we're out of time.  We'll include certain rules in the games to encourage the players to use the moves we've been practicing such as "you can't score until you do your Puskas move".  We also play the game as "make-it-take-it" which means that if you score a goal you get the ball back and get to go again.  As a defender, the only way to get the ball is to take it.  You can't just wait for your opponent to score so that it's then "your turn".
     That's about it for a typical session.  Then when we get to game days my instruction to the team will also be focused on their use of those "moves".  I'll be trying every week to make it clear to them that I'm not concerned at all about the game outcome.  Rather, what I'm looking for is to see them using their skills in game situations.  That does not mean that I want them to not care if we win or lose.  I always want my players to be motivated by a desire to compete hard and win but I need them to feel comfortable with trying new things in games, with attempting to use the skills they are developing in pressure situation.  The best way I can do that is to convince them that making mistakes in the games is a good thing, it's part of the process for them of growing into better players.  Don't be afraid to fail.
     I want to end by noting that I was very impressed by the level of skill and frequency of attempts to play skillfully that I saw Saturday.  Obviously the score got lopsided but the boys never got down.  Every time the other team scored they just ran to the circle for another kick-off and that's all you can want from them.  They play for the fun of it and my job is just to help them have even more fun by playing the game with skill and creativity.

Girl Power Strong in Academy Debut!

    

Legends U9 Academy, Spring 2015

     What a great day for two games and a Girl Power debut in the Academy!  Thanks to everyone for dealing with the traffic hassles to get to Lexington for our season opener.  The girls had a great time and they played so beautifully, showing no signs of being overwhelmed by the new level of competition.
     Of the two LFC teams we faced, the first was considered by their Academy director to be their least experienced team.  That showed as they did have trouble dealing with the level of skill Girl Power brought to the game.  As usual we were seeing opposing players get frustrated with our ability to possess the ball for long stretches.  Using their ball control skills Girl Power really dictates the pace of play even if it appears sometimes that the other team is playing frantically, fouling our girls repeatedly to get to the ball.  Of course the girls were talking to me on the sidelines about that fouling but as I explained to them, they've got to expect to see a lot of that as usually other teams don't know how to respond to our style of play other than to start grabbing at us from behind.  So long as they have to foul us from behind like that I know we've got them where we want them...on the wrong side of the ball.  This issue of fouls and poor officiating will continue to be something they have to learn to deal with and my goal will be to instill in them a certain sense of indifference to it.  So long as all we have to deal with is an occasional high elbow or shirt-grab from behind I'll be happy to see the girls just play through it and so I'll try to maintain a very even temper in my responses on the sideline, both to what happens on the field and to how the referee deals with that.
     Anyway, the girls were annoyed by the physical play of LFC but they were not intimidated.  That team had a serious height advantage on us but our girls handled the situation with their usual energy and creativity.  If we were keeping score, and we don't at Academy dates, I imagine the result would show that we had dominated the game, although I can't say for sure as the score may have been six to nothing or maybe not...who knows;)
    As for the second game, I have to tell you that I heard from Coach Ben that the team we faced in that one is the one that LFC considers their number one group.  And yet, our girls controlled that game throughout too, again, through skillful ball control, and an amazing combination of patience and tenacity.  They were patient as they probed the LFC defense over and over again, 1v1, looking for an opening and resisting the urge to just kick it and run.  They did this even though the team they were facing was physically imposing, aggressive and, to some degree, skillful.  Girl Power were tenacious in that they never conceded possession and never allowed them a clean break-away or counter attack.  Zoe personally must have chased down their lead runner six or seven times, deftly taking the ball off them running straight into our own goal before making a quick turn out to safety.  Man, she must have been annoying the heck out of them.  She's the most tenacious defender I've ever coached.  And how many times did you see one of our players confidently dribble out of trouble in our penalty area by crossing our own goal?  Does that make you nervous?  Of course it does, but it also demonstrates their confidence in their skills and I love it.
     On the flipside you could see how our girls can wear another team out.  From my spot on the other side I noticed so many instances in the first half of the second game where LFC players would pursue one of our girls for five yards or so and then just give up.  Again, it's about skillful ball control.  Keeping the ball tight under pressure is hard work but the payoff is that defending against that sort of control is even harder work and when Abby or Anna or Ava have pulled and spun and faked a few times in a row most defenders are just worn out and they back off.
     Jokes about score keeping aside, that one ended in a tie and I couldn't be happier with that.  We had them down for 3/4 of the game and the quality of our goals was spectacular including left footed shots from Olivia and Abby.  That gave Olivia a hat trick on the day and Abby had two total in that second game.  I'm really happy that Olivia has been able to jump in with the team with such grace.  Everyone played beautifully and I could isolate moments for every player showing their skillful play.  The thing is though that they all play so skillfully now that every touch on the ball is a highlight.  Seriously.  Coach Ben talked to the LFC director and she was just stunned at the quality of our players' skills.  That's how the Legends girls roll.
  
     The girls sounded a bit nervous before the start of the first game, asking me a couple of times how old the girls on the other team were.  I made the mistake of saying, "Oh, they're all just like you, you know, eight year olds."  "We're not all eight!" Ashley protested.  "Yeah, I'm not eight yet and Abby's not eight!"  Emily chimed in.  Then I remembered that Olivia isn't eight until June.  And of course Hailey just sort of glared at me.  "Okay", I said, "they're a little older."  "But you guys are pretty good.  I think you can handle it."  Their body language and expressions made it clear that they were grousing about the age difference just as a way to pass the time before the ref whistled them onto the field for kick-off.  The fact was that they were itching to play and they knew they'd be fine.   And were they ever.
    

Hat Trick for Ava in Great Season Closer for Girl Power

     Just a quick note on one of the best games I've ever seen the girls play.  We were short a couple of players today and we were facing the Flyers, one of the two toughest opponents in the league.  We played with no sub the entire game but my girls were skillful, tough and tireless.  Despite getting down 4-7 in the first half they managed to collect themselves and hold the Flyers to only one goal in the second half while pouring in another six goals themselves for a thrilling 10-8 win.
     Ava was the star of the game with an impressive hat trick of goals, every one of them hard earned.  Her touch on the ball was beautiful today and she was especially effective using her first touch to get well into space before anyone could close on her.  But if you only saw the goals she had then you missed the real brilliance in Ava's play today.  She broke away from the ball and got open in space for passes or looped back off the attack to cover in defense so many times that she had really gotten the other team's coaches' attention by the end of the game.  Late in the first half I could hear the two coaches on the other bench remarking on Ava, saying how amazing it was the way she was breaking so smartly off the ball and reacting to the run of play.  She looked like a seasoned pro, an attacking center back who is always annoyingly involved in the attack, giving the opposing defense one more player to mark.  Then just when the other team gets away on a break, there's Ava, exasperatingly goal-side of the ball when they thought they were in the clear.  She was really fantastically poised and in control the whole game and she brought that against a team that's capable of some very physical play.
     Everyone else on Girl Power felt that sort of physical pressure from the Flyers too.  High elbows, shirt grabbing, palms in the face and plenty of two-handed leverage on the walls.  I even saw a few "picks" being set!  But Girl Power just took it all in stride and put their faith in their skills.  That's what I always want to see from them.  Their skillfulness and their confidence in what they can do gives them a fairly cool attitude as a team and when they face pressure I want them to respond by being even cooler.  I was so proud of how they came out in the second half and played the way they know how to play.
     This game saw all of the girls picking up their field awareness and except for a few lapses late in the game they all were moving smartly around the field, attacking then covering, without being rooted in any one position.  Ava's the leader in this regard as I noted but we saw so much great total field play from everyone else too.  Zoe in particular brings a level of energy and toughness to protecting the goal and then combines that with a fearless willingness to dribble out rather than kicking.
    Ashley was playing with as good a touch on the ball as I've ever seen from her when facing a tough opponent.  She was getting her foot up on top of the ball for more control and softer touch and it paid off in goals and chances.  Eileen put on a clinic showing us all how you dribble out of trouble, including one amazing sequence where she took on four defenders in a row, all within a space of about ten square feet, beating them all to get into the open.
     Olivia was holding down the defensive duties for us in the first half, no instructions from me.  In the second half she stayed high in a striker position, floating up and back along the right side, again with no instruction from me.  The girls had simply agreed on their own at half time to rotate positions.  They figured it out.  Olivia found herself then in the position to have multiple shots on goal and put one of them in.
     Abby came out in the second half on fire and played with more of a punishing sort of intensity than we usually see from her.  Most games she's like Christen Press; effortless skill, cleanly zig-zagging, almost un-foulable.  Today she was like Abby Wambach; imperious with lightning quick finish.
     Finally there was Hailey, standing on her head for a near shut out in the second half.  And the punts!?  Wow!  She nearly booted one of them to the attacking line in the other team's half!  Her touch on the ball while in the field in the first half was fabulous and on one run she made just the most graceful little step over move, not so much a fake but as a sudden change of direction.  Just beautiful.
    It was great game technically but it was also a real statement for the team in terms of their heart and determination.  They were in a tough spot and they came out and imposed their will on the other team, staying true to their style of play.  Well done Girl Power.

Girl Power Skills

     Here is some video of Girl Power facing an ISC team this weekend.  It was an impressive performance and there was plenty of skillful play from everyone.


   
     As a parent it was wonderful after the game to hear the pride and, most importantly, the shear delight in the voices of all our team parents.  To be able to watch them play, to see them play with such joy... it's a gift,  especially moments like the one you see at 0:39 where Anna has just scored and you see her turn immediately to find Hailey because she knows that Hailey set that shot up for her.  They high five and say something that makes them both giggle before huddling together with the whole team.  That camaraderie is as impressive and beautiful as their soccer skills.
     
    

Homework!

Olivia joins Girl Power for "The Big Game"

     You might have noticed that I had a clipboard in my hand the entire game Thursday as Girl Power faced TC Fire for the second time.  I was using a "Match Analysis" form to track player performance throughout the game.  You can see it there on the left.  The basic idea is that I choose a small set of skills or tasks that I want to see the players execute during the game and I keep track of their performance by awarding points for each attempt, whether they're successful or not.
     Using the form will take some getting used to.  As you can see I continued to mark points in the "First Half" section throughout the game.  You can also easily see that I probably missed a lot.  It's simply not possible that Zoe and Olivia's scores reflect their actual performance.  They were both great in this game.  Even if I do get the hang of keeping track of games this way I'm not sure I'll like it in the long run.  I felt like I was too busy keeping score to do what I normally do on the bench which is to engage the players there with me in a running conversation about what we're seeing on the field.  The clipboard and pencil kind of cramped my style.
     I do have to admit though that this method had an immediate affect on the girls.  You could clearly see that they were attempting to accumulate points by executing the moves and skills I had listed for them.  Sometimes that probably took them out of the game in a way and probably caused us to either give up goals or miss opportunities to score them.  Even if that is the case though they did play better against the Fire than in the last game.  On score alone, 12-6 this time compared to 13-5 last time, they improved.  They were also much more casual about the loss this time and clearly enjoyed the game despite the outcome.  They knew they had played well but had simply faced a very tough opponent.  
     Personally, I was nervous about this game all day Thursday.  I thought after our last game with TC Fire that we could have won despite the score because we seemed to possess the ball so much more and we allowed them so many easy goals when our defense fell apart.  And of course I couldn't help but be aware of the league standings.  If we beat them we'd win the league.  I think that as it turned out, using the Match Analysis form was actually as important for me as it was for the team as it allowed me to focus on the small details of their individual performances rather than the game outcome.  Rather than arriving at the game and trying to cram hours of coaching into a four minute pre-game talk, rather than trying to tell them how they could win if they would do this and this and this and...instead of that I spent a few minutes showing them the form on the clipboard and talking with them about the items on the "to do" list.  They were excited about it and they ran onto the field in great spirits, ready to go.
     Of course Girl Power still wanted to win and they played really hard.  They were aggressive and tough against a skillful opponent that played with a high level of intensity throughout the game.  That level of intensity on TC Fire's side is something we can take as a compliment.  The Fire played to the end like they thought we were still threatening to catch them.  They never acted like they thought they'd put Girl Power away. 
     I do think the use of the match analysis form was a good thing for the girls.  I certainly saw something new from everyone in terms of their effort to use moves that they hadn't tried before or use moves in combinations.  So here are the game highlights for me:

-Anna is top of the list with a beautiful "step-over" move that she pulled off, with pace, while squared up on two defenders.  Simply awesome.
-Zoe played fiercely in the field as she always does and she really sets the tone for the team in terms of being very casual about the intensity level of the other team.  She's not very impressed by high-elbows anymore.  Her big moment though was that one-handed stop she made while in at keeper.  The Fire had put in at least four of their goals with high shots like that and it was great to see one of our keepers slap one away.
-Next up is Ashley who finally took my advice and put her foot on top of the ball a few times in an effort to change direction and pace.  I'd pointed out to her that her first touch on the ball was always great but her second was usually a little too firm and so she gives the ball away too often.  I asked her to get back in the game and try using some sort of change of pace move, like a stop-hop or puskas, when she got past the first defender.  That way she would be able to slow the ball down to set up the next defender.  She went in and made it work beautifully the first time.
-Abby and Hailey, as you can see in the photo, were vying for the most points.  You'd expect Abby to score high as she loves using her skills more than she loves scoring goals.  In this game she was using her pull-back-play-behind and puskas so smoothly that the other team was getting very frustrated with her.  Hailey was mostly doing pull-backs and double pull-backs in the midfield but then still sticking with her amazingly deft cut moves when she headed toward the goal.  She did however have a couple of runs where she headed into the left corner and managed to get turned back into open space by using a pull-back or cruyff.  That's what I'm looking for from Hailey, an expansion of her repertoire.
-Ava played wonderfully throughout the game and frustrated her number one fan a few times by fearlessly carrying the ball across our own goal to get into space.  Her solo effort goal was just fantastic.
-Emily was, as usual, spinning and spinning throughout the game.  She and Eileen both seemed really keen on getting those points for dribbling out of our own half.  In her first turn on the field Emily was the epitome of what I think if as our "rotation" style of play.  She would collect the ball in our defensive end then dribble up field, winning a couple of 1v1's in a row.  Then when she finally lost the ball she'd hustle back to start again in the defensive half.   And all of the girls were working in that rotation form so we played much better defense than in our previous meeting with this team.
-Finally, I'm so glad we had Olivia with us.  She played beautifully with great patience and a deft touch.  She brings speed to the team too and I can't wait to see her get into position to show everyone that powerful right foot of hers.

Legends players can be strong in ways you wouldn't expect.

     Yesterday I filled in for Coach Gibson as his U8 boys took on a T&C team that seemed to have been hand selected for their birth dates.  Big kids.
     I was really thrilled with how our boys just went at them with no regard for their size.  I saw some really excellent efforts to play skillfully from every player.  Just little flashes but they're on the right path and all the minutes of experience they get, even in games like this will add up eventually.
     Late in the first half I had Johnny Yeager on the bench with me and I was enjoying his running commentary on the game.  While listening to Johnny I apparently missed an incident on the field where our player Ian got hit by the ball.  The referee came toward the bench and said "coach, you might want to get number four off...he got hit...you know...and he's looking a little green."  I waved for Ian to come off and by the way he was sort of bent over as he ran I had a pretty good idea where he got hit.
    He seemed okay once he caught his breath and I joked with him a bit, saying "you're not gonna throw up in here on the bench are you?  Cause if you are I'm getting out of here."  He grinned and said, no, he'd be alright.
     Johnny took my joke a bit more seriously though.  "I was sick last week" he said.  "And I felt one time like I was gonna throw up.  It got up to here."  At that point he touched his hand to his adam's apple.  "And then I just pushed it back down."  Totally deadpan.  Just a sort of wide-eyed  yep-that's-how-I did-it look on his face.
     "So you were gonna throw up but you swallowed it back down?"
     "Yeah" he replied.  Ian was right behind Johnny and he's looking at me with an expression that says "oooh, no, what?"
     "You sir, are a man!" I say.
     "Yes" he says then he turns his attention back to the game.  Outstanding.