The following is a note I sent to all of our girls' parents (U08-U12) at the end of our recent season and I feel it is appropriate to remind myself of our goals as a program as we go through winter indoor and head barreling into spring soccer.
--------------------------
As we close out the fall season, I want to thank all the coaches, parents, and especially our players for their effort and dedication.
I have been able to work with almost all of our players this season and have kept in touch as I could with your coaches to see how things were going and it's been great to hear of all their successes, failures and growth.
My favorite age group to work with this season, and most seasons, has been the U8 players. They mostly come in with no pre-programming on how they are supposed to play the game and quickly adapt. In fact, the two teams I specifically trained had several girls who either turned six during the season or aren't even six yet.
The first few games and practices seemed like a giggling chaos of swarming bees. Many have never even played organized soccer, played outside soccer before, or even heard a referee blow a whistle. They would just keep running with the ball then look around in wonder as to why everyone else had stopped playing. By the end of 8 weeks, they were attacking as a unit, running back on defense and coming over to the sideline during substitutions or quarters asking if I saw them do a Rivelino, Stop Hop, or Maradona.
They didn't care about the score ever, only seeing how long they could possess the ball. There were always smiles during games and at practice...and disappointment when practices ended. They even were the first group I've coached who cheered when they got to play 1v1 at practice.
This is the kind of passion your coaches are trying to instill in all of your players and, as you continue with Legends, be sure to support them and your players.
Our teaching and style of play is still unconventional and due to this other teams can be either frustrated or slightly mocking depending on how well our players and teams have mastered the concepts, but in the end after a few seasons with us, your players will walk away with more confidence, enjoyment of the game, less mocking, more frustration from opponents, and in some cases actual admiration and compliments from parents and coaches. I can't tell you how many times this year and last I have heard in victory or defeat, "Coach, your girls have really good ball handling skills", "Wow, did you see that move!", or "Did she really just do a Maradona turn?!"
In order to accomplish this level of confidence with the ball, come Spring, you will still not be hearing your coaches say, "today we are working on positions" or "today we are working on passing" so please, don't ask them about it. We teach players to be ball hogs and if you actually ask them if they'd rather keep the ball until they lose it or just kick it once and be done, they'll always tell you they want to keep it.
All those other things will come as they mentally mature and begin to see the game and when those first "thoughtful passes" (as I call them) come, they'll be at the right time and as a coach and parent it will be a 'Wow!' moment just like when they spin around on a Maradona turn for the first time.
Until then, enjoy the off-season and whatever ventures you have planned; be it family time, holidays, or other sports/activities, etc.
No comments:
Post a Comment