Academy Spring 2015 Opener

Splitting Them Up

Spring season opened with a WOW! for our Academy girls group.  Most played indoor with us over the winter, but it's a different game and we never really practiced or asked for homework, just went out on the field for some dull winter days fun so I was really impressed with how well we suited up after only a few training sessions together.

The host club asked if we could split our girls up to match up against their players in a more competitive fashion and I was plain stumped.  Not only was it our first match of the season, but I really have a high level of confidence in every one of our player's ability to play up to any competition with which they come into contact.

Skill, skill, skill

We implemented our new point based tracking for players and it really has them excited; they get points for things like attempted shots, attempted moves, defensive stop, which gains possession, successful move to beat a defender 1v1, etc.  They aren't looking at the score of the match, all they ask when they come off the field is "How many points do I have?" and "Did I beat my first half score?"  I myself was skeptical at first, but this approach has truly taken them away from thinking about the outcome and put them into a contest of skill.

In my Black Lightning group, our senior players from before last fall (Payton, Karolyn, Caitlyn, Lillian) really showed off great vision and multiple move combinations, which continuously tired the other teams out to the point where they were kicking the ball out of bounds for a break.  Our recent fall additions (Maryah and Isabella) were driving themselves to look for and engage in 1v1 and 2v1 opportunities.  Maryah attempted at one point to engage a defender and when they wouldn't, she stopped mid-stride at midfield, kept the ball moving around and waited for the defender to come after her.  All the while, she looked at her with an eye that said, "Come on, let's play!"

...And then our newest and youngest additions (Anna, Ava, Kelcey, and Ellise) showed what a bit of peer pressure and competition can do to bring out the same desire as our more experienced players.  All four showed a very high level of confidence and cool heads as defenders pressured in on them.

I was really impressed with how Ellise (still 6) who in just this spring had only one speed and direction (very fast and downhill) was able to receive a ball, look up for space and then change direction rather than trying to run through the player.  Kelcey (also still 6) was shaking off some of our senior players who seemed to tag along every time she had the ball, as if to say, "No, that's cool, I got it."

Ava, who I had to beg to give me some effort when I was teaching her during fall U8 recreational, exploded with aggressiveness, especially in her eleven minutes as keeper.  Last but not least, Anna, it seems, is really trying to get every Legends move down in what seems like a week.  She immediately goes into deceptive dribbling mode as soon as the ball hits her feet.

Those who have played for a season together continue to show how their soccer brains are beginning to work.  Caitlyn, Isabella and Maryah had a brilliant sequence of passing (yes, passing) to open up space for Maryah to take the ball deeper into the attacking half.  Why was it brilliant?  It wasn't coached, it was their decision because they saw the opportunity to create space...and they were able to confidently control the ball until they were ready to open up space with the pass as defenders closed in on them.  I talked to Caitlyn after the game and she remembered that specific part of the match (soccer brain) and said, "Yes, we got into a triangle space like you showed us how to do." (soccer brain)...I use the triangle only verbally to reinforce spacing on the field right now, but not yet from a specific tactical perspective.

It was all great and the feedback from Coach Pat and Coach Dave mirrored my thoughts on the day as well.  We love watching their soccer brains start to click at so young an age and I can't wait to see what the entire Academy looks like by mid-season!