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ZenFooty Blog Walter Payton Would Have Been a Great Soccer PlayerPublished on Mon 12/01/2008 | 9 total comments Some say that soccer is a sophisticated, elegant and finesse oriented sport. The technique and tactical prowess required to play this game well are above many other sports. While all of this may be true, I believe that there is a soccer player in every athlete but I am afraid that there is not an athlete in every soccer player. So lets take Walter Payton, or "Sweetness," as he was called. He knew the game of football and he was technically competent. I would argue however, that there were many players with his technical talent and physical dimensions (or close). What Sweetness brought to football was a mental toughness and a desire to outperform his opponent whether they were playing checkers, jumping rope, or in the super bowl. His mental toughness and desire to win outshined all of his peers and, when added to his football skills, made him a true athlete and champion. He gave out as much punishment as he took. If you tried to tackle him, you felt the pain. The building of a champion NEVER starts or ends with skills. A champion is built from the heart. So coaches, we all must remember to build the tactical, technical, physical and MENTAL toughness in our players. Not just their skill....but their WILL!! What say you? « comments » When a Child "Stinks Up the Field," Let Them Know It! Period!! Published on Mon 11/24/2008 | 28 total comments I have had it with the Pollyanna nonsense!! A kid can not fix what he doesn't think is broken!! When a player is performing below their own standard and is showing little desire to step it up, we need to tell them; clearly and bluntly. I am beginning to see the ill effects of giving kids credit for just kicking a straight ball or running downfield. And what is up with the: "its OK" when they have blown three throw-ins by lifting their back foot at U11. Its NOT OK folks!. What is that crap? We are turning into "soccer wusses" (maybe a new glossary term here). They are supposed to be able to execute the fundamentals they are taught!! The game is no less developmental than a spelling test or a math test in school. Do we say "Its OK" when the child comes home with a "D" on something you know they have studied and learned? No! So why with soccer? Positive support does not always mean you caress the kids with nice words every time they tie their shoe? I am seeing a generation of soft players emerging that think that wearing the uniform and getting a touch in here or there is enough..then its off for ice cream or pizza....can you say "Fantasy Land"? All I hear these days is "good job and great kick." Are we even watching the same game? That stuff is all fine for AYSO and Park District (no offense to either). But if you are competing at club level, the bar is higher and the kids can't be coddled every time they make a failed attempt. What does that teach them? Sure there is a time for support and a time for admonishing the child. But give me a break, these kids have been trained and are expected some level of excellence. Letting them off the hook every time they make a bad play is BAD FEEDBACK and offers no learning for the consequences of not playing aggressively, missing the goal, flubbing a pass, or squandering a dribbling opportunity. If a player is letting themselves down or letting the team down, they need to know it. It is our job as coaches and parents to make them aware and build honesty and reality back into the game. Our kids are less competitive because they are not being taught what it means to compete, raise their game, and rebound from poor performance!! What say you? « comments » Who is Making the Money off of Soccer? Are We Barking at the Right People? Published on Thu 11/20/2008 | 15 total comments This stuff is getting expensive!! Registration fees, Uniform Fees, Tournament Fees, Hotel Fees, Rental Cars, Air fare, Academy Fees, Private Training, Camps, ODP, Eating on the Road, Spirit-Wear, Gas, Tolls, Parking, Chiro bills, Shoes, and more!! The total cost of being in the game is going through the roof!! Why is this the case? What can be done? Who is making the money? Where is this all headed? Well folks, its called the cost of organized soccer spun out of control!! The more organized, the more expensive!! The premier mega-programs market their capability to get the players exposed to national competition and, in return, demand the most from your pocketbook. But they are not alone in the race for the soccer dollar: The property owners of the facilities and fields are emerging as the big winners in this soccer craze. Land is still king!! And property owners are flexing their muscle to reap the soccer related dollar. Sure there are retailers and e-tailers looking for their cut. But on the whole, when you take a look at the costs for registration, insurance, fields, indoor facilities, lighting, and travel, there is precious little that remains for the people who are actually teaching your children how to play the game; the coaches and trainers. Yet these are the coaches that we as parents continue to bark at when we don't like the coach-to-player ratios or the fact that our children don't get enough playing time. We as parents need to remember that a very small percentage of what we pay actually goes to the person delivering value to your child. So what does the ZenMaster say about this apparent soccer inflation? I say go back to pick-up games, group technical training, and high quality academy soccer where travel is not an issue. Especially for U-12 and under. By playing the pick-up games, you dismiss the registration and club overhead, by doing group technical training you share the cost but get the most direct player development, by playing academy soccer, you are playing against other great talent from the local area without being in the circus of frequent flyer mega clubs. We have made the mistake of taking youth travel soccer and "professionalizing it" creating a new breed of landlords who tie up with league managers to create excessive structured play to generate wealth (and not necessarily great players). Capitalism at its finest!! It needs to stop!! What say you? « comments » Where are the Black Players…..ZenMaster is On the Recruiting Trail!! Published on Fri 11/14/2008 | 26 total comments I have coached and trained ton of players over the past ten years and am sad to say that the African American population in soccer is sinfully underwhelming. Frankly, the statement should be broader than that: I think that the soccer talent pool is undermined by the socioeconomic status of club soccer and the financial demands it imposes. This includes such things as travel commitments, training commitments, uniforms, miscellaneous fees, and so on; especially at the elite levels. Blacks are not in the space like they deserve to be. Where are they? Why can't we get them out and get them in the game? I believe in the African American and players of color in general and I want them in the fold. This game needs them!! Frankly, I can't seem to find them and when I do, I can't seem to get these players to commit to the sport. Our communities need help with strategies to recruit and retain these wonderful children. By the looks of ALL other teams in the league, I am not alone in this quest. Sure, there are the one or two black players on a team here and there but give me a break, there is no noticeable presence and I am truly afraid that we are overlooking a wonderful breed of children if we don't get our buts in gear and start recruiting. Let's make a positive inroad for the players of color and weave them into the fabric of our plans in youth soccer!! Soccer should represent life, not one or two segments of the overall population. I challenge any interested African American parent or player to come forward and I will arrange for them to play club soccer. What say you? « comments » The Most Important Skill in Soccer…Bar None…is Receiving the Ball! Published on Sat 11/08/2008 | 27 total comments I know, I know, there is dribbling, shooting, goalkeeping, defending and all of the other skills. But if a player can't receive a ball, he can't play this game on any level. Its like a receiver in football who can't catch, or a kick return specialist who can't hold on to the ball, or a quarterback who can't take a snap. And for you baseball fans, it like a catcher or a left fielder with a hole in his mitt. You can't catch, you can't play. Period! There are no designated hitters in soccer. Two soccer players can not play together effectively if one doesn't know how to receive a pass. A team can't hold possession and build an attack if its players can't receive the ball. It is the player who can receive the ball on the run, at high speeds, with a defender in his shorts that earns the right to play this game on the main stages. As parents and coaches, we teach striking the ball and a variety of different dribbling, shooting, and passing techniques. However, I would argue they are ALL secondary to learning how to receive a ball coming at you in a variety of ways and bringing it under control. If a player can do this, they can begin to take command over their own game and add value to others. The first touch is the most critical touch, always. What say you? « comments » |
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