U10's at Nike Cup

Bad weather, bad organization and lackluster play. Those all combined for a forgettable weekend. But I choose not to forget matches like that because those are opportunities to see where some players are and how they react to adverse situations. It tells a lot about character and where a player is in that aspect of development.
Our first match against the Novi Jaguars, from Michigan, was played with little enthusiasm and creativity. It may have been a situation where I should have let Rich and Andy pilot the ship as I surely drove it into the ground! This match was most disappointing in the sense that we had an unbelievable training session on Thursday (one of the best ever with the 10's). I had a notion that maybe we put everything into that session and could be set up for a mini let down. That is a part of development, in that consistency is something that is hard to develop. As you know, it is difficult to be your best at all times, that is why professional teams don't go undefeated every year. Having said that, I was disappointed in our level of competition, creativity  and intensity. I felt we were slow to recognize things they were trying to do, so consequently slow to react. We stress to the boys to always think ahead, as that is the key to us playing with speed and we did not do that in this match.

The GNA Revolution match started out really well for the first 10 minutes, but quickly went sour after that. I do feel that we competed for the whole match, however, just had too many silly mistakes against a good team. In matches like that, the errors are usually punished, as they should be. We did more in the way of being creative and pushing forward with pace. I think the other team had a player who is a great testament to players who don't necessarily have the best speed in the world but are very effective. Their center mid, # 20 was very good with the ball and usually made good decisions when he distributed the ball. He was not even close to being one of the more athletic kids on the field, however. We failed to adjust to what they liked to do, let #20 bring the ball up and make a decision. In that instance we needed someone to slow him down and even deny him the ball.

Sunday was frustrating to say the least. No match.

YDA Festival Play

Last weekend we put together a festival weekend for our U9 girls, in that we divided up our entire pool of players into 4 equal teams. The teams competed against each other in matches that showcased the deep talent pool we have at that age. It also gave our families an opportunity to interact with other families that they had not previously met. The overwhelming feedback we have received has encouraged us to put together another date: the weekend on May 8th and 9th, for our entire YDA. We are very excited to have all of our players and families at the OESA training center playing matches and showcasing everything that is good in what we do. The staff is very excited about the upcoming Festival. The players have worked so hard this season and this is a great opportunity for all of you to see that. These events represent what a true Academy should be; which is the ability to play inter-club competitive matches with truly mixed squads. Please take a moment at these events to introduce yourself to the staff, as we know all of your players, just not the parents behind the player. Your support of the YDA and progressive events like this is what continues to push us, as a staff, forward and to the forefront of player development. Take time to meet other parents and get to know their player a little on the field as well. We do stress to our players to compete hard at everything they do, especially in training, so these should be some of the best matches they will play this season. You will see the talent that we are lucky to have and work with in the YDA. All of your players are an important part of what we do. We are very fortunate to be able to put or players and families in this atmosphere and is worth the effort to put together.

Nike Cup

Well as the weather continues to haunt us into April, the Nike Challenge Cup provided a good opportunity for some of our U9 and U10 boys. I'll leave the problems with Sunday's weather delays/cancellations out of my post, as some positives came out the weekend as a whole.

The U9 Academy boys took home Finalist trophies on the back of a strong Saturday. Playing with a 6-2 (maybe it was 3, but 6-2 sounds better) deficit, they climbed back to win 7-6. The played a strong team from Ontario on the second day (Based on their size, what are they feeding those kids up there!), and would have loved to have avoided weather stops and starts, as Scott and I really thought the boys were playing some of their best soccer of the season there in the final.

I was also very pleased with our Thursday training session with the U9s who didn't go with us to Columbus. We are starting to play quicker and the combinations are really starting to show. I'm trying to use activities that dictate the need for quicker play (points for more passes and switching fields to a target player), and forcing the boys to really think through the best way to achieve success. I like to provide them a variety of goals, then allow them to determine how they can achieve each goal. If I see that one goal (quick restarts) is being accomplished, but another is lacking (not enough movement into space to allow for a restart that doesn't put us under immediate pressure), I ask them what they think is missing. As we start to get these concepts, the boys know what I am looking for, can identify it among themselves, and try to deal with that issue.

As both groups continue to progress, we are really targeting the final tournaments of the year as a chance to once again showcase all that we've learned starting back in the fall.

Long Term Approach to Development

The YDA staff has spent much time speaking about the recent individual athletic and technical growth that a large number of our players have gone through this season. There is nothing more rewarding as a coach than to see the players grow incrementally from season to season, week to week, day to day. However, each of us has been around long enough as coaches and players to know that not all players develop at the same time or at the same rate. For some players, they won't hit their stride until they are 13 or 14. For others, they are already seeing tremendous growth in their abilities. It is important for all of us to remember this and to keep development in perspective. Too many times the focus is on immediate results (which team is my kid on, how many trophies does my kid have), when the real importance should be on whether or not the player is getting better athletically and technically and beginning to understand how to play the game the right way.

Sometimes it is to the player's benefit to include them with older players. We do this for the individual development of that particular player. We might see that a player is one of the fastest and most skilled in his/her age group. That player might be able to be the most advanced player in his or her group in terms of psycho motor skills, but we would be limiting that player developmentally if we kept him or her in that age group; we want to include that player with older kids so that he/she is more challenged. At the older age group, that player may not appear to be performing as well as he/she did at the younger age group, but in actuality the player might be developing at a more rapid pace because he/she is playing against bigger, faster, and more skilled players.

Many times players and parents feel that filling the roster with younger players is harming their own development. I might be wrong, but I don't think that there was any backlash from NBA players when LeBron James, at 18 years old, entered the league. Maybe this is a far stretch because I am talking about a professional athlete. However, my guess is that LeBron played on older teams as a youth player. If this is the case, those opportunities helped shape the player he is today (of course, natural ability and athleticism helped too!). At times he might have faced some criticism by people who weren't sure if he deserved to be playing up on an older team. I wonder if those people would feel the same way today.

On the flip side, there is another well-known athlete who didn't enter his prime until much later in life. I am sure many people have heard Michael Jordan's story by now; he was cut from his high school basketball team. Most people laugh at that now and chalk it up to the coach not knowing what he was doing. Maybe there is some truth to that; I don't know. Or maybe it is because Jordan wasn't as good as his peers........yet. But something inside of him told him to keep working and keep the passion for the game. If he had been dissuaded and discouraged by that event in his life, we probably wouldn't be talking about his story today because we wouldn't know who he is. Jordan obviously still had passion for the game and he had supportive loved-ones around him who encouraged him to keep going. Smart folks.

I can offer my personal perspective on this topic as a former player. I can recall when I was 12 years old when I played against "Sue" (her name has been changed for purposes of this blog). Sue was the best player on the team--she was bigger and faster than everyone and always scored most of the goals. Everyone thought she was destined for stardom. However, Sue never learned how to play the right way. At 10, 11, 12 years old she was able to run past people and run over people. She kicked the ball as hard as she could and many times it found the back of the net. By the time she was 13, Sue was suddenly not as good anymore. There were two reasons for this. Number 1--she never took the time to learn the proper skills to apply to the game. She relied on her athletic ability to be the "best." Number 2--those kids that she was running past and running over in the previous years were suddenly just as big and just as strong but also knew how to play the right way because they were forced to learn when they were younger since they lacked some athleticism. Sue wasn't able to do the things she did before because the physical tools and athletic ability of her opponents had changed. Sue became just another player on the team rather than the best player on the team. She lost what she thought was passion for the game and eventually fizzled out. By the time she was 15, she was done playing.

I have seen situations like this as a coach too. I know about players who played all day, every day--not so much because they wanted to, but because their parents wanted them to. They played the game because it is just what they did, it was in a way, who they were. By the time they were well into high school they knew they didn't want to play anymore but they continued because they didn't want to disappoint their parents. None of the kids who I am thinking of right now are playing anymore. They have all moved on. Some moved on because of natural progression and some moved on because they were just burnt out on it and didn't enjoy it. Unfortunately, this will continue to happen for years and years to come. We hope that your kids are playing the game today because THEY want to play and not because YOU want them to play. Eventually, their desires will take over and they will stay in the game or leave the game based on their feelings toward it.

I found some interesting articles that you might find worth reading; I did. http://www.momsteam.com/successful-parenting/youth-sports-parenting-basics/child-development/early-and-late-bloomers-in-yout talks about late bloomers versus early bloomers and the parental outlook on both sides. I highly recommend reading the article because I think many of us can relate to it in one way or another. The other article I suggest can be found at: http://www.brianmac.co.uk/ltad.htm and it talks about the long term development of athletes and the importance of keeping things in perspective.

See you on the fields!

OESA Spring Classic

Much like the other coaches, coming away from this weekend I was very impressed by all the teams I coached (U8 Girls North, U8 Boys North, U8 Girls Academy and the U8 Boys Academy). It was an exciting weekend and was the perfect weather for soccer.

On the girls’ side, both teams made huge strides over the course of the weekend, which really made me proud to see. The best part was that we were able to have fun, while at the same time step out of our comfort zone and try new things on the field. I think that putting yourself in those kinds of situations – ones where you may make a mistake -- is important in life and not just on the soccer field.

Not only were we better at not sinking the “boat” by the end of the weekend, but we had a real sense of urgency when it came to going to goal on Sunday. As the weekend progressed, more and more I was seeing girls willing to take risks and go to goal with speed and determination! All in all, it was awesome to see and was great to witness the support from the parent’s side as well.

As for the U8 Boys North and Academy teams, one word comes to mind for this weekend: heart. No matter the score of the game, the boys were passionate about that were doing and were truly working for each other on the field. It was great to be a part of and was exactly the kind of attitude we encourage.

What I want to continue to emphasize to both boys’ teams at games and during training is that during the next few months (and the rest of the year), they are going to be making huge strides in their game. Just as important, all the hard work they are putting in right now and the way they are stretching themselves with who they go up against is truly going to pay off for them. I think this weekend was the type of situation that will help them really build character. It is really important for them to be able to step back and see the big picture when it comes to their development as soccer players, and to not only be reminded of this from their coaches, but from their parents as well.

Coaching this weekend was enjoyable and I was able to learn a lot from the players and my fellow coaches. I can’t wait to continue training and coaching all these talented young soccer players that have so much potential.

OESA Spring Classic

I think that all of our teams had a GREAT weekend! I watched and coached a lot of games and I saw really good effort from everyone. I was really impressed with the level of play that all the teams brought with them this weekend. They were striving to do the best they they could on the field, and gave 110% on and off the field. It is a great feeling when you see them accomplishing things in a game that we have worked on in training. Overall, I saw confident dribbling, using skill to beat a player 1v1, and being creative while trying to be a smart decision maker on the field.

For the U9 girls north gold , I saw many good things. The first game we played, we had only 6 players, and the girls stepped up to the plate. They showed their "never give up" attitude and it showed. Throughout the weekend, we talked about playing faster and playing sooner. Those were the two words that I think I said over and over and over again to them. As we continue to train this season, we will consistently ask them to play fast, going out of their "comfort zone". Also, it was great to see their confidence build as they took players on 1 v 1. The dribbling this weekend was smart and creative. Overall, GREAT weekend!

For the U9 girls north academy, it was a good weekend. I saw great creativity and dribbling skills. Every game we talked about dribbling fast. Fast, fast, fast. That was something that we really stressed to the girls. Another thing that we talked about was way WAY to many touches in the box. I think we even dubbed someone the name "ten touch". It is unnecessary to take that many touches inside the box, but eventually I think that they worked it out. Lastly, we really starting talking about spacing. We tell the girls that the field is like a boat, and if everyone is on one side of the boat, we are going to sink. Also, if everyone is on the same side, who is there to play the ball to. Overall GREAT weekend!

For the U10 girls north, another great weekend. All we talked about was being dynamic. In the past couple training sessions, we have worked on passing and moving, passing and moving and NO standing around. It is just as important what you do without the ball, as what you do with the ball. I think the girls really put into play what we have been working on. I saw smart decision making; when to dribble the ball into space, or when to pass the ball to make it down the field faster. They have become so much more confident in their skills that it truly shows on the field.

I am so proud of ALL the teams in the YDA. There is truly great talent in all the groups and I think that it showed this weekend!

OESA Spring Classic

I had a lot of fun at the soccer fields this weekend and thought things went very well. It is amazing how much you can learn about the game watching other players (and coaches). I spoke with several parents and encouraged them to take their son or daughter to watch an older Ohio Elite team. This enables them to see firsthand the skills they need to succeed at the next level.

The U-8 North Boys showed tremendous effort in their first game against the Ohio Elite U-9 Gold Team. I was very pleased with their work ethic and 1v1 skills. I was also very impressed with their ability to step up and match their competitors' level of play. The U-8 North Girls continue to improve and never gave up. The girls were more aggressive and felt confident taking players on. We will continue to work on staying in our positions and supporting our teammates.

Although we stress to our players that the outcome of the game does not matter, I still believe it is important that we teach them to be competitive. In the next couple weeks at practice, I will stress the importance of always giving 100% and having passion for the game. I believe these two attributes will allow them to become better soccer players (and have more fun!!!).

The player's energy coupled with the parent's support made coaching this weekend a blast. I thank you all for your efforts and look forward to next weekend's games.

YDA Puts 5 Playing Squads in Finals of OESA Spring Classic

With a great weekend of weather, the YDA enjoyed a fun weekend of football and put 5 of our playing squads into finals for their brackets:

• U9 Gold Boys-Finalists
• U9 Gold Girls-Finalists
• U9 Girls Academy-Champions
• U9 Girls Academy North-Champions
• U10 Boys Academy-Finalists

Being that we are an Academy system, this is a testament to how hard our players have been working in training. We are really pleased with the steps our players have been taking in their development and are working on having them compete at everything they do. That was evident by our younger players facing older players in their matches and continuing to work hard and compete for the whole match. That is a key aspect of playing sports and it is something we make a point to work on with them. We really strive to instill an attitude in our players that they will compete for the whole match, no matter the circumstances. The goal of matches and tournaments at these ages, is to continue to put players into situations that challenge them and get them out of their comfort zones. This is a continuation of what we do in training. At the youngest age groups, U8-U9 the ball is really considered an enemy to the players as no matter how hard they try, they can not master it. Our goal is to get them to accept the challenge of working at it and that is the goal in matches, to accept the challenges presented. A great example were our U8's and U9 Boys who played against older competiton all weekend but to good steps forward in their emotional development in that they knew the challenge in front of them but still competed hard in every match. We were really pleased with the weekend in that aspect, which is very important.

Our YDA staff: Keri Thoman, Patrick Newton, Laura Stacey, Kim Sykes, Jenn Hensley, and Jackie Obert worked well all weekend, covering 44 matches in total. It was a great opportunity for us to get to know all of our players better and really interesting to see all the different personalities. The staff put a lot of effort and passion into what they do and our players are better off for being around them. Each staff member brings their own unique benefit and experiences in the game to your player. Please come up an introduce yourselves to our staff after match post game talks break up or after training. Sometimes things get hectic but we really want you all to feel you can speak to us when we are done, as we know we have your most precious commodity and that is important that you know us.

OESA Spring Classic

Overall, thought it was a great weekend for our teams. We had plenty of competitive matches, and a few where we were a bit overmatched. That's all part of youth soccer, and something I'm proud to say that our players handle in stride. I saw good effort from all the groups I coached and I coached a lot of groups this weekend! Luckily I avoided any major sunburn).

I looked for smart dribbling, confident 1 v 1, and quick decisions. I thought we showed that for significant chunks of each match, and was proud of our effort to win the ball back if we were dispossessed.

As for our U9 Gold, I saw growing confidence out there. I asked for them to try and move the ball around a lot in our first couple games, but I think that was complicated a bit by our over-pursuit of the ball. Too often we are running into the space of our teammates, reducing our options with the ball. We usually use the metaphor of a boat to say that if we're all on one side of the field, we're going to tip the boat. As we continue to focus in that spacing in both training and games, we'll be able to utilize a quick attack on the dribble more easily because we have spread the defense. I will remember a couple really great goals this weekend from a great individual effort, and I'll be looking for that solid finishing to continue as the season rolls on.

For our U9 Academy, it was a good weekend without coming away with a winning result. The boys know when they play well and I think they came off the field with a sense of accomplishment. Of course, we are never satisfied with a "good loss" and know that to work hard on our key concepts will yield the results the players want. They showed improved supporting play as the weekend wore on, having all 6 players being active at the same time, rather than only having two or three players working at once. That just makes the game so much simpler and always gives us an outlet back, as well as a dangerous run forward.

We learned a lot about every one of our players in this group this weekend, and I am looking forward to focusing on continued creativity off the ball.

U10 Friendlies with NWC

Sunday's matches with NWC served the U10 groups really well in that we had level competition and got to see many of our training topics implemented in our play on the field. The part about coaching that keeps us motivated is when we see things happen organically that start as ideas we give the players in training. You should notice quick combinations with 2 players, diagonal runs from forward players. Small building blocks for the future.

U10 BPYSL Matches v CHSC

Despite the frigid temperatures this morning, there were many good aspects to the matches the Gold and Academy groups played today. We have been stressing in training the speed of play for the boys and making quicker decisions based on the available information. It is always good to play matches against fast opponents who pressure us to make decisions and play faster. Once you get past obvious physical differences, we displayed some active and creative footballing brains.

The Gold group struggled at times athletically and this is a circumstance we must deal with better. Technically we did some good things as far as receiving and playing the ball in quick combinations forward. Decision making and knowing when to give space to faster athletes is something we will continue to stress.

The Academy group fared well with bringing in some of our U10 players who play on the U11 Academy team. This serves as an opportunity for us to see our group as a whole. The overall style of play, especially in the first game was very good, but we again struggled athletically a little in the second game. We will live with what we determine are "10 Year Old" goals, which is what we gave up. There were some very creative interchanges happening which was very encouraging.