Coaching
Corner: Early
Skill Development
By Steve Sampson
In past issues, the Coaching Corner has placed an emphasis on X's and O's and drills. This issue, we step outside that realm and share a section from The Soccer Coaching Bible, published by Human Kinetics. It comes from Chapter 12: Controlling The Ball. For information on how to order a copy of The Soccer Coaching Bible, Click Here.
Early Skill Development
It's well known that developing countries or countries in which most children continue to play unstructured soccer in the streets or beaches tend to develop the most gifted soccer players. This is because these children are allowed to experiment, take risks, and be creative without outside influences.
Additionally, parents who have played the game have a a great influence on the development of skillful players. Their ability to play with their children, interact with them about the game, and instill a passion are just some of the ingredients that go into forming skillful players. More soccer players in the United States are beginning to enjoy this kind of interaction. More U.S. adults have played the game at some level and can teach their children. This has had a dramatic influence on the U.S. National teams and on Major League Soccer. As more Americans play the game at increasingly higher levels, we'll witness an overwhelming effect on future generations of elite soccer players in the United States.
Children who see soccer extensively on television and have an opportunity to watch their local professional teams in person have an advantage in skill development. Children who watch seasoned professional players tend to experiment and imitate the moves they see. This is no different than the kids in the United States who imitate Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant when they play basketball. These players learned to coach themselves without the guidance of parents or coaches. There are no referees, just players deciding for themselves who was fouled and who scored.
Young players play alongside older players to gain experience. If they don't survive, then they just don't play. Older players taunt the rookies, providing acceptance after the rookies prove themselves. If they prove themselves, their future is bright.
American soccer players are watching more high-level soccer on television than ever before, which is a big positive. However, they typically train only two to three times a week with their club teams and five times a week with their high school teams. Compared to the rest of the world, this is not enough time to develop sound ball control. In the absence of abundant training opportunities, the typical United States player must work very hard on his or her own to master the skills of the game. When players are fortunate enough to arrive at an elite or professional level, their personal commitment to work on the skills of the game will continue to pay off.
Web Administrator Ken Gamble