Tip of the Week

Communication

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 16:04:17 -0500

When communicating in a game, it means NOW

There is (or should be) a lot of communication going on during the course of a game. Throughout the course of a game you will hear calls such as “man on”, “back”, “through”, “clear” or other similar shouts.

The thing to remember when you hear a call such as these is that it means NOW.

Too often, a player has the ball and is under pressure so a teammate behind her might call “back”. This means she is providing an option of a back pass and this pass is now available. In the diagram below, the yellow player is under pressure, hears “back” and makes the simple back pass

The thing that is important to keep in mind is when the call of “back” is made, it means the pass is available right then. If the player on the ball takes a few touches, she must understand that the delay might result in the situation changing.

All players must understand the immediacy of the calls on the field.

If you have the ball and hear “back” it does not mean you have to pass the ball back. However, it does mean if you choose not to make the pass right away, you can NOT assume it will be available in 5 seconds.

This is true on all calls (“man on” means she is coming on RIGHT NOW etc) and it's important all players are on the same page in understanding that now means NOW

I Don’t Play That Position

Wed, 7 Apr 2010 22:35:25 -0500

What position do you play? Are you convinced you are an outside back. Maybe you’ve been told you’re a forward. Maybe a previous coach told you that you’re a natural center midfielder.

The thing to keep in mind is all players attack and all players defend. Since you need to know how to do both, you might as well open yourself up to becoming someone who can play any position.

If a player can only play one position, this means there is only a one in eleven chance this player will be able to go on the field. If the player is only a right midfielder and I need a left back, she won’t be going on the field. On the other hand, if a player can play any position, it greatly increases the probability of her getting on the field.

Some players (and parents and coaches) think it's more glamorous to play forward than to play as a defender. Forwards are the ones who score goals. Therefore, they’re the important players. Doesn't it make sense that the players trying to stop these goal scorers would also be important players? A team doesn't win by simply scoring goals. Every player is important.

Let's look at it another way. If you’ve always been a forward, you probably know what a forward is thinking in most situations. Think what an advantage it would be if you, as a forward, knew what the defender was thinking. If you know what the opponent is thinking, it will give you a BIG advantage in knowing how to beat them. Likewise, if you are a defender and know what the attacking player is thinking, it also gives you a BIG advantage in knowing how to combat them.

Since everyone attacks and everyone defends there really are only two positions in soccer.

• Those on the field
• Those on the bench

Which position do you want to play? If you want be on the field, be a complete soccer player, be open to playing anywhere on the field. When your team is attacking, attack. When your team is defending, defend.

If you wont play certain positions, the coach will most assuredly find someone else who will!

Avoid Mistakes

Tue, 7 Jul 2009 18:56:54 -0500

A few days ago I got the following note from a former female college player and college assistant coach:

"Coach Harbin, I’ve been asked by a local club to speak to their athletes about the mistakes that I made as a player – specifically the mistakes that I made when college coaches were watching.  Most of which were unbeknownst to me at the time I was playing- but realized years later when I was the one on the sidelines recruiting.

Here is where I would love to leverage your experience.  I’ve been out of the coaching ranks for a few years and I hope that you can spend 5 minutes or less responding to the following question:  What kinds of mistakes have you seen youth players make when college coaches are watching?

The more valuable information I can collect and share with these girls, the better the chance I can make a positive difference in their soccer lives.  I’m not coaching at the college level anymore, but I am incredibly passionate about player development and helping youth athletes reach their next level.  So I thank you ahead of time for helping me achieve that goal."

I thought this was a great question and definitely worth addressing. However, rather than listing the mistakes, I went the other direction and put together this short list of the things we do look for in players. Keep these things in mind and you'll likely avoid most of the mistakes.

• stay involved off the ball.
• find a way to impact the game on a consistent basis regardless of the score or what your teammates are doing.
• communicate in an effective manner with your coaches, teammates and parents.
• be a positive, responsible, autonomous personality before, during and after games

Good luck and spread the word!

Paul

Basics to Raise Your Game

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 11:27:26 -0600

There are two basic things you can do everyday to raise your level above the average player you play against. The are:
1. HAVE A LOOK - this is a basic concept that can't be emphasized enough. It has to do with an awareness of what's happening around you on the field. For the moment I'm going to limit this note to the attacking side of the game. Before you make yourself available for a ball, quickly turn your head from side to side while looking and assessing your surroundings (space, opposition, teammates). If possible, look again as the ball is traveling towards you. And, ALWAYS look again just prior to receiving the ball. To be successful at a high level it's imperative we know what we are going to be doing with the ball before it arrives. We also need to understand that the game is in constant motion, changing every second. If we wait to assess our surroundings after we receive the ball it's too late. If we decide too early, what we saw seconds before has now changed. Learn to make split second decisions based on actual conditions.
2. DYNAMIC CHANGE OF PACE - I want to address this from the attacking side as well, on and off the ball. When you receive a ball, you have two main choices. One is to keep the ball, the other is to release it in some form or another. If you're numbers up and receive a ball with attacking space you can exploit, look to explode into that space as quickly as possible. You should work to be at top speed by your 3rd or 4th step. If you choose to release the ball, you should also move quickly in order to either put yourself in a better position to receive the ball back, balance the attack or unbalance the opponents defense. In each of these cases, the change of pace should be used to attempt to separate yourself from defenders. In the case that you do explode and are unable to separate yourself from your defender, ultimately you will create space for your teammates to exploit. Either way, it works in your team's favor!
Get a jump on your opposition and get these concepts ingrained in your play now! Good luck.
Paul

Core Principles

Sun, 1 Feb 2009 13:27:42 -0600

There are two core guiding principles that are expected of our players every time they step on the field here at UAB.
1. PLAY WITH INTENSITY
2. EXPECT TO WIN
PLAY WITH INTENSITY means that you give your absolute best each time you step on the field. You are focused and willing to do everything within your power to make yourself and your teammates better. You can make hundreds of mistakes on the field and we will work very patiently with you to correct those mistakes. That is expected and necessary for your development. The only thing that won't be tolerated is a lack of effort.
EXPECT TO WIN means expect to win. In order for us to compete at the highest level, we must have expectations that drive us to succeed. This applies to practice and matches. Whether it is a 1v1 battle, a small-sided training session, or a full 11-a-side game, we must always have the attitude that it is possible for us to win.
Having said both of these things, it's also extremely important that our players enjoy themselves. From experience, if you concentrate on these two principles, the competition in and of itself will be enjoyable. The key is balance. I want them to do everything in their power to battle with teammates in practice and opponents in matches. Each session within practice should be intense and meaningful while you are on the field. However, once you step off the field for a water break or at the end of practice, the atmosphere should be light-hearted. It's ok to switch gears. In fact, in order to be successful, I think it is necessary.
If you concentrate daily on these points you will be one step close to being a better player!
Paul