[CalebParticipant]

Update- We went 3-1 and took the consolation championship. Not bad for our first tournament as a team with 3 and a half months of practice together.

 

The Bad:

Lost our first game 4-0. The team we lost to ended up going undefeated for the weekend and taking home the real championship. Their speed was a little bit too much for us- and I mean just a hair quicker and in completely shut down our build attempts. We were too open down the middle in our defensive third- my holding mid was covering too much ground and leaving lots of passing lanes open to split my back line.  My back 5 and attacking 5 were not moving up and back together, so there was massive ground in between that lead to the other team sprinting at my back 5 with a head of steam. We got called offsides 7-8 or times as well. I think we had 3 shots on goal total.

I felt defeated. I had a very clear feeling of “Oh shit, I’m a fraud. This sucks”. I kept a straight face to my girls, telling them we would get the next one. Deep down inside though, I was feeling like a total loser. We had about 2 hours until the next game and I sat alone at the tournament snack shack browsing the internet on my phone when I remembered a blog post I had read sometime in the past.

The Good:

It was this blog post by a member here named John Pranjic:

http://theriotpig.com/2012/07/15/themomen/

I completely connected with it all. It gave me the advice that I needed at that moment. I got my bearings. I switched some pieces around in the lineup and I met with my girls. I told them about the minor adjustments we were going to make- drop one of the attacking mids down into a holding mid position to keep more compact in the middle, have my wings play closer to the center forward so they weren’t out on an island, finally one of my holding mids would be doing the goal kicks. The girls were all on board with the changes and I challenged them to show me what they left in them for the day.

We completely dominated the second team of the day. The team’s indentity was really starting to show- baby steps, but it was beautiful. My girls were looking up to string passes together, my outside backs were running combos down the line and sending crosses in. We had about 10 legit goal scoring opportunities (only connected on 2), my defense was much more compact and held a shut out to the very last seconds of the game. We ended up winning 2-1. Compliments from everyone watching the game- including the opposing team’s parents who were impressed that we literally started practicing together  just 3 months ago while their team has been together for a couple years. My girls were excited- I could see confidence starting to build.

The second day we opened up with beautiful combo plays and pressing- it was 3-0 in the first 5 minutes. My girls let off (to my annoyance) but ended up putting one more goal in the net in the 2nd half. I wasn’t too vocal about my displeasure though, the team wasn’t much of a threat- we seemed to drain any confidence of theirs pretty quickly and I knew we would be in a street fight for the 4th game of the very hot weekend. Final score: 4-0.

The consolation game was everything I thought it would be. A complete street fight between two tired teams in 100 degree weather. Again we opened up quickly, it was 1-0 in the first minute. My outside left back and left winger connected on an overlapping run, by left back sent a hard cross on the ground back to the winger in the box- GOAL!. The girls’ energy drained pretty quickly over the next 59 minutes- but so did theirs. We definitely passed much better, they were playing the long ball and chase, we would set it down and play soccer. It wasn’t too pretty though. When the final whistle mercifully finished the game for both teams my girls had literally left it all on the field- it was hard for them to even smile in the first few minutes after the game. I was so proud of them.

We are attempting to establish a culture of winning here and I think we have laid down a solid beginning. Thank you 3Four3 for all the help- even if it is indirect. I will keep updating my progress throughout the season. We are taking a step up with our next tournament 5 weeks out. We need to start perfecting our little details- my building between the back 4 needs to amp their speed of play way up, spacing needs to be worked out- just working towards perfection!

• This reply was modified 10 years, 4 months ago by  Caleb.

[CalebParticipant]

Hey Eric,

I check their progress each practice as part of our warm-up. The daily homework is a series of 10 (at this point- I think we started at 6) ball movements from the free Coerver App. I am a 5th grade teacher so it’s in me to type up a paper for them with the assignment to follow along with some inspiring quotes. It takes approximately 6-8 minutes to get through the assignment.

I can pretty much tell during warm-up who puts in the extra effort at home and who doesn’t. I talk in general terms to the girls saying things like “WOW! I can really tell who is practicing at home. Great job girls!” and then I’ll specifically point out the obvious girls who are super motivated- “Awesome Alyssa, you are rockin’ the slides”. I then will throw-in the “Some of you need a little extra work.” I will single out the ones in private who need work and also talk with their parents about the homework to get that support at home.

Overall- it’s all about just getting my girls to play with a soccer ball more than the 4 and a half hours of practice each week.

-Caleb

[CalebParticipant]

What would you say should be the first real successes on the field in a real game situation?

My setup: U11 going U12 in August girls (11v11 for the first time)- Silver, 13 on the roster- 4 played rec last season, the other 9 played bronze last year. During spring lots of missed practice time due to other commitments- getting better now- besides the summer vacation plans of suburban America.

Practice sessions: Monday/Wednesday/Thursday 6:00-7:30 (Wednesdays is a Coerver practice, Monday/Thursday tactical)

Typical tactical session:

Dynamic Warm-up with Coerver touch 20 mins

Rondos 4v0/4v1 20 mins

Tactical- Lots of Build out of the back, goal kick, throw-in, team pressing as well 30 mins

Scrimmage/Game- I’ve been doing a lot of 2v1 here, but shifting over to 8v6 Build out of the back game these next couple weeks before tournament

We have been practicing since Mid-March- that puts us right around the 3 month mark of practicing 3 days a week. Our first tournament and actual game as a team is June 28th and 29th in a silver-level tournament- so if I am doing my math correctly- 3 and a half months of 3Four3 and Coerver practices.

My Triumphs:

My girls touch and composure on the ball has already seen DRAMATIC improvement since March, and is head and shoulders above other club girls when they practice or scrimmage with us. It’s not Premier/International level or anything, but it is definitely already at a “silver”  U11 girls’ level and improving daily. When I have girls from other teams come into our Rondos- it’s silly how noticeable the difference is already. During Rondos and Build out of the back- my girls are already developing that muscle memory of receiving across the body, TALKING- giving advice (it sounds like a racket at times! makes me smile), and moving to where they need to be. They can also complete a basic combo between the outside back and defensive mid, or the outside back and wingers (the two combos we have been working a lot on). Pressing is making an appearance here and there in scrimmages. This is all without pressure- doing unopposed 3Four3 drills- besides the 4v1 Rondo. I can see the beginnings of a true team identity taking shape- serious baby steps- but it’s there. Every triumph is I have listed is not perfect- but within context I am tickled pink.

My Woes:

In scrimmages the talking is nonexistent. The combos are nonexistent. The building out of the back is being attempted for the vast majority of the game with some success and some- “THAT WAS AN AWFUL PASS ATTEMPT- YOU NEED TO CLEAR THE BALL UP TO THE ATTACKING 5 WHEN THERE IS 4 OPPONENTS PRESSING YOU IN THE PENALTY BOX!!!”- this is all in my head, the girls are attempting to build, they just need to know when to build and when they are in the “danger zone” so to speak. Our team shape during transitions needs lots of work- they are staying wide in a more build out of the back shape and not compacting on defense.

I have made a list of 3 tournament goals that I want our girls to attempt/achieve. I printed these out and handed them to my girls tonight. I also included some individual goals for them as well.

1) Continue to build out of the back- know when to build and when to get the ball up- heavy emphasis on attempting to build rather than “clear at random” of course

2) TALK- advice with each pass

3) Combos! Lets see them happen in a game situation

It’s kind of like a singer practicing for 3 and half months, getting ready to sing the “Star Spangled Banner” and then it’s showtime and she sings “Row Row Row Your Boat”. I want my girls to start implementing in game situations what we have been repeatedly practicing. It has been going through my head what can be causing them not to start attempting this. I have been giving them cues during scrimmages to no avail, and I don’t want to be that coach that just screams “TALK!” from the sideline- they are a dime a dozen. I want them to realize the pattern for a combo and execute.

Maybe they needed me to clearly layout a plan of goals to attempt- so I am trying that. Maybe its a developmental thing that just takes time, they are processing WAY more than any coach has ever asked them to do. I can be patient with it as long as I know I will start to see it- which I have with the building and pressing. I am going into these last 8 practices leading up to the tournament with a lot more simulating game situations (with pressure) for the final part of my practices- with HEAVY emphasis on talking and combos- so we’ll see.

Any advice or comments? Think I will see some combos and hear some more talking at the tournament? I am making it a goal, demanding it, I have literally put down on some of their individual goals- “complete a combo with Mia”. I am excited and thrilled at our progress- but I also want to make the next developmental leap.

[CalebParticipant]

Update-

We scrimmaged a high level premier team (currently ranked 3rd in NorCal- GotSoccer for what it’s worth) this morning and lost 6-2.  35 minute halves, I had 12 players total to there 14. I was missing my starting goalie again, had a girl who was a teammate’s friend who came out to Thursday’s practice (1 1/2 years removed from rec soccer) and did an admirable job.

Our team shape was much better- it was 0-0 for the first 15 minutes, 1-2 at the 30 minute mark, then 1-3 at half. We had some chances and didn’t finish- but so did they. My attacking 5 were seeing the benefit of dropping back into a block to help the back 5, and also saw what happened when they didn’t. Second half was pretty similar. I tried to keep my 1 sub rotating in and out to give them breathers/water. Our effort and focus were light years beyond the 2-12 shellacking of a few weeks back. I gave a “Brian” speech and have been holding them accountable each practice. The intensity has definitely risen.

My last two scrimmages have been against high level opponents with good speed. I am slotting my team at Silver this year, and they both would be premier. My girls had a very hard time building out of the back in the last two scrimmages- I know this is because the speed of play has been too high. I really haven’t setup much of anything at our level or below yet. I feel that should be my focus for the rest of the season, really. I am taking them to a tournament at the end of June and slotted them Silver- I am going to make the remainder of my friendlies silver/bronze level. Any thoughts or suggestions on that?

I really, honestly, felt after the scrimmage that we weren’t “that” far away from the current 3rd ranked team in NorCal (GotSoccer- for what it’s worth, lol). I was very proud of my girls today. I don’t want a season full of moral victories though. I feel that in accordance to the “art of coaching”, I need to start setting up some winnable scrimmages to really put the tactics to full use and build confidence in actual victories.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 5 months ago by  Caleb.

[CalebParticipant]

I don’t want to add too much to their plate so early in the process- like Gary mentioned. This was just something I felt I had to address though, their positioning was so bad in the scrimmage.

[CalebParticipant]

John, thanks a lot. I did something very, very similar but I like your idea better.

I had my girls in their “build out the back” positions and I just told them where the ball was and had them shift (ex- “The right back has the ball!” and they would all shift appropriately). I then would walk around and the formation, stop in different areas, and call out that I had won the ball (I was the “other team”). The girls near my position were to immediately press- the others were to fall back to a defensive block position (I had a set of cones laid out to signify this new more compact shape).  I would either say they won the ball- cue for the girls to expand again, or that I beat the defender meaning the pressers needed to fall back quickly.

I had them look around in their more compact shape to take mental snapshots of how close they were to each other, where the goal was, asking a lot “why this?” and “why that?” stuff to get them to really understand why they needed to get back home.

Your way is more natural way to” build off the build out of the back” exercise. Feels good to know that I was on the right track with other like-minded coaches. Thanks again.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 6 months ago by  Caleb.

[CalebParticipant]

Thanks John. My intent is not to really practice defending rather just teach/point out that when our press doesn’t work after 5 seconds to fall back to a more “home” spot.

Like I said previously, I had my center mid and right back completely out of position for the majority of the game – if they did track back it definitely wasn’t to a helpful position. Holes were all over the place because of this.

Does this just come with time and cues (telling them in games and scrimmages to get “hone”). These are 10-11 year old girls 2 months into 11v11 and tactics.

[CalebParticipant]

Please give an update on how things go.

[CalebParticipant]

Thank you Dana! I was going to ask for the roster/positions.

[CalebParticipant]

First practice with a silver level U12 girls team was last night. This is not just difficult for U9 and U10. My girls were struggling to get the movement down- specifically my left and right backs really getting wide. Layer in receiving across the body, and talking with each other and the girls had a lot more to think about then they ever did with in any previous soccer practice in their entire life! Honestly, think about that for one second. This is good stuff- just going to take a lot of time.

As a coach, teaching this for the first time, it was difficult for me to focus on all aspects of the drill as well. I like how Pete is specifically focusing on certain positions each practice. I will do more of this until I really get comfortable with the drill.

[CalebParticipant]

I had my first practice of the season last night. We did 4v0 Rondo’s for about 25 minutes.This is a U12 Girls Silver Team.

Receiving across their body was difficult for them to grasp. Most picked up on it after a few re-teachings and demonstrations. Had 1-2 that were continuously receiving with the wrong foot without even thinking they were doing it wrong. Would stop them, point out the mistake, and ask them “If you received a pass from Emma right now, which foot would be opposite?” I would play as a shadow defender to show how receiving with the wrong foot limits their options- seemed to click but this will be a process.

Moving to a supporting angle after making a pass was a whole other beast. I think they were so focused on receiving with the proper foot that they were statues on a cone. Getting them to move to a proper angle was a struggle. I layered in some communication as well, but didn’t stress it too much at this point.

I know where we are starting from now. A “simple” activity with a lot of thinking going on. As an elementary teacher and a coach it is fun to watch development. I was expecting a higher starting point- so there should be a lot of development to come. I had one girl tell me she enjoyed how much I explained the “why’s” so much and that it really helped her understand what it is we are trying to achieve.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 8 months ago by  Caleb.

[CalebParticipant]

I would love the opportunity to shadow Brian and Gary for a few days- like a Thursday-Saturday. I can watch a practice session and a game. I know they’re located in LA- about a 3 hour drive away. I would throw in a case of their favorite beer for the opportunity.

 

A free coaching clinic in the LA area for founding members would be a dream- any member who makes the trip can participate. I would throw in some beer for Gary and Brian for that as well.

 

But as others have said before- there is so much information to process and go through in the videos and pdfs. Then there is the forum- which gives me access to many coaches who all (presumably) have the same goal- what an invaluable resource.

[CalebParticipant]

Keep it up. I’m starting in a couple of weeks and I am getting ants in the pants.

How many sessions are you doing per week? I think I am doing two per week in March, then amp it up to three per week in April- have back to back tournament weekends at the end of April/first week of May.

[CalebParticipant]

How long are you spending on the 4v0 Rondos? Do you do them each practice? Or is it more of an introductory- beginning of the season thing- and you now start your sessions doing exclusively 4v1?

[CalebParticipant]

Trying to build on this topic-

 

1 hour 30 min session-

 

30 min warm-up/rondo

30 min tactical (build out of the back/pressure)

30 min possession oriented game/scrimmage

 

Here is my question- what possession oriented games are you doing at the end your sessions? I was thinking about doing a lot of 2 v 1 and working on combos- give and go, etc.

[Author]

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