The U4 team had a pretty good game really. All of the kids did very well in practice and were very attentive. Sammy was more involved in the game than ever before and Hunter got a goal, so that was a great game. One thing I spoke to the team about after the game was, again, to remember to be looking at the ball all the time. I think a major hurdle for many kids to get over when learning a team sport is that they have to resist their natural urge to make eye contact with other kids when they are close to them. It seems like their natural instinct to treat their collisions on the field like any other social interaction gets in the way of them being able to learn how a game flows. When they form a scrum over the ball in one of the corners invariably only a few, if any, of the kids are actually looking down at the ball. Most of them are looking at each other. It's comical because often times the expression on their faces seems to be saying "why are we doing this?" I'm not sure that anything that I might say to them about this would make any sense so we just have to be patient and let them figure it out on their own.
The U6 Bears had a great practice, really focused. Then they had a weirdly disjointed game. Zychick was really focused in as keeper and did great work and there were flashes of brilliance from everyone but there was also a lot of aimless jogging around the field. I didn't expect that given how well they had focused in practice. Oh well.
My highlight of the game was Cole holding his keeper pose, like some sort of ninja awaiting an attack. That's how Ava got started in keeper and she turned into a good one, so keep an eye on Cole.
The U6 Sharks were also just a bit less than sharp this week, maybe because they were missing Karolyn. Diego did manage a goal and Trey continued his trend of playing with more and more confidence. He put a few moves on this week including a nice pull-back that showed how he is beginning to trust his skills. Samuel came in as keeper for the first time and was crazy good. He's too good in the field to ever specialize as a keeper but wow! is he fearless.
For the U8 Sharks it was a reversal of their fortunes from the week before. In last week's game they were the dominant team and they were able to stretch out and play a more controlled type of soccer. This week they faced a team that was bigger and more skilled and in response the Sharks seemed to fall into a panic mode right from the start. By the third quarter though they were getting their groove back and they finished the game with some excellent play.
Here's video from the game. I tried putting notes in the video...we'll see how that works.
When you're watching this with your player be sure to point out all of the times you see one of the Sharks basically standing still while the other team takes control of the ball. That was a big problem in this game.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Find Your Rhythm.
Next time you're practicing your foot work at home try working to some music. It seems to help.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Week Three. Seeing it All.
Sorry we had to miss the U4 games this week but the conditions early Saturday were just too slippery to risk it. That cancelation did create a unique opportunity though; Ruby, of the U4 Lakers, got the chance to play up with one of the U6 teams. Zychik had to miss his game with the Bears due to the weather so Ruby came out to cover for him and get a feel for what U6 is like. For her it was like every other soccer game...you take the ball to the goal. Ruby's instincts and natural skills are fantastic and she was a great addition to the team for this game. Jackson and Micah were on the attack all game too and so the Bears put on their most impressive performance yet. As a group, the Bears played well but they are still a team that sees the entire game through the ball. The next big step for all of these players is to begin to see the game as it happens all over the field, not just around the ball. We'll be on the lookout for that development.
The U6 Sharks were showing in this week's game how a team can take that next step. They are all developing rapidly in terms of their skills and with greater confidence in their skills comes an ability to anticipate the action in the game. Three of the Sharks had real break-out games this week. Trey simply had his best game ever. He got a goal, which was a beauty on a short pass across the middle from Karolyn, but his performance overall was marked by great patience and imagination with the ball. He was possessing the ball, not just kicking it and as a result he had repeated runs toward the goal that could all have ended in scores. McKenzie showed some great anticipation on the field. In her best moment I saw her run back into a defensive position when the other team got a break-away opportunity. She didn't chase the ball but rather took the shortcut toward the goal so as to cut-off the attack and as she fell into position she kept her eye on the ball, turning to take her last few steps backward so as to be ready. She looked like a pro right then. And finally we had Ava back from a week off and she was amazing. She wanted to start out in defense and the way she played across the field, keeping herself between the ball and the goal, never getting trapped into chasing the ball, was just brilliant. She played with so much intelligence and anticipation, and then, when the opportunity presented itself, with such fierce determination that she really was controlling the flow of the game from that full-back position. It occurs to me now that if we play her and Karolyn in the right positions in each game we should be able to hold every opponent scoreless.
Diego and Samuel led the attack, as usual, and they are both rapidly developing their ball skills now that the team has to rely on them so much. Diego had his goals and then Samuel made a few slick moves with the ball that were fantastic. I see Ashley beginning to follow their lead and I'm sure she'll be in the scoring mix soon. Great work from everyone this week.
The U6 Sharks were showing in this week's game how a team can take that next step. They are all developing rapidly in terms of their skills and with greater confidence in their skills comes an ability to anticipate the action in the game. Three of the Sharks had real break-out games this week. Trey simply had his best game ever. He got a goal, which was a beauty on a short pass across the middle from Karolyn, but his performance overall was marked by great patience and imagination with the ball. He was possessing the ball, not just kicking it and as a result he had repeated runs toward the goal that could all have ended in scores. McKenzie showed some great anticipation on the field. In her best moment I saw her run back into a defensive position when the other team got a break-away opportunity. She didn't chase the ball but rather took the shortcut toward the goal so as to cut-off the attack and as she fell into position she kept her eye on the ball, turning to take her last few steps backward so as to be ready. She looked like a pro right then. And finally we had Ava back from a week off and she was amazing. She wanted to start out in defense and the way she played across the field, keeping herself between the ball and the goal, never getting trapped into chasing the ball, was just brilliant. She played with so much intelligence and anticipation, and then, when the opportunity presented itself, with such fierce determination that she really was controlling the flow of the game from that full-back position. It occurs to me now that if we play her and Karolyn in the right positions in each game we should be able to hold every opponent scoreless.
Diego and Samuel led the attack, as usual, and they are both rapidly developing their ball skills now that the team has to rely on them so much. Diego had his goals and then Samuel made a few slick moves with the ball that were fantastic. I see Ashley beginning to follow their lead and I'm sure she'll be in the scoring mix soon. Great work from everyone this week.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
U4 Games Canceled. U6 Games On.
Due to the slippery conditions, especially on the parking lots and sidewalks at Midwest, the 8:30 AM U4 games are canceled. The U6 games at 9:30 and 10:30 AM will be played as scheduled.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Week Two. Playing it Cool.
This week everybody was relaxed. Excited to play but not nervous. The U4 Blue Lakers had a great game that was preceded by a very nice warm-up. They were quite focused during the practice time. I hope as we go forward they get more accustomed to the routine of practice so that we can get the most out of that time. Ruby is clearly the team leader right now. Her skills and instincts for the game are precocious, to say the least. During the game I was talking to the other kids, trying to get them to pay attention to how Ruby moved with the ball. They always seem to learn faster when following the example of another kid.
You might also have seen me explaining to them a little hand gesture I use where I point with two fingers at my eyes. That means "look at the ball, find the ball with your eyes". What you notice about kids of any age when they play is the difference between the ones who can maintain their focus on the ball for a long period and those whose attention drifts away easily. Just like proper kicking form or dribbling, attending to the game is a skill that most kids have to learn through repetition. It's always about repetition. So when you talk to them about soccer you might reenforce that idea, that they should always know where the ball is.
I was thrilled with how engaged everyone was generally. Max seems to think we're playing a combination of soccer and American football where sometimes we kick the ball but sometimes we need to fall on it as though it had been fumbled. William is very close to putting it all together and already has a very nice touch on the ball. I just have to get him to stay in the game for longer stretches. Ava was in and out of the game a bit but when she's in she has one of the best kicks I've seen. Mylie had a great run toward goal that nearly ended in a shot. She was showing some very good ball control there. And finally, I was happy to see Sammy get out on the field for a long period. It just takes time and we've got plenty of that.
The Polar Bears played well despite not getting a very good practice in. That was my fault. I'm also the league Administrator and sometimes I get approached by Coaches or parents who seem not to notice that I'm in the middle of working with my own team.
Jackson and Micah were the leaders on offense again this week, both of them playing tirelessly. Jackson has a great instinct for getting up field once his own keeper has the ball. Unfortunately he usually gets out of our keeper's range. Derron found himself in the right spot to get the Bears lone goal this week. I hope he remembers how that worked. Getting the kids to understand how to play away from the ball is hugely important and for most kids the revelation occurs when they get a goal because they were in the right position to receive a pass and then shoot.
There was a lot of complaining about being thirsty and sweaty and tired this week but the kids all seemed to be having fun and their complaints seemed to be meant to impress upon me that they were all working very hard. And they were.
You might also have seen me explaining to them a little hand gesture I use where I point with two fingers at my eyes. That means "look at the ball, find the ball with your eyes". What you notice about kids of any age when they play is the difference between the ones who can maintain their focus on the ball for a long period and those whose attention drifts away easily. Just like proper kicking form or dribbling, attending to the game is a skill that most kids have to learn through repetition. It's always about repetition. So when you talk to them about soccer you might reenforce that idea, that they should always know where the ball is.
I was thrilled with how engaged everyone was generally. Max seems to think we're playing a combination of soccer and American football where sometimes we kick the ball but sometimes we need to fall on it as though it had been fumbled. William is very close to putting it all together and already has a very nice touch on the ball. I just have to get him to stay in the game for longer stretches. Ava was in and out of the game a bit but when she's in she has one of the best kicks I've seen. Mylie had a great run toward goal that nearly ended in a shot. She was showing some very good ball control there. And finally, I was happy to see Sammy get out on the field for a long period. It just takes time and we've got plenty of that.
The Polar Bears played well despite not getting a very good practice in. That was my fault. I'm also the league Administrator and sometimes I get approached by Coaches or parents who seem not to notice that I'm in the middle of working with my own team.
Jackson and Micah were the leaders on offense again this week, both of them playing tirelessly. Jackson has a great instinct for getting up field once his own keeper has the ball. Unfortunately he usually gets out of our keeper's range. Derron found himself in the right spot to get the Bears lone goal this week. I hope he remembers how that worked. Getting the kids to understand how to play away from the ball is hugely important and for most kids the revelation occurs when they get a goal because they were in the right position to receive a pass and then shoot.
There was a lot of complaining about being thirsty and sweaty and tired this week but the kids all seemed to be having fun and their complaints seemed to be meant to impress upon me that they were all working very hard. And they were.
Monday, January 9, 2012
Winter I Begins. "If only they played U6 and U8 forever." The Shark Report
On opening weekend I typically stay at the field all day both days and get to watch a lot of games. Everything went well this time around with only a few snags but after watching six hours of fairly fierce U10 competition Sunday in which there were a few blow-outs, some questionable sportsmanship and a lot of grumbling about the officiating I left the field feeling a bit burned out. U10 can be intense. Many of the kids are starting to really develop their skills and they have begun to relish the thrill of hard-fought games. They want to play hard and be played hard against. Their idea of "fun" is evolving at this point. That's all good but the intensity of it doesn't leave much space in the game for some of the goofy casualness that can make a U6 or U8 game so much fun. And you actually can see in the U12 games that as the kids mature further they get some of that casualness back. They realize that NKYA is rec soccer, not Champions League.
I saw some of that goofiness in the U8 Sharks game on a run that they made late in the third quarter. Sam and Austin were running up into the other side's half and Sam passed the ball up to Austin. He made a great touch to control the ball which Sam had sent his way with a little too much zip on it. Sam was so impressed with the way Austin casually settled the ball that he just started laughing as he ran up and as he closed in on Austin he started talking to him about that great stop, just ignoring the rest of the game, like he and Austin were the only two kids out there. Like two good friends just out playing around.
There was a lot of that sort of thing in this first U8 Sharks game and I like that. They stayed relaxed enough to actually have fun and to actually test their skills without being in a panic. Aiden, Addie and Zach are kids who always show in practice that they have the basic ball skills to play but then they tend to get a little stiff in the games. Not yesterday. I saw each of them flexing their muscles a bit and showing more confidence in their own abilities. Zach was a real revelation, the way he was streaking into the action and coming out with the ball.
Elizabeth showed up and was ready to go this time. She tried to stay on the bench in the first quarter but I told her that if Sam, Austin and Jackson were going out she had to go out too. Well, that's all it took. Bigger field, bigger kids, it's still just soccer and that's what Elizabeth is in for. Jackson is still looking to quarterback the game, just like in U6. He created a few great opportunities by getting his back to the opposition goal then trying to receive the ball so that he could distribute to a teammate. Unfortunately he and Sam E. haven't quite got their spacing worked out yet so there was frequently confusion as to who should be taking the ball. They'll work that out as we go but his instincts are still right on. Putting himself in that position where his body language clearly says 'I want the ball' is so huge.
Sam A. needed this game to get warmed up to the new situation but by the end he was his old self and was tough as nails in as goalie in the end. I was hesitant about letting him and Jackson play keeper yet but Sam seemed to really need to get back in that familiar position to get relaxed. His instincts were right too.
Nathan did great work in as keeper for us and was hilarious at the same time. He made sure to check with me and Coach Ben after every stop he made, looking over to the bench to get our approval then kind of diving back into the game. He's much more focused and ahead of the action in that spot than he is when playing out in the field but if we can get him to bring that focus with him to the midfield position he'll be a huge help since he has such a big kick. He and Jaden did some good work together in defense in the last quarter. Jaden is relentless and that's what you need in a defender.
Finally, I'm thrilled with the trio of experienced players we have to lead this team. Conner, Kaleb and Owen did great work the whole game, taking charge of the middle and allowing the little guys to attack. All three of them are surefooted and can boom it when they need to. Conner has all the speed and toughness you could want plus some superb ball skills. He was our most consistent scoring threat and is a kid who always wants the ball. Kaleb has speed and power and of course is a shutout keeper. Then there's Owen, who makes up for his lack of speed by having good anticipation and (if you're on the other team) annoyingly sticky feet. He was really possessing the ball well in that game. That was a really fun game and I can't wait to get back on the field next Sunday. Thanks for showing up early for that little bit of practice. I'll let everyone know if we get another opportunity like that.
I saw some of that goofiness in the U8 Sharks game on a run that they made late in the third quarter. Sam and Austin were running up into the other side's half and Sam passed the ball up to Austin. He made a great touch to control the ball which Sam had sent his way with a little too much zip on it. Sam was so impressed with the way Austin casually settled the ball that he just started laughing as he ran up and as he closed in on Austin he started talking to him about that great stop, just ignoring the rest of the game, like he and Austin were the only two kids out there. Like two good friends just out playing around.
There was a lot of that sort of thing in this first U8 Sharks game and I like that. They stayed relaxed enough to actually have fun and to actually test their skills without being in a panic. Aiden, Addie and Zach are kids who always show in practice that they have the basic ball skills to play but then they tend to get a little stiff in the games. Not yesterday. I saw each of them flexing their muscles a bit and showing more confidence in their own abilities. Zach was a real revelation, the way he was streaking into the action and coming out with the ball.
Elizabeth showed up and was ready to go this time. She tried to stay on the bench in the first quarter but I told her that if Sam, Austin and Jackson were going out she had to go out too. Well, that's all it took. Bigger field, bigger kids, it's still just soccer and that's what Elizabeth is in for. Jackson is still looking to quarterback the game, just like in U6. He created a few great opportunities by getting his back to the opposition goal then trying to receive the ball so that he could distribute to a teammate. Unfortunately he and Sam E. haven't quite got their spacing worked out yet so there was frequently confusion as to who should be taking the ball. They'll work that out as we go but his instincts are still right on. Putting himself in that position where his body language clearly says 'I want the ball' is so huge.
Sam A. needed this game to get warmed up to the new situation but by the end he was his old self and was tough as nails in as goalie in the end. I was hesitant about letting him and Jackson play keeper yet but Sam seemed to really need to get back in that familiar position to get relaxed. His instincts were right too.
Nathan did great work in as keeper for us and was hilarious at the same time. He made sure to check with me and Coach Ben after every stop he made, looking over to the bench to get our approval then kind of diving back into the game. He's much more focused and ahead of the action in that spot than he is when playing out in the field but if we can get him to bring that focus with him to the midfield position he'll be a huge help since he has such a big kick. He and Jaden did some good work together in defense in the last quarter. Jaden is relentless and that's what you need in a defender.
Finally, I'm thrilled with the trio of experienced players we have to lead this team. Conner, Kaleb and Owen did great work the whole game, taking charge of the middle and allowing the little guys to attack. All three of them are surefooted and can boom it when they need to. Conner has all the speed and toughness you could want plus some superb ball skills. He was our most consistent scoring threat and is a kid who always wants the ball. Kaleb has speed and power and of course is a shutout keeper. Then there's Owen, who makes up for his lack of speed by having good anticipation and (if you're on the other team) annoyingly sticky feet. He was really possessing the ball well in that game. That was a really fun game and I can't wait to get back on the field next Sunday. Thanks for showing up early for that little bit of practice. I'll let everyone know if we get another opportunity like that.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Winter I Opening Day.
The game schedules are posted and the rosters are set. The U4 team plays at 8:30 AM Saturday. The U6 Bears play at 9:30 AM and the U6 Sharks play at 10:30 AM on Saturday.
The U8 Sharks play at 11:50 AM Sunday. (My original team email on that had a typo on the game time. Sorry) Since we have that first game we can actually get a little practice time in. I'll be at the field at 11:20 to turn the lights on so if you show up early we'll be able to do a little work prior to the game.
I'll see you all this weekend. Go Bengals!
The U8 Sharks play at 11:50 AM Sunday. (My original team email on that had a typo on the game time. Sorry) Since we have that first game we can actually get a little practice time in. I'll be at the field at 11:20 to turn the lights on so if you show up early we'll be able to do a little work prior to the game.
I'll see you all this weekend. Go Bengals!
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