Brilliant!

The U8 Sharks game this week was easily the team's best performance ever.  The final score was impressive to be sure but the real beauty of this game was in the team's ability to compose themselves at the half.  The first two periods were played at a very frenetic pace and with the score close all the way to the half-point the team was playing too fast with too much kicking and not enough control of the ball.  I took a moment with them in the bench to remind them that they should ignore the score and just focus on playing the game the way we like to play: cool-headed with good ball control, dribble first, pass second.  In the second half they went out and did just that and the result was a barrage of goals, mostly in one-on-one situations where the Sharks' patient attack had allowed them to get past the opposition defense for clear shots.

Drew had a goal for us early in the game then Sam E. put one in before the half.  In the third quarter the game was a 2-2 tie.  In those early quarters we'd had great play from everyone even if the pace was faster than I like.  That pace was working for us at first, especially with the play of Sam A. who was showing some amazing athleticism and speed.  Coach Mike and I both noted that he seemed to have really reached a new level in terms of his anticipation of the action and his touch on the ball.  He and Drew along with Sam E. were the brunt of our attack early.

In the second half the Sharks started playing with that beautiful calm ball control that just drives other teams crazy.  Again and again Daylon would hold the ball for a few extra ticks, like a point guard looking for an open man, then he'd send a pass down field that would lead either Sam E or Austin right into a shot.  Elizabeth was seeing those passing lanes too and made some beautiful passes up to the strikers.  I talk to both players a lot about trying to use their skills to get around the other team and do some attacking of their own but I think that with both kids they have such a soft touch on the ball and such confidence in their control that they can use their peripheral vision freely and see those obvious passing opportunities.  Most of the time they are sending the ball up field to a target, not just clearing it wildly.

As mentioned, Sam E and Austin were the beneficiaries of some fabulous support from their midfielders and so they got up into the box often enough to score a combined 5 goals in the second half.  Sam E had 3 for a game total of 4.  Austin put in two, one on a rebound.  The other was a blast from 8 yards out that he really hustled to get open for.  Elizabeth had sent a nice ball up the wall for Austin and as he raced along with it toward the opposition's right corner he got tripped up by a defender and took a nasty spill.  (after the game he was showing off his turf-burn to the other kids)  There was nothing malicious there but it might have been called a foul.  The ref saw it otherwise and let play continue.  Now you need to know that up to this point the other Coach had been chirping a bit about the officiating and Mike and I were just a bit annoyed by this since we do try to constantly impress on the Sharks that they must use their skills, not their elbows.  We want them to play as clean as possible while never conceding the ball.  So hearing complaints that the Sharks might be playing too rough is hard to bear.  At any rate, after that fall Austin took and the ref's no-call Mike was a little fired up and he called to Austin to shake it off and go take the ball back.  Austin did just that and as he circled back around for his shot Mike couldn't help but call out "make'm pay!"  Austin delivered...all shoe laces then straight into the net!  Competing hard is its own reward...but winning is a nice bonus.

Zachary and Jackson both did well for us in this game too and were both a big part of our attack and defense.  They both had moments of really wonderful, un-panicked ball control.  Zachary did give me a pull-back or two this game and he did make a couple of nice runs around his opponents.  And more than once his big kick saved us.  Jackson was cool as a cucumber in midfield and repeatedly made nice first touches to settle the ball then look for a pass.  He told me after the game though that he just hadn't had time for a pull-back.  So now he owes me two.

I'm really proud of them this week.  That first half had them moving towards that panicked, frenetic play that uses a lot of energy but isn't particularly effective.  But they pulled it together in the second half and settled into their own beautiful game.  Like I said above, winning is a nice bonus.  But what I like to see is that they are all building the confidence in themselves and each other that will allow them to gladly compete against anyone. Well done Sharks.

U6 Sharks Return to Form. U8 Sharks Continue Run of Fine Play.

     First, my thanks for Mike Seng for covering for me at the U4 game.  I hear the team played well again.  That has become a very strong group of players.
     Thanks to Coach Ben for running the U6 Sharks through their pre-game routine.  He certainly got them motivated to play.  What I saw from them Saturday was some of their best play yet.  Special congratulations to Micah for picking up a goal.  He was really on fire this week and found himself in the right position repeatedly.
     The U8 Sharks played beautifully in another great game.  Before the game I asked them all to show me how they do a "pull-back", a basic ball control technique.  When we were sure they all had it Mike and I let them know that we expected to see them all try it at least once during the game and if they didn't do at least one "pull-back" they'd owe us two the next game.  The idea is to keep them focused on stretching their skill set rather than on getting wins.  I want to see them all progressing at about the same rate and by keeping them focused on those individual skills I hope to avoid having anyone getting left behind or hanging back from being involved in our attack as a team.  Well a lot of them did try to demonstrate that move and frequently it was at sort of the wrong time strategically, which I think is a good thing.  That means that they were able to get their heads out of the rush of the game just long enough to think about performing this task we'd set for them and I think that when they can do that they can get to the point where the game slows down for them a bit.  By the way, Zachary and Jackson owe  me two pull-backs next week.

The star this week was Sam A. who managed his first goal in U8.  Sam just gets right in the thick of things and always knows which way to the goal.  We had great play from everyone this week with the scoring spread out among several players.  Austin had the first, then we had goals from Drew (3), Sam A., Sam E. (2) and another from Jackson late.  We had very good midfield play again from Zachary and Daylon and a lot of great ball control from everyone at both ends of the field.  I have some video below (it's a bit shaky) that shows some of the scoring and other good plays.  We added a player this week, James, and you'll see in the video that he nearly turns a rebound on one of Sam's shots into his first goal.  There's also a clip of Elizabeth attempting something close to a bicycle kick.  Crazy!

Spring Break or Spring Training?

     So apparently most of the U8 Sharks just spent their Spring Breaks in various camps, clinics and intensive training programs.  I gathered the kids at the start of the game and told them that I knew that since they'd had two weeks off they'd be kind of anxious to play.  "Go crazy and have fun.  I'll bug you about the ball control and stuff in the second quarter.  Right now just go crazy."  I expected over-energetic, chaotic play with a lot of ball chasing but while there was a bit of that the overall play was excellent.  They were full of energy but they were using their heads and playing the field smartly with lots of good spacing.  Coach Ben's Ninjas were feeling it too and they came out of the gate pressing hard.  The game was fast paced from the start but not the wild kick-fest I expected.  Rather, it was well played, beautiful soccer with lots of deft ball control and sharp, imaginative passing from both teams.
     Mike and I are always talking (or yelling) to the kids about maintaining their spacing and playing their positions and I think generally they have only been getting what we mean in a very abstract way.  But in yesterday's game they were showing a more subtle understanding of the game and I saw moments for each player where they were realizing that these "positions" we talk to them about aren't  so much a particular spot on the field as they are a set of responsibilities within the flow of the game.  If I say "right midfield", that's not a spot where you go stand, it's a job that you have to do.  You know your job, you know your teammates' jobs.  You do yours, you trust them to do theirs.  The Sharks were doing that this week to tremendous effect and against a team that played some very aggressive soccer themselves.

   Quickly the highlights:

Sam E. had a pair of goals and is now at the point where he was in U6 ... he knows he can get around anybody.   His creativity with the ball is amazing and an inspiration to the whole team.  This week he's incorporated a controlled roll-over move that just freezes the opposition.  Where'd he get that?

Owen had our other goal and it came early on in the game in a rebound situation.  The ball came bouncing out to the eighteen and he was sweeping in from midfield to clean up and made a very delicate hit on the ball while it was still moving, arcing it up over the keepers head.  Sweet.

Sam A. missed three weeks but came back playing like he hadn't missed any time at all.  He loves the midfield position where he gets to play that tough defense and then push up for shots too.  He managed to strip the ball from the Ninja's two best players repeatedly despite the size advantage that they have on him.

Austin had so many good attempts on goal and was so strong in that forward position.  Sam E. has the flashy steps but Austin has the quicker shot.  Elizabeth was strong too, especially in contesting for the ball.  Like Sam A. she surprises bigger players by taking the ball right off their feet.  Daylon was wonderful and next week we've got to get him up into striker to see what he can do their.  Zach had missed three weeks but he came back really strong too and had a couple of good shots and played some very clutch defense for us out of the midfield.  Jackson was great out of the midfield too.  He played heads up ball and made some very nice passes to keep our runs alive.

Drew managed our other goal and had such a good game overall.  He and Owen set the tone for our midfield play early on with some very controlled, thoughtful play.  They both were showing us their best moves all game and with Drew speed is always an important element too.

Fabulous game Sharks.  Well done.

Galaxy v Sporting KC

The weather should be fabulous Saturday but if you need a brief afternoon break take your siesta while watching LA vs Kansas City on ESPN at 4:00 PM.  You have to watch Beckham when you get the chance.  He still plays the midfield like nobody else (except for maybe Meghan Ripino).   Watch a bit then get back outside and play.