Daughter's Day at Training: Setting the Psychology for Soccer

We start by setting up a blanket in the shade.  We place our equipment here, because the sun destroys fibers over time, and we don't want to come back to hot gear to change into when we cool down.

We remove our flats--click on orange words to take you to the KICKTIONARY,  Athens Soccer Academy's Soccer Terms Dictionary-- or street shoes, and put on fresh, clean socks, with the shinguards sliding under.


This setting up and preparing a cool down location is an important step in the overall training process.  The training routine should take on a ritualistc emotional and physical arch, and this first step in the process sets the players' psychological motor spinning.  As the players sit and dress to play, the mind is 'switched' from the street to the field.


Since the field is rock hard solid, Coach selects his multi-studs to wear for hard ground.

We invited some other players along, but it is summer and not a day when we will see the team, so it turns out to be just the three of us.  These girls could use some 1v1 work, and strengthening up on the ball.  I want to shake some of the passivity out of these girls--sisters, really, and teach them to "switch-on".  I want them to understand that competitiveness has its beautiful edge wherein ultimate respect is paid to the opponent and the Game.








Next we Take the Field.  The game is 1 versus 1 to goal. Coach calls out the color of the ball.  First player to the ball becomes the attacker and the second player in defends...





Then we change the setup: the Defender starts in the goal and the attackers align on the outer edge of the perimeter with a ball at feet.  The attacker is called out and the defender must respond by  applying immediate pressure away from the center of the field.  Though we have no goalkeeper, the Defender assumes there is a keeper, and attempts to squeeze the shooter into a sharper and sharper angle away from the center of the field.

The defender wants to get into the rhythm with the shooter and attempt to block the shot, but failing that the shot should be made predictable to a well positioned goalkeeper.  Above all the defender wants to avoid getting beaten to the inside.  These girls are only starting to learn these concepts.




This exercise is setup as 1v1, but when the attackers have spent their solo opportunity, they can combine to present a 2V1, wherein the attackers outnumber the Defender.  Here the Defender has a new and urgent priority when pressuring the ball, to deny the opponents the passing lane.

Again we see the focus here is not yet on these concepts.  Today we are working on mentality--confidence to have the ball and to win the ball from an opponent.  We will build on this as the summer turns later and we get more of the team.  Also the six year old gets weary when her dad goes on, so I need to keep her attentive with activity, having fun, chasing the ball, and scoring goals against her dad and her sister.


She also wants a chance to make a movie, so Coach gets a turn in the Grid.