Setting Tone: Academy Little Professional Under 12 Boys this week

I expect the players thought that the trainings this week were about the soccer, but for me they were much more about setting the appropriate tension level after two weeks without games.

Of course, the soccer level was what was coming through my mouth for them to hear because we continue to want to play straight balls to a teammate who is standing still directly behind a defender.

However the tension level was what was coming at them in tone for them to feel because we have a tendency to start flat, and we have not played in two weeks.

This Tuesday I had designs to work on the track.  When 3 out of 9 players brought their flats, that becomes impossible; so we ran on the grass, and I lectured them on preparation.

This is not your parents' responsibility. Your parents have not even been told to remind you to bring flat shoes.  This is what you have been asked to bring, etc.

Thursday-- Almost every player came in flats, or training shoes.  They will be prepared for the track next week.  Today every player took off the flats and played in soccer-studs the entire time.

We worked on possession in a grid in teams of three.  Then we played 6V7 on an unmarked field.

I told the boys that this weekend will not be about winning, even though these two teams could be the best teams in the league.  When we get to the postseason and the Marietta Classic Tournament, we will need to win.

In order to win, we need to play our game.  So this Saturday's games will be about that...

Win or lose, your coach wants to see you thinking, and moving, and playing the kind of game we have worked on.

If these things come together then the binding to the entire package will be that the players will have fun.  We put our hands in and cheered, "Professional Fun."