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."

Under 12 Boys: Straightening Their Aim

Athens Soccer Academy Boys Under 12 team had a light week this week, because the local schools were out for Spring Break.

We used the secure atmosphere of the gym for the very last time before the season schedule begins this coming weekend.  We will have two outdoor trainings this week if weather allows, and Saturday will find us in uniform.

We haven't had much time together as a team, and with only a few boys at tonight's session, we concentrate on some bread and butter skills for soccer players.

We all love the sound of a driven ball in the gym.  So we try to create that sound here. The boys are learning to kick with the instep-- see Shooting Straight.  I have asked them to land on their kicking foot.


Striking Straight

After a few awkward approaches, these players start to get a little closer to being over the ball at the time of impact.  If  they can keep that shot straight, we will test some goalkeepers this spring.

Soccer Stars

We rest and I give the boys a chat about this team before we transition to what coach hopes is our bread and butter this season, passing and support.

Since the total players here equal about half the team, coach aims to keep the stress level low.



3V1 Passing and Support



We finish this training session by playing games of 2V2 and 3V2.  With the help of some siblings, we manage a 4V3 to cap our time inside this gym.

At the end of the night, coach locks the doors and hopes that this is the last time he will be mopping floors this spring.