Youth Coaching Chronicles: Running the Table
It has been a while since I wrote a post chronicling my times as a youth soccer coach in this great country, but what better time than now to touch on a topic that is near and dear to many coaches hearts; a great team in a lower league.
Let me first preface this conversation by saying that I’m not one who likes to run the score up on another team, I’ve been on that side of the fence and it’s not fun for anyone involved. That being said, I have a great team and we were placed (not by my doing) in a league that is probably a little lower than our talent level. This provides a tremendous challenge, and ultimately might result in my greatest coaching achievement of my career thus far.
During the tryout season, also known as “summer” to those not in the youth soccer world, realization of the possibilities of the team being really good were starting to pop in my head. We decided to keep 11 girls, so the team was selected, and a few weeks later we went to work.
Immediately I recognized that this particular group of girls would be very good, especially if they gelled together and became a group of sisters. Our first match was in a tournament setting. We didn’t play well and we still won 7–1. The following games went as follows: 4–1 Win, 4–0 Win, 6–1 Win. We walked away from that tournament with a gold medal, 21 goals scored, 2 goals conceded. It was a tremendous launch into the season, and then we played our first two league games. Those matches ended in wins as well, 11–1 and 4–1. For those keeping track at home, we’ve scored 36 goals and conceded 5.
Very quickly, I recognized that we have the ability to score at will against lesser teams, so what to do? As a coach, how do you tell a 10 year old girl to not shoot on frame at every conceivable chance? Especially when their parents are encouraging such action because we, as Americans, are programmed to win and win big. The answer to that question is to remember that you, as the coach, are responsible for the development of these kids on the field and hopefully help with their development off the field.
On the field, we have invoked what we deemed as “lighting the Christmas tree”. What that means is that the girls need to work the ball around the field, even using the keeper to switch fields before taking the ball down the flanks and providing a cross. Ultimately, the key is to great a better scoring opportunity and develop along the way, as opposed to dribbling through 4 people and scoring on a keeper that has been shelled by shots all game. It is also a chance to play some players out of position and challenge their comfort zone.
Understand, that by using the term “lighting the Christmas tree”, we are doing our best to not embarrass the other team by yelling “everyone must touch the ball before you score”. I’ve had other coaches yell that to their players, and subsequently my players become dejected by the thought that the other team is so good, that we’ll never touch the ball again. It’s a double edged sword, but my goal is to help the kids on the pitch, not to win every game by 15.
So now the question becomes, how do you make the kids better when they are constantly winning? Full disclosure, I love winning. I’m extremely competitive and want nothing more than to be the best at what I do regardless of what it is I’m doing. I want to be the best Analyst in my company, I want to have the best soccer show, I want to be the best boss, I want to be the best writer, essentially I want to be the best whatever it is I’m doing at that time. In order to be the best coach, I need to develop my players and prepare them for the next level, and this is where my greatest coaching achievement to date will happen.
Every game, regardless of score, has coaching opportunities. Perfection is unattainable, especially with youth sports. During the games I make mental notes, and sometimes I jot down things in my notebook. The key to this is to address it at half-time or at the end of the match with the intention on working on it during practice or with in-game adjustments. Sometimes it’s as easy as yelling it from the sideline. Sometimes it requires a sub to speak to the player individually. Sometimes it has to wait until after the match because it will hinder other aspects of the players development at the current moment. These are all things that a coach needs to understand and recognize.
I have never been one to complain about the hand I was dealt. You just look at your cards and do the best you can with what you have. It wasn’t my decision to play them in a league that is a little below their talent level, but it is where we are and it is my job to develop the girls and prepare them for the next level. Running the table and going undefeated would be fun, but that will not make me the best coach. Making my players better regardless of what the outcome of the season is the only thing that will put me closer to that goal.
