Help me coach a JV soccer team - Page 3

Thremp · #21 08-16-2007, 01:38 PM

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Thremp...its not

Its more along the lines of the building blocks to being a solid player. (unfortunately cant think of a good analogy).

But...

If you can juggle back and forth using both feet, I guarantee you that your overall skill level, your touch, your ability to pass, your feel for the ball will be far superior to someone who doesnt practice it.

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Word. It just seems he mentioned a lot of the kids being pretty terrible at the JV level. There are probably better ways to spend your time if you can only get <5 touches on the ball... Or have to kick it head high each time.

Josh11 · #22 08-16-2007, 01:49 PM

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Be able to strike, pass, and receive with both feet with equal skill.

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This doesn't even happen at the highest levels of soccer. You can be an elite player with just having an average off foot for your talent level. Hell... If you're playing in a trash league you could likely be elite without ever using the other foot.

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Yeah I phrased that poorly. What I meant for each of those points was to be sure to try and emphasize the ideas. In this case, just don't ignore the opposite foot and do take time to have them develop both feet. While the dominant one will probably always be better, don't let anyone one have strictly a one footed game where the off foot is total garbage.

This is coming from my high school experience in the STL area. The level of competition in your area may be way different.

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It'll help your take the ball out of the air much better, but you don't want kids putting the ball in the air at this age anyway...

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High school JV? Yeah, you do.

mattnxtc · #23 08-16-2007, 01:53 PM

To me, the fact that they are all potentially not good is a better reason to work on that then not.

Raising their individual skill levels up from say 5 juggles using both feel to maybe 50-100 will have a huge improvement on their overall game.

As is obvious, being very coordinated with your feet is a necessity in soccer and there really isnt a way to get more touches on the ball then to juggle with it. Spend a good week or 2 working at juggling back and forth between your feet and then go play a game...I think youll find your overall control, touch, and passing ability will have risen significantly.

Victor · #24 08-16-2007, 01:53 PM

juggling is very overrated. i rarely juggled in a game and i am/was a very good juggler.

running laps and whatnot is ok but should absolutely not be overdone. and really, by the mid point of the season the kids should be in good enough shape from actually playing that mindless fitness is not necessary. no reason to train like a track team.

Thremp · #25 08-16-2007, 02:11 PM

Josh,

From what I've heard/seen StL has a very good soccer culture in its area. So probably higher level. But you don't want kids passing the ball in the air more than on the ground. At the JV level just having sounds tactics and passing/trapping the ball is more than enough to dominate opponents. Maybe the occasional cross, but the level of skill is pretty poor.

Matt,
Umm... how long do you think that would take? 4-6 season at 15 minutes a day in practice? (see next response)

Victor,
I was/am a very poor juggler and never juggled in games.

All,
Aren't there some basic books on this stuff?

mattnxtc · #26 08-16-2007, 02:17 PM

I would hope your not juggling the ball in games haha. May have something to do with it...

Based off what the OP said, I was thinking along the lines of 6 days a week 30 minutes at a time doing different juggling/skill drills. Raising the individual players ability to control the ball will make passing, dribbling, trapping, etc so much easier.

Thremp · #27 08-16-2007, 02:22 PM

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I would hope your not juggling the ball in games haha. May have something to do with it...

Based off what the OP said, I was thinking along the lines of 6 days a week 30 minutes at a time doing different juggling/skill drills. Raising the individual players ability to control the ball will make passing, dribbling, trapping, etc so much easier.

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Seems like we're just on different sides of the same problem. I wanna come at it from the left and you from the right. Whatever works. Maybe a mix of both? Theres def no harm in the kids doing anything skill related as long as they can run for a decent period and aren't going to die.

shemp · #28 08-16-2007, 02:41 PM

As I mentioned elsewhere I don't know jack about soccer, and as far as teenagers go I only have this to say to those that might be reading: 1. Pull your pants up, 2. Stay off my lawn.-- but I'll make a general coaching/practice observation.

I really enjoy watching a good hockey (another sport I don't understand) team do their pre-game drills. They go from tightly focused drill to drill, like it's a John Wooden practice session. It's a routine, and it's focused on the fundamentals, but it stays fresh with the quick rotation between drills and the skills seem to build on themselves. It's not all about a lay-up line, or gaggle around the net taking turns.

It takes organization by you, but a lot of that is laying the rails and teaching the drills, and then it is more about managing them as they themselves can work on the things they've been taught how to work on.

mattnxtc · #29 08-16-2007, 03:01 PM

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I would hope your not juggling the ball in games haha. May have something to do with it...

Based off what the OP said, I was thinking along the lines of 6 days a week 30 minutes at a time doing different juggling/skill drills. Raising the individual players ability to control the ball will make passing, dribbling, trapping, etc so much easier.

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Seems like we're just on different sides of the same problem. I wanna come at it from the left and you from the right. Whatever works. Maybe a mix of both? Theres def no harm in the kids doing anything skill related as long as they can run for a decent period and aren't going to die.

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O no question they need to be able to run. Thats what the other 1 1/2 hrs of the practice should be focused on...scrimmages, team oriented drills, and so forth. Designing drills to get players moving in game situations is probably the easiest to do when it comes to soccer.

Josh11 · #30 08-16-2007, 03:02 PM

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Josh,

From what I've heard/seen StL has a very good soccer culture in its area. So probably higher level. But you don't want kids passing the ball in the air more than on the ground. At the JV level just having sounds tactics and passing/trapping the ball is more than enough to dominate opponents. Maybe the occasional cross, but the level of skill is pretty poor.

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Yeah, we are on the same page.