2008 MayJun V48 N3

Soccer Journal May-June 2008
Volume 53, Number 3
May-June 2008
NSCAA photo by Craig Bohnert

Published by: The National Soccer Coaches
Association of America
Editor: Dr. Jay Martin
Edwards Gym
Ohio Wesleyan University
Delaware, OH 43015
Office: 740-368-3727
Fax: 740-368-3751
Email: jamartin@owu.edu
Managing Editor: Craig Bohnert
Associate Editors: Mike Kennedy, Pat Madden
Editorial Subcommittee: Ray Alley, Dr. David
Carr, Dr. Hardy Fuchs, Mike Lentz, Alan Maher,
Perry McIntyre Jr., Len Oliver, Dr. Ron Quinn, Tim
Schum, Jeff Tipping, Frank Tschan, Jeff Vennell, Lang
Wedemeyer, Dr. Doug Williamson
NSCAA Executive Director: James Sheldon
800 Ann Avenue
Kansas City, KS 66101
800-458-0678 Fax: 913-362-3439
NSCAA on the Internet: www.NSCAA.com
To advertise in Soccer Journal, contact:
Chris Burt
Marketing Director
NSCAA
800 Ann Avenue
Kansas City, KS 66101
800-458-0678 Fax: 913-362-3439
Email: cburt@nscaa.com
Printer: R.R. Donnelly, Independence, Mo.
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Reproduction or reuse of this material

in whole or part is forbidden without
the expressed written permission of the
National Soccer Coaches
Association of America.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was part of the program at an open house at the NSCAA National Office
on April 4. Taking part were (from left) NSCAA Vice President Randy Waldrum, Unified Government
of Wyandotte County Commissioners Tom Cooley and Mark Mitchell, NSCAA Immediate Past
President Steve Malone, Executive Director Jim Sheldon, Deputy County Administrator Doug Bach
and NSCAA Vice Presidents Marcia McDermott and Paul Payne.
9 College Recruiting Caution: Danger Ahead In this issues In My Opinion, Frank Pace
points out the perils of the growing trend of recruiting intercollegiate players at an earlier age.
Smarts Roni Mansur puts forward the argument that street soccer helps develop
12 Street
creativity in players and describes ways the approach can integrate into our structured American approach. Focus: Coaching. Ages: Youth.
Man with the Smile UEFAs Andy Roxburgh gives us a glimpse of the man behind the
20 The
smile, CSKA Moskvas Valeriy Gazzaev. Focus: SJ Interview. Ages: All.
Language Barrier In an exclusive Soccer Journal interview, author and sociologist Andrei Mar 24 kovits
examines why soccer remains outside the American sports mainstream. By Hardy Fuchs.
Notebooks: Writing to the Next Level In the second of a three-part series, Dr.
28 Team
Richard Kent presents the next two sections of the notebook, Match Analysis II and Post-Season Thoughts. Focus: Coaching. Ages: U-15 and above.
Techniques for Managing Stress in Football In this article from Insight Journal, the Eng 32 lish
FAs coaching journal, the authors offer direction on how to cultivate the Individual Zone
of Optimal Functioning. By Kimberlee Bethany, David W. Eccles and Gershon Tenenbaum.
Focus: Coaching. Ages: U-15 and above.
A new feature in SJ gives readers the opportunity to provide their feedback

38 Communications
on prior articles.
Favorite Practices Part II of a three-part series featuring the favorites of AC Milan focuses
42 Five
on warm-up activities. Focus: Exercises. Ages: All.
from the Back This issues SJ Training Session comes from NSCAA Regional
45 Transition
Technical Director Lang Wedemeyer and addresses transition from the goalkeeper through
the backs to the midfielders. Focus: Psychology. Ages: All.
to Play Striker From the pages of Champions magazine come interviews with two of
47 How
the worlds top strikers: Henrik Larsson and Ian Rush. Focus: Coaching. Ages: U-15 and above.
tesy; Neil Hull talks about the motivation to play the game; Bob Graham wonders if soccer
50 Soccer Shorts NSCAA Vice President for Education Paul Payne looks at professional courhas killed its golden goose.
3 The Presidents Corner
5 Center Circle
Soccer Network
On the Cover: Laurie Pells makes a coaching point during a State Goalkeeping Diploma
sessions at the 2008 NSCAA Convention in Baltimore. NSCAA photo by Perry McIntyre Jr.
by Al Albert
Uniquely American
Intercollegiate soccer plays an important role in player development

As one prowls the blogs and message boards
of BigSoccer.com and other soccer websites, inevitably the topic of college soccer comes up. Most
soccer purists in the country take the position that
college soccer is a detriment to the growth of the
sport in this country and propose many alternatives
that in the long run would be more beneficial to the
development of U.S. soccer.
Perhaps my viewpoint is biased since I played
college soccer, coached at that level for 33 years
and now represent an association that was
founded by college coaches, but the bottom line
is that college soccer is here to stay in the United
States. It is not only going to be around for a long,
long time, it is going to continue to improve.
To begin with, attending college is a particularly strong element of our American culture.
Soccer in this country has developed for the
most part as a middle class activity. Almost
every youth soccer player and parent dreams of
a college soccer scholarship. Certainly the best
players and their families dream of professional
careers as well. However, following the pattern
of most players in the higher profile sports of
football, basketball and baseball, even the most
talented youth soccer stars would consider an
abbreviated stint at the school of their choice
prior to a professional career.
Obviously there is that special class of player
that can become a star, become wealthy in a very
short period of time and for whom sport is clearly
the way to go. They should pursue a professional
career at as early an age as possible. For most, life
is much less simple and there is tremendous value
to a college experience, education and degree to
fall back on after their soccer career has ended.
Besides the value to the individual who
chooses this path, consider for a minute what
college soccer has meant to the development
of the sport in this country. Many would have us
believe that it holds the sport back. Certainly it is
not the model that the rest of the world follows
to develop players. My view is that, although
hindered by NCAA restrictions and academic requirements, soccer in colleges and universities
has led the development of American soccer.
Prior to the surge in college soccer in the 70s
and 80s, there were almost no soccer-specific
stadiums in the U.S. Im not referring to the
tremendous facilities that MLS is developing in
major cities, but rather the smaller fields and
stadia on virtually every college campus where

soccer is sponsored as a varsity sport. We have
hundreds, if not thousands, of smaller venues
that fit the interest level and crowds at each of
these institutions. Many of these easily would
serve the purposes or surpass the facilities of
lower level professional and semi-professional
teams in other countries.
At one time, almost all college coaches also
had to teach classes, usually in the physical
regular coaches and often isnt as professional

as the college programs from which they come.
It is indisputable that the NCAA has put a
governor on how far and how fast college soccer can become an invaluable part of the player
development system in this country to produce
top players for MLS and teams abroad. However,
millions of dollars in soccer-related aid and capital
improvements have been pumped into the system
by colleges and universities. This allows players
College soccer is here to stay in the United States.

It is not only going to be around for a long, long
time, it is going to continue to improve.
education area. Now most programs are fortunate
enough to have not only full-time paid coaches
but also access to the athletics department
strength and conditioning staff and facilities, sports
medicine staff and facilities, sports psychologists,
academic support staff and others to help them
survive, develop and excel in the college sports
and educational environment.
Add to this the incredible push college soccer
has given the womens game. About 50 percent
more schools sponsor womens soccer than mens
as a varsity sport at the Division I level. More
scholarships are allowed per team for women,
making the odds of getting a scholarship much
higher for a female player. Until the professional
womens league establishes itself again as the
ultimate level to which a top player should aspire,
college soccer clearly rules the roost.
The short intense fall season is indeed a problem, with far too many games in that tight period
between the end of the summer and the holidays.
The off-season spring has improved in some ways
for development of players, particularly in Division
I, but players need games and the restriction in
Division III that allows only one day of competition
is much too limiting. Even five days of competition
for the Division I programs is not enough. Serious
players can play PDL or W-League in the summer, but that is not under the supervision of their
to go to school and develop as soccer players in

very professional environments, albeit for not as
long a playing season as desired.
Apparently the limitations of the system have
not prevented players from moving through and
making it to the U.S. national teams and the top
leagues in the world. Of the 18 players selected
by Bob Bradley to play against Poland March 26,
12 had played at least one year of college soccer.
Several already have their degrees and I would
imagine others plan to go back someday and
complete their programs.
What then could the future hold for soccer in
colleges and universities? I can foresee a day
when college soccer games on television are
as numerous as football and basketball events,
with cable companies vying for programming
opportunities. I can imagine College Cup crowds
expanding dramatically if we can learn from the
success of college lacrosse and bring together
all elements of the game for an end-of-season
celebration.
The system we have now certainly is not perfect. We need more playing opportunities, a longer
season and increased scholarship and funding
levels. For now we will have to work patiently
to build on what we have. The American setup
is unique and although college soccer is limited
in many ways, it clearly is going to be part of the
3
by Jay Martin, Editor
Cold Hard Facts
Just how accessible is the college scholarship many are pitching?

In this issues In My Opinion section, Frank
Pace contributes an article about the college recruiting process the good, the bad and the ugly.
Meanwhile, NSCAA President Al Albert dedicates
his column to the everlasting contributions of
collegiate soccer to the sport in this country. He
suggests that college soccer has been a positive
force in this country in spite of the perception that
college soccer actually retards soccers overall
growth in America.
With reference to a four-part New York Times
series by Bill Pennington about Division I athletics,
my contribution to the discussion is a pragmatic look
at the dream held by many young American players
of earning a collegiate soccer scholarship.
More and more players (and parents) believe
it is worth investing several thousands of dollars a
year on select clubs, uniforms, showcase tournaments, elite camps, recruitment services and even
private trainers to improve the odds of landing a
soccer scholarship.
A recent survey of parents at the Jarosi Tournament in Columbus, Ohio, revealed that more than 60
percent of parents view soccer at a select level as
a means to a college athletic scholarship.
The father of a local U-12 player recently
removed his son from a private school the child
had attended for eight years. The father plans to
use the money he will save on tuition to pay for
private trainers for his son with a goal of improving
the chances of receiving a soccer scholarship.
Advertisements for elite clubs, camps and recruiting services give the impression that signing on with
them will increase chances for a scholarship. They
seem to suggest that scholarships are there for the
taking. A flyer from an elite club in Ohio, for instance,
makes the claim that 80 percent of the clubs players
receive soccer scholarships.
College recruiting services routinely advertise
that their service will improve a players chance
of securing a college soccer scholarship. Alan
Yost of the recruiting service NCSA said, Every
high school player who signs on with us expects
a scholarship offerevery player!
A look at the facts paints a far different picture
of soccer scholarships. Critics say that select
clubs often inflate the number of players who
receive scholarships. Many coaches throw away
the information from recruiting services, preferring
instead to use their own resources and go to many
tournaments to watch players. Personal trainers
have offered no data on the number of scholarship

athletes they work with. So why do parents buy
into the scholarship sales pitch?
While there is nothing wrong with using soccer
to help a high school player get into one of the best
schools and perhaps get a scholarship everyone
involved should be realistic about the situation.
A study in 1996 determined the following facts
for the high school age soccer players:
There were 8,182 boys and 6,500 girls soccer
programs.
There were more than 283,700 boys and
209,000 girls playing high school soccer.
There were 51,066 boys and 37,620 girls who
were seniors, played soccer and graduated.
There were 721 college programs for boys and
736 for girls.
There were 4,326 spots available on college
teams for boys; and there were 4416 spots
available for the girls.
There were playing opportunities for fewer
than 8 percent of graduating seniors.
There were 433 scholarships for boys and 806
for girls.
Less than 1 percent of the graduating boys and
around 2 percent of the girls received soccer
scholarships.
room and board for NCAA institutions often cost

between $20,000 and $50,000.
While the data compiled by the NCAA for the
2003-2004 academic year dealt with all sports,
lets focus on mens and womens soccer. The
article determined the following:
Only about 2 percent of all NCAA Division I
athletes receive a scholarship.
There is no such thing as a four-year scholarship.
All scholarships are renewable annually.
There were 330,044 boys and 270,273 girls
playing high school soccer.
There were 2,357 scholarships for boys and
3,964 for girls.
Those scholarships were awarded to 6,047
boys and 9,310 girls.
The average award was $8,533 for boys
and $8,404 for girls that means the mens
scholarship covered only 39 percent of costs
and the womens scholarships covered only
43 percent of costs.
Only 1.8 percent of high school soccer playing boys received a soccer scholarship; only
3.4 percent of the women received a soccer
scholarship.
In the NYT series, Pennington quotes NCAA
President Myles Brand as saying, The youth culture is overly aggressive and while the opportunity
for an athletic scholarship is not trivial, its easy
for the opportunity to be exaggerated by parents
and advisors. That can skew behavior and, based
on numbers, lead to unrealistic expectations.
The statistics above suggest that there is one
Hows that for a dose of reality? But the good

news is that in 2008 the situation is much better,
right? Not really.
There are more scholarships available for both
men and women. But there are many more players
playing the game in high school.
In Penningtons New
York Times series, he disAN APOLOGY...
cussed the scholarship situMany people criticize the lack of geographical knowledge of the
ation for all NCAA sports.
American people. Even our president has made some mistakes when
According to him, Excludasked about foreign countries and leaders. I felt that after living in
ing the glamour sports of
Europe for a number of years and traveling extensively that I was, at
football and basketball,
least, above the America mean in terms of geography. Apparently
the average NCAA athletic
not. In last issues Center Circle, I suggested that the NSCAA should
scholarship is nowhere near
invite coaches from Bosnia to speak at the Convention. The reference
full tuition, amounting to
was to suggest that since Bosnia defeated England to move into Euro
$8,707. In sports like base2008, coaches from that country would serve us better than the curball and track and field,
rent number of English presentors. The problem? It was Croatia who
the number is routinely as
defeated England, not Bosnia!!! The remark was not intended to insult
low as $2,000. Even when
anyone, but to suggest that many countries in Europe have caught up
football and basketball are
to England in terms of international soccer. I suppose the good news
included, the average is
is that at least a few people read my column!
only $10,409. Tuition and
NCAA scholarship for every 145 men who played soccer in college. Joe
Taylor, a scholarship soccer player from Villanova, said, It is a huge dogfight
to get whatever you can. Everyone is scrambling. There are so many good
players, nobody understands how few get to keep playing after high school!
If I had to do it over again, I would have skipped a practice every now and
then to go to a concert or a movie with my friends. I missed out on a lot of
things because of soccer. I wish I could have some of that time back.
It is important that parents and coaches know these statistics and realize
how difficult it is to receive a soccer scholarship. Although getting a soccer
scholarship is a long shot, there is some good news. Being a good soccer
player may give an athlete an edge when colleges award academic scholarships and need-based aid. In fact, there is much more money available to
soccer players for academic excellence than athletic prowess. An increased
focus on academics will pay greater dividends than soccer excellence in the
long run it may also pay off on the short run.
A recent study by the College Board Association of Princeton, N.J., determined that independent colleges in the United States award more than
$10 billion in financial aid each year. This includes awards from institutional
funds for scholarships, fellowships and trainee stipends. Add state and
federal financial aid funding and there is in excess of $50 billion available
for academic and need-based aid each year.
The numbers say that soccer scholarships are relatively scarce. Should your
players stop cracking shots and spend Saturdays cracking the books in a library
instead? Of course not. We know that soccer is a great game. It has an important
place in the lives of your players, whether or not there is a soccer scholarship in
the future. Everyone involved with soccer should just keep the scholarship issue
in perspective. Your players should be playing for fun, fitness and the challenge
of the game. If your players (and parents) are playing only to earn a soccer
scholarship maybe they should spend more time in the library!
NSHOF puts soccer into new NYC Sports Museum

The National Soccer
Hall of Fame (NSHOF)
has entered into a partnership with the Sports
Museum of America
(SmA) in New York City.
The Hall joins more
than 50 single-sport
Halls of Fame, national
governing bodies, museums and other sports
organizations across
North America as a
Founding Sports Partner
of the Sports Museum of
America (SmA)
Scheduled to open in
New York City in May
2008, SmA is the nations
first museum to celebrate
all sports under one roof.
Filled with original films,
state-of-the-art interactive exhibits/displays
and an iconic collection
of memorabilia, SmA
will richly showcase the
history, grandeur and
significance of sports
in American culture
through great sports
stories of courage, education and triumph.
According to NSHOF
President Stephen Baumann, the partnership
will introduce a broad
new audience to the
thrills of soccer.
The National Soccer Hall of Fame and
Museum is proud to
partner with the Sports
Museum of America
in furtherance of our
dedication to soccer
in America, Baumann
said. American soccer
continues to extend its
impact as a contributor to the worlds game
and, of course, New
York is Americas greatest international city.
We expect our partnership will introduce
many more individuals
and families to the his-
tory and uniqueness of

the beautiful game.
The Sports Museum
of America is extremely
pleased to have the
National Soccer Hall of
Fame join our more than
50 exclusive sports partner organizations to create the first comprehensive museum of sports,
said SmA Founder and
CEO Philip Schwalb.
Soccer holds a special
place in American sports
culture. Were a nation
filled with soccer moms,

families and kids. We
look forward to sharing soccers tremendous
legacy from past stars
of American soccer like
Billy Gonsalves and
Pel to the newest Hall
of Fame players, Mia
Hamm and Julie Foudy,
to the stars of tomorrow
with our millions of
visitors.
Under the terms of
the partnership, NSHOF
will provide archival
soccer materials, such as
the 1973 NASL Championship Trophy, Michelle
Akers Day Proclamation
by the State of Washington and Hall of Famer
Alexi Lalas New England
Revolution jersey. Other
memorabilia pertaining
to the history of soccer
and of interest to the
projected one million
worldwide annual visi-
tors to SmA will be sent

on a rotating basis. Likewise, joint promotional
efforts will be undertaken by both partners,
and SmA will make an
annual donation to support the Hall.
In addition to the
artifacts and soccer
memorabilia from the
National Soccer Hall
of Fame, SmA will also
feature high-profile soccer artifacts such as Mia
Hamms World Cup jersey and the sports bra
Brandi Chastain made
famous during the 1999
Womens World Cup.
SmA is widely
anticipated to be a
vibrant new addition
to the redevelopment
of Lower Manhattan by
significantly increasing
commercial and tourist
activity in the area.
Request for Nominations for the NSCAA Board of Directors

This is to notify the NSCAA membership of an upcoming
election for the following positions on the Executive Committee of the NSCAA Board of Directors:
Vice-President for Awards and Conventions
Secretary
The election will culminate Jan. 9, 2009. Election results will
be announced at the Annual Meeting of the membership, Jan.
16, 2009, in St. Louis, Mo.
Any active or life member may submit one or more nominees for these positions to the Nominations and Election
Committee, which then will select a maximum of three
names per position based on the following criteria:
Current NSCAA member who has been a member at
least five of the past eight years;
Ability to fulfull the duties in the job description that
will be provided to the nominee;
Have served on the Board of Directors for a minimum of
three years, been the chair of a standing NSCAA committee
or council for a minimum of three years, been a member of

the Academy staff for a minimum of three years or be able to
demonstrate distinguished service to the sport of soccer.
No person may be nominated for more than one position in
a given election. Nominations should include a brief description of how the nominee(s) meet the aforementioned criteria and
should be submitted to:
Steve Malone
Attn: NSCAA Nominations
40 Mapledale Ave.
Glen Burnie, MD 21061
Nominations must be postmarked no later than May 31, 2008.
Respectfully submitted,
James A. Sheldon
Executive Director
7
College Recruiting
CAUTION:
DANGER
AHEAD
Photo by Perry McIntyre Jr.
By Frank Pace
There have been many famous firsts
in sports. In 1913 Knute Rockne caught
the first forward pass in a college football
game (from Gus Dorais) to lead an unheralded Notre Dame team to a stunning
victory over a powerful Army squad. In
1947 Jackie Robinson became the first
black man to play in a modern era Major
League Baseball game. In 1961 Wilt
Chamberlain became the first (and only)
man to score 100 points in an NBA game.
Well, move over, guys. Make room for
Ryan Boatright of Aurora, Ill. This summer,
Ryan became the first athlete to commit
to a college before he had picked a high
school. According to a story in the Chicago
Sun-Times, word had leaked out that
University of Southern California basketball
head coach Tim Floyd had offered Ryan, an
eighth grader, a scholarship after seeing him
at an USC weekend camp.
The boys mother said Floyd was
such a warm, nice manyou couldnt
have asked for anything more. The
newspaper reported that USC had beaten
out Indiana and DePaul universities for
Ryans commitment. Now that college

was out of the way, the teen could concentrate on picking a high school.
As ridiculous as the Boatright story
sounds, Division I college soccer is not
that far behind. This is especially true
in the womens game, where more than
1,000 schools are jockeying for players. As a high school coach, I get very
involved in advising our players about
selecting a college. It used to be that I
would meet with each player and her
parents in September of their senior year.
Three years ago, I moved those meetings
to the spring of the students junior year.
Now I meet them as 10th graders because
college coaches are looking for commitments no later than the spring of the
players junior year.
The recruiting process has become
so accelerated that players are committing before theyve taken their SATs; the
official visit has been become obsolete,
and most high school college advising
programs have been taken out of the
decision-making process. At Flintridge
Sacred Heart Academy in La Canada,
Calif., where I coach, our college advis-
ers often call me for updates on what

our kids are planning regarding college.
Commitments are being made before our
high school advising process even begins
for seniors.
Its insane, says Purdue womens
coach Rob Klatte. Coaches are looking
for access to players earlier and earlier, in
ninth and tenth grades. This past summer
I had people asking me what I was seeking for 2009. I told them I hadnt even
seen my 08s yet. How could I possibly
know what I would need in 09?
Because NCAA legislation prohibits offcampus contact with players prior to July of
their senior year, some college coaches have
begun recruiting club coaches to do their
bidding for them. The majority of coaches
still play within the rules, but in the new
recruiting game there is an economic basis
to recruit players from families of means.
And players now need to recruit college
coaches. To do that players attend summer
camps (starting as early as ninth grade),
produce videos and make unofficial visits
nationwide. All these things cost money.
At Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy,
we have a system to help players with
9
the recruiting process. I ask players to

compile a list of schools they would like
to attend. I provide an evaluation of the
prospects of getting into a specific school
based on their grades and the colleges
published academic requirements. Then
I provide a subjective assessment of
their ability to play college soccer at the
schools on the lists.
In most cases we just look for a school
where the kid can find the education they
are seeking and play soccer. Were shopping for a school, not money. Most the
kids at our private school have grade point
averages in the 3.3 to 4.0 range with a lot
of advanced placement classes, so money
often takes care of itself in the form of academic awards. Any money that comes from
an athletic grant in aid is gravy.
Then we reduce the list to one school
where admission is likely based on the
students academic record, another school
where admission is possible and a third
where admission is a stretch but where
a good word from an impressed coach
might sway the decision.
If I think a player may have the skill to
play at the selected schools, she is encouraged to attend summer camp at each of the
schools so the coach has a three- to fourday look at that player. All that takes lots of
money, not to mention time.
And who gets hurt in this process?
The players. More and more of them will
start falling through cracks. Players who
cant afford summer camps or premier
club fees will not get the necessary exposure. Or the players who cant afford the
increasing number of unofficial visits
will not meet the coaches. After all, how
many summer camps or unofficial visits
can one player attend?
Its all out of control, says Kentucky
womens coach Warren Lipka. Were
forcing 15-year-olds into making decisions that they just arent ready to make.
Something has to be done. Its not a
healthy environment.
New Mexicos Kit Vella agrees. We
need to slow everything down, she says.
Picking a college should be a major decision in a students life. Students shouldnt
be pressured to decide on a college before
they have done all their research. The
decision needs to be well thought-out.
It should absolutely include a visit to
campus. It should not be about money,
but too often with too many, thats what it
10
comes down to. The kids commit for fear

of losing money.
Whats changed in the past five years?
More than ever before, coaches are
expected to win. There was a time that
all an athletic director asked of a coach
in non-revenue-producing sports was to
stay around .500, challenge for a conference championship every couple of years,
graduate students on time and avoid
embarrassing the university. For that you
received a subpar salary, had to answer
your own phones and drove one of the
team vans on road trips. On the plus side,
there was job security.
Now, with the introduction of yearround intercollegiate, inter-conference
and inter-city all-sports competitions
such as Sears Cup or the Lexus-Gauntlet Cup, which pits USC against UCLA,
the emphasis is on winning. With rising
coaches salaries and improved facilities,
expectations have increased. When a
coach doesnt win, someone needs to be
made accountable, and its not going to
be the athletics director.
The one who loses in all this, again,
is the player. Pat Britz, the NSCAAs
Division I Intercollegiate Programs
Director and author of the book Athletic
Scholarships for Dummies, believes the
early commitments hurt the studentathlete more than they help.
Early offers dont really commit the
school to anything, says Britz. Yet, they
take the kid off the market.
Youre going to see with increasing frequency coaches withdrawing offers that
they made to ninth and tenth graders as
those kids get older and someone better
comes along, or the coach falls out of love
with the player. Those kids will be out
of luck. As one athletic director admitted, NCAA legislation doesnt recognize
coaches promises to the students. The
only thing that protects kids is the papers
signed after the official signing dates.
The NCAA must address this.
Recruiting legislation was the topic
of a May 2007 meeting in Houston with
Britz and 15 or so concerned Division I
womens coaches. The general consensus
was that we have to try something, said
Britz. We need to legislate the problem.
Coaches at our Houston meeting
indicated that they would be in favor of
prohibiting all in-person contact between
a college coach and player before Sept.
1 of the players junior year, said Britz.

This would include all on-campus contact, including but not limited to coaches
camps and unofficial visits. That would
be a start.
Limiting roster size would be another
positive step. A look at college rosters will
show that some state schools are stockpiling 35 to 40 players and hoping to find
that one big-time player. Its rare for any
player ranked 30th or 40th on a team to
make a significant impact later.
Those players would have been better
off making a more informed decision that
could have led them to a quality Division
II, Division III or NAIA school where
they might have enjoyed the experience
of playing college soccer. No college
needs to carry more than 27 players.
Most colleges travel with only 18 players.
A third suggestion would mandate
that coaches report in writing to both
their athletics director and compliance officer all the commitments they have made
to high school student-athletes. These
commitments still would be non-binding
legally, but at least the athletics director would be aware of moral obligations
made on behalf of the institution.
Finally, no coach should be allowed
to make a commitment to a player until
the student has taken the ACT or SAT
test at least once, and the results of those
tests are verified as being within range of
minimum university requirements.
Remember, there was a time that
scholarships actually went to scholars. It
still should be at least part of the process.
It sure works in the Ivy League and at the
Division III level.
And think of it this way: With an
additional season or two to evaluate a
player, the coach also will make a more
informed decision on who can and cant
play for their respective program. That
will make them better coaches.
Im sure Ryan Boatright is a great kid,
but please, lets not follow the path of
college basketball and college football.
Once we head down that road, there is
no turning back.
Frank Pace is co-head soccer coach at
Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy. He was
voted Goalkeeper of the Decade at Jacksonville University 1970-79. He has been a
member of the NSCAA for 10 years.
11
Focus: Coaching Ages: Youth
STREET
SMARTS
Proponents believe unstructured play will

foster creativity in American soccer players
By Roni Mansur
Why is now the time to bring street
soccer to the United States?
In the aftermath of the 2006 World Cup
in Germany, sports critics and pundits were
quick to condemn the disappointing performances of the U.S. National Team. This
after many of these same experts jumped
on the bandwagon in 2002, prophesizing the dawning of a new era in American
soccer after the U.S. side shocked the entire
soccer world by making it to the quarterfinal stage of the tournament.
Although the 2006 performance was
widely characterized as an underachievement, it did unveil a larger symptom
plaguing American soccer. This symptom
was masked largely by the unexpected
feats of 2002. Steve Cherundolo, the right
back on the 2006 Mens National Team,
pinpoints this symptom: I think on the
whole, myself included, we werent clever
enough on the ball; we didnt create
enough chances for our forwards.
This lack of cleverness on the ball or
creativity is an intrinsic characteristic of
the way soccer is played in the United
States at all levels. At the professional level,
only a handful of American players can be
characterized as creative, and none of them
perform consistently at the highest level to
be considered a world-class creative player.
Most of the creative players in Major
League Soccer (MLS) are foreign imports.
It is widely recognized that great strides
have been made in U.S. soccer during
the last decade; however, it is imperative
that this symptom be addressed now, so
American soccer has a chance to ascend
to the next level during the next 10 years.
The root of this symptom can be traced
to the way in which American youth
soccer players are coached and developed
12
and the absence of street soccer in the

American youth soccer environment.
The street soccer concept needs to be
incorporated into the nations youth soccer coaching philosophy and methodology to help foster creativity and imagina-
the game from age 4 or 5 though their late

teens. This foundational structure typically
is provided by local youth soccer clubs,
school teams, colleges and universities. This
structure, usually absent or fragmented in
many of the developing nations in Africa,
The defining characteristic

of street soccer is that it is not organized.
tion as we develop our next generation
of soccer players. Coaches can take steps
to incorporate this concept into soccer
practices and games.
Asia and Latin America, now exists in

American youth soccer.
Secondly, the leading soccer-playing
nations have an effective process to identify
and develop top young players. In most
What is street soccer?
of these countries, the youth academies
Street soccer refers to the various
of professional soccer clubs identify and
kinds of pickup soccer games played
recruit talented players from their local
in parks, gyms and in streets and alleys
communities. Regional and national teams
around the world. The defining chartypically are selected from the pool of playacteristic of street soccer is that it is not
ers in these academies. In the United States,
organized. Players show up at the field
the Olympic Development Program (ODP)
and two teams are formed from the playselects regional and national level players
ers available. Two goals are set up, the
from open tryouts, which typically draw
goalposts often being made from t-shirts,
players from the top local youth soccer
bags, rocks or sticks. And, of course,
clubs. These youth soccer clubs are indea ball or representative round object is
pendent organizations and not affiliated
required. Everything else is negotiable,
with any professional soccer clubs, colleges
such as the boundaries and even the
or universities.
rules. There is no referee. There usually
The key difference between the youth
are no fans. There is no coach. It is soccer
academies of professional clubs overseas
in its most basic and unadulterated form.
and youth soccer clubs in the United States
are the goals and objectives of the two
How is the development of young soccer
players in the United States different from feeder systems. Most top youth soccer clubs
in the United States seek to win state cups
that in other top soccer-playing nations?
and tournaments as early as the U-10 and
There are several key elements that
U-11 age groups. In doing so, they often
exist in the youth soccer structures of top
soccer-playing nations. First, there is a basic sacrifice individual player development. In
structure that enables young people to play contrast, there is a longer-term vision at the
13
youth academies. Individual player development is the focus in these organizations

because the primary objective is to develop
each youth player as an individual in order
to discover the one or two players who
can progress to the next level and become
professionals for the club. For instance, the
goal of the soccer academies in England
is to develop the next Steven Gerrard or
Wayne Rooney rather than win the FA
Youth Cup every year.
Finally, young players in the top soccerplaying nations have sufficient opportunities to experiment with the game without
adult supervision. In most countries around
the world, pickup games and street soccer
are a way of life, and these young players
play soccer almost every day. This is where
many of the developing nations make up
for the lack of a formal structure. It is in
this aspect that youth players in the United
States are disadvantaged compared with
their global counterparts. U.S. soccer experiences are almost always supervised and
controlled by adults.
What are the implications of the absence
of street soccer in America?
The absence of street soccer leads
to a key difference between American
youth soccer and other nations programs. Around the world, young soccer
players come from all socio-economic
backgrounds. Young players face no significant financial barriers to entering the
sport because they always can play street
soccer with some friends as long as they
have a ball and some space.
However, because of the absence of
street soccer in America, youth soccer is
a primarily middle- to upper-class sport.
Low-income families confront significant
barriers to entry because it costs $300
to $500 per year for a young player to
play for two 10-week seasons with the
local town team. The cost of playing for
a youth soccer club ranges from $800 to
$1,500 per player annually.
Young soccer players from low-income families are excluded at a very early
age, which is unfortunate; many of these
players come from immigrant families
whose home countries have a rich soccer
culture. A further consequence of this
situation is that it reduces the pool of
potential players from which top talent
can be identified and developed.
As a result, the existing American youth
soccer structure is supported largely by
middle-class adults, who volunteer count14
less hours as coaches and spend a considerable amount of time and effort supporting
their childrens interests. However, most
of these adults did not grow up playing or
watching soccer and only have a cursory
understanding of the game. More important, most of them do not fully grasp the
fundamental differences between coaching
adult and youth sports.
As a consequence, the mantra of
playing for the team and achieving results is imposed much earlier in American youth soccer than it is in top soccer-playing nations around the world.
And it typically is done at the expense
of creativity, skills and independent
decision-making, all of which are es-
and basic structure for youth soccer in this

country, but in doing so, and in the absence
of street soccer, we as adults have wrested
control of the game away from the kids.
Structure makes us feel more comfortable
that real learning is taking place. However,
the highly structured environment that
exists today is not optimal for having young
players learn the game of soccer and fall in
love with it. It is time for us to give some
of the game back to the kids. It is time for
us to foster and encourage creativity, as
coaches, parents and fans, by creating an
environment where creativity and imagination flourish on the soccer field.
Creativity is the heart and soul of soccer. It is what makes fans gasp in wonder
The mantra of playing for the team and

achieving results is imposed much earlier in
American youth soccer than it is in top
soccer-playing nations around the world.
sential components of individual player
development. Teamwork and results are
important aspects of team sports and of
American culture in general, but these
elements should be secondary to individual player development at the youth
level of any sport, including soccer.
It is this difference that enables youth
players around the world to have more
time to develop their creative tendencies
and become more clever with the ball
before they learn to play in a structured
team environment. It is much easier to
encourage a nine- or 14-year-old soccer
player to be creative than a 22-year-old.
American kids are in no way less
creative or less capable than young players in Brazil or Italy. Its just that most of
them dont play soccer enough, and their
only opportunities to the play the game
are in a controlled environment where
most coaches, intentionally or unintentionally, suppress their players creative
instincts in order to achieve the best
outcome for the team.
Why should street soccer be considered
and what are its benefits?
We have created a strong foundation
and amazement. Creativity is Ronaldinho

making his trademark lightning-quick
outside-inside move and leaving yet
another hapless defender in his wake. It
is Maradona dribbling past two defenders and slipping a no-look through pass
to his fellow striker when everyone else
on the field and in the stands thinks he is
about to shoot for goal. It is the 10-yearold girl in Cambridge, Mass., making up
her own spin move during a game.
At the youth level, creativity draws
young players to the game and makes
them fall in love with it. If nurtured appropriately, it elevates the technical and
tactical aspects of the professional game
to a higher plane, to that point where it
becomes The Beautiful Game.
Creativity is difficult, if not impossible, to teach. It can only be encouraged
by providing an environment that helps
foster it, one that rewards risk-taking,
imagination and inventiveness an environment where creativity becomes almost
instinctive. That means establishing a
street soccer environment.
Around the world young soccer players
can be found kicking anything that reSoccer Journal May-June 2008
15
sembles a ball every chance they get alone

or with siblings or friends. They come up
with crazy moves to dribble past their older
brothers and sisters. They go to the park or
meet their friends on a quiet street to play
after school and on the weekends. They are
exposed to players of different ages and skill
levels on a daily basis and learn how to play
with and against them. They learn how to
deal with other young players and resolve
conflicts without adult supervision. They
do this in an environment that is forgiving
and relatively stress-free. Nobody remembers that you goofed up a crazy move if you
make a great pass the next time you have
the ball. Most important, there is no coach
or adult yelling from the sidelines if you
make a mistake.
This street soccer environment is
crucial for developing youth soccer
players. It enables them to try new
things and be clever on the ball while
having fun. It gives them the opportunity to stabilize their skills, develop at
their own pace and build confidence. It
exposes players continually to solving
soccer-related problems on their own,
which helps them develop their independent decision-making skills through
trial and error. But most important, it
allows young players to enjoy the game
for what it really is a game.
With a solid structure in place and
burgeoning interest in soccer among
young boys and girls, now is the time to
incorporate the concept of street soccer
into our youth development program. It
is the missing element in the American
youth soccer setup.
What are small-sided games and what are
some of their benefits?
The leading youth soccer organizations in this country U.S. Youth Soccer,
NSCAA and AYSO have followed in
the footsteps of the soccer federations
of Holland, France, Germany and Brazil
and taken steps to embrace and promote
small-sided games for youth players.
These organizations recommend that the
11 v. 11 game format should be applicable only for players above the age of
12; U-6 players should play 3 v. 3, U-8
players 4 v. 4, U-10 players 6 v. 6, and U12 players 8 v. 8. It also is recommended
that these small-sided games be played
on correspondingly smaller field sizes.
Soccer and child-development
researchers consider the small-sided environment to be developmentally appropri16
ate for young soccer players. It creates a

fun environment where kids are able to
get more touches on the ball and, as a
result, have more opportunities to score
goals than they would in an 11 v. 11
format. This increased participation also
provides more opportunities for players to practice the key technical skills of
dribbling, passing, tackling and shooting.
In addition, players tactical development
is accelerated; in small-sided games, they
are presented with a variety of soccer-related problems more frequently and they
have to make independent decisions.
Furthermore, the smaller games also help
develop the players mental skills. In
particular, they teach players to maintain
focus by not dwelling on mistakes that
coached just as effectively through smallsided games. In addition, using small-sided

games in practice sessions offers several
added benefits they allow players to learn
in more realistic and game-like situations.
They have more touches on the ball and
usually have more fun.
The next step coaches can take is to
adopt and promote street soccer within
their teams and local communities.
There are many reasons why it will be
challenging to bring street soccer in its
purest form to the United States, but
there are several ways to incorporate
the concept of street soccer into coaching sessions and methods.
One such approach is to dedicate a
portion of every practice to street soccer.
Soccer and child-development researchers

consider the small-sided environment to be
developmentally appropriate
for young soccer players.
would distract them from being ready for
their next touch on the ball.
The move to small-sided games for
younger players is a positive one, but it
has not yet been embraced and adopted
at the grassroots level in several states.
How is street soccer different from small-sided games and how can coaches incorporate
street soccer into American youth soccer?
The small-sided games concept offers
many benefits, but it still represents activities that adults control and direct. This
is the key difference between street soccer
and small-sided games. In street soccer,
there is no adult supervision.
The first step coaches can take is to
understand and promote small-sided games
in local youth leagues so young players can
have a developmentally appropriate environment in which to play soccer. They can
take this one step further by incorporating the concept of small-sided games into
coaching sessions instead of using old-fashioned drills in which players wait in line
for their turn to shoot on goal or dribble
through cones. All the techniques and
tactics that are taught through drills can be
During this segment, the coach steps

back and gives control of the game to
the players, who become responsible for
setting up a game themselves. The coach
may even decide to bar players from
using cones and pinnies for their games,
instead allowing them to figure out on
their own that their sweatshirts and water
bottles make fine goalposts and sidelines.
This approach can be discomforting
for coaches accustomed to maintaining
control and structure. It can be unnerving
for a coach to take a back seat and simply
watch the game, not say anything, make
any coaching points or settle disputed
calls. They may feel disengaged from the
practice and feel that they are not contributing to their players development.
However, this uninterrupted street
soccer game is one of the most effective
teaching tools available. As the saying goes,
the game is the best teacher. In addition,
coaches can take advantage of this opportunity to take a step back and observe their
players in a non-competitive situation to
better understand their strengths, development needs and interpersonal relationships.
17
This approach likely will make many

parents uncomfortable as well. As adults,
we typically equate structure and control as
necessary elements to learning, especially in
the United States. As a result, coaches will
need to educate parents about the benefits
of street soccer and the need for unsupervised play to help foster creativity and
imagination among young soccer players.
These street soccer sessions also represent a great opportunity for the players
to learn about ownership. The game
they just set up and are playing truly is
their own. The coach is there to tend to
injuries, but nothing else. The coach may
decide to join the game, but only under
the condition that he or she is treated the
same as any of the other players.
Another potential benefit of this approach is that it teaches young players to
become more independent and helps them
learn how to set up a soccer game without
adult supervision. This may seem trite, but
most of our young players are unable to
organize pickup games themselves. Their
concept of playing soccer is either going to
practice or playing a game, both of which
are supervised by adults.
Having our young players realize during practice sessions that they can easily
set up and play soccer without any help
from adults may encourage some to call
their friends and meet at a field to play
soccer after school. Its a long shot, but
with enough support and encouragement, maybe someday soon we will see
some of our kids playing pickup soccer
on their own. This is the probably the
closest we can hope to get to a street soccer environment in the United States.
What else can coaches do to encourage
creativity among our youth players?
A street soccer environment needs to be
supplemented by coaches who truly believe
in and encourage creativity. It is easy for
coaches to say that they embrace creativity. Its like motherhood and apple pie
everyone agrees that it is the right thing.
However, what this truly means is that they
must be willing to make creativity a higher
priority even above the results of a game
and the teams win-loss record. The implication is that they must be willing to lose
games as a team to encourage individual
player development and creativity.
In youth soccer, the physical and
technical development of young players can vary considerably, even within a
particular age group. For youth soc18
cer coaches who are interested only

in winning games, there is a tactical
formula that works effectively for teams
with physically dominant players. This
involves playing long passes to a big and
fast forward to create breakaway opportunities, which usually leads to goals.
Although we should encourage effort and
trying to win games, we also should be
concerned about the manner in which
players achieve their objectives.
Coaches should not use tactical approaches that increase the likelihood
of winning games at the expense of the
players long-term development. Coaches
who insist on using an approach that is
too physical will be putting their players
at a disadvantage in the long run, when
opponents catch up in physical maturity.
Players should be encouraged to play
with creativity, inventiveness, effort and
good technique, and they should be
congratulated when they display these
characteristics, even if the result on the
scoreboard is a loss.
Coaches also must understand that
creativity cant be taught, and that it
only can be nurtured in an appropriate
environment. Glimpses of creativity occur
fairly often during youth soccer when an
idea for a crazy move pops into a young
players head and they try something new.
Coaches need to understand that players
usually will fail the first time they try
something new. They probably will fail
the next few times as well. Coaches need
to be able to see what the players were
trying to accomplish and encourage it.
This approach requires a considerable
shift in mentality for a majority of American youth coaches. Its a potential roadblock that should not be trivialized. What
this means is that when a player tries a
no-look flick with the outside of the foot
but totally misses the ball, the coach must
recognize the idea and applaud it: Nice
try, youll get it next time.
However, most coaches rather would
use such an incident to make a coaching
point and instead show the player how
to receive the ball and pass it square to a
teammate to keep possession. In doing
so, the team benefits, but that moment of
inspiration and creativity is lost from the
game. Intentionally or unintentionally,
the coach has discouraged players from
trying that move or anything similarly
creative the next time a crazy idea pops
into their brains.
Bringing the street to America

The need to encourage creativity at
the youth level is of the utmost importance for the individual development of
young soccer players. The shift in the
philosophy and mentality of coaches
to prioritize creativity over results, and
not clamp down on it, is especially necessary because American children do
not grow up watching soccer on television or at stadiums nearly as much as
those in virtually every other soccerplaying nation. This puts them at a
distinct disadvantage in terms of not
being able to learn and mimic skills and
moves executed by top-class players.
What they are left with is their natural
creative tendencies as kids, tendencies
that must be nurtured. Coaches should
consider the concept of street soccer as
a means of providing an environment
that helps achieve this objective.
By incorporating street soccer in our
youth-coaching philosophy, that 10-yearold girl from Cambridge who came up
with the idea for her signature spin move
while playing 1 v. 1 with her younger
brother now has the opportunity to practice it on her teammates during the street
soccer portion of her practices. Once she
is comfortable with it at practices, she can
try her move during an actual game. If
she fails to execute it and falls down, she
wont be yelled at by her coach for losing
the ball, but encouraged to try it again.
Shell continue to be encouraged by
her coach each of the next eight times she
tries the move and fails. She perseveres and
on the 10th time she tries the move, she
actually pulls it off. It becomes the move
that her teammates try to learn from her. It
becomes the signature move that she uses
when she plays in high school and college
and throughout her soccer career. And it
becomes the move that one day she will
teach her kids and grandkids.
Editors note: Roni Mansur is a nationally licensed coach in the United States and
has been coaching soccer at the youth level
since 1999. A former collegiate player at the
University of New South Wales in Sydney,
Australia, he is the Director of Coaching at
Cambridge Youth Soccer, an organization with
more than 800 players and 70 coaches, in
Cambridge, Mass., and coaches a U-11 girls
travel team and U-6 boys and girls. In addition, he is a manager in the Strategy and Operations practice at Deloitte Consulting LLP.
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19
Focus: SJ Interview Ages: All
The Man with the Smile
Valeriy Gazzaev
By Andy Roxburgh
UEFA Technical Director
the reaction from everyone was amazing.

We won because we had good players,
a good president and a good coach [he
He has an infectious smile, and he has laughs and the smile sparkles]. The commitment was total, and everyone did his
much to smile about. Valeriy Gazzaev,
job professionally. The key was balance
the head coach of PFC CSKA Moskva,
the balance between our Brazilian and
was a top professional player, has won
many titles as a coach, and owns a share Russian players allowed us to benefit
from the qualities of each group.
in a well. As a player, he won the European Championship at Under-23 (1976)
What system of play do you use with
and Under-21 (1980) levels, was a
CSKA Moskva?
bronze medalist for the USSR at the 1980
For all my career at CSKA Moskva,
Olympic Games and lifted the Soviet Cup
(1984) as a member of the FC Dinamo
Moskva. He scored 89 goals in 283 appearances in the top Soviet league.
In his managerial role, the former
international striker (eight appearances
and four goals for the USSR) has captured the Russian championship four
times (once with Spartak Alania-Vladikavkaz and the others with CSKA Moskva),
the Russian Cup three times (all with
CSKA Moskva) and became the first RusI have used the same system three
sian coach to lift the UEFA Cup (2005)
defenders, five midfielders and two
when CSKA Moskva beat Sporting Clube
strikers. The two wing backs have alde Portugal in Lisbon.
ways done a great job both defensively
The man from Vladikavkaz was Russias
and offensively. Since 2001, we have
coach of the year in 2005, coached the nawon many trophies playing in this
tional team for a short period and received
way and my players like this system
the Order of Friendship and the Order of
of play. The most important aspect for
Honor from the Russian government. In his
us is that we are very well organized
playing days, he was known as a wizard
and responsible in our defensive work.
with the ball. As a coach he has produced
Everybody has his clearly defined job.
many moments of magic and has become
The second key is having five in
one of Russias most successful technicians.
midfield, not just quantity but also
A participant in UEFAs Elite Club Coaches
quality. We can really build up the atforum for the last three years and a memtacks, particularly with the use of our
ber of UEFAs champions league technical
fast players on the flanks. The high
study group in 2006 and 2007, he is the
level of our twin strikers completes the
man with the smile.
team unit and produces a system that I
am very comfortable with. Last season
What was the reaction in Russia when
in the UEFA Champions League, we
you won the UEFA Cup?
scored 16 goals and conceded only
Of course, this was a great success
because never before had a Russian club four, so the system works for us. I find
won a European trophy. It was a big cel- that three at the back is more secure
because, first and foremost, they
ebration and recognition for the whole
know what to do defensively and they
nation. The president of the country
remain in place, while a zonal four
gave us a reception in the Kremlin, and
can become stretched and imbalanced.

The latter has quantity, but for me the
former has greater security.
You have four Brazilians in your team. What
are the advantages and disadvantages?
When we got our Brazilian players they were not famous. They were
young boys when they came to us.
During their time with us, they have
matured into Brazilian national team
players and now CSKA is the only
team giving four players to the Brazil-
We focus on intensity because todays game is
very quick and high tempo. Therefore, my training

is intense and close to the match situation.
20
ian national team. These players have

great technical qualities. They are very
professional and they are a big plus for
us because we win many matches on
account of their quality. The big disadvantage is that we lose them when they
are away with Brazil.
How would you describe your training
methods?
Firstly, we focus on intensity because
todays game is very quick and high tempo. Therefore, my training is intense and
close to the match situation. Of course,
we do a lot of tactical work, together
with coordination and fluid movement
these elements are combined. Usually,
I incorporate the tactics we will use in
the game. The physical aspect also is
included, so it is a combined, complex
approach. We do practical exercises on
pressing, which are exhausting because
they require everyone to work hard. I
never hold training sessions for longer
than one hour and fifteen minutes, but
they are very concentrated and demandSoccer Journal May-June 2008
21
ing in order to push everybody up to the

match level.
What are the tactical trends in Russian
football?
I would say that the tactical trends
are similar to those in the rest of Europe.
Many use 4-4-2 or 4-3-3, but the quality
of the play is not as high as the top UEFA
Champions League teams. The only one
who is not following the trends is me.
Most of the clubs are playing cautiously,
building from defense and playing counterattack the aim mainly is not to lose.
The next UEFA Champions League final will
be in Moscow. What can we expect?
Firstly, I hope that a Russian club
will be in the final. It is a great honor
for Russia to get the final, and we will
do everything to make it a big success.
For the whole country and for the association, it is an important development.
It will attract a great deal of attention
to football, and I am sure it will be
a well-organized, spectacular final. I
agree with the decision to play on real
grass, although the artificial surface in
Moscow is good. The level of organization will be high, and Moscow will do
its utmost to welcome everybody.
Do you think a team from Russia is capable of winning the UEFA Champions League
in the near future?
There has been a lot of investment in
the game in Russia, including the infrastructure, and the competitive level has
improved, with eight or nine top clubs
of a similar standard. I believe that in the
near future, we are capable of having a
team in the final of the UEFA Champions
League. It is really only in the last six
years that we have become fully professional in Russian football. We now are
experiencing a rapid development in the
game. I think that in five years time we
can have one of the top five championships in Europe. Now we are investing
in quality players and top coaches are
coming to Russia, so the trend is toward
the top European level.
Who were your favorite players and coaches?
I believe every coach should have his
own way. We should not copy. Yes, I like
Sir Alex Ferguson and I respect his work,
but the key is to find your own way. Oleg
Blokhin, whom I played with, was a great
player, as was Lev Yashin and, of course,
Valerii Lobanovskyi was an outstanding
22
coach in the former USSR.

Is there still a distinctive Russian style of
football?
I dont think that there is a Russian
style of playing football because we
have many foreign players and coaches.
Of course, there is South American and
European football, and we are part of
the latter. Maybe there was a Soviet
style, but now modern Russia does not
have a distinctive way of playing.
How do you handle todays top professionals?
It is a big problem to handle top professionals nowadays, but I can deal with
that. I am constantly working on psychology. I have intense discussions with the
players, trying to make them understand
that money is only part of the equation.
They need to work for their name, their
reputation. It is not an easy task, but I
feel that I can cope. I am always touching
the human aspect. They are football players, but their behavior also is important.
They need to learn from their experiences
because it will benefit them later in life,
and I communicate regularly with the
players on a one-to-one basis.
Strict discipline in the team is a priority for us. It is the base. Then come the
individual discussions and the personal
development. Of course, you cannot
make players from the outside (such as
the Brazilians) love Russia, but you can
get them to respect the traditions here
and to do their job as professionals. The
Brazilians love Brazil, naturally, so we
experience a difference in mentality between our Russian players and those who
have come from South America.
the game?
I think there is a difference between
the East and the West. We in Russia
have just started with a professional
life, including the contractual duties
of a player, dealing with the owner/
president, etc. All of this is new to our
people, and the mentality is different
in the East. But I see things changing.
Gradually we are moving toward the
same standards as those in the leading
Western countries. However, I must
admit that there is a difference today,
although respect for the players and the
coaches is going up and up.
For you, what are the best and the worst
aspects of football today?
For the last 100 years, football has
been the most popular game, and I love
it. However, some developments have
disappointed me. I do not agree with
the current interpretation of the offside
law because many are afraid and therefore play cautiously. This is a negative
trend in the game. Also, football is so
popular that it can create jealousy when
some get too much money or too much
fame. From a positive perspective, I will
never forget the emotion of winning the
UEFA Cup. Winning and collecting trophies always is a wonderful experience
in football, and the games appeal continues to grow throughout the world.
What does the future hold for Russian

football and for Valeriy Gazzaev?
I think that the future of Russian
football is bright, and I see myself coming back to the national team one day.
I would like to do something for my
country. There is a boom in Russian footWhat do you think are the most imporball, with five new stadiums being built
tant qualities of a modern coach?
and support coming from the governAs a coach, you need to be aware of
ment and the private sector. People now
the culture that the players come from
understand the role of football in our
and react accordingly. There needs to be a
society, so we see growth, also at grassvery good relationship between the coach
roots level. Many of the stadiums are full,
and the player, no matter their place of
and the management around the clubs is
origin. The coach needs to be a strong
improving. Our victory in the UEFA Cup
character and a good psychologist. I read
even gave a boost to the activities of the
a lot and I prepare myself to deal with the
football schools. The kids want to play,
various psychological problems. When
and they know after our success that Rusthe players think that the coach is not a
sian clubs are capable of winning.
strong character, then everything can be
lost, even if he has all the tactical knowlThis interview was first published in The
edge and an outstanding ability to read
Technician by Andy Roxburgh and can be
the game.
found at www.UEFA.com.
Do you see a difference between Eastern
Europe and the West in the approach to
23
LANGUAGE
BARRIER
In an exclusive Soccer Journal interview, author and sociologist Andrei
Markovits examines why soccer remains outside the American sports mainstream
The following is an interview with Andrei
Markovits, author (with Steven Hellerman)
of Offside: Soccer and American Exceptionalism.
Soccer is the most popular sport globally, yet in the United States it is an also-ran
behind basketball, baseball, football and
hockey. Why is it different here? Why is
America exceptional? In his book, Markovits
offers some historically-founded explanations
for this exceptionalism. He shows parallels
with other U.S. deviations from the global
norm, such as the absence of socialism.
Markovits was born in Romania into a
multilingual family. He attended secondary
school in Vienna, Austria, before enrolling at
Columbia University in New York, where he
received a doctorate in 1976. He is a social
scientist and professor of Comparative Politics and German Studies at the University
of Michigan. He has published 19 books, including writings about one of his specialties,
the comparative sociology of modern sports
cultures. Former Kalamazoo (Mich.) College
coach and current Soccer Journal Editorial
Committee member Hardy Fuchs recently
sat down with Markovits for an interview
about the issues raised in this book.
In 1988, you published an article titled

Why Is There No Soccer in the USA? and
answered your own question in 2001 with
the book on Soccer and American Exceptionalism. The key word is exceptionalism. Could you paraphrase the title and
summarize the agenda of the book?
Let me give you a little bit of a ge-
Why is there no soccer in the USA? must

refer to soccer as a spectator sport, be-
Between 1880 and 1920, in Western Europe

and the United States, the major
sports languages were learned.
nealogy. As a sociologist, I use my eyes

and ears as my tools. I remember being
stunned by the fact that colleagues of
mine in the States and around the world
were quite similar, with one exception: the ones in America knew all the
American sports icons but had no idea
who Puskas and Helmut Rahn were. The
internationals friends knew something
about the American sports scene, and all
You were trained as a social scientist, and of them knew everything about soccer
you write a book that focuses on soccer.
worldwide. In 1986, I was teaching a
What moved you to write on this topic?
course on a boat going down the DanI was born in the Western part of
ube; it was the year of the World Cup in
Romania and in the 1950s, my father
Mexico. I led a schizophrenic existence
would take me to watch professional
on that boat: during the day, I was on the
soccer games regularly the local squad
upper deck with my American audience,
playing against teams from Bucharest
chasing down the news between classes
and others. Once, there was a big game
(this is before the Internet!) about how
against a team from Stockholm, Sweden. the Celtics had done against the Rockets.
Once, I remember my father saying that I Late at night, I descended into the bowels
would remember the 4th of July, that day of the ship and watched World Cup
would be important in my life [It was the games at 1 a.m. with Ukrainian, Russian
day Germany beat Hungary in Switzerland
and Bulgarian sailors. We didnt speak
in a sensational upset during the 1954 World each others languages, but we underCup Editor].
24
stood one another because we spoke

soccer. I returned home and wrote about
this experience in the 1988 article. Later,
in the late 90s, I was a fellow at the Wissenschafts-Kolleg in Berlin and decided to
expand the article into this book.
cause as a participation sport it is very

much a success here.
Exactly. But the people here dont
speak soccer. Ironically, the United
States is the second oldest country after
England with organized soccer. There
were leagues here in 1891. The game has
been played here for quite some time,
but not spoken. Thats the dilemma.
When the average American is asked why
soccer has little appeal in the States, one
hears a number of reasons: Not enough
goals; no visible structure; no coaching
during a game; no time-outs; it is a foot
sport and somewhat foreign; the best
U.S. players go overseas. Your comment?
All nonsense. It has everything to do
with history. People here dont mind lowscoring baseball games; in fact, the true
baseball fans love these games the most.
It has to do with what you learn growing
up. Between 1880 and 1920, in Western
Europe and the United States, the major
sports languages were learned. My European friends find American sports borSoccer Journal May-June 2008
25
ing because they didnt learn them and

they dont understand them. Once they
speak these sports languages they dont
find them boring anymore. And it is the
same with Americans. In general, Americans have not learned this language.
Also, in this world of globalization, the
Americans are the best in their major
sports, and athletes from overseas want
to play here, such as hockey players from
Russia and Europe dreaming about the
NHL. Conversely, and logically, American
soccer players want to play in Europe.
And they should. But the consequence:
the best soccer is not played here. This
conflict is not easily resolved, obviously.
Encouragingly, MLS attendance is up, TV
ratings unfortunately not.
On occasion, another theory suggested for
soccers second-class status here is that
there is a conspiracy on the part of those
entities that are heavily invested in the
major U.S. sports, such as franchise owners,
equipment manufacturers and media, and
they are eager to suppress the rise of the
competitor soccer that wants a piece of
the monetary action. Your thoughts on this?
Nonsense. I dont believe in conspiracy theories in this context. And it
is factually not true. The various sports
are not mutually exclusive. There are
actually multiple sports franchise owners;
e.g. (Robert) Kraft owns the Patriots and
the Revolution. The godfather of soccer
franchises was Lamar Hunt, whose name
graces the American Football Conferences trophy. No, no conspiracies here
It all goes back to what happened at the
end of the 19th and the first two decades of
the 20th century: A sport that was not successful in entering the sports space during
the time would find no room later within
the culture. But and here I am optimistic
sports space can expand. Soccer has come
into the United States; basketball is played
in Europe. But basketball will not displace
the Bundesliga in Germany, no matter how
many (Dirk) Nowitzkis should play basketball there.
We know that soccer families in the
United States are above average on the
socio-economic and educational scale. Is
that fact related to the minor status of
the game here?
Yes, there is a connection. If you look
at the background of the typical German
or British soccer player, it is similar to
that of the American football, basketball,
and baseball player and the Canadian
26
hockey player. And, conversely, basketball in Europe is upper-middle class, just

what soccer is here. The game is a new
language, not widely spoken yet. The
difference-maker could be the Hispanic
population. One of the MLSs most difficult tasks is that it has to appeal to two
fundamentally different markets; on the
one hand, to upper-middle-class fans; on
the other hand, to male Latinos. Overall,
MLS is doing a fine job in this regard. I
am a fan of the MLS.
didnt have much coverage other than

wire service stories. Now it sends two
full-time reporters to cover the World
Cup, as does the Los Angeles Times. The
World Cup is like the Olympics. Those in
the United States who do not follow the
MLS still follow the World Cup.
That sounds like progress, but it also

shows no more than a sporadic success of
the sport in this country. Every four years,
the circus is in town, and everyone goes to
see it. When the circus is gone, so is the
interest.
Speaking of the MLS, its predecessor, the
Thats true, but changing. The MLS
NASL, tried in the 1970s to bring soccer
is
changing
it. For sure, there still isnt
into mainstream America, but was not sucmuch
discussion
when the Revs play the
cessful. What did the NASL do wrong?
Dynamo.
The
Revolution
will not rival
First of all, they completely overexthe
Red
Sox,
not
in
our
lifetime.
The Revs
panded financially; the whole thing was
dont
have
the
same
history,
but
they
built on mirrors. On the other hand,
A sport that was not successful in entering the sports

space during the late 19th and early 20th centuries
would find no room later within the culture.
the New York Cosmos were truly years
ahead of their time. They became the first
global team, and it was what Chelsea and
Bayern Munich are today. But the NASL
was awfully planned (by the way, there
were lots of football people among the
franchise owners). During that time, the
early 70s, soccer was really foreign; it was
a niche sport.
Today, it is different. The word soccer is as American as apple pie. It is a
very different sports world today in the
United States. Soccer is not strange anymore, even though it still is not discussed
on sports radio, and ESPN doesnt have
forums about whom various teams are recruiting. Lets say soccer here has become
Olympicized. Every four years, the
World Cups have become big, and people
follow them.
For a historic perspective, in 1970
the World Cup was held in Mexico, and
I had to go to some obscure sports bar in
New York with closed-circuit TV to watch
the Germany-Italy semifinal. Even during
the 1978 Cup in Argentina, one had to
go to a theater to be able to see games.
Today, you can watch all the games at
home. Before, even the New York Times
produce pretty good attendance overall.

And the Boston Globe covers the team
very well; the paper has a real beat-writer
and thats whats needed: daily coverage.
Fox Soccer Net has 750,000 viewers,
not close to a NFL broadcast, for sure.
But there is a ripple effect, and here is an
indicator: On ESPNs SportsCenter, at the
end of their top-10 list, they now include
some marvelous soccer goal, rarely from
MLS but the viewers get to see a spectacular score.
Equally important is the fact that
sports journalists are learning soccer
language and using it. Here is the golden
key for soccer to become in our lifetime
what hockey is now: no way close to
the big three sports, but a real presence.
People talk about it the radio guy about
who should play up front. The next step
would be cars driving around Kalamazoo
with a Fire flag on their car. This will
happen, but only this way: the national
mens team either wins a World Cup or
plays a glorious semifinal and loses to
Germany, 3-4, in a great match that gets
tremendous coverage and two U.S. players become super-stars, soccer personalities who are recognized worldwide.
Fortunately, MLS knows what it is

doing. They are in for the long haul, and
they understand soccer is a global sport.
Beckham will be a plus and should have
a better season. He has already gotten a
lot of headlines in the States and overseas
while hardly playing last season.
In your book, you write about American
exceptionalism in areas other than soccer. Please explain.
It is a very Eurocentric view of U.S.
history; the Germans call it Sonderweg.
Among other things, the United States
developed much less through state development, much more through markets;
the country never had to rebel against
a king; it was the first republic. It also
developed religion differently, as well as
the relationship between state and society.
The United States is the only advanced
industrial society with no major socialist
party. Its because in the United States the
ties to ethnicity are stronger than class.
In Europe, a person identified himself as
a worker in those formative years, in the
United States as a Pole, for instance.
So there are many dimensions in which
the United States developed differently
from Europe, and the status of soccer here

is part of this overall exceptionalism. The
United States created its own sports, apart
from the rest of the world, at the same time
that soccer emerged in Britain.
Why isnt rugby the global sport? Well,

rugby rules are much more complex, and
the game requires considerable strength.
Beckenbauer could not have been a rugby
player.
What kind of reception has your book

received?
It has gotten some great reviews. The
best actually came out in Germany, and
there were very positive assessments in the
scholarly literature. The soccer community
here also embraced it; there was a special
presentation at the National Soccer Hall of
Fame in Oneonta, N.Y. Gerard Houllier,
former Liverpool coach, sent me a handwritten note on Liverpool stationery!
about how much he loved the book.
Finally, what is your formula for soccer

to succeed as a spectator sport in this
country? What does the future look like
for soccer?
Unlike food and music, a team sport
cannot be transplanted that easily. There
are hopeful signs, as mentioned, such as
soccer on ESPNs SportsCenter. A solid
showing soon in a World Cup, lets say
by 2018, will be critical. I hope FIFA will
decide to have it in the USA. When guy
one says to guy two at the water cooler,
Should Donovan play outside mid or
as a striker? we will be witnessing the
beginning of a soccer culture.
Soccer is played everywhere. What features

have made it the global sport?
Thats a tough one. Look, its a simple
sport. We could move the tables out of the
way here, put down cups as goalposts and
have a one-on-one. It is truly a democratic
game. You dont have to be particularly big
or tall or fast. You dont have to be anything
particular. Look at some of the soccer greats
of the past: Pel, Maradona, George Best.
The Coach Emeritus at Kalamazoo

College in Kalamazoo, Mich., Hardy
Fuchs conducted this exclusive interview for Soccer Journal. He is a frequent
contributor to the magazine and can be
reached at fuchs@kzoo.edu.
27
Team Notebooks
Focus: Coaching Ages: U-15 and above
Writing to the Next Level: Part 2
By Richard Kent, Ph.D.

University of Maine
Part I of this series on team notebooks introduced the first two

sections of a basic notebook. Those two sections of a players notebook included:
Pre-Season Thoughts: Guides players in thinking about the previous season and the coming season. Players write about their
preparation and goals for the season.
Match Analysis I: Guides players in reflecting on a match.
As explained in Part I, these notebooks provide players a place to
reflect, analyze and set goals. This article focuses on the next three
sections of team notebooks, including the Match Analysis II, PostSeason Thoughts, and Players Notes.
Match Analysis II (MAII)

Have you ever shown a match film to your team and then
during the discussion have only a few of your veteran players participate? This section of the Team Notebook (Figure 1)
guides all players and coaches in thinking about a match they
have watched as a team. Used as a learning tool, the Match
Falcon Soccer
Match Analysis II by: Jonathan

Fill out the following for matches that we watch together as a team.
Analysis II (MAII) frontloads team discussions and adds to a

players emerging picture of that next level of play. Here are
some ways of using the MAII with your team:
Next Level Matches: When middle schoolers attend a high
school match or when a college team attends a professional
match, players may use the MAII to help unpack a match.
Tournaments: During a tournament, select one match to
observe and write about. You may wish to choose a match
that features a team (or teams) you play during the regular
season or may play in post-season. If a particularly dynamic
team is participating, one that your side never will play, you
may want to select that match for the pure learning value.
Jonathans analysis in Figure 1 includes one team from our
own high school conference.
First Team-Second Team: Your club or school may field first
and second teams. Once a season the first team could watch
and analyze the second teams match using the MAII. The
second team should have the same opportunity.
The following is a team discussion activity called Listening
In that takes place in a training session after a first team-second team match:
Defenders:
Moved well together.
Defenders:
Seemed spacey. Lost track of
play.
Keeper:
Poor positioning. No talk. Cried
after second goal.
Team #1: FHS
Team #2: THS
Alignment of Players:
Alignment of Players:
Keeper:
Confident great technique
team leader.
4-4-2
4-4-2 1st half

4-3-3 2nd half
Team #1 Man of the Match:
Team #2 Man of the Match:
#6 left mid. His runs through

the D opened up huge space. He
always encouraged his mates.
Hes the kind of player Id like
to be. Great goal.
Sweeper he kept his cool.

Its not easy managing younger
players.
(e.g. 4-4-2, 4-3-3)
(e.g. 4-4-2, 4-3-3)
Strengths:
Outside midfielders made great
runs
Strengths:
Individual players: Center Mid
and Sweep
Weaknesses:
They seemed to relax when they
were up 2-0.
Weaknesses:
Young. Didnt use space
well.
Halftime Adjustments:
None??? They came out flat.
Over-confident.
Halftime Adjustments:
Went to a 4-3-3- to get more
targets up front.
General Comments:
Forwards:
Fast
Forwards:
Lacked movement.
Midfielders:
Athletic
Midfielders:
Lost composure their talk was
not constructive.
Why?
Why?
Moment of the Match:

#6s run through the D and his one-touch to the near post. Sweet
String Music! Magic!
Final Analysis:
Think as a coach about team strengths (e.g. athleticism, speed, coaching, motivation/heart) and/or weaknesses. What adjustments might you have made to either team if you were the teams coach?
THS needed to work on the simple things: move to space and play
the way you face. They were a lot younger than FHS and just
needed to try to play within themselves. Its like you told us over
the last two years. Play the fundamentals its a simple game so
keep it that way. As for FHS, they didnt stay focused for the
whole match. Their coach needed to teach, not yell the guy
embarrassed himself.
Figure 1 Jonathans Match Analysis II (front and back)

28
29
Listening In
The team that observed the match separates into groups of
forwards, midfielders and defenders/keepers. Players discuss
the match for 10 to 15 minutes using their individual MAII
as guides.
The coach calls the three groups together and leads them in
a discussion about the match they observed.
The team that played in the match sits outside the discussion
and listens in. Those players may wish to take notes in their
team notebook while listening.
After the discussion, the team that listened leaves to discuss
their match using both their observation notes from the discussion and their Match Analysis I sheets.
The rules of Listening In are clear-cut: Players analyzing
the match are cautioned not to single out one players performance, good or bad, or to critique the coach. The team being
critiqued listens in and is not allowed to speak. The activity
demands maturity and trust.
Another use for Match Analysis II is during film sessions:
Whether using your own match films or World Cup selections, the
MAII provides a mechanism for all players to reflect on a match.
After the film, give players a few minutes to write the analysis. To
change it up a bit, you may wish to group players by positions or
year in school. Ask them to fill out one MAII as a group.
The MAII became especially useful on my travel teams. After
attending professional matches in England, players would talk
through the match on the tube (subway) and spend time in
their rooms writing analyses. Later, we would sit in a hallway
or hotel lobby to discuss the match. More than several times
Londoners who heard our conversation joined in. Any coach or
soccer fan would have enjoyed being a part of those deliberations; notebook analyses always raise the level of conversation
and ratchet up the learning. As a bonus, spirited discussions
with hometown supporters create lifelong memories.
Post-Season Reflections
This end-of-the-season section promotes closure, assists
players in setting preliminary goals for the off-season and helps
coaches think about the next season. If you conduct post-season debriefing sessions with individual athletes, the sheets help
guide these discussions.
Jonathans Post-Season Reflection (Figure 2) reveals his
growth: This year I really felt like I led the team. And he had.
Through his play, Jonathan emerged as an on-field captain even
though he did not wear the armband. The next season, his
senior year, he would captain our side.
During our debriefing session, we spoke about his need
to earn money for college; that discussion led us to talk about
his potential for playing beyond high school. We reviewed the
winter indoor season and discussed recruiting players. Jonathan
was acutely aware of the value of indoor play in the off-season. Another discussion point focused on Jonathans perceived
weakness in dealing with players who make excuses and
whine about everything.
Players Notes
The pages of this section prove to be more useful if the
outline of a pitch is photocopied on them. This way, a player
30
Falcon Soccer
Post-Season Reflections by: Jonathan

3 My strengths this season as a player:
Last year I felt like I directed the defense pretty well. This year I
really felt like I led the team. Its such a cool feeling to be able to
orchestrate (thanks for the word) an attack. I saw the full field
I knew what to say and how to say it I felt confident on the
ball I loved the one-on-one moments with great players. Ryan
and I worked well together.
3 My weaknesses this season as a player:
I made some bad decisions during matches and I let those decisions get to me. I pouted during the Winthrop match after I got
toasted. The last 15 minutes or in OT, sometimes I felt tired.
Like you said, I need to think about preserving energy. I just
dont like players who make excuses and whine about everything. I
have to learn to talk with them better.
3 In the off-season heres what I plan to do to improve as a player for
the next season:
Train! Ive got the whole year planned and Ill show it to you in
our debrief. Im playing indoor with Central. Ryan and I designed
a weight program were going to be HUGE! Summer camp to be
sure. Ill co-coach community center soccer I have to work more
hours this summer College $$$$.
Figure 2 Jonathans
Post-Season Reflection
(front and back)
3 When I review the goals I set for myself at the beginning of the
season in my notebook, heres how I think I did:
I wrote about talk, composure and leadership on and off the pitch.
I feel good about everything except off-field leadership. I have to
learn to talk with kids who arent into it. They just bug me.
3 This year our team strengths included:
We had good movement off the ball
Good talk
Positive attitude
Seniors
Great pregame, good stretching
Making the finals and playing tough.
3 This year our team weaknesses included:
Seniors - haha, just kidding. Ill miss them.
Maybe were too polite sometimes. I know well have to talk
about this one.
Playing quicker...that will come with age.
3 Heres how Im doing in my classes this season:
Classes
How Im doing
Pre-Calculus
B (Ill get an A 2nd Qtr.)
Physics B+
Writing Center English
A (This class is easy. Ha!)
US History
A
Psychology A
3 Other thoughts:
How about a 2-day minicamp in preseason at the lake? Ryan
and I will organize it. Itll be great for getting everybody together.
Thanks for everything, Coach. See you in English!
could design a free kick, sketch an opposing teams goal-scoring attack or take notes. Here are three examples for utilizing
Players Notes:
While watching the Premier Leagues Goal of the Week Virtual Replay (www.premierleague.com), ask players to take
notes on the five goals of the week. Direct them to identify
defensive lapses or diagram the attack to point out what
makes the build-up and resulting goal special. This writing activity gets every player involved and serves to prepare
players more thoroughly for team discussions. End the session by voting on the goal of the week.
At the halfway point of your regular season, after playing
every opponent once, ask your players to create an all-star
team selected from league opponents (do not include your
own players on this list). Use the following sequence:
o Provide your players with a list of the starting 11 from
each league opponent (itd be best if you printed their
names and numbers on a pitch in their starting positions).
o Ask players to select their all-star starting 11, list the
players attributes below their names, and sketch-out the
all-star team on a Players Notes page.
o Ask your forwards, midfielders and defenders to come to
consensus on an all-star team.
o Share the lists with the rest of the team.
o Using the lists, discuss the candidates and come to a consensus of a final league all-star team.
This exercise begins with an individual players thinking,

moves to small-group discussions and ends up in a full-team
dialogue. Such a progression creates a unique training session.
It helps players think about the qualities and skills of next-level
players and heightens awareness of power players on other
teams. As they think about all-star players and review your
first-half matches, your team members are preparing themselves
for the seasons second half.
After explaining a new concept to your team (e.g., zonal defense of 3-5-2), give players a few minutes to write about the concept as a way to gauge their understanding. You might suggest that
the players write as if explaining the concept to a less-experienced
player (e.g., college players write to high school players). Next,
have your players read and discuss their writing with a partner
usually, if theres any confusion, itll surface during this time.
Part III of Team Notebooks (in the next issue): Writing to
the Next Level will feature additional sections that coaches
could add to the basic team notebook. The educational theories
and research that support the use of team notebooks will be
highlighted in the final article as well as an FAQ section.
Editors note: Richard Kent is an assistant professor of literacy and
director of the National Writing Project site at the University of Maine.
A soccer and ski coach for three decades, Kent researches writing to
learn in athletics and serves as a consultant to athletes, coaches, and
teams. A National Educator Award recipient, Kent is the author of
seven books. He may be reached at rich.kent@maine.edu.
31
Techniques for Managing

STRESS in Football
By Kimberlee Bethany,
David W. Eccles and
Gershon Tenenbaum
This article was extracted from Insight Journal, The FAs Coaches Association technical coaching journal. For overseas membership check out
Insight Live, the online coaching resource providing discussion forums, voting, plus access to all the
same valuable coaching content including, audio
interviews, coaching vacancies industry updates,
sports science articles and of course Insight Journal and its archive stretching back some 30 years!
http://insightlive.thefa.com.
Stress is a part of football, for players
and for coaches, both on and off the field.
Stress matters because it makes an impact
on performance. With too much stress, performance disintegrates a player suffering
from either fear or anxiety is more prone
to technical mistakes and judgment errors.
With too little stress, though, performance
also diminishes a completely relaxed
player may be overconfident, lacking in
motivation and insufficiently aroused to
notice critical cues on the field.
All players have what has become
known as an Individual Zone of Optimal Functioning (IZOF). Their IZOF is
the level of stress that produces the best
performance. Getting to know players and
assessing their stress reactivity can help
coaches figure out how to approach their
players. Before the match, some players will
need relaxation, while others will need a
little fear and fire. Likewise, getting to know
yourself and figuring out your peak level
of stress (the level of arousal at which you
are most aware and best at decision making) will help you improve your coaching
performance. However, understanding the
implications of stress and figuring out the
IZOF for yourself and each of your players
wont, on their own, make an impact on
your practice sessions and the outcome of
a match. You need to know how to get into
and stay in this zone by learning how to
manage your stress. You also need to know
how to get back into the zone if you sud32
denly find yourself too hyped or too lackluster. Stress-management training should
be an integral part of any training program.
much stress is the right amount. First,

you want to evaluate how much arousal
you are feeling (what is the physiological
reaction heart rate, sweating, etc.). Second, you want to evaluate how pleasant
Defining Stress
Several terms are associated with stress, the feeling is. Does it feel bad (distress) or
but mean slightly different things arousal, good (eustress)?
High arousal with low pleasure is bad.
stress, fear and anxiety. Its helpful to disThats watching your star players knee
tinguish among them to understand more
blown out.
about how we function under stress.

Low arousal with low pleasure also is
Arousal is basic and physiological
bad. Think about Friday afternoon be your heart racing, your breath quickfore a holiday, the last hour before you
ening, an increase in sweat. Arousal
can leave the desk behind for a full
is about your body and its physical
week, and how slowly the clock ticks.
reactions you have the same rush of

Low arousal and high pleasure is a
pulse, breath and sweat across situwonderful thing like the soft lull of
ations as varied as a fistfight, a roller
a massage or relaxing on a tropical
coaster ride and a romantic encounter.
beach with a fruity rum concoction in
Stress is the emotional way in which
your hand. However, this is not the
you interpret your bodys arousal, and
best state of mind for sport (except,
may be categorized as either eustress
perhaps, for golfers who need to relax
or distress.
into their swing or rifle marksmen who
o Eustress is positive stress the exneed their hands to be perfectly still).
citement of the opening match of the
season, the flurry of emotions after a
For football players, the best level of
match-winning kick, the high of an
stress
is likely to be the kind that is both
after-victory party.
high
arousal
and high pleasure exciteo Distress is negative stress the knot
ment
coursing
through your blood, your
in your throat after making an erheart
pounding
furiously and all the
ror that costs your team a match, a
while
youre
enjoying
every moment.
churning stomach when youre not
Simple
common
sense
tells us that the
sufficiently prepared for your oppobest
stress
is
the
kind
under
which you
nent, the sweaty palms when youre
and
your
players
perform
the best.
unsure of your next move.
You
have
to
become
a
keen
observer:
On
Fear When your distress is in reacmatches
at
home
when
the
stadium
is
tion to a real threat to well-being
packed with roaring fans and the pressure
(for instance, the horror of seeing an
to achieve is high, which players perform
opponents spikes slam into your star
players knee), you experience the con- the best? At away matches during the
beginning of the season when the stakes
crete reaction of fear.
are low and there are fewer people watch Anxiety When your distress is in reing, who dominates on the pitch? Do you
action to an imagined or anticipated
threat (for instance, worry about a po- make better decisions about the match
tential loss in a championship match), plan if youve just come from a relaxing
cup of tea, or if you hang up the mobile
you experience the vague reaction of
phone from an argument with someone
anxiety.
just as you pull into the club car park?
Be systematic try to use a diary to
Figuring out the IZOF
evaluate
yourself and every player on
Essentially, there are two main comyour
team
throughout several practices
ponents to consider when evaluating how
33
practice, but it can make a world of difand matches. Talk to your players about
Lists: The reason that lists are effective is
ference the difference between success
what youre doing make sure they
because they free up mental space. Imagand failure isnt the situation, but how
understand that this evaluation will not
ine that on your way to practice, you
you approach it. To learn reframing and
determine when, if or how they play, but
are worrying over your daughters new
teach it to your players, start with small
rather how you approach them. You dont
boyfriend, your conflict with another
tasks straightening out a disorganized
want the process of learning about your
member of the coaching staff and the 15
locker could be a disgusting task, or a
players ideal stress levels to create even
errands you have to do before heading
chance for a player to clean up and learn
more stress. Explain at a team meeting
home. If you try to manage the practice
a little about discipline.
that youre trying to get a better grasp on
session while thoughts clutter your head,
ideal conditions for everyone, and that
Thought stopping: Thought stopping
you will have only half your mental
youll be asking them to tell you how
works in the heat of the moment, when
space available. This may seriously afaroused they feel (zero, ready to go to
you dont have time to pull out paper
fect your work. On the other hand, if
sleep, through 10, coursing with electricand pen for a list and when reframing
you have a pen and paper in your car,
ity) and how pleasant the arousal is (zero,
would take too much effort. Imagine the
you can write down every worry you
absolutely unpleasant, through 10, the
middle of a practice and youre workhave and every task you have left to acmost enjoyable experience possible).
ing with the goalkeeper on his defensive
complish. You then can clear your mind
Once they learn how to answer quickly,
you can have a staff assistant ask them
for their stress levels at intervals such as
water breaks, during stretching, in between
running laps. You then will record how
they report they feel, as well as your own
observations about how they are behaving (fidgeting, sweating before the match
starts and little tics like continually running
fingers through hair can be indicators that a
player is feeling stress).
Include performance assessments in the
diary, then look for patterns. Perhaps one
technique. He is getting frustrated by the
completely, knowing that the list is safely
player makes more goals when his numbers
problems he is experiencing in changawaiting your return. You can head to
are 5 and 5, whereas another plays better
ing his technique and beginning to talk
practice with 100 percent mental space
defensively when her numbers are 8 and
back. Before getting angry at his insubavailable. If you have players that tend
ordination and wasting a few minutes of
4. The pattern will be different for every
to perform more poorly when they are
valued practice time, you imagine a big
player and each member of your coaching
experiencing other stressors, you might
red stop sign and think Stop! You can
staff. The individualized information will
give the players notebooks and pens and
teach your players to try the technique
help develop personalized plans for achievmake list-writing a normal pre-practice
whenever unwanted thoughts attempt
ing peak performance.
activity.
to steamroll the task at hand. If a player
Reframing: Reframing is another stresswith a tendency to self-doubt finds hermanaging
technique
that
can
be
done
Stress Management
self questioning her ability in the middle
by
the
coach,
who
tries
to
change
the
Techniques for Sport
of a match, she pulls out her stop sign
perspective
on
a
situation
in
order
to
Once youve figured out your zone
and gets back on task. Although thought
reduce
its
stress-inducing
potential.
Just
of optimal functioning, you need a plan
stopping generally is an individual techas
people
look
different
when
they
are
to train for it, just as you train for every
nique, it also can work for maintaining
in
their
workout
kit
versus
when
they
other aspect of the match. Your stressfocus in groups. A group stop might
are
in
evening
clothes,
thoughts
look
management-for-sport plan needs to income in handy if one team member has
different
when
they
are
placed
in
a
difclude two things: short-term techniques
a tendency to start to talk pessimistically
ferent
frame.
For
instance,
imagine
the
that help immediately manage stress; and
when the team goes two down. Another
middle
of
a
rainy,
muddy
match
when
long-range activities that help you learn
team member can give a simple stop
you
are
two
goals
down.
Your
players
are
ways to cope with stress and achieve peak
before everyone else gets caught in the
discouraged
and
ready
to
give
up
and
aclevels of arousal. Short-term techniques
pessimism. However, make sure you except
a
loss.
Using
reframing,
you
would
may make an immediate impact on
plain that thought stopping is for critical
imagine
that
the
opponents
are
going
to
performance, but to really improve your
events, in order to get back on task. The
get
lazy
and
that
you
will
have
an
easy
game, (you guessed it) you have to pracstop should be short, neutral and nonvictory.
Your
job
is
to
capitalize
on
their
tice. The skillful use of stress managejudgmental. Dont allow it to be used
poor
judgment,
play
your
hardest
and
ment, like any other component of sport,
for censorship or exclusion it should
smartest
and
bring
about
a
crowd-pleasrequires consistent training. Three simple
be a technique for helping maintain the
ing
turnaround.
It
s
the
same
picture,
but
stress management techniques that can
teams productivity.
with
a
different
frame
everything
looks
have an immediate effect are lists, reframdifferent.
Reframing
can
take
a
bit
of
ing and thought stopping.
The skillful use of stress management,

like any other component of sport,
requires consistent training.
34
35
Relaxation and
Mindfulness Practices
Relaxation techniques, such as mindfulness practices, body work and progressive relaxation, may ease stress levels, but
are more fully experienced as part of a
long-term plan.
Mindfulness Practices (such as yoga,
meditation, Tai Chi, Alexander Technique and martial arts) are useful for
improving stress-management skills over
time. These practices help you achieve
greater control in reacting to events in
your life. For instance, in one form of
meditation, called Anapana meditation,
you sit completely still, in silence, and
focus on the sensations of your nose. You
feel the tingling at the tip of your nose,
the rush of air into your nostrils, the
flow of exhalation onto the skin below
your nose. If your low back twinges from
sitting, or your ear itches, or your knee
begins to ache, you do not allow yourself
to become aware of these sensations, and
you return all your focus to your nose.
The purpose of Anapana meditation is to
teach you that you are entirely in control
of your awareness. While meditating,
you choose to focus 100 percent of your
attention on your nose; in a match, youll
use that same ability to focus entirely on
the task at hand, in spite of the noise of
the spectators, the drizzle of rain or the
taunts of the opposing teams players and
fans. All forms of mindfulness practice
are intended to help achieve a sense of
control. Consequently, they can improve
the ability to make clear, rational decisions under pressure.
Body work. Because a great deal of stress
is experienced physiologically (e.g., tension in muscles), body work can be an
important component of a long-term
stress management plan. When you are
stressed, your muscle tension increases.
Therefore, learning to recognize the
feelings of muscular tension can help
you learn to recognize the experience
of stress. Massage therapy can help the
body recover from the ongoing effects
of stress. Massage therapy also can be
informative, because after a session you
are able to feel the physical differences in
your body. Perhaps after a massage you
do not have the usual ache in your low
back or thumping in your temples. If
you feel these sensations returning, you
can recognize the onset of stress and take
action to manage it. Massage therapists
36
also will be able to point out where you

experience muscular tension and thus
increase your body awareness.
Progressive Relaxation (PR) can be a useful group exercise to practice with your
players in order to help them learn how
to distinguish between tense muscles and
relaxed muscles. To use PR with your
players, first ask them to lie down on the
floor in a cool, dim room. Instruct your
players: Beginning with your left foot,
clench the toes as tightly as you can. Feel
the muscles tense and contract. Hold
them tighter and tighter. After about
10 seconds of tension, instruct them to
release and relax the left foot completely.
Continue on through the body the
right foot, each calf, each thigh, each
side of the buttocks. Continue up to the
abdominal muscles, the lower back, the
upper back, the shoulders, each hand,
each forearm, each upper arm, the neck,
the muscles of the face. Then, instruct
them to first tighten and then relax the
upper body, then the lower body and finally the entire body. At the end, tell the
players: Feel completely relaxed, having
released every bit of tension out of your
bodies. Let your entire body sink into
the floor. The entire process should take
about 15 to 20 minutes, and you should
provide a few minutes of total body relaxation at the end. This exercise enables
your players to physically experience the
difference between muscular tension and
muscular relaxation and provides them
with a practical strategy for creating
either muscular tension or relaxation as
dictated by the situation. Once the technique is learned, players can do a quick
one-minute relaxation when challenged
by stress.
Turning Stress Up
Sometimes you will need to increase
arousal levels to maximize performance.
Use any strategy that will increase heart
rate, breathing rate, sweating and adrenaline. Pump loud, stimulating music into
the locker room (or through headphones,
if you are trying to meet the needs of
players with differing IZOFs). You can
have players engage in quick bursts of
aerobic exercise pre-match to get heart
and breathing rates up. Give loud, energetic pep talks in the last few minutes
before the match. Pay attention to which
preparatory activities seem to increase
energy in your players and do them right
before the match to boost arousal levels.
The Final Score

You need a four-step plan: (1) watch
yourself and your players to determine
the conditions under which you and they
perform optimally (the IZOFs); (2) learn
stress management techniques that can
help you re-create those conditions on
demand; (3) practice and use the techniques regularly so they become a solid
part of your skill set; and then (4) forget
everything and just play (which is easy if
your stress-management skills have been
learned well). You certainly dont need
to add to your stress levels by worrying
about your stress-management plan.
Further Reading
Davis, M., McKay, M., & Robbins, E.
(2000). The relaxation and stress reduction workbook, 5th ed. Oakland,
Calif.: New Harbinger Publications
Kornfield, J. (2001). Meditation for beginners (Audio CD). Louisville, Colo.:
Sounds True.
Pargman, D. (2006). Managing performance stress: Models and methods.
New York: Rutledge.
Editors note: Kimberlee Bethany is completing a doctorate at Florida State University
that involves researching the impact of yoga on
psychological health and undertakes sport psychology consultancy with university and other
athletes. She is certified as a fitness instructor,
personal trainer and yoga instructor and has
taught yoga, meditation and stress-management workshops for more than 10 years.
Dr. David Eccles is an assistant professor
at the Learning Systems Institute and the
Department of Educational Psychology and
Learning Systems, Florida State University.
He has published in the areas of expertise
and skill acquisition. He is an accredited
sport psychologist with the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences and
served as the sport psychologist to the Welsh
Canoeing Association from 1998 to 2001.
Professor Gershon Tenenbaum is Benjamin S. Bloom Professor of Sport and Exercise
Psychology at the Department of Educational
Psychology and Learning Systems, Florida
State University. He is a past president of the
International Society of Sport Psychology and
currently editor of the International Journal
of Sport and Exercise Psychology. He has
published extensively in the areas of emotion,
cognition and expertise.
37
COMMUNICATIONS
Soccer Journal will periodically

print responses to previous articles
in order to provide members other
opinions. We welcome your contributions. Please send them to Editor
Jay Martin at jamartin@owu.edu.
Facts and Figures
I noticed in your September/October

2007 issue some facts and figures about
the game of soccer (Facts and Figures
About the Game, Soccer Shorts), and as
I believe that some of these figures may
have originated with me, I would like to
dispel a few and put them in context.
First, I think it foolhardy and even
dangerous for a coach or coaching organization to hand out figures like this
without any explanation or qualification.
The coach is a coach he is not an
analyst. An analyst is not a coach, and he
has to respect that and that he has nothing to do with the players. Each will have
a different perspective.
There seems to be an attitude in soccer that figures happen somewhere to
someone else but do not affect us. So it is
vital that an analyst instills in his coach
complete confidence that these figures
are the absolute truth through sound and
considered measurement and checked
and rechecked by sufficient data. Furthermore, the analyst must convey that
the figures project what will happen to
his team however he plays and at whatever level regardless of whether he has his
possessions counted or not.
Some of the figures quoted are misleading, and some to my reckoning are
not correct.
I believe some of the figures could
have come from a sheet I gave to a coach
that is now working for an association
and that employed me briefly when he
was in charge of a league team in 198788. I have written to him about figures
that appear in magazines because to my
belief and experience, they are based on
an insufficient sample. It is vital to take a
sufficient sample of games before drawing
any conclusions.
The first thing I discovered when I
started soccer-performance analysis in the
late 1960s and early 1970s was that skill
is the property of the individual, but the
pattern of the 11 against 11 is controlled
by chance, and chance over a sufficient
number of games evens out to provide
38
rates that will occur the same at every

level of the game. Some of these rates of
success will be near constant and proven
mathematically at the highest level to occur again and again.
Near constants are laws of chance that
apply to any and every team everywhere
at every level and, what is more important, however they play.
Other factors can be made to increase
or decrease according to ones team method, and it is important to understand the
on hand-recording every possession for

each team in more than 4,000 games. I
often have had the experience of sitting
next to a team coach on the long journey
home. He tries to see things from my perspective, and I try to see things from his.
We then apply our experiences to team,
each respecting the others differing views
and working to the end of Advantageous
Team Method in pursuit of keeping as
high a framework of probability at all
times possible. I believe that when you
We all have heard the adage, When you have

one foot in the freezer and one foot in the fire,
you are okay on average. A sample of only two
is clearly insufficient to support an average.
difference (no explanation was given in
the figures quoted!). Nothing averages
out over a single game. Some factors
might take 12 games, other factors might
take a season, and some factors might
take several seasons before they can are
considered undisputed knowledge. Long
consecutive runs of matches for the same
team are vital, and where games are taken
at random, it should be noted.
In the paper that I read on Skill and
Chance in Soccer at the Fifth World
Congress of Science and Football in
Eindhoven in 2003, near constant laws of
chance in that paper were corroborated
by hand noting every single possession
that led up to the scoring of more than
2,000 goals.
We all have heard the adage, When
you have one foot in the freezer and one
foot in the fire, you are okay on average.
A sample of only two is clearly insufficient to support an average.
The findings that I talk of are based
sit in the stands and write down every

possession by hand, you see and virtually kick every ball and that leads to a
different experience compared with those
who merely print off video summaries.
Experience teaches wisdom, and experience sticks in the mind, not handouts.
I would like to take these figures one
at a time. Some are interesting but useless; others are not worded in an accurate
manner to give knowledge, and others
are just incorrect.
First, each team has an average of 240
possessions per game. In leagues such as
Serie A and for some international teams,
there have been as few as 180 to 200
possessions per game; yet., in some of
the lower English leagues where winning
is more important than aesthetics and
soccer is played competitively all over
the pitch, I have recorded games of 320
possessions. My standard assumption is
240 possessions for each team per match,
but what is more interesting is when we
look at the possessions taken per goal (as

opposed to per match).
It is here that we find this does not
vary. At all levels, there will be about 180
possessions won and lost back per goal
that is scored for us. This also will apply
to our opposition.
There are 180 possessions lost per
goal for the average team. Soccer is
therefore a 1 in 180 risk business. This
gives us 1.3 goals per team per match on
average and 1.3 scored against.
Now to check that what I have said
is correct, refer to your league tables for
the last full season and you will see if
you average all of the goals that there will
be a near constant of 1.3 goals per team
scored on average 2.6 goals per game
more or less.
The team at the top probably will win
the league with an average of about 1.8
goals for and 0.8 goals against still adding up to 2.6 goals per match.
This is done simply by losing fewer
possessions per goal (and to do that by
using more of those possessions with the
best rate of scoring and less of those with
disadvantageous rates and making the
opposition do this in reverse). If there
are 240 possessions in a match and we
score two goals on average, to do this we
will need to get our lost possessions/goal
down to 120. This in turn will make the
opposition take theirs up to somewhere
in the region of 280, because the average over the two teams still will be in the
region of 180 (see my 1991 paper for the
averaging process).
It is as simple as that, but it is done
with players, and it is the management
of those players into advantageous team
method using their individual skills
putting the movement of the team of 11
together as one that brings success.
If one uses disadvantageous team
method, one can handicap the talent of
the individual. A player is only as important as his contribution to the team (this
to the effect of bringing down the average
number of lost possessions per goal).
The statement, Two thirds (66
percent) of the game is 0 passes, is
incorrect, inappropriately worded and
misleading.
Regarding item 10 an average of
6.5 reaches is needed to produce a shot
I ridicule this figure as totally inaccurate. When I worked for this coach in
1987, I gave this figure to him. It had
TABLE 1

Rate of
Total All
All Possessions Lost
Total
Strike Rate
Final Third
Final Third
Short of Final
Goals Shots/Goal Possessions/Goal Possessions/Shots Third/Goal
1,820
8.57 x
10.53 =
89.01 +
91.22 =
Total All
Possessions/Goal
180.23
TABLE 2

Rate of
Total All
All Possessions Lost
Total
Strike Rate
Final Third
Final Third
Short of Final
Goals Shots/Goal Possessions/Goal Possessions/Shots Third/Goal
312
9.99 x
9.00 =
89.91 +
85.77 =
been handed onto me by Charles Reep

(who originated the team reacher in the
1950s). However, the figure of 1 in 6.5
final third possessions per goal is out of
date. I later discovered that Reep had
based it on only 25 matches that he analyzed for Wolverhampton Wanderers in
1953-54. It is totally out of date. The correct figures should be 1 in 9/10 and will
vary according to the number of shots
that the relevant team has taken per goal.
What should be understood is that all
teams on average will have taken about
90 final third attacks (reachers) to score
a goal. Add 90 possessions lost short of
the final third, and that equals 180 lost
possessions per goal.
Lest anyone doubt what I say, this
was the conclusion of my 2003 paper. It
took all 328,018 hand-noted possessions,
leading to 1,820 English League goals
and I entitled it the Three Stages of Rate
(Table 1).
I furthermore proved that it applied at
every level by taking 312 goals scored in
International matches (Table 2).
I did not include in this short runs such
as the 10 games that I did for Arsenal in the
1987-88 year they won the League Cup as
an insufficient sample.
Do you not find the effect of chance
upon the game uncanny? When Copernicus said that mans movements are
governed by mathematical principles was
he ever right?
When Howard Hughes (labelled an eccentric by some) said I am interested in what
makes the sun get up tomorrow morning
whereas most people are interested in their
fellow man. He certainly was right.
The best coach that I worked for would
discuss at the start of every season every
possession on the field, both dead ball and
in free play and what and where he wanted
his players to be at that time. Having
discussed it with his assistant, he would ask
Total All
Possessions/Goal
175.68
me, How does that fit in with the figures?

I would say, It is good because of so and
so rate, or I would have preferred so and
so. He would explain why that couldnt
be done or he would have altered it. We
would brainstorm every possible situation
on the field (and even off it!) and then do
the Whats my role now of every situation
for every player.
If figures are to have any bearing
on team method, it is vital to have the
analyst and only the analyst describe the
figures that are to be used.
Eyeball vision is totally insufficient.
The documentation of every consecutive
possession in every game is vital to our
understanding, if it is understanding we
want. It is the only unemotive knowledge
we have. The rest is colored by aesthetics
and individual match result.
I hope in a future article to discuss
further how this factual information can
be correlated into wisdom.
I would be pleased to send a copy of
my 2003 paper to anyone interested.
Neil Lanham
Soccer Performance Analyst
Ivy Todd, Helions Bumpstead, Nr
Haverhill, Suffolk, CB9 7AT, UK
n.lanham@btconnect.com
References
Benjamin B. and Reep C. 1968 Skill and
Chance in Association Football (J.R.
Statist.
Soc. A, 131, 581-585) and 1971 Skill
and Chance in Ball Games (J.R. Statist.
Soc. A, 134, 4, 623-629)
Lanham N. 1991 Figures do not cease
to exist because they are not counted
Science and Football II Eds Clarys, J.,
Reilly, T. and Stibbe, A. Spon London
pp 180-185
Lanham N. 2003 The Winning Difference.
The Goal Complete. Vol. V. Eds Reilly, T.,
Cabri, J and Arugo, D. 194-204
39
In the In My Opinion section of the November/December 2007 Soccer Journal,

Giovanni Pacini addresses a question that has been asked for a while: Why is it that
American goalkeepers reached world-class quality long before U.S. field players were
recognized internationally? Pacini offers these reasons, some of which he quotes from
other commentators: (1) American keepers are good with their hands because they
come from a culture in which hand-sports dominate; (2) The U.S. keeper is brave,
competitive and athletic; (3) The shelf life of a keeper is longer because they can
continue to perform well at the top-level at an age when field-players normally have
finished their careers; and (4) the goalkeeper position is less complex: everything
takes place in front of the goalie.
Hardy Fuchs
Kalamazoo College
The
American
Goalkeeper
Official Relationships
I read with interest the commentary
on Officials v. Coaches (Center Circle,
November-December 2007). This is a
serious issue because it is not just an issue between the coaches and the officials,
but is becoming a worse issue between
officials and players and their supporters.
I played since college until my knees
gave out and have been a youth coach for
about 30 years, a referee for more than
10 years and a referee trainer for almost
five years. In addition, all my children
played soccer in youth programs and in
high school. They also tried college ball. I
have seen a lot of change in the game, in
officiating, in coaching and in supporters. I have been a player, I am a parent
and supporter, I am a coach and I am an
official. Thirty years ago you didnt see
this erosion of relationship.So why is the
relationship eroding now?
I believe it is because of several
reasons. The foremost reason is that we
still have many players, coaches and
supporters that do not understand the
Laws of the Game, how officials try to
allow the game to flow or how they are
being taught to interpret the Laws.
Players think they know the rules
because they have been playing for years.
Some believe that because they are good
players, they must know the game. But
how often do I hear, I got the ball first
ref. That may be true, but they also
came in with their cleats up, which they
do not realize or think about as a foul.
Coaches (high school, college, and
professional) may read the Laws and may
go through them extensively and generally know what the Laws say. This does
not mean they understand the interpretation or the spirit of the Law.When a foul
is or is not called and they disagree, were
40
they watching for the foul or watching the

general run of play? They may have missed
what the official was watching for.
Supporters, in general, know next
to nothing about the game and its laws.
They do not understand offside and they
especially do not understand advantage.
They are used to other American sports,
where when a foul is called or committed
it is sanctioned immediately. They do not
understand why it is a foul one time and
a play another.
My point is that a better job needs to
be done educating coaches and especially
players in what constitutes a foul or infringement of the Laws of the Game. It is
not enough just to have read the Laws or
to have had the Laws enforced upon us as
a player. Educating coaches, players and
parents is the only way to begin to keep
this relationship from eroding further.
I think that the two Starting XI
perspectives make some good points and
I generally believe that officials try to do
these things.Thats not to say that they
do not sometimes make mistakes, let
physical play go too far before enforcing
the laws or get caught out of position.
But I find it interesting that both groups
decided to primarily focus on what the
officials should do, with little focus on
what coaches and players can do to improve the relationship.
I am not saying that coaches and players should be trained as officials or that
officials should have played the game to
be able to understand where the other is
coming from in their points of view.
What I am saying is that officials need
to better understand what coaches and
players expect from an officiating crew
and be better prepared when they officiate a game. If they know nothing of the
two teams they officiate they can be

in for a rough time, especially if one
team is better at finesse and the other a
physical team.
At the same time coaches and players need to have a better understanding
of how officials are being trained to interpret the Laws of the Game and what
constitutes a foul in the course of play.
Where does this all start? It starts
on the youth level by better informing the coaches about the Laws of the
Game and them in turn teaching this
to the players and supporters. On our
team, we do a workshop for parents
explaining what they are seeing on the
field and explaining why sometimes
you have a foul and sometimes not.
I have sat in the stands on occasion
explaining why a foul or no foul was
called. This has helped our parents
understand the game better and makes
them better supporters.
What it comes down to is betterrounded coaches, players and officials.
They cannot be so specialized or
entrenched in their own area that they
know only one aspect of the game.
Coaches cant just coach the game.
Players cant just play. Officials cant
just enforce the Laws.They need to
be educated in the whole aspect of the
game. But we arent doing this.
I could go on and on about the
things that we arent doing to improve
the relationship between coaches and
officials, but until we begin to take
steps on a national level to cross-train
no, cross educate coaches and
officials, we will continue to see this
relationship erode.
Chris Burkett
Cortez, Colo.
Where Has Work Ethic Gone?

Regarding the article Making Demands (Center Circle, July-August 2007):
While I fully agree that youth players
dont understand what it means to work
hard and that playing too many games
may contribute to players slowing down,
I think you have overlooked the root
problem.
Ive discussed the lack of work ethic
with many colleagues who grew up playing and are now coaching. We hate to
say it, but back in the day, we worked a
lot harder, had a more competitive spirit
and understood what it meant to play
through discomfort.
The number of high school games
and college games has not changed
substantially in the last 25 years, so one
cant point to a difference there. The club
programs definitely have gone overboard
with tournaments, but even then, I used
to cringe in the middle of summer when
I had no games until fall. So is it really
too many games or has something else
fundamentally changed?
The reality is that this phenomenon is
not isolated to soccer players, but rather
is indicative of our youth in general. You
will find it every sport, in the classroom
and in the workforce.
As a high school coach, I have
encountered players who are flustered
because they did not make all-conference
despite playing in every minute of every
game and in general being a good person.
They dont even associate the reward of
all-conference with being one of the top
players in the league.
As a general manager of a business, I
have found it a real challenge getting our
young employees to work hard and do it
for 40 hours a week. You have to give them
small rewards, make sure they are comfortable and basically hold their hand to
get them through the week. If you ask for
another couple hours of work, they expect
big rewards. The expectation for them is
that if they go through the motions 40
hours a week, they are due promotions and
a fast track to success. Where did this come
from? Our society including youth soccer
has taught them this!
The movement toward making sure
every child is rewarded for participating
and winning or losing doesnt matter has
created entire generations of kids who
simply have never been taught that in order to be the best, you have to out-work,
out-think or out-will other people.
I have seen this in action with my grade
school daughters in past years.The entire
reason one of my girls decided to play
soccer was to get a trophy. She understood
at the age of 6 that if she participated, she
would get a trophy regardless of how she
performed or her team performed. This
set her up for failure because there was no
relationship between work and reward,
only participation and reward. The result is
that she really never tried hard, because she
didnt need to in order to meet her goal of
obtaining a trophy.
Another daughter came home from
field day this year and I asked how she
did. She said it didnt matter because they
pre-tested everyone to make sure that
everyone competed in events with people
of the same caliber and that they dont
keep track of wins in any events.
Trying to slide around what she has
been taught, I asked her how she personally did and how she placed in her group.
Her response said it all: she said that she
probably could have won her group, but
she didnt try her hardest because there
was no point to it. Yes, she was happy to
participate and had a fun day, but at the
same time the day reinforced the idea
that you dont have to try hard and that it
doesnt even matter the kids who dont
try will get the same reward as the kids
who work their hearts out.
This goes well beyond sports. At science
fairs, nobody is judged. Schools design curriculums so that students have varied paths
to high school graduation without pushing
them beyond their comfort level.
Youth soccer undoubtedly has contributed to the lackluster attitudes of
todays youth. It continually rewards mediocrity and mere participation. Its more
concerned about numbers of players,
winning tournaments and the almighty
dollar. Although its fantastic to see every
square inch of grass being consumed by
young soccer players on weekends, we
have built an unrealistic expectation for
the vast majority of our players. A lot of
players out there think they are top players and have reached an elite level.
What message do we send to players when they play on a team that comes
in seventh place in a league and then

turns around and travels out of state for
tournaments? The coaches contend that it
will help their team achieve new heights,
parents start believing their kid has something special going on and the player
now has an exciting opportunity and is
being rewarded for the teams effort.
It used to be that travel generally was
reserved for the top few teams in each
state and they played only against other
top teams. The system now is watered
down with mediocre teams that travel
and kids that arent going to try any
harder. They know that if they continue
doing what they have always done, they
still will get the sweet uniforms, travel
with their buddies to another state and
be recognized by their club, parents and
peers as doing something special.
A good coach and club program
would let their teams know that in order
to travel, they need to finish in the top
two or three in the state. The coach
should be clear about the changes and
improvements the team needs to reach
that level. The team then should set a
path to reach those goals. That creates
discipline, hard work and desire.
Another major problem is found
within clubs that build teams to win
tournaments in order to keep money
rolling in from parents. These goals are
shortsighted and end up weakening soccer programs and players.
As youth players go, some grow or
mature a lot faster than others. For those
fortunate to be on the bigger side, they
often can physically gain advantages in
a youth game without too much effort.
Too many players are chosen for the top
teams because of their physical presence
and not their skill or team contributions.
The problem is that as everyone gets
older, size and speed tend to even out
and technique and strategy become more
important. A player that was chosen to
play on an elite team because of physical capability often becomes lost when
confronted with players of the same size
and speed. These players were taught to
be bullies on the field, which was easy,
but when they get older they are being
asked to do something hard and they
cant make the transformation.
Continued on page 49
41
Focus: Exercises Ages: All
Five Favorite Practices of
AC MILAN
This is Part II of a three part series of SJs Five Favorite training

activities from Italian Club AC Milan.
Este es el segundo artculo de tres series de entrenamientos del

Club Italiano AC Miln.
Possession Exercises
Ejercicios de posesin
GAME 1
EJERCICIO 1
5 v. 5 (+GK), 30 x 30 grid. Play 5 v. 5 possession, with the goalkeeper moving throughout the area trying to intercept passes. The
use of hands is permitted for the keeper. If
the keeper wins a ball, it is given to the opposing team. Play five-minute games with
stretching in between.
En un rea de 30 x 30 yardas. Se juega 5 vs

5 con un portero que se mueve tratando de
interceptar los pases. Se permite el uso de
manos para el portero, y si l gana posesin
del baln, se entrega al equipo que estaba
jugando la defensa. Se juega por 5 minutos
con un perodo de estiramientos.
Game 1 Ejercicio 1
GAME 2
EJERCICIO 2
7 v. 7 + 1, 40 x 40 grid. In this game, the

neutral player plays with the team in possession. The coach should set the playing
restriction. For example; 10 passes = 1
point; use the goalkeeper as a neutral player
and give him/her two touches; mandatory
three touch; two touch or one touch.
Se juega 7 vs 7 en un rea de 40 x 40 yardas con un comodn que juega con el equipo

que tiene posesin del baln. El entrenador
debe indicar restricciones. Por ejemplo;
10 pases consecutivos vale 1 punto; usar
al portero como comodn limitndole a 2
toques; jugar con 2 toques o 1 toque.
Game 2 Ejercicio 2
GAME 3
EJERCICIO 3
8 v. 8, 45 x 45 grid. Emphasis is on one, two

or three short passes, then switching the
point of attack with a long ball. The coach
should change the restriction after each
game. Each game should run for about 10
minutes.
En un rea de 45 x 45 yardas, se juega 8

vs 8 con el nfasis de 1, 2 o 3 pases cambiando el punto de ataque con un pase
largo. El entrenador debe cambiar las restricciones despus de cada ejercicio. Cada
ejercicio debe ser de aproximadamente 10
minutos.
Game 3 Ejercicio 3
42
43
PART O F TH E Q COACH IN G DEV E LO PMENT S ERIES

GAME 4
EJERCICIO 4
8 v. 8, 45 x 45 grid, nine small goals. Small

goals are made with cones and spread
throughout the grid. Points are scored by
passing through the small goals to a teammate. Emphasis is on creating a goal-scoring mentality in the players by having the
players drive to a small goal and score.
Each game should last 15 minutes.
En un rea de 45 x 45 yardas, se juega 8

vs 8 con 9 pequeas porteras de conos
colocados como se indica en el diagrama.
Se acumulan puntos pasando el baln a su
compaero por dentro de las porteras. El
nfasis es aumentar la mentalidad de poder
anotar goles en porteras chicas. Cada partido debe durar 15 minutos.
Game 4 Ejercicio 4
GAME 5
EJERCICIO 5
11 v. 11, 18 yard line to 18 yard line, 44

yards wide with five goals as shown
from cones. Play possession soccer and
score points by passing the ball through
any goal to another teammategoal in
midfield has three (3) sides. Play 3 x
15 minutes with a pause between each
game. Game 1: three-touch. Game 2:
two-touch. Game 3: unlimited touch.
Se juega en un rea de las lneas exteriores de las dos reas grandes 11 vs 11.
Se colocan 5 porteras chicas como se
indica en el diagrama. La portera en
el medio campo consiste en 3 conos.
Se juega un partido de posesin con
el propsito de poder anotar goles por
cualquier portera pasando el baln a
su compaero. Se juegan 3 perodos de
15 minutos con un descanso entre cada
partido. Partido 1: Se juegan con 3
toques al baln. Partido 2: Se juega con
2 toques al baln. Partido 3: Se juega
con toques sin lmite al baln.
Game 5 Ejercicio 5
Soccer Journal would like to thank

Phil Vigil for his assistance
in translating this article into Spanish.
44
SJ Training Session
Transition from the Back

In this installment of the SJ Training Session, NSCAA Regional
Technical Director Lang Wedemeyer addresses the issue of Transition Between Lines. This session details specifically with the transition from the goalkeeper through the backs to the midfield.
Warm-Up Phase
Activity: Passing and moving, evolving into possession
Organization: Two teams of eight (7+GK) on a 60 x 44 grid to
start (see Figure 1)
Coaching Points:
Body shape
First touch
Preparing the ball
Goalkeeper distribution
Main Theme 1
Activity: End Zone Possession Game chip ball into goalkeepers
hands for a point
Organization: 7 v. 7 to goalkeepers in end zones. Create thirds
of the field (see Figure 2).
Coaching Points:
Distribution by the goalkeepers
Possess v. penetrate
Utilize/create space
45
Main Theme 2
Activity: 8 v. 8 to big goal and two counter goals
Organization: Field 60-70 yards long x 65-70 yards wide, divided
into thirds. Defending forwards must drop behind line when
goalkeeper has the ball (see Figure 3).
Coaching Points:
Defining when space is available for penetration
Early looks forward
Main Theme 3
Activity: 8 v. 8 to big goal and two counter goals
Organization: Organize specific numbers in each area. Work with
goalkeeper to back and backs into midfielders (see Figure 4).
Coaching Point:
Determine where space is by numbers in each area.
Game
Activity: 8 v. 8 to two big goals
Organization: Allow teams to organize their own formations.
Coaching Points:
Coach teams in decisions on how to best transition from
one line to the next, with an emphasis on goalkeepers to
backs to midfielders.
46
How to Play Striker

Two of the best ever talk to Champions Magazines Mark Sylvester
and Stephanie Jones about the craft of scoring goals.
Henrik Larsson
What do you need to reach the top? No
fear is top of the list, says the Golden Boot
winner.
When did you realize you had a talent for
scoring goals?
It happened as soon as I started playing for a club side as a kid. Id drift into
positions where I could get a shot at goal,
and a lot of them went in. Once that happens you dont think about playing in any
other position, and goal scoring becomes
a bit of an addiction.
How did you develop your technique? Did
you model yourself on anyone?
My idol was Pel, and I watched loads
of video of him, but you can never be another Pel. Having said that, you always
can pick up something from watching
great players in action. Id watch how
sharp Pel was, how he never seemed to
switch off. Ive tried to be like that. I was
lucky enough to have good coaches at
places like Hogaborg, my first team, and
they helped me work on those skills.
Do you go into a game expecting to score?
You never can do that, but its always
in the back of your mind because as a
striker, its in your blood, and you want
to score. Depending on the team, you
might have an idea of the sort of chances
youll get. But I always put winning as a
priority over my scoring.
How do you feel when you dont get a goal?
That depends on whether the team
(has) won, but it does feel like there is
something missing that you cant quite
put your finger on. It is a hollow feeling.
You once said that before a game you tell
yourself, Itll hurt and it should hurt.
What did you mean?
You have to put your body on the
line. If you dont, youre not going to
score. A striker has to get to the ball first,
be better than his marker. There is no
way you can do that without getting hurt, for the ball, affects your instincts. I dont
so it shouldnt be a surprise. Accept it.
like just being up front waiting for the ball.
You are not the biggest, so how do you
cope with a towering center half?
The key is not to play their game
in their back yard. Dont play to their
strengths. Try to force them to play to
yours if you cant out-muscle them, the
only thing left is to outsmart them. Its
tempting to get involved, but, like a good
boxer, dont get drawn into a scrap.
You have the ability to sit on the last
defenders shoulder and time your run to
perfection. Is that something you can learn?
Of course. You can learn most things.
You have to be on your toes and prepared
to move either way, and you always keep
the last defender in the corner of your
eye. If you know your teammates well,
youll often have a split-second advantage
in knowing the moment hell release the
ball. If you can anticipate where the balls
going, you dont need to watch it.
There seem to be times when everything
you touch goes in as in 2001, when you
won the Golden Boot. Why is that?
If I knew that, Id never miss. Im sure
there are loads of factors like confidence,
teammates getting the ball to you more
I think it just happens dont question it
or itll go away.
There isnt really a Larsson way of scoring,

but is there a type of goal that gives you
most pleasure?
Definitely. I love headers because
there are so many factors involved. Youre
trying to get across or in front of a defender, make a good run, judge the flight
of the ball, be aware of the keeper. Often
you make the jump and seem to be hanging for a long time before making contact
with the ball, and that feels fantastic.
Youve always been able to jump.
Luckily, Ive always had a bit of a leap.
The more you do it the more you develop
those muscles, but its also about not
having any fear. Dont worry about the
defender. Worry only about the landing
after youve headed the ball.
What goes through your mind when you
step up to take a penalty?
As little as possible. Ive made up my
mind where Im putting the ball before
its on the spot. Nothing the keeper does
will change that.
Whats the secret of scoring a one-on-one

with the keeper?
When youre a striker, the most important thing is to make your mind up as soon
as you can. If youve run half the length
When you hit a dry run, is there anything of the pitch, you have to keep an eye on
you can do to get out of it?
a defender closing you down. As soon as
You dont suddenly become a bad
you can, check where the keeper and goal
player, so theres no need for massive
are, and decide what you are going to do.
changes. Stick to what you know works. Sometimes its better to go around him;
Sometimes its about going back to basics. other times, hit the ball early or chip him.
When youre not scoring its easy to over- You dont want to let the keeper dictate it,
think. You should think less and let your though, so as soon as you get in shooting
instincts take over.
range make the decision. If it goes wrong,
dont beat yourself up about it.
You can also turn provider. Doesnt that go
against your instincts as a striker?
How do you cope with the attention you
There isnt one way to be a striker, and I get from defenders?
dont think dropping deeper, going looking
If you have a varied game, it makes
47
it harder for defenders to read what

youre going to do. What a defender
is doing doesnt worry me because Im
concentrating on myself. I want them
to be worried about me.
early so I didnt get clattered.

Is fitness as important for a striker as, say,
a midfielder?
You always have to be able to run, and
you must be better than your opponent
in every department. I want to beat the
man Im facing. That means I want to be
quicker and sharper than he is. As the
game goes on and your legs get tired, I
want to last longer than he does. Its all
about having an edge, no matter how
small. Fitness is the foundation of that.
getting quality service, theres not a lot

you can do.
How do you hone your skills in training?

Most training is with the group. You
do everything everyone else does, but
Whos the best strike partner youve
try to concentrate on touch, movement
played with?
and hitting the target. I work on being
Chris Sutton at Celtic had it all. He
able to know instinctively where the goal
was simply one of the best forwards
is without looking and knowing how I
around. We clicked from the first moneed to hit the ball to get it in the net
ment. He held the ball up brilliantly and
from anywhere. As a kid, my coaches
was a big, physical presence. Most top
encouraged me to use my bad foot. My
forwards have had a double act with a
left isnt the best, but I can use it and
After you left Barcelona, Ronaldinho said
player who complements them.
if the ball is coming that way, I wont try
youd taught him a lot. What did he mean?
to switch feet. If you can score only with
Im not sure what anyone can teach
Before your loan spell with Manchester Unitone foot, you give yourself 50 percent
ed last season, Alex Ferguson said you were a Ronnie, but he might mean my moveless chance of scoring.
player who scored crucial goals in big games. ment. Unless you are very much a target
Well, Im not going to argue with Sir
man and play in a certain sort of team, as What goes through your mind when the
Alex, and Ive scored in big games, so
a striker its important always to be on the ball hits the back of the net?
I suppose hes right. The key is not to
move. Youre looking to find space and
The best feeling I can compare it to
think about the importance of the game
confuse defenders with your runs.
is your birthday when youre young. You
theres plenty of time to do that afterhave this rush of excitement and happiYou were brought up in a fairly rough part
ward. Youll know when youre in a final
ness. Its like that every time.
of Helsingborg. Did that make you tough?
or a game that could win you the league,
Im not sure it was that rough, but
Do you set yourself targets?
but you shouldnt change anything. Once
it was very working class and we didnt
Never. Whats the point? You go out
youre on the pitch, its all about treating
have things easy. It taught me you have to to score goals and help your team win
it like any other match. Of course, it gets
go and get the things you want and the matches. Youre not going to score those
easier the more big games you play.
more effort you put in, the more likely it goals simply because you have a number
How important is first touch?
is youll get the reward. I work hard on
in your head. I want to score in every
Hugely. Quite often, your first touch is
the pitch to get goals. That might come
game. If I dont manage it, I want to score
a shot, a touch to find space for a shot or
from my roots. They also taught me to
in the next one. Its as simple as that.
a layoff for someone else to shoot. Some
stand up for myself, so if Im getting stick
Which is your best-ever goal?
people are born with that soft touch. Mine
from a defender I wont walk away.
Every goal is nice. Its like having
has always been decent, but I work on it.
Whats the best advice youve had?
hundreds
of children choosing one
As a kid I played with guys who grew more
Make sure you surround yourself with wouldnt be fair on the others.
quickly than me and were much bigger. I
good players. The truth is, if youre not
learned to touch the ball away from them
Ian Rush
Liverpools European Cup winner identifies the traits that mark a truly great striker.
Were told strikers are instinctive. Does that
mean you cant learn how to score goals?
No. Of course there always are things
you can learn, but its mainly down to
instinct. If you start thinking about what
youre doing, its too late by then the
opposition (has) worked it out and a
defender will have the ball. When youre
one-on-one with the keeper, you have to
stay calm. Dont rush yourself.
If you think too much, I can guarantee youve lost too much time. Too many
things go through your head, and you
make the wrong decisions.
48
But players can be improved, cant they?

You can make a 200,000 player a
2million (E2.7m) player with the right
coaching. I was employed by Girard Houllier as striking coach at Liverpool working
with Michael Owen. He already was a top
forward, but was eager to learn. With someone like Owen, hes such a good player you
might improve him by only a half a percent.
But youre still doing your job.
A player is learning all the time. I
believe up until youre 30, you work on
your weaknesses. After 30, you work on
your strengths you know what youre
good at and you try to get the best out of
it. As you get older, you learn more about
the opposition and more about the game.

I feel that up until I went to Juventus (in
1987-88), I was just a goal-scorer. When
I came back from Italy, I became a better
all-round player because Id had to do more
outside the box. By the time you finish
playing, you know all about the game
then you have to start again with coaching.
What do you need to be a top forward?
Most important is no fear. Never be
afraid to miss. That all comes down to
confidence.
Patience. If youre trying out a one-onone with a defender or keeper, try to wait
till the last moment to hit so hell make
the first move. When hes done that, you
can make yours.

Mental toughness. You must be able
to take criticism when you miss a goal.
Movement is massive. Even if youre
just walking a few paces, you often find
defenders will stand and mark their space,
looking at the ball. So after a short walk
youve found your own space. Then quick
movement for when the ball is coming.
Pace is more important now, but you
still get great strikers without it. They have
something else, possibly the ability to think
that fraction of a second quicker than anybody else its true that the first few yards
are in your head. Theres no point having
bags of pace but not knowing what to do
with it which you also get!
How did you stay at the top for so long?
Make the most of your strengths: I
had pace and a great partnership with
Kenny Dalglish, but most important we
made the best of our strengths, which
was basically the movement.
A coach can do everything for you
on the ball, but when you get on the
pitch it all can change. The difference
between winning and losing is adapting,
and doing so the quickest way thats
down to movement. The best strikers will
adapt and think for themselves a bit more
quickly than anybody else.
Torres does it at Liverpool now. Hes
adapted very quickly, and what I like
about him is he doesnt give defenders time to rest on the ball. If you close
down the play like that, five times out of
ten the ball goes out of play and youve
won it back. Youve done your job. Of
course, you dont have to play that way. It
depends which club youre at.
You were known for defending from the
front. How important is it to do that?
Very, if youre playing for a team. But
I believe there are strikers who are happy
to score whether they win, draw or lose
Thierry Henry, for example. But I was
brought up at Liverpool knowing the
team comes first, goals second. My job
was to make it harder for the opposition.
If I could win the ball Id close the defender down, which would make it easier
for the midfield, which would do the
same for the defense. If you do it right,
hopefully the goalkeeper doesnt touch
the ball. We worked as a unit.
Should forwards touch the ball as much as
they can?
Im not so sure about that. A good strikSoccer Journal May-June 2008
er will have a good first touch. I dont really

think its about the number of touches.
teach them to move, within six months to

a year theyll pass and move automatically.
Then they can go to the next stage. CoachHow do you help a forward whos lost his
ing top players can be easier because theyre
confidence?
eager to learn. Kids can have a problem
As a coach you have to make sure you
with concentration. Its important to bring
give strikers the confidence to go out and
the kids up and put them on the right track
do it. Touch comes into it, but if confidence
so that when they join a club at 17 or 18, it
goes a coach can do only one thing: keep
wont be a shock to the system. Show them
working with him and go back to basics.
how to be professional and what the coachFor a striker, theres nothing better than the
ing will be like then.
ball hitting the back of the net, so you start
Kids can panic when they miss a
on the training ground without a keeper,
goal. Theyre scared to be failures. They
pass the ball and have him hit it in the net.
should look at Michael Owen. Hell
Then you put cones out, then you put a
miss nine times but score the tenth and
keeper in, and the confidence comes back.
it doesnt worry him.
Theres more need than theres ever been for
individual coaching. Houllier used to say
players have the best facilities, best pitches
and best coaches, so theres no excuse not
to perform. But in the end it comes down
to confidence.
(continued from page 41)
Where Has Work

Ethic Gone?
Didnt you used to practice by aiming for

the side netting?
Always. And I do sessions on this now.
I would put a cone a yard in from the side
post and aim to get the ball in between
the two. If you blast the ball, theres a 50
percent chance youll score. You aim to hit
the side netting, theres a 70 to 80 percent
chance youll score. Of course, you have to
know when to blast the ball and when to
side foot it, because a keeper will know a
strikers game and you must make sure you
put doubt in the keepers mind.
How do you coach a striker?
At Liverpool we worked on specifics.
Pre-season it was basic work on general
movement, offsides its great when you
see it happen in a game. Once the season
started, it was looking at the opposition,
where they were strong and weak, so if we
were playing a team that was weak down
the left-hand side, wed do a session where
the forwards came off the back of the defender and went down the side.
Give them confidence to finish and
get the right angles, but for me its about
getting away from the defender when
they dont know it. Its easy when youve
got the ball, but a striker should be at his
most dangerous without the ball because
everyone else is looking at it.
Youre in charge of grassroots coaching at
the Welsh FA. Does that work with kids?
Youll find with most kids, even the
good ones, they pass the ball and stand
still. If you can get them at a young age and
At the same time, some kids are

technically better and have the heart of
lion, but are relegated to lower teams and
inferior coaching because they physically
cant help the team win a tournament
today. The rewards we are giving some of
these kids simply are for maturing faster,
regardless of skill or work ethic. That
makes for a losing proposition for all
players. If you want to develop top players, you play for the future and develop
individual players for the U-18 level, not
tournament teams to win U-12.
So the blame falls on how we treat
and pamper our kids in school, sports
and other programs.We have developed
a generation of kids who dont care to try
their hardest, because we tell them its
okay and you will be rewarded just for
participating. Then we turn around and
reward kids not because of what they did,
but because of their physical status at a
young age.
I believe the new Academy program
by U.S. Soccer will help resolve some of
the problems I described by truly separating the elite from the masses. It will
help overconfident coaches and parents
recognize that they and their kids have
not reached the top level until they can
play in the Academy program. Perhaps
this will give kids something to shoot for
and work a little harder.
Jim Schuster
Boys Soccer Coach
Holy Family High School
Broomfield, Colo.
49
Soccer Shorts
Professional Courtesy = Common Courtesy

By Paul Payne
NSCAA Vice President for Education
As coaches, we are pulled in all directions by players, administration and
parents. With all the demands a coach at
any level has, its difficult to stay on top of
the constant barrage of phone calls, e-mails,
faxes and other modern-day forms of communication. But because of these modernday conveniences, we have a professional
responsibility to practice common courtesy in responding to other individuals as
quickly and efficiently as possible. By doing
so, hopefully we can expect the same of
those with whom we interact.
Two recent examples highlight this
issue. A group of club and high school
coaches were invited to attend a day of
training sessions by a prominent coach. Of
those invited, four attended the sessions,
several responded with regrets, but a larger
number never bothered to phone with any
response. It should not have mattered that
the invite came from a name coach all
are owed the courtesy of a reply.
In my own position as a head mens college coach, I saw a similar pattern. I tracked
for one week the number of answers or
callbacks I received to e-mails and phone
messages that I had placed in a single day.
I sent 11 e-mails that would have at least
required an acknowledgement of receipt
and made five phone calls that asked for
a return call. One week later I had four
replies to my e-mails and one phone call.
Do the math: More than half of my e-mails
and calls were never returned. Personnel on my
own college campus as well as fellow coaches
were part of the group that never bothered with
a response. Im concerned that this is a trend that
we as coaches need to recognize. Coaches must
practice professional courtesy with everyone so
we dont become part of the growing numbers
that believe it is acceptable (intentional or unintentional) to ignore others.
Although it may take a few minutes
of your time, you can do several things
to make sure you are one of the respon50
sible professionals.
Keeping a log helps you stay on top of
missed calls. Saving messages on your answering machine as well as old-fashioned
writing them down helps you deal with
missed phone calls. We often think Ill
call back when I get a chance and before
you know it youve forgotten who called
or what their number was. Even leaving a
short message lets callers know you have
received their messages.
E-mail is a simple way to stay on top
of your correspondence. If possible, answer every e-mail as quickly as you can,
and if time restricts you from a lengthy
reply, just a short acknowledgement is
helpful. Something as simple as Thanks
for the e-mail lets a person know an
e-mail has been received and read. We all
know that some e-mails take off into cyberspace so as a sender, its nice to know
that your e-mail has been received.
If you need to respond to a larger
number of e-mails with the same message,
consider an e-mail address book or create
a word document to send as an attachment. For college coaches, I have found this
useful in responding to the vast number of
recruiting inquiries I receive.
Often we are away from our office
for long stretches and cant promptly
respond to e-mail and phone messages. Dont use this as an excuse for
not taking care of your correspondence.
Program your answering machine to announce the days you will be away and
when you are expected back. If I phone
someone and they announce they are
out of the office until I know not
to expect a call back immediately. That
little courtesy goes a long way.
Have an instant reply programmed into
your e-mail in much the same manner.
When an e-mail is sent, an instant reply
can announce your absence from the office.
If you can access your email from another
location, that enables you to stay on top of
the daily deluge of e-mails and to answer
A collection of brief articles

of interest to soccer coaches.
those that need an immediate reply.

I occasionally hear, I dont use e-mail.
Thats fine if you work where e-mail is not
available or accessible. However, if your
school, university or business supplies
e-mail access to you, its your professional
responsibility to learn how to use it. Utilizing technical support staff to assist you goes
a long way in helping understand the ease
and convenience of this modern-day form
of communication.
We all forget at times to get back to
someone in a timely fashion. At the same
time we are inundated with e-mails and
phone calls that are general in nature.
One cant possibly respond to all correspondence, whether phone, letter or
e-mail. However, its our responsibility as
professionals to use proper judgment in
deciding which ones need a prompt reply.
Im sure as someone is reading this article
theyll say What nerve he has, I remember he never got back to me.
Many years ago I attended a coaching
course, and my instructor, Nick Zlatar,
ended the course talking about the 90/10
rule. That day he applied it coaches
interacting with players and parents,
but I think it is applicable here as well.
Probably 90 percent of us efficiently keep
up with our daily correspondence, but
that leaves 10 percent who are deficient.
I guess Im dwelling on the 10 percent
rather than the 90 percent, but if everyone is more aware of this professional
responsibility, it will become one that we
will all do better.
I recently observed another example
of what I believe is a lack of professional
courtesy in the college ranks. In the last
several months, my assistant coach has
applied for many advertised coaching positions. I have supported him as he looks
to break into the head coaching ranks
or move on to a Division I program. To
date he applied for 20 positions and has
received one letter acknowledging receipt
of his resume and four responses informing him that the position had been filled.
These were all advertised positions in
either the NCAA News or posted on the
NSCAA web site. He had spent time constructing separate letters to each school,
and in 15 cases he never even received
acknowledgement that his materials had
been received. I recognize that there is
a flood of applicants for these positions;
however, if its advertised and you ask

interested candidates to take the time to
submit required documents, you owe
that individual the courtesy of a reply. I
hope these examples are the exception,
and people in our business are better at
exhibiting what is nothing more than

common courtesy.
Editors note: The NSCAAs Vice President for Education, Paul Payne also is the
mens coach at Bloomsburg (Pa.) University.
home youve got the field, the time

and the resources, so have a scrimmage: 11 v. 11. Split the timing into
thirds rather than halves so the players
comes down to a coachs scheduling,
By Neil Hull
communication and organizational skills can enjoy themselves. At this level who
As we all know the game of soccer is
knows the effect of the external factors.
built around individuals creating a team. and a players discipline.
Perhaps high school coaches have come
As mentioned in the NSCAA State
In a full-sided game, a coach is dealing
Diploma, in certain areas of the United to watch their players at club level or
with 22, but the numbers required to
visa versa. Parents might be collecting
States soccer is denied grassroots
play a game can be as low as two: 1 v.
video for college resumes. One team
1. Whenever players get together, a team growth because of obstacles to playing
environment can be created; this often is the game. The reasons may include, but might have traveled a considerable
the deciding factor between winning and are not limited to: lack of public fields, distance to play should they just turn
around and not play because a referee
losing. The emphasis of the team can add travel distance to playing locations,
did not turn up? Have a scrimmage.
restrictions placed on players by other
a virtual player or two, and their names
The official game will be rescheduled
institutions, and lack of transport or
might be Motivation and Passion. Our
anyway; just let the players play and
question: What makes an individual want parent involvement.
have their winning moments.
On an organized level in the United
to play in the first place? Where does the
One of largest topics of feedback from
States, there probably are more options
motivation come from the game, the
players
to coaches is about playing time.
ball, friendship, the end product? The an- than most developed countries, but
Taking
away
the opportunity for a player
swers to these questions could be endless these also can have controlling factors
to
play
when
it is there in the local park,
because we are dealing with the psychol- and environments. At the end of the day,
league
or
high
school setting may be an
when an opportunity arises for players,
ogy of individual players.
example
of
coaches
understanding what
In an organized game, a coach should we should give the game back and just
is
best
for
them
but
not their teams.
have a role in the motivation of the play- let them play! This is when they become
There
might
well
be
strong reasons why
creative and learn from siblings, friends,
er. At all times one must remember that
a
coach
does
not
want
to play the team
strangers and the game itself. When a
players are passionate about the game
in
formation,
but
at
least
give the players
because they just want to play. Everything coach or parent takes away a playing
the
option
to
have
a
4
v.
4,
8 v. 8 or 11
opportunity from a team or individual, it
else to them is just an external factor, in
run-out.
Obviously
there
are
exceptions
my opinion. To remove the will or want hinders the evolution and development
to
this
suggestion,
but
at
the
local
league
to play from a player is surgical suicide. of the player, the team and the game.
level,
a
game
is
the
game.
This is when the score does not matter
It is a coachs duty to create or facilitate
Coaches should realize the importhe environment so the game can be suc- a player who plays is the winner.
tance
of finishing all training sessions
Sometimes there can be more to a
cessful. By doing this correctly the game
with
a
game so they can assess their
game than just the game. When playthen becomes the players teacher. As we
teams
and
watch the players play. Each
ers are young, their grandparents, other
know from our coaching experiences in
game,
whether
on the training ground or
relations or mentors might travel great
soccer, players learn more from doing
on
match
day,
is
a diagnostic examinadistances just to watch a match. The
than from lecturing.
tion,
where
each
player is graded in both
As mentioned in the NSCAAs curricu- score does not matter to the spectators,
effort
and
ability.
lum at the director of coaching level and only the moments of joy and pride exTo produce a red card to players by
also the State Diploma, directors of clubs pressed by the player. This is the game
denying
the opportunity of a game or
should be reinforcing to their coaches the at the grassroots level. But as playscrimmage
could undermine players love
ers advance in the game to the higher
importance of the game and should not
for
and
commitment
to their sport. It
levels of club and high school, external
take away the opportunity for players to
could
drain
the
passion
and motivation
factors can affect the game. Incorrect
play and develop at any level, whether
from
players
and
take
away
the primary
numbers of officials, weather, team
its a scrimmage or an organized game.
reason
they
enjoy
the
sport
of
soccer. Just
availability, injuries, and tactics all can
Obviously, we have to deal with players
remember:
Players
play
to
play
the game!
affect the outcome of a game.
overtraining. We need to teach them to
Editors
note:
Neil
Hull
is
the
director
of
In some of these situations, the rules
prioritize so they dont wear themselves
the
Players
Academy
Soccer
Skills
and
also
say you can cancel and reschedule; so
out by scrimmaging with friends on a
serves the NSCAA as State Technical Direccancel it.
match day or taking part in detrimental
tor for south Texas.
However, do not send the players
activities prior to important games. This
To Play or Not to Play: That is the Question
51
vinced is see the numbers of burned-out,

tired 16-year-olds who have had about all
they can stomach from our sport. They
soccer, however, came the profiteers. I
admit they just dont enjoy playing soccer
watched my beloved sport slowly become
anymore, but they are driven, perhaps by
an industry, and with the advent of first
their parents, but surely by the culture, by
the clubs and then the super clubs, the
that all-consuming pursuit of a Division I
industrialization of our sport had begun. I, scholarship. Why would these kids want
too, was a willing participant. In the 70s
to go out and kick a ball around? Why
and 80s, I ran or managed many soccer
would they want to play on a team of their
camps that took thousands of children off
inferiors? They are physically, mentally and
the open playground and put them into
emotionally exhausted by the time they
adult-organized instructional groups. I also reach high school tapped out.
managed the Chicago-areas first indoor
Maybe this explains whats happening
soccer club (Glen Ayre), where I sold 45in Naperville. Have entry-level players seen
minute time slots and offered adult-manhow little fun their older siblings had in
aged competitive and instructional leagues soccer and want to try the new thing (at
to children of all ages.
least new here in Chicagos west suburbs)?
This industrialization of our sport
So when I ride past Nike Park three
has had positive effects in terms of our
blocks from my house and see fields that
nations ability to compete on the interwere once crowded every day with soccer
national stage and certainly in financial
players now lined for lacrosse, and see
terms for the profiteers. But who among
crowds of young men and women with
us in the high school coaching ranks
wicker baskets playing on them, I want
hasnt seen the other result? In the early
to get out of my car, walk over to the
1990s, when I was the varsity boys coach coaches and tell them, Dont kill your
at Downers Grove North High School,
Golden Goose.
my boys all wanted to play club soccer
Sincerely,
they wanted to make themselves better
Bob Graham
players so that our varsity team could become better. By the time my wife became
Editors note: A former collegiate player
the varsity girls coach at Downers Grove at Wheaton (Ill.) College, Bob Graham
North in 2004, she met a very different
played for Sparta ABA from 1972-80. Durscenario. The club coaches have denigrat- ing that time he was the coach at the College
ed the high school experience to such an of DuPage (1978) and Lewis University
extent that players now look down their
(1979-80). His coaching resume also innoses at their own high school teams and cludes stints at Aurora University (1984-85)
may or may not grace them with their
and Downers Grove North High School
presence. The industrialization of the
(1991-94) in additional to coaching at
sport has not been lost on the players.
lower-level high schools from 1989 to 2005.
I wouldnt be writing this letter if I
An Illinois High School Association certithought this way was better for kids. But
fied official from 1975-92, he worked state
its not, and all you have to do to be conchampionship games in 1979 and 1991.
Have We Killed Our Golden Goose?

By Bob Graham
To the American Soccer Community,
The soccer fields in my city are being taken over by lacrosse players; few
American kids are kicking a ball around
or playing a pickup game for fun. And
when I see how many high school varsity
soccer teams have been decimated by
club soccer, the question has arisen in my
mind: Did we kill the Golden Goose?
It was the spring of 1972 or 1973
when I got a call one Friday evening from
my coach, Jerry Fajkus, a legend of Chicago-area soccer. I was in my early 20s,
had just graduated from Wheaton College, where with no previous experience I
played for their new coach, Joe Bean, on
two NCAA regional championship teams.
I was playing for a legendary Chicago
mens team, Sparta A.B.A.
Jerry said in his thick Bohemian accent, Bobby, tomorrow morning we go
down to Naperville. I am starting soccer
there. As usual, I had no choice in the
matter, and the next morning, Jerry and I
met a group of eager children and a park
district coordinator, MaryLou Sonefeld, at
the barn. We ran the kids through the
obligatory cones and ball exercises on a
soggy field. It was very anticlimactic. Of
course, within a few years, the Naperville
Park District soccer program was bursting at the seams with more than 3,000
children registered annually. The story
repeated itself in suburban communities
all over America as eventually the term
Soccer Mom became a part of the political lexicon of our times.
With the growth of park-district-level
Have you kept us in the loop?
In order for the NSCAA to serve you better, we need to know more about you.
If you havent updated your member profile lately, now would be a good time to do so.
Its easy to do online - simply go to the Members Only area of NSCAA.com
and log in, then update your information.
If you have trouble logging in,
email Membership Manager Sandy Williamson-Smith at swilliamson@nscaa.com.
52

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Soccer Journal May-June 2008

Soccer Journal May-June 2008

Volume 53, Number 3

Soccer Journal May-June 2008

Fees for NSCAA

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3 The Presidents Corner

Soccer Journal May-June 2008

Intercollegiate soccer plays an important role in player development

stadia on virtually every college campus where

regular coaches and often isnt as professional

College soccer is here to stay in the United States.

to go to school and develop as soccer players in

Soccer Journal May-June 2008

by Jay Martin, Editor

Cold Hard Facts

Just how accessible is the college scholarship many are pitching?

have offered no data on the number of scholarship

room and board for NCAA institutions often cost

Hows that for a dose of reality? But the good

Soccer Journal May-June 2008

NSHOF puts soccer into new NYC Sports Museum

tory and uniqueness of

filled with soccer moms,

tors to SmA will be sent

Request for Nominations for the NSCAA Board of Directors

or council for a minimum of three years, been a member of

Soccer Journal May-June 2008

Ryans commitment. Now that college

ers often call me for updates on what

the recruiting process. I ask players to

comes down to. The kids commit for fear

1 of the players junior year, said Britz.

Soccer Journal May-June 2008

Soccer Journal May-June 2008

Focus: Coaching Ages: Youth

Proponents believe unstructured play will

and the absence of street soccer in the

the game from age 4 or 5 though their late

The defining characteristic

Asia and Latin America, now exists in

Soccer Journal May-June 2008

youth academies. Individual player development is the focus in these organizations

and basic structure for youth soccer in this

The mantra of playing for the team and

and amazement. Creativity is Ronaldinho

Soccer Journal May-June 2008

sembles a ball every chance they get alone

ate for young soccer players. It creates a

coached just as effectively through smallsided games. In addition, using small-sided

Soccer and child-development researchers

During this segment, the coach steps

Soccer Journal May-June 2008

This approach likely will make many

cer coaches who are interested only

Bringing the street to America

Advanced Regional Diploma, Fort Mill, S.C.

16-17 State Goalkeeping Diploma, Birmingham, Ala.

Regional Goalkeeping Diploma, Danville, Calif.

State Goalkeeping Diploma, Collegeville, Pa.

Parent Coach Diploma, Danville, Calif. Contact:

State Diploma, Danville, Calif. Contact: Fred