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Practice makes ????? What ?

First of all this revelation is going to be short and precise.

Practice makes Permanent! Think about those three words with this statement it refutes the normal message of Practice makes Perfect. So how can we now merge the two concepts and make a statement like Perfect Practice makes Perfect and Permanent! Just a play on words but the outcome become less clouded in its last form. If you practice and you are not doing it correctly and you continue to practice that way your skill sets are going to be less than stellar. This is why practice needs some structure and it also needs precise coaching points and ideas that provide clarity for both coaches, players and parents as a bonus if they can be engaged. READ MORE

MOTI Tip: What does the App do, and why should I use it?

The MOTI Soccer App is a free, but very powerful App designed to work with our cloud based platform motisports.com/app) and provides a real time 3D viewing experience of our 3D Skills and 3D Drills. The MOTI Soccer App (previously known as MOTI Mobile) has three functional components.

  • Thin Internet Browser – This provides direct viewing of the Coachspage.com information, it eliminates players and coaches from “wondering around” the internet thus providing a safe & secure environment for youth to use.
  • 3D Technical Skills – This plays the 3D Technical Skills (Foot Skills) allowing the coach or player to rotate around the Skill being demonstrated,from any viewing perspective in the Mobile App via a gaming engine technology (in the future this will lead in the future to a better visual learning experience). This method enhances visual learning while significantly reducing or entirely eliminating “data streaming” which uses up your mobile data plan. It is much simpler to ship a very small file than it is to stream a large video stream.
  • 3D Tactical Skills – This plays the 3D Tactical Drills (activities, simulations) and allows the player or coach to rotate and view the drill / activity / simulation from any perspective needed to comprehend the drill. This is implemented in a gaming engine technology, which in the future will provide for significant enhancement of viewing and understanding.

Two items to note. First when viewing a 3D element (Skill or Drill) once it has been viewed, it will not be downloaded again (as it is already located with in the app), unless the MOTI Soccer App is reset. Second the re-flash of the MOTI Blue Logo Screen that you see between viewing the Practice Plan and viewing a 3D Skill or Drill, is simply the app, refreshing the contents of the Thin Internet Browser. READ MORE

See it and Do it.

In recent weeks I attended maybe 20 coaching clinics. I often wonder that takes place at these clinics really. Ever look around at a coaching clinic and ask yourself Why am I here, what and how am I learning?

The idea behind the coaching clinic is for a coach to visually see and experience “a fully developed model, which coaches can implement immediately within their organization to promote innovation and accelerate results”.  Coachinc.com

See it and Do it.

Similarly, both USSF and USC are now using on line training and YouTube videos to help train new to the game coaches and seasoned veterans alike. READ MORE

Why Soccer Skills are So Important

Having the ability to manipulate a soccer ball is so important for young players to work on. It is impossible to work up the ladder of Soccer if the basics of ball movement skill sets are not in place. Being able to keep a ball close to your feet and anticipating the balls next revolution is paramount in gaining later enjoyment from this complex game.

From a young age, ball manipulation with all surfaces should be sought by all players, and a goal of all coaches. Being able to stop the ball with the sole of the foot is one of the very first successes players will accomplish. This is good because it will enable players to keep the ball inside of the field markings and it will also stop players from running into the opponents, another good thing. Developing building blocks and forming a foundation from which to succeed will entail adding inside and outside touches of the foot. READ MORE

MOTI App – Engineered for Learning Visually & Easily

The MOTI Soccer App was designed to present a session/practice/lesson plan to the user visually and be easy to use and understand.

When you log into the MOTI Soccer App (previously known as MOTI Mobile) you are presented with the

  • Announcement Board
    This contains simple general information the Coach wants the team (players, parents and other coaches) to read immediately. It may contain simple information, such as reminders about clothing, equipment or location of practice, feedback about the previous contest, birthday wishes for a player, and alike.
  • Practice Plan (Currently Scheduled)
    The heart of the system, this one item enables coaches to share with everyone what is expected to be accomplished at the next practice (session/lesson).
  • 3D Skills   is the technique/foot skill to be studied and practiced. The beauty of this is allowing players and parents to practice these at home. With a single touch, the animation with a professionally narrated audio appears. A simple touch of the “>” Play button and the animation comes to life. Players, parents, and coaches use fingertip controls of the screen to view the animation from any perspective. Here is a brief video showing the controls. Touch here to view a brief video on controls of the Skills Player.
3D Drills    is the drill or activity presented to be studied prior to practice. The simplicity of this is that coaches can now see and listen to the activity to be performed, all the coaching points are there along with how the drill progresses and re-generates. Players can watch the drill so that when practice begins coaches don’t have to spend precious time on the practice area explaining what is to occur. Again a simple touch of the “>” Play button begins the animation. Players, parents, and coaches can use fingertips controls to view from any perspective. Touch here to view the controls for the Drills Player. A host of other viewing features from adding player & ball trails to watching from the 1st person perspective can be found here on our website –

https://motisports.com/category/mobile-app-tips/ READ MORE

COACHS CORNER: Keeping Practice FUN AND EFFECTIVE

  • Minimize the lines, maximize the ball touches – players should rarely be standing around. Set up more than one station of the same drill, go to both goals to shoot or have a passing sequence lead up to a shot so more players are involved, one ball per player and keep them moving during skills session.
  • Players will respond to your energy level and enthusiasm, both physical and verbal…you should be almost as tired as the kids by the end of practice!
  • Try to make one to one contact/connection with every player throughout the course of each practice and game. Make direct technique corrections with a player that is struggling to execute a skill, acknowledge great effort to the player who sprinted back on defense, high fives as they are getting subbed off.
  • Incorporate some analogous visuals as you talk about technique. Ankles should be locked when doing an inside of the foot pass – what would happen if a hockey stick had a blade on a hinge?
  • Come up with some fun/silly catch phrases that are easy for the kids to latch onto and for you to pull out during games and practices. “Say no to the toe!” to remind them which part of the foot they should be using to shoot or pass. “Zak, Rutabaga!” when Zak is looking up at the sky instead of focusing on something soccer related.
  • Stop a skills session or a drill in the middle when you catch a player doing something really well and have them do a demonstration for the whole team. Let them take a bow at the end and encourage a round of applause from teammates.  
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    COACHS CORNER: New Year, so…ready, (to) set, GO(als)!

    Goals are an essential ingredient to sports, but in this case I don’t mean the kind you score – I’m referring to the kind you set. As many people take the time to make resolutions and commitments at the start of a new year, seems like a fitting opportunity to reflect on how coaches can help establish a foundation for a lifetime of individual goal setting in players beginning at a young age.

    There are an abundance of techniques and theories surrounding goal setting, but that doesn’t mean you need to employ a sports psychologist for your team in order to give it a go. If this is a new frontier for you but you’d like to try, it’s okay to keep it simple – it is good for coaches to do as they coach…and practice things/take risks too! READ MORE