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COACH’S CORNER: Nurture a love of the game!

As a recreation coach, you might just be a first introduction to the beautiful game of soccer for many kids and their parents. This is an opportunity to provide a positive initial experience for families that can nurture a love of the game and help grow lifelong players and fans (no pressure!). Here are some quick and easy tips to create some hype and help you on this mission:

  • Have a competition with the kids at practice and add extra incentive by telling them you will do something silly, like star jumps or singing Twinkle, Twinkle, if they “beat” you.
  • Give some fun homework: recommend that they try to get 200 touches on the ball before the next practice, spend two 5-minute sessions practicing passing with perfect posing form or work on increasing the number of juggles they can get by one.
  • Keep parents in the loop about the things you are asking the players to work on so they know what to emphasize with praise too (I love the way you tried that drag back, you really locked your ankle when you passed today, etc.).
  • Encourage players/families to watch a professional or college game – live or on TV – and give them ideas of things to look for during the run of play: count how many passes one team can string together before they lose possession or how many times they see a certain move, for example.
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    MOTI Website Tips: Announcements & Message Emoji

    Announcement Board 

    As we head into spring it is often important to keep the entire Team informed. As a coach, you simply need to update the Announcement board if you don’t have a access to a team management app. It is simple and you can do it from your mobile phone.

    As a reminder, you should put up any changes to your schedule or specific instructions for the upcoming practice or game.

    Also keep in mind you can put in a simple weather statement and or link to the US Weather service like this https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=43.6797&lon=-114.3677#.Wpc9tmrwaUk (this can be obtained by going to https://www.weather.gov/ putting in a city name or zipcode and then copying and pasting the result in the link (see insert)CV READ MORE

    How simple can a practice be? How effective?

    Young players need structure and an environment that allows them to succeed in their soccer skills development.  To that end coaches need to set up small playing areas or grids made with cones or pinnies/vests that give players visual reference points of boundaries that reassure them of their surroundings. Smaller working areas also ensures players get many more touches on the ball as they navigate the designated soccer pitch. Having all players moving around and being active with a ball is a great starting point and should be desired throughout the player’s lifetime participation in the sport. The correlation between the number of touches on the ball and increased skill sets is indisputable, more is better and never forget it. Activities in the grid set up can be continually changed to ensure that the needed ball repetitions do not become boring. The objective is to have players from the age of 5 through 10 completely versed in a minimum of 8 skills with the ball, having them doing the basic moves needed to move, guide and protect the ball in all directions. This age group can be transformed with appropriate activities and technique that accelerates their learning curve of ball manipulation and a foundation of ball mastery.  The following curriculum is a must have skill set for these players foundation within the game. Inside outside touches of both feet, inside outside touches that then transfer the ball to the other foot side for continuous weaving of the ball from side to side. Double touches of the ball on all foot surfaces going outside, outside then inside, inside, repeat on the other foot side. These simple foot skills produce all the ingredients of great dibbling skills and ball manipulation. The next skill set is one of changing direction to either keep the ball in play or turn away from opponents these are hook turns with the inside and outside of the foot. The sole of the foot or cleats can produce a drag back motion to turn or control the ball, the sole can also produce lateral motion to move the ball into passing lanes or preparation for clearing or shooting a ball.  At this age group teaching the correct foot positions and shapes the body needs to succeed in ball manipulation is most important.   Correct muscle memory and focused body movements are crucial for performance. Any athlete who has spent time and effort learning these foundation ball skills will have the necessary level of proficiency to continue and thrive in the game often making it a lifetime team sport. Players who do not get this foundation will pass up on the more difficult aspects of the game leave the game frustrated and despondent at the age of 13 and 14 and you will see them as solitary joggers in later life. READ MORE

    MOTI Tip: Screen Sensitivity

    Changing the 3D Screen Sensitivity according to Player / User Age

    Using the MOTI Soccer App can be fun for young players.  There are controls available to enhance or simplify their user experience. I encourage you as parents or older brothers and sisters to help adjust these controls for the age of the player.

    The Sensitivity Controls for the 3D player of either the 3D Skill or 3D Drill are located under the “Settings” Button.

    This is available on the 3D Skills and 3D Drills player at the top of the screen. Touching this opens up the Sensitivity Menu. READ MORE

    Visual Referencing and Learning the New Norm

    Decisions, decisions, decisions !!! That is the name of the game in soccer
    administration. US Soccer is making decisions on who the next President is
    going to be to catapult and develop the game forward at all levels. That
    person will make a decision on who the next Men’s National Team coach will
    be.

    MLS just made the decision to finally allow David Beckham’s franchise to
    happen in Miami. In the Youth Club level new boards of directors are
    settling into new positions and roles making decisions, while Coaching
    Directors are busy making decisions on team selection, league placement,
    and team coaching assignments. READ MORE

    COACH’S CORNER: Connect 4

    The recreational soccer seasons are usually quite short and coaches often
    don’t get enough contacts or time with their players. As a parent
    coach, we can get so caught up in our agenda of the nuts and bolts list of
    things we want to teach the players in practice and the season that we can
    some times forget one of the important basics of coaching at this, and all
    levels: making meaningful connections!

    1. Make a one-to-one verbal connection with each player at every practice
      and game day. The kids want to know they are seen and that it mattered that they showed up!
    2. Connect to where the individual player is, emotionally, mentally and
      physically. There can be wide range of abilities at the rec level: try to
      find a way to simplify things for the child who isn’t coming in as
      naturally coordinated, or to have empathy for the child who has had a rough
      day, or to create an additional challenge for the player who comes in with
      more soccer experience.
    3. Connect what you work on in practice directly to the games. Remind the
      players about the new skill you introduced earlier that week and tell them
      you are looking for them to try it against that day’s opponent.
    4. Remember to connect with the parents! Introduce yourself to the group
      and individually when you see a new face. Ask the kids to thank their
      parents for getting them to practice and games. Let them know, either in
      person or via email, something positive you saw their child do or something
      that you are encouraging their child to try.

    These little efforts can make a big difference in giving the entire team a
    fun soccer experience. READ MORE

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    Categorized as Articles

    MOTI Tip: Point-of-View & Transparency

    MOTI Sports release a new version of MOTI Soccer (Version V1R6 in iTunes & Google Play) on January 5, 2018. (previously known as MOTI Mobile) Changes were made to system security, speeding asset retrieval and other enhancements. A new option that allows the 3D Drill author to set up one or more preset points-of-view is now available. It also allows the author to setup a default view, which is used when the 3D Drill is initially opened. The beauty of this Mobile App is to allow the user to view the animation to view the 3D Drills from any perspective 360 degrees around the 3D Drill, it is helpful we thought to have the author drawing the drill to setup a few named pre-set Points-of-View (POV). So keep an eye out for this as new 3D Drills as added to libraries for inclusion into your favorite Practice (session) Plans. READ MORE

    MOTI Website Tip: Adding User Language Choice

    You may have noticed we are adding things to help people for whom English
    is not their first language. We truly feel that Futebol / Football / Soccer
    / Foitbal needs to have a training system that is inclusive of all players
    and coaches on the world stage.

    As your players and coaches look at their profile, they can choose a favored language. Until we have those audio tracks completed, they will continue to receive the English audio track. However, we are working at adding Spanish and Portuguese audio tracks for all of our 3D media, both 3D Drills and 3D
    Skills. READ MORE