From an interview in the Louisville Courier Journal with Mike Dickey, the United States Soccer Federation Women’s National Staff Coach for Region II -
Q. What skill sets are the most important in the game of soccer?
A. Encourage the dribbler at the younger ages — your team of 8- to 10-year-olds should be full of them. Controlling the ball is the primary skill that every other skill in soccer depends upon. Currently, some of the technical areas we are addressing with our U.S. players are the following:
A. First of all, clubs and schools must ensure that players have proper balance of training, games and rest. Currently, we have our players playing too many games and they do not get sufficient training or rest.
As a result, we are seeing an abundance of mediocre play and injuries. In order to affect change on players, a shift in coaching methodology may need to take place. The development of creative, intuitive players is greatly impacted by coaching style and demands. When conducting training sessions, there needs to be a greater reliance on game-oriented training that is player centered and enables players to explore and arrive at solutions while they play. This is in contrast to the “coach-centered” training that has been the mainstay of coaching methodology over the years.
The use of a “guided discovery” approach may prove to be the best way to teach the soccer fundamentals. Players must be also encouraged to watch as much high-level soccer as possible. This will give them ideas to replicate while they are playing their games.
Q. What’s the single most important skill a player can work on by themselves and how?
A. The Brazilians have always been noted for their touch, creativity, dynamic and instinctive play. Their individual brilliance with the ball sets them apart from the rest of the world. This is why they have the most sought after players from professional clubs throughout the planet.
Nations that are currently addressing this area in their youth development are making the fastest growth at the moment. These characteristics are learned by playing small sided soccer games without the guidance or even the presence of a coach. This opportunity must be provided for the players as the prevailing culture in our society does not find players seeking out these opportunities on their own.
A. Encourage the dribbler at the younger ages — your team of 8- to 10-year-olds should be full of them. Controlling the ball is the primary skill that every other skill in soccer depends upon. Currently, some of the technical areas we are addressing with our U.S. players are the following:
- Receiving and solving pressure individually
- Passing (inside/outside foot, driven, chipped and bent) with accuracy
- 1-on-1, dynamic attacking players
- Flank service
- Finishing (goal scoring)
A. First of all, clubs and schools must ensure that players have proper balance of training, games and rest. Currently, we have our players playing too many games and they do not get sufficient training or rest.
As a result, we are seeing an abundance of mediocre play and injuries. In order to affect change on players, a shift in coaching methodology may need to take place. The development of creative, intuitive players is greatly impacted by coaching style and demands. When conducting training sessions, there needs to be a greater reliance on game-oriented training that is player centered and enables players to explore and arrive at solutions while they play. This is in contrast to the “coach-centered” training that has been the mainstay of coaching methodology over the years.
The use of a “guided discovery” approach may prove to be the best way to teach the soccer fundamentals. Players must be also encouraged to watch as much high-level soccer as possible. This will give them ideas to replicate while they are playing their games.
Q. What’s the single most important skill a player can work on by themselves and how?
A. The Brazilians have always been noted for their touch, creativity, dynamic and instinctive play. Their individual brilliance with the ball sets them apart from the rest of the world. This is why they have the most sought after players from professional clubs throughout the planet.
Nations that are currently addressing this area in their youth development are making the fastest growth at the moment. These characteristics are learned by playing small sided soccer games without the guidance or even the presence of a coach. This opportunity must be provided for the players as the prevailing culture in our society does not find players seeking out these opportunities on their own.