New to the board with a question?

[TNTDYNO]

As I have read on here it seems that there are a lot of coaches that hang out here so, I wanted to throw out this question to everyone, "If you could create your ideal soccer player, name the top 3 attributes, characteristics, etc in a soccer player, and in what order of importance?" EX: Speed, physical, skills, mental, etc.

 

Your thoughts? /wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" />

[BigG]

As I have read on here it seems that there are a lot of coaches that hang out here so, I wanted to throw out this question to everyone, "If you could create your ideal soccer player, name the top 3 attributes, characteristics, etc in a soccer player, and in what order of importance?" EX: Speed, physical, skills, mental, etc.

 

Your thoughts? /wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" />

 

Let's see... the hair of Coniglio, the ego of Reaction, the musculature of Akula, and the wisdom of MVM (although I might switch the hair from Coniglio to Akula depending on the color that Akula goes with this season).

 

Ha ha!

 

TNTDYNO, I don't think I can narrow it to 3, but I can give you my top 10...

 

Passion

Intensity

Courage

Brotherhood

Respect

Confidence

Self Control

Mercy

Encouragement

Humility

 

In no specific order...

[BigG]

Yes, I realize none of these are soccer "skills". So, I'll add them, too.

 

First touch

360 degree awareness

Concrete technical skills.

 

While speed it great, I have had some incredible "slow" players (think Carlos Valderrama... he sure didn't move much, but man, he could put a ball on a dime 30 yards away).

 

Size is good, but not necessary (shoot, Tyler Gibson is one of the best players I have seen, and he would win headers over some of my tallest players).

 

If you can have the above 3 skills, you will be a great addition to your team. If you can add the top 10 skills to that, you can be a champion both on and off the field.

 

Ironically, I spend a whole lot more of my time coaching the first set of attributes (the ones I posted above) than the ones in this post. I don't always succeed, but I sure try to have the boys that come out of my program as being better young men, and also learn a thing or two about soccer at the same time.

 

I know it sounds cheesy, but too often we lose the young man in the quest for athletic superiority. I think you can have both. It just takes a heck of a lot of work, and time, and patience, etc.

[dins8]

Yes, I realize none of these are soccer "skills". So, I'll add them, too.

 

First touch

360 degree awareness

Concrete technical skills.

 

While speed it great, I have had some incredible "slow" players (think Carlos Valderrama... he sure didn't move much, but man, he could put a ball on a dime 30 yards away).

 

Size is good, but not necessary (shoot, Tyler Gibson is one of the best players I have seen, and he would win headers over some of my tallest players).

 

If you can have the above 3 skills, you will be a great addition to your team. If you can add the top 10 skills to that, you can be a champion both on and off the field.

 

Ironically, I spend a whole lot more of my time coaching the first set of attributes (the ones I posted above) than the ones in this post. I don't always succeed, but I sure try to have the boys that come out of my program as being better young men, and also learn a thing or two about soccer at the same time.

 

I know it sounds cheesy, but too often we lose the young man in the quest for athletic superiority. I think you can have both. It just takes a heck of a lot of work, and time, and patience, etc.

 

 

G, your list gives the average Joe hope, but I disagree with it. I have watched both Farragut and Bearden kick the tar out of East TN with the following characteristics:

 

1.) Speed

2.) Technical ability

3.) More speed

 

I have also coached some great kids (passionate, intense, morally upright) who don't amount to diddily on the pitch. I know I sound entirely cynical, but I hate watching the Rudy's of the world end up with a broken heart because they can't compete with the mythical punk from Athlete's 'R Us High School. Back when I was coaching up North, I used to tell my kids that we could beat the powerhouses in the area with courage, integrity, heart and all the other sappy things that people say helped the 1980 U.S. Hockey team beat the Soviets. Unfortunately, we got the snot beaten out of us while the punks from the other school (this is a true story) urinated on our field on the way out. They eventually went on to win the State Championship. Sure, I agree with you that your above ten qualities are infinitely more important than any sort of soccer skill, but, in reality, Rudy only played a down for Notre Dame, and that kid would have repeatedly tazered himself for the good of his team.

 

No disrespect, G. It just upsets me when the Cobra Kais win championships--not to say that Bearden or Farragut are nearly as awful as Johnny and his disciples.

[BigG]

No, I understand what you are saying, and that is why I added the second "short list".

 

I guess I should have specified that the first list are attributes I look for outside of soccer "skills". To me, they are just as important (if not more so). But you are right. There comes a time when the first list will only get you so far against quality opponents. That is why you need my second list combined with the character traits in order to truly compete.

 

I sure like speed, but you either have it or you don't. You can still be effective without it, though. I think you can't be effective without technical skill (which we both agree on). And I think if you have good 360 awareness, you also have good knowledge of the flow of the game, so to speak.

 

You are right about what you said, and I took no disrespect from it. I guess I tend to like the "Rudys" of the world because I guess I was more like Rudy than I was like Johnny. That is why I get so frustrated with players that have so much talent, but have NO passion or drive.

[BigDog7]

G, your list gives the average Joe hope, but I disagree with it. I have watched both Farragut and Bearden kick the tar out of East TN with the following characteristics:

 

1.) Speed

2.) Technical ability

3.) More speed

 

I have also coached some great kids (passionate, intense, morally upright) who don't amount to diddily on the pitch. I know I sound entirely cynical, but I hate watching the Rudy's of the world end up with a broken heart because they can't compete with the mythical punk from Athlete's 'R Us High School. Back when I was coaching up North, I used to tell my kids that we could beat the powerhouses in the area with courage, integrity, heart and all the other sappy things that people say helped the 1980 U.S. Hockey team beat the Soviets. Unfortunately, we got the snot beaten out of us while the punks from the other school (this is a true story) urinated on our field on the way out. They eventually went on to win the State Championship. Sure, I agree with you that your above ten qualities are infinitely more important than any sort of soccer skill, but, in reality, Rudy only played a down for Notre Dame, and that kid would have repeatedly tazered himself for the good of his team.

 

No disrespect, G. It just upsets me when the Cobra Kais win championships--not to say that Bearden or Farragut are nearly as awful as Johnny and his disciples.

 

 

Dins8,

I think it depends upon your definition of winning. If it's the score of a single game, or championship and in the context of the original question, I think we're all agreed on speed, technical ability, and more speed. I like to think of the definition of winning more along the lines of John Wooden's. He defined it as every player getting the most out of his ability every time down the court. That is a very tall order, but he said if you do that, the W's and L's will take care of themselves. That requires G's 10. I also define the game as not ending at the end of a high school or college career, it's when we all have to make that final accounting.

 

It sounds like you are a coach, so please know I respect and appreciate the value of your's and G's profession. You are a key figure in the lives of young men when they don't necessarily believe or want to hear from their parents! I encourage you to always tell your kids they can beat the powerhouses, but to also challenge their definition of winning. During my playing days (not in soccer, we didn't even know what that was), we never got out of the county playoffs, and I've been on the wrong end of some major a-whippings. But, I was also involved in a couple of "Miracle" games. They do happen.

 

I'm quickly approaching 50 and I can say I've had people metaphorically "urinate on my field" many times since high school. However, I can definitely say that based upon God's grace and the lessons I learned playing sports in high school, I've had more than my share of W's. So, this post is to say thanks to guys like you and G and all the other coaches. But, moreover, to help you realize that whether you get your brains beat out or you dust somebody else, y'all are powerful influences on what the score will look like 25 years from now. If it gets frustrating, just review your definition of winning. And, to quote "Coach" Miagi in Daniel's championship match against the Cobra Kai's - "It's okay to lose - it's not okay to be afraid".

 

Respectfully,

BD7

[ihavenofriendzz]

i cant say i know alot about soccer, but i think these can apply to any sport...

 

natural talent

instincts/knowledge of the game

control of emotions

 

the last one only because I have seen many good players lose control of their emotions and it cost their team and.or make them and their team look bad. nothing worse than being good and looking bad because of something so stupid.

[oldcoach54]

The question I ask my players is

 

Do you control your emotions or do your emotions control you?

 

They have to be able to say yes to the first one to be successful on and off the field. Unfortunately, I had to learn that one the hard way in my playing days.

 

To expand on your discussion, I was once told by a former US National U-17 coach (and former teammate) that the best team has three piano players and eight guys to carry the piano.

[dins8]

Dins8,

I think it depends upon your definition of winning. If it's the score of a single game, or championship and in the context of the original question, I think we're all agreed on speed, technical ability, and more speed. I like to think of the definition of winning more along the lines of John Wooden's. He defined it as every player getting the most out of his ability every time down the court. That is a very tall order, but he said if you do that, the W's and L's will take care of themselves. That requires G's 10. I also define the game as not ending at the end of a high school or college career, it's when we all have to make that final accounting.

 

It sounds like you are a coach, so please know I respect and appreciate the value of your's and G's profession. You are a key figure in the lives of young men when they don't necessarily believe or want to hear from their parents! I encourage you to always tell your kids they can beat the powerhouses, but to also challenge their definition of winning. During my playing days (not in soccer, we didn't even know what that was), we never got out of the county playoffs, and I've been on the wrong end of some major a-whippings. But, I was also involved in a couple of "Miracle" games. They do happen.

 

I'm quickly approaching 50 and I can say I've had people metaphorically "urinate on my field" many times since high school. However, I can definitely say that based upon God's grace and the lessons I learned playing sports in high school, I've had more than my share of W's. So, this post is to say thanks to guys like you and G and all the other coaches. But, moreover, to help you realize that whether you get your brains beat out or you dust somebody else, y'all are powerful influences on what the score will look like 25 years from now. If it gets frustrating, just review your definition of winning. And, to quote "Coach" Miagi in Daniel's championship match against the Cobra Kai's - "It's okay to lose - it's not okay to be afraid".

 

Respectfully,

BD7

 

 

BD7-

 

Great post, and i agree with just about everything that you said--especially the main theme that suggests that winning can be defined in numerous ways. Two things worth noting:

 

1.) I'm really not that frustrated--just a realist. I hope I didn't sound like I was boo-hooing. (Our team has been on the winning side way more than the losing side).

2.) No one ever metophorically urinated on our field. It was quite literal and quite repugnant.

 

-dins

[frogdoggie]

Hardwork

Teamwork

Luck

 

These are my favorite three because if you work hard you can accopmlish just about anything, and if you are not successful you'll still be be proud of your effort.

 

Teamwork because a team working together is better than any individual.

 

And luck because sometimes its better to be lucky than good.

[reaction]

Let's see... the hair of Coniglio, the ego of Reaction, the musculature of Akula, and the wisdom of MVM (although I might switch the hair from Coniglio to Akula depending on the color that Akula goes with this season).

 

Whats wrong witih my ego? /blink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":blink:" border="0" alt="blink.gif" /> /blink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":blink:" border="0" alt="blink.gif" />

I can answer this question in 3 words. Speed, Confidence, G-effect (which means all those other words G put down, bunched into 1 /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" /> )

[anonymous12]

Whats wrong witih my ego? /blink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":blink:" border="0" alt="blink.gif" /> /blink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":blink:" border="0" alt="blink.gif" />

I can answer this question in 3 words. Speed, Confidence, G-effect (which means all those other words G put down, bunched into 1 /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" /> )

 

 

That would only be two since Big G already said confidence