Parents--I get on the girls enough during the game. They are out there trying to apply things they've learned in practice--we have taught them more the past on tactic than the last 7 years combined. Their minds are already going a million miles a minute. They already have Me, Eric, and Gary on the sidelines coaching/motivating, getting on them at times. They DO NOT need coaches on the sidelines. If it isn't positive, don't say it. Way too much coaching from parents yesterday. They should only hear positive from here forward during games. And the girls actually talked about how much it was messing them up at halftime. Coaching these girls is not for me--I have a hundred other things I should be doing (right Heidi...?!). I heard some things on the side lines I did not care for yesterday (some seemed towards me too, but I'd rather have towards me than them). I can handle some coaching TOWARDS ONLY YOUR DAUGHTER if it's in a positive light. But definitely not other people's kids. Nothing good comes from it. Let these girls figure it out on their own, and with the direction from the coaches. I also will get on your girls. It has NEVER been out of anger--I care for each girl on this team like she was my own--and that is the truth. When a girl comes out of the game, I will always tell them something they needed to improve on, and something they did well. It will ALWAYS end in a positive. You don't here that from the sidelines. I get on Molly more than any girl. And probably Hope and Taylor second, with Sophie in there somewhere! (thanks Karnes, Jenkins, and Steppe for your support). If it is too much for you to handle, please speak directly with me the following day. Otherwise if that doesn't seem feasible, find another team (no, I don't want that). I believe this is the first time I've had to send this type of email in the 12 years of my coaching--definitely this is the first time in the 7 years with this team. I always brag on "the parents of this team"--please allow me to continue to brag on you guys! And just remember, negativity is contagious. I promise I will not allow that on this team. So, please understand why I am nipping it in the butt today. Trust me, when I am a parent on the sidelines at my other daughters games, there are times I want to walk across the the field and strangle my other kids coaches. But, that night, or the next day, all I can think of is how stupid I was to feel that way, and can't thank them enough for their time as a volunteer--and thank God I kept my mouth shut at the game.
Ugh, hate sending that out because there isn't a parent I wouldn't call my friend...!
Girls,
Please print out and bring to practice to discuss--there are some things on here that we need to quickly talk about to break some habits, and I need to know you read this--and you can scratch out the note above to your parents :)
Looking at the big picture, you had a good day yesterday for the most part by winning the first and tying the second! You girls were put in a new League this fall, and a Division higher than I thought we should have been placed in (Elite 2nd Division). But, once again, you have stepped up to the plate! Of the 12 teams in our division, there are only three undefeated teams--you are one of them! --with only three games to go. So far this season, including tournaments, I believe your record is 8 wins, 1 loss, and 4 ties. Be proud!; but not satisfied. I only say that because it IS exciting to think of how far you girls have come; but that your ability suggests we could be 11-1-1! Wow, some exciting stuff. And remember, soccer is a funny game in the sense that the better team doesn't always win. So, you really don't see teams go undefeated in a season, especially at this age and level.
Game 1
We played a pretty darn good team. Defense (back four specifically), that was a very very good game from you. I really felt our two teams were evenly matched. I knew, for some reason, that that game was not going to end in a tie. I knew one of the two teams were going to put a goal in and that game was going to be determined by 1 single goal. Both teams played very good defense, with good organization on defense.
It was hard for our offense to get "behind" their defense. Their defense covered each other very well. OUR FIRST SHOT ON GOAL was not until about the 50th minute in the second half, which was a goal! Great shot Ciara--very nice! And we did it by taking a strike in front of their defense. And when a defense packs it in like they were and plays with that much depth, it's going to many times have to be that type of goal--A quick strike from distance.. I know we always talk about finishing our shots low on the ground away from goalie, but this was that time when we needed to "not finish", but actually SHOOT on goal. The other ways to score on this type of defense will usually come from crosses (which we weren't doing enough, or set plays like corner kicks). Also remember, when their defense plays with depth, more passing to feet instead of space needs to take place to break them down to allow shots.
After our goal, what you then saw was their defense beginning to push up since they needed a goal and play much greater pressure. They played with less depth, which then allowed us to find those passing lanes to play balls BEHIND their defense into space for through balls. We then had 3-5 more opportunities, using our speed on the outside for a few more possible finishes.
The game was not our best game. In the first half, we continued to force play back into pressure. We were trying to play up the middle of the field, or on the same side the ball was on. The outsides, specifically the weak side, was being left open (remember, their defense was packing it in the middle). We were not switching fields and finding the true one on one opportunities (Ciara was open many times on weak side, but we missed her). And sometimes, we even looked up and saw the open weak side, but for whatever reason, played it back into pressure. Girls, I continue to write this same thing over and over about NOT playing back into pressure--I can't MAKE YOU do it. You just have to do it. We've got to break the habit of always playing back into pressure.
We did play 20 straight minutes that second half of very good soccer. I was very pleased with that 20 minutes. You finally began to move off the ball, make good passes, find the weak side, and gave us those extra shots on goal. Let's turn that into 70 minutes of that type of play.
Lastly on this game, I commend you on how you played the last 5 minutes. They pushed their defense up so high, including their goalie. We stayed compact and continued to clear the ball, or play it out of bounds. In the past (year ago), this was the 5 minutes that we usually gave up that heart breaking goal. But your clears were solid, your talk on defense, stepping to the ball, and making solid contact with your clears were well done--way to stay composed and get the Win against a good team, giving them their first loss!
Game 2
We played a team that we had already tied in the Mead Cup. They are better than I thought, but we definitely are the better team. Remember, they had just lost to the team you beat that morning by a score of 3-0. On paper, you definitely should have beat them.
We went up 1-0, and seemed like it could turn into a 4-0 win... But, they scored, and we hung our heads, played with no sense or urgency, panicked, and allowed them to score again, going into halftime down 2-1. Extremely frustrating...
The game before (that mornings game), I had stated after the game that "I have not given our defense enough credit--that our defense could be the strongest in our league--that we have given up the least amount of goals in our league".
But, for whatever reason, our back 4 broke down really bad that first half defensively. We totally forgot all the principles of defense--Pressure, Cover, Balance, Shape. We were "man marking" in the middle of the field. We showed no depth. I said to Coach Eric in the very first minute that our defense was so flat across the field. This was why they had so many through passes leading to shots on goal. Our Cover was always to high up on their mark, and never in a position to help/cover. They had better speed than I remember, but we made it way to easy on them--and the greater speed you are up against, the deeper cover you need to have. Next practice, I will touch on this again, so we never have that breakdown again---very mind boggling... Remember, we only "man mark TIGHT" in our deep defensive third--more particularly, in the box. Outside of the box, we play pressure, cover, shape, balance...
At halftime,we went over defense. Defense--CONGRATS on the second half. Your shape was SO much better--like you normally play. And you didn't give up another goal. They did have a few opportunities. Olivia--GREAT job! I know you put your body out their that game, and got some bumps and bruises from it, but you had some text book saves, coming out at the right times, making beautiful sliding saves--WELL DONE!
We also talked about coming over adversity at halftime. I told you that I realized it's our second game of the day and their first. We were down 2-1. And a true test of your character was going to be defined in the next 30 minutes. I said you girls could come out and play "tired", or you could regroup, dig down deep, and give the hardest 30 minutes ever. I also told you that just because we are working on 1 and 2 touch passing in practice, that we didn't waste 3 years of S4 skill training. And here is what happened...
Kylie came out like a mad woman!, and went 110% from the whistle, winning about 4 50/50 balls in one sequence, taking the ball down the field, using a scissor and a step over to get by defenders and create more space. Well done Kylie. I don't think I ever heard Coach Eric yell so loud in commending you for starting the half that way. But, here is what made me most proud. You all fed off of this, and started using skill, which opened up our one and two touch passing, and were giving 100%. Unlike the first half when we were getting beat to the ball, we ALL started being first to the ball and winning 50/50 balls. We were digging down deep and out hustling and muscling that team. Sheena got a spark, and started showing some S4 skill, dribbling away from pressure, looking like Messi, and finding the feet of her teammates! All sorts of good things were happening. We put a lot of pressure on them, and with about 3-4 shots on goal in the box, with the ball being deflected everywhere, Talyor finished it with a great goal to tie 2-2. We then kept the ball on their side of the field and I was very certain we were going to win that game. Unfortunately, mother nature spoke, and the lightening cut the game about 12 minutes short. But, congrats on that second half.
We always come out the second games tired (we are trying to figure this out--I have an idea next time), and play very lethargic. BUT, THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT YOU GIRLS WERE ABLE TO DIG DEEP IN THE SECOND HALF OF A SECOND GAME OF THE DAY, AND BE THE BETTER TEAM--THE HARDER WORKING TEAM! I COMMEND YOU HEAVILY FOR THAT--THAT HAS BEEN A HUGE STUMBLING BLOCK FOR THIS TEAM FOR MANY YEARS!
Have a great weekend girls. There is a lot of info in this post we need to discuss. I want to go over high pressure for 3 minutes. Too many times one breakdown was costing us a quick transition from the other team. Principles of defense, and exactly how I want the forwards on throw-in to switch by one checking out, and the other checking in. Also, the different ways to switch fields (clears, through the middle, the back, goalie clears, etc). Please print this out and bring it to practice. I NEED to know you read it, and we do need to discuss some things so we can break some habits, and get back to focusing on Skill. Most of this is tactical stuff, so I only want to spend 20 minutes tops in discussion.
Thanks,
Brian
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