A Small Leak Can Sink A Great Ship

Girls,
Thanks for being a great team.  It's a privilege to coach you all.

As your coach, it is my responsibility to not allow bad habits to form.  Today, we had to stop our practice and instead use the last 10 minutes as an opportunity to run and get in better shape because I felt we were doing so many things wrong that it was important to simply stop and restart fresh at our next practice.

In life, you will learn that if you take shortcuts, you'll end up paying the price in the long run.  When building your house, the foundation is the first part of the building process.  If you build a beautiful house with a weak foundation, you'll spend way more time and money in the long term trying to fix the weak foundation, so why not make sure your foundation is strong the first time?!  A great saying that reminds me of this is "A small leak can sink a great ship".  When I hear this it makes me think of how not fixing simple details can lead to a much bigger failure.

Today, I witnessed many details being overlooked that you girls usually pay greater attention too.  I witnessed girls not working smart and taking a shortcut, which led to you having to try and make up for those shortcuts by having to work harder than necessary, which was bringing you all to exhaustion in the long run.

We are entering a season like no other.  You will be playing team after team that is ranked in the top 5 of their state, many state cup winners, MRL teams, nationally ranked teams,--your first game is against the state of Missouri's #2 team and State Cup winners, along with many showcase overall championships.  These teams will take those shortcuts you made today and make you pay dearly for them.  My goal is that you enjoy and love this sport.  And I know if we take those shortcuts, you will absolutely not enjoy the outcomes of these games.  I don't want that for you.

Listed below are the things I saw over and over today, and the result of each short cut.

1. Not checking your shoulder.   Result:  turning into a defender and getting the ball stolen, which then makes you and your teammates have to work harder in playing defense.  Such a simple thing that needs to be done constantly-every time.  "Allowing that leak will let the ship Sink".

2. Not talking.  Result:  two girls going after one ball, or even worse, neither girl pressuring the ball.  Now everyone is scrambling on defense having to work harder to stop an attack.   Simple-- "Ball, Cover, you got her, I've got ball, you've got me square, drop, down the line, etc."  CONSTANT talk will allow less running. Staying organized and keeping shape on both offense and defense can NOT be done without CONSTANT CONSTANT talk.  It's not even an option to not talk in this game.

3.  Lack of High Pressure:  Girls, this is how we play, always have, and always will.  Result:  Allowing the girl to receive the ball now requires hard work on defense.  I expect constant denial, and the rotation you have been taught.  One breakdown on this, and you leave your entire team very vulnerable.  I always say this--your best defense is your offense.  Remember, don't let them have the ball and you won't have to defend them with the ball.  Our pressure today was so late all the time.  Not just on the outside backs, but in the middle/center mids too, and also our forwards not pressuring high.  It was a total breakdown, which was causing you to have to work WAY harder in trying to make up for doing it right the first time.

4. Not getting in "A" position (being a constant option).  Result--your teammate with the ball not having options to pass too, and eventually forcing a pass or losing the ball, which then makes you have to scramble and defend again.  We have got to STOP playing in your defenders shadows.  Remember, you need to be an option NOT when your teammate has the ball, but before she receives it so she knows where to play it as it's coming to her.  That takes hard work up front, but again, it will pay off by you keeping possession and not having to sprint back to defend.  It's really this easy, if you are not a constant option for your teammate before she receives the ball, then you are not working hard enough!

5. Not being more pateint and holding the ball until something opens up by shielding or using S4 to create more time.  Result:  Forcing a bad pass or getting the ball stolen.  Girls, PLAY QUICK BUT DO NOT RUSH.  I have explained that meaning before.  You have the skills to hold the ball if you don't have options--quit freaking out and making lazy careless passes in the direction of a teammate.  Play to feet, or space you know your teammate can be first too.

Ok girls, I will stop with that.  I know today was not fun.  It wasn't fun for me to watch, I know you weren't having fun playing, and it didn't end on a positive note--AND THAT'S NOT HOW WE ROLL!!!

Please come focused on Monday.  I know you love this sport, so for the love of the sport, do it right the first time!  We are going to have a fun and challenging season; but demand the best from yourself and your teammates!  Have a great Sunday, and each of you are special (and I mean that--you have to be to be a WieKing!)!

Brian