Voluntary Practice Poll:
This Saturday 5:00 Brian has reserved the field at Tower Park so we have an opportunity to work on skills. Many people are traveling or busy with breaks and Easter so I would like to offer up a voluntary practice this Saturday to work on Skills. I would like to ask everyone to answer the pole at the right for participation. If we get 6 or more I will plan to be there at 5:00.
Have a great Easter Weekend.
Eric
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Monday, March 25, 2013
Practice Location and Time change
Parents,
With the dropping temperatures, and miserable conditions, I am moving practice indoors to WieFit.
I will be beginning practice at 7:00 and ending at 8:30. Hopefully this works better for your schedule in getting the girls home earlier. Please make sure the girls wear indoor or gym shoes and bring their ball.
Thanks,
Brian
With the dropping temperatures, and miserable conditions, I am moving practice indoors to WieFit.
I will be beginning practice at 7:00 and ending at 8:30. Hopefully this works better for your schedule in getting the girls home earlier. Please make sure the girls wear indoor or gym shoes and bring their ball.
Thanks,
Brian
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Girls/Parents,
Thanks for a good weekend. If I were to judge this weekend on what we've spent the most time working on, then it was a success. And that was possession out of our backfield, and switching fields out of our backfield. Our defense did a very good job in this. Their spacing was very nice.
Game 1:
We played with very little effort the first half of the first game. We were thinking too much and not simply playing the game. We were keeping possession more than the other team, but we were keeping it too much on the wrong half of the field! They were pressing us hard, and we continued to want to "play to feet", when we had opportunities to play a little more direct, and play some "through balls" into space for running strikers or outside mids. I know we have been stressing "play to feet", but that team was playing very very tight defense, and there fullbacks were playing very "flat" and pressing extremely high. We also were forcing possession/switch of fields from out backfield/defense, when a few times clearing the ball would have been the best option due to the high pressure. At halftime we discussed these things, and how we need to look for those opportunities to play "though" their defense and expose how flat and tight they were playing, and also give a lot more effort on winning 50/50 balls. We then came out that next half and put tons of pressure on the other team, but simply couldn't finish. But, we were like two different teams each half. I was happy with the adjustments. We definitely increased our effort/hustle, and our backfield was also making better decisions on when to clear versus try and possess. It was a tough 1-0 loss knowing we controlled the game, but valuable lessons were learned.
Game 2:
We proved that we understand the game. We proved that we understand spacing, when to check to, make runs, etc. We played possession very very well. We were making good decisions. Great switch of fields beginning with our fullbacks. Girls were checking to the ball instead of waiting on it. We possessed the ball and moved in nicely up the field which gave us great scoring opportunities which we capitalized on! After we went up a few goals, the other team pressured us hard--they pushed "numbers up". We did a very good job in staying compact on defense and not giving up a goal. That shutout was nice. for a 3-0 win. Shutouts give extra points, and sometimes that extra point can be the difference to enable a team to make it to the championships.
Game 3:
We came out a little slow. We didn't have the effort the first half like we did the previous game, but it was still much better than our very first game of the tournament. The team we played had good speed. We made a few mental mistakes and gave up back to back goals at the beginning of the second half. I was very happy we didn't quit. The effort the 2nd half was very high. We scored two very nice goals, but giving up the third proved to be too much.
Outside of hustle (which has to always come first), here is the biggest difference of game 2 and game 3. Please read and think of this very carefully... In game two, we played against a less athletic and slower team. We moved really well in getting open and receiving passes in game 2. In game 2, if our first touch wasn't perfect, we were quick enough to make up for the bad first touch by correcting it with our second touch. In Game 3, we got into position with lots of movement just like in Game 2. BUT, in game 3 when we had a bad first touch, the other team was faster--which meant we weren't getting the time to correct our first touch with a second touch. Lesson to be learned: we need to get much better with our first touch. Fast and athletic teams (like our team), will expose a bad first touch. This comes with practice and practice. We will continue to work on perfecting our first touch in all different situations, using both our right and LEFT feet.
When we went down a few goals, we did have to change our style of play. Being down, and needing to win (not tie that game) for any possibility of advancement, made us change our style of play to a very DIRECT style of play. We were working against the clock needing a couple goals, so building it up from the backfield I felt was not our best options. I know we scored a couple of goals this way, but we also gave up goals by doing this. I know as both Parents and Players, it's easy to fall into the trap of "direct play is better than perfecting possession". Here is what you need to understand. Against ELITE teams, you will never win with this style of play. ELITE teams will have 11 extremely good athletes on the field. They will expose that style of play and shut it down so quickly. We will never compete with ELITE teams with that style. We will continue to build on our possession style of soccer, and continue to work on perfecting our first touches. By doing so, I believe (I KNOW), that we will be that ELITE team playing in ELITE tournaments in the near future.
Thanks Girls for your hard work and Enjoy the rest of your weekend! Comments are always welcome from parents and of course players!
Brian
Thanks for a good weekend. If I were to judge this weekend on what we've spent the most time working on, then it was a success. And that was possession out of our backfield, and switching fields out of our backfield. Our defense did a very good job in this. Their spacing was very nice.
Game 1:
We played with very little effort the first half of the first game. We were thinking too much and not simply playing the game. We were keeping possession more than the other team, but we were keeping it too much on the wrong half of the field! They were pressing us hard, and we continued to want to "play to feet", when we had opportunities to play a little more direct, and play some "through balls" into space for running strikers or outside mids. I know we have been stressing "play to feet", but that team was playing very very tight defense, and there fullbacks were playing very "flat" and pressing extremely high. We also were forcing possession/switch of fields from out backfield/defense, when a few times clearing the ball would have been the best option due to the high pressure. At halftime we discussed these things, and how we need to look for those opportunities to play "though" their defense and expose how flat and tight they were playing, and also give a lot more effort on winning 50/50 balls. We then came out that next half and put tons of pressure on the other team, but simply couldn't finish. But, we were like two different teams each half. I was happy with the adjustments. We definitely increased our effort/hustle, and our backfield was also making better decisions on when to clear versus try and possess. It was a tough 1-0 loss knowing we controlled the game, but valuable lessons were learned.
Game 2:
We proved that we understand the game. We proved that we understand spacing, when to check to, make runs, etc. We played possession very very well. We were making good decisions. Great switch of fields beginning with our fullbacks. Girls were checking to the ball instead of waiting on it. We possessed the ball and moved in nicely up the field which gave us great scoring opportunities which we capitalized on! After we went up a few goals, the other team pressured us hard--they pushed "numbers up". We did a very good job in staying compact on defense and not giving up a goal. That shutout was nice. for a 3-0 win. Shutouts give extra points, and sometimes that extra point can be the difference to enable a team to make it to the championships.
Game 3:
We came out a little slow. We didn't have the effort the first half like we did the previous game, but it was still much better than our very first game of the tournament. The team we played had good speed. We made a few mental mistakes and gave up back to back goals at the beginning of the second half. I was very happy we didn't quit. The effort the 2nd half was very high. We scored two very nice goals, but giving up the third proved to be too much.
Outside of hustle (which has to always come first), here is the biggest difference of game 2 and game 3. Please read and think of this very carefully... In game two, we played against a less athletic and slower team. We moved really well in getting open and receiving passes in game 2. In game 2, if our first touch wasn't perfect, we were quick enough to make up for the bad first touch by correcting it with our second touch. In Game 3, we got into position with lots of movement just like in Game 2. BUT, in game 3 when we had a bad first touch, the other team was faster--which meant we weren't getting the time to correct our first touch with a second touch. Lesson to be learned: we need to get much better with our first touch. Fast and athletic teams (like our team), will expose a bad first touch. This comes with practice and practice. We will continue to work on perfecting our first touch in all different situations, using both our right and LEFT feet.
When we went down a few goals, we did have to change our style of play. Being down, and needing to win (not tie that game) for any possibility of advancement, made us change our style of play to a very DIRECT style of play. We were working against the clock needing a couple goals, so building it up from the backfield I felt was not our best options. I know we scored a couple of goals this way, but we also gave up goals by doing this. I know as both Parents and Players, it's easy to fall into the trap of "direct play is better than perfecting possession". Here is what you need to understand. Against ELITE teams, you will never win with this style of play. ELITE teams will have 11 extremely good athletes on the field. They will expose that style of play and shut it down so quickly. We will never compete with ELITE teams with that style. We will continue to build on our possession style of soccer, and continue to work on perfecting our first touches. By doing so, I believe (I KNOW), that we will be that ELITE team playing in ELITE tournaments in the near future.
Thanks Girls for your hard work and Enjoy the rest of your weekend! Comments are always welcome from parents and of course players!
Brian
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Ladies,
For this weekend please be at each game at least 30 minutes
prior to the start. For Friday wear white and Saturday wear red both games. As
always bring your other jersey to each game. Come prepared to preform your
best!
Parents,
Spring break is right around the corner and I’m sure several
will be traveling. If you daughter will be missing any practice time please
send Brian, Eric and I a private email and let us know your travel dates so we
can plan practices.
Thanks,
Gary
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Turf Classic Time and Location Change
Parents,
I just checked and it appears they've changed one of our game times and locations (thanks for notifying me...Sarcastic tone...). Please feel free to double check this.
Here is the updated schedule:
KSA Wiefering Select Under 13 Girls Black
Fri Mar 22 5:30 pm U13 OESA Gold vs KSA Wiefering Select Town & Country Sports Complex Field 2
Sat Mar 23 9:15 am Lexington FC U13 Red vs KSA Wiefering Select Newport High School Soccer Stadium
Sat Mar 23 3:30 pm KSA Wiefering Select vs USAi '00 Premier Covington Catholic High School Soccer Stadium
I just checked and it appears they've changed one of our game times and locations (thanks for notifying me...Sarcastic tone...). Please feel free to double check this.
Here is the updated schedule:
KSA Wiefering Select Under 13 Girls Black
Fri Mar 22 5:30 pm U13 OESA Gold vs KSA Wiefering Select Town & Country Sports Complex Field 2
Sat Mar 23 9:15 am Lexington FC U13 Red vs KSA Wiefering Select Newport High School Soccer Stadium
Sat Mar 23 3:30 pm KSA Wiefering Select vs USAi '00 Premier Covington Catholic High School Soccer Stadium
Monday, March 18, 2013
No Practice Thursday, and Video (1st correct response wins!)
Girls,
Great practice tonight! We worked on two things. We introduced the "Counter Attack" tonight. We also worked on "Break Aways" by going 1 v 1 with a goalie with a defender tracking us!
Below this paragraph is a highlight video of who I believe to be the best Female Player in the world. Her name is Marta and she plays for Brazil. You will see that she is EXTREMELY skilled. Hopefully you recognize all of her moves from our S4 sessions! Ok, here's the contest-- the first girl that replies (click on comments) with the correct answers will win a prize. You must correctly give me the 2 times in the video where Marta is one on one with the goalie, and instead of panicking, she stays very composed and dribbles around the goalie to score. There is actually a third time in the video at the 3:20-3:38 mark where she gets past the goalie and scores; but I want the first two times!
Click Here to watch Marta and win the contest!
Here is what you win. At our Friday game in the tournament this weekend, you get to tell me what position you want to start, and I will guarantee you start and get at least 5 minutes at that position (and Olivia, if you win, please choose goalie...!).
As I mentioned we also worked on Counter Attacking. It is very important that you watch this. I know this is very new to our team, and I don't think we fully understood the importance of it, and how it truly works (it will take time--many practices). So, PLEASE make sure you watch this video so you have a very good visual and understanding f how it can work. It will make our practices much more effective if you watch this a couple times.
Click Here to learn about the Counter Attack
Lastly, remember, we do NOT have practice this Thursday. All three coach's came to a mutual decision that you girls have been working your tail-ends off, and we want both your mind and body to fully heal and be fully prepared to play your best this weekend!!
Ok, watch both video's, and please reply below!
Coach Brian
Great practice tonight! We worked on two things. We introduced the "Counter Attack" tonight. We also worked on "Break Aways" by going 1 v 1 with a goalie with a defender tracking us!
Below this paragraph is a highlight video of who I believe to be the best Female Player in the world. Her name is Marta and she plays for Brazil. You will see that she is EXTREMELY skilled. Hopefully you recognize all of her moves from our S4 sessions! Ok, here's the contest-- the first girl that replies (click on comments) with the correct answers will win a prize. You must correctly give me the 2 times in the video where Marta is one on one with the goalie, and instead of panicking, she stays very composed and dribbles around the goalie to score. There is actually a third time in the video at the 3:20-3:38 mark where she gets past the goalie and scores; but I want the first two times!
Click Here to watch Marta and win the contest!
Here is what you win. At our Friday game in the tournament this weekend, you get to tell me what position you want to start, and I will guarantee you start and get at least 5 minutes at that position (and Olivia, if you win, please choose goalie...!).
As I mentioned we also worked on Counter Attacking. It is very important that you watch this. I know this is very new to our team, and I don't think we fully understood the importance of it, and how it truly works (it will take time--many practices). So, PLEASE make sure you watch this video so you have a very good visual and understanding f how it can work. It will make our practices much more effective if you watch this a couple times.
Click Here to learn about the Counter Attack
Lastly, remember, we do NOT have practice this Thursday. All three coach's came to a mutual decision that you girls have been working your tail-ends off, and we want both your mind and body to fully heal and be fully prepared to play your best this weekend!!
Ok, watch both video's, and please reply below!
Coach Brian
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Scrimmage
Girls,
As I mentioned, I was more proud of your performance tonight in a 3-1 loss than I was when we defeated that same u-16 team by 1-0 a couple weeks ago. Yes, I was very proud when we won 1-0. How couldn't I be when a u-13 team beats a u-16 team??!!!
Tonight, the other team had a few key players that were not there last game. They also switched to a 4-4-2, and played it much better than when they initially played us, and were trying to play a 3-4-3. And thirdly, their team played a lot harder and more physical than they did the first game. And I am glad they did. It brought the best out of you girls. Most teams would have folded. You guys actually got better as the game went on and scored a great goal!
Girls, I told you before the scrimmage that I was NOT going to judge our success that game based on a win or loss; but more importantly what we've been working on in practice, which was keeping possession beginning from the backfield. I thought tonight we did that MUCH better than I've seen. And we were TOTALLY using our defensive mid in helping us switch fields, and keeping possession as we moved up field. Fullbacks, you played well. I know, that sounds crazy that we gave up three goals, and I'm more proud of you this game. I know you guys are good defenders on the ball. I just wanted you to show you were good OFFENSIVE players WITH the ball! And tonight you succeeded.
I know it would be so easy to just kick it ahead and hope to score. TRUST ME--as we continue to play better teams, and put ourselves in higher divisions in both our league and tournaments-- that "kick and run" style of play will never work. We would get beat bad against very good teams. Yes, we could beat mediocre teams with that style of play, but never Elite teams.
We had great opportunities tonight! Jenna finished one of her two opportunities, and both Morgan and Delaney had nice opportunities. Kylie got off a good shot too. Every one of those opportunities was from us building up possession in the backfield and playing to feet. As their defense pressured higher up, we were able to play through balls behind their defense to one of our strikers who were making great runs to beat the defenders!!
Again, congrats on the success tonight. For whatever reason, their coach thought you guys were all 8th graders. He about fell over when I told him you guys were all 7th graders. That really is unreal that you were so competitive against a team of girls where 80% of them will be playing varsity soccer next season!
Please be at practice tomorrow. I know a few girls are banged up, and a few got banged up tonight. It will not be a physically demanding practice. I believe we may be working on "Counter Attacks". It really is fun to work on! Counter Attacking is how we quickly Attack their goal when we steal the ball! It involves all different runs. It's just like a fast break in basketball!! It's very fun, and with our speed and skill, we should really excel out learning this. So, even if you are sidelined due to injury, please try and make it, and I ask that you pay strict attention tomorrow! This will be something VERY new to our team.
Thanks girls for a fun night and your hard work. And thanks for applying the things we learned in practice on the field tonight--you are a very special group.
Coach Brian
As I mentioned, I was more proud of your performance tonight in a 3-1 loss than I was when we defeated that same u-16 team by 1-0 a couple weeks ago. Yes, I was very proud when we won 1-0. How couldn't I be when a u-13 team beats a u-16 team??!!!
Tonight, the other team had a few key players that were not there last game. They also switched to a 4-4-2, and played it much better than when they initially played us, and were trying to play a 3-4-3. And thirdly, their team played a lot harder and more physical than they did the first game. And I am glad they did. It brought the best out of you girls. Most teams would have folded. You guys actually got better as the game went on and scored a great goal!
Girls, I told you before the scrimmage that I was NOT going to judge our success that game based on a win or loss; but more importantly what we've been working on in practice, which was keeping possession beginning from the backfield. I thought tonight we did that MUCH better than I've seen. And we were TOTALLY using our defensive mid in helping us switch fields, and keeping possession as we moved up field. Fullbacks, you played well. I know, that sounds crazy that we gave up three goals, and I'm more proud of you this game. I know you guys are good defenders on the ball. I just wanted you to show you were good OFFENSIVE players WITH the ball! And tonight you succeeded.
I know it would be so easy to just kick it ahead and hope to score. TRUST ME--as we continue to play better teams, and put ourselves in higher divisions in both our league and tournaments-- that "kick and run" style of play will never work. We would get beat bad against very good teams. Yes, we could beat mediocre teams with that style of play, but never Elite teams.
We had great opportunities tonight! Jenna finished one of her two opportunities, and both Morgan and Delaney had nice opportunities. Kylie got off a good shot too. Every one of those opportunities was from us building up possession in the backfield and playing to feet. As their defense pressured higher up, we were able to play through balls behind their defense to one of our strikers who were making great runs to beat the defenders!!
Again, congrats on the success tonight. For whatever reason, their coach thought you guys were all 8th graders. He about fell over when I told him you guys were all 7th graders. That really is unreal that you were so competitive against a team of girls where 80% of them will be playing varsity soccer next season!
Please be at practice tomorrow. I know a few girls are banged up, and a few got banged up tonight. It will not be a physically demanding practice. I believe we may be working on "Counter Attacks". It really is fun to work on! Counter Attacking is how we quickly Attack their goal when we steal the ball! It involves all different runs. It's just like a fast break in basketball!! It's very fun, and with our speed and skill, we should really excel out learning this. So, even if you are sidelined due to injury, please try and make it, and I ask that you pay strict attention tomorrow! This will be something VERY new to our team.
Thanks girls for a fun night and your hard work. And thanks for applying the things we learned in practice on the field tonight--you are a very special group.
Coach Brian
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