Players 1st : complete soccer coach’s guide to developing extraordinary players

Cover......Page 1
Copyright......Page 5
Contents......Page 6
Prologue – “Let’s Get Better”......Page 15
FOUNDATION – The Players 1st Culture......Page 23
1 Start With the End in Mind......Page 25
2.1 Just What Is a Player?......Page 27
2.3 Why “Players 1st?”......Page 28
2.5 Walking the Walk......Page 29
2.6 Be Patient. Be Persistent......Page 30
3.1 Understanding Expectations......Page 31
3.2 It’s His Thing......Page 32
4.1 Double Goal Coaching......Page 35
4.2 The Team’s Values......Page 37
4.3 Imprinting......Page 40
4.4 “Let’s Get Better”......Page 42
5.1 Promoting Core Values......Page 43
5.2 Addressing Character......Page 44
5.3 Connecting......Page 45
5.4 Providing Structure......Page 46
5.5 Customs and Traditions......Page 48
5.6 Tips for Teaching Technique......Page 49
5.8 Advanced Challenges......Page 50
5.9 Coaching and Culture......Page 52
GROWING TALENT—A New Look......Page 55
6.1 “Start With the End in Mind”......Page 57
7.1 The Science......Page 60
7.2 The Training: Deliberate Practice......Page 62
7.3 Catalysts......Page 63
7.4 The Wild Card......Page 65
7.5 Let’s Get Better......Page 67
8.2 Embracing Struggle......Page 68
8.3 Belief and Character......Page 70
8.4 Words Matter......Page 74
8.5 Mistake-Based Training......Page 75
8.6. The “Go For It” Mentality......Page 76
9.1 Rest Is a Weapon......Page 77
FRAMING—The Players 1st Syllabus......Page 81
10.2 The 75% Solution......Page 83
10.3 Organizing the Training Program......Page 86
10.5 The Goalkeeper......Page 87
10.6 Permission to Play......Page 88
11 Great Soccer Habits......Page 90
THE FUNDAMENTALS......Page 93
12.1 Start With the Two-Second End in Mind......Page 95
1 Dribbling......Page 96
2 Fast Footwork......Page 98
12.3 Juggling......Page 101
4 The Juggling Progression (★★★★★)......Page 102
12.4 Measuring “Weak Foot” Competency......Page 107
12.5 Dynamic Touch......Page 108
12.6 The Big Payoff......Page 109
13.1 The Best Idea Ever: “Teach the Weaker Foot”......Page 110
5 The 12-Step Progression......Page 112
13.5 Notes on Other Types of Shots......Page 117
7 A Ball and a Wall......Page 118
8 The Shooting Game......Page 119
9 Nonstop Shooting......Page 120
10 Scott’s Game......Page 121
13.7 Heading......Page 122
11 The Heading Game......Page 123
12 Four Flags......Page 124
13 Throw, Head, Catch......Page 125
14.1 Azerbaijan Diary......Page 126
15 Secret Scoring......Page 128
16 Name Game......Page 129
18 Where’s Waldo? (★★★★★)......Page 130
14.3 And More......Page 131
14.4 Decisions, Decisions, Decisions......Page 132
15.1 Introduction......Page 133
15.2 About Ball Moves......Page 134
19 Turns......Page 136
20 Beaters......Page 137
21 Stop-and-Go......Page 140
15.4 Maintenance......Page 141
24 Outrageous Soccer......Page 142
15.5 Individual Defending......Page 143
16.2 Conditions and Challenges......Page 145
16.3 Keeping Score......Page 146
16.4 The Activities......Page 147
25 Cone Soccer/One-on-One Ladder......Page 148
26 Many Goals Game......Page 149
27 Shark Tank......Page 150
28 See You Later (★★★★★)......Page 151
29 1v1 Continuous (★★★★★)......Page 153
30 Along the Line......Page 155
31 Four-Goals Game (★★★★★)......Page 156
32 Box Game......Page 157
33 Top Gun......Page 158
34 Combat......Page 159
35 Battle and Shoot......Page 161
36 The Squares of Truth......Page 162
37 1v2 (★★★★★)......Page 163
16.5 Final Thought......Page 164
17.2 Five Simple Warm-Ups......Page 165
38 Alleys......Page 166
39 Four Corners/Stars......Page 167
40 Ladder......Page 168
41 Partners and Pairs......Page 169
42 The Scottish Circle......Page 170
43 Pre-Game Warm-Up......Page 171
BUILDING BLOCKS OF TEAM PLAY......Page 173
18.2 Offensive Tasks—To Exploit Space......Page 175
18.3 Defensive Tasks—To Deny Space......Page 176
44 2v1 to the Line I......Page 177
19.2 The Wall Pass......Page 180
46 Wall Passing 1, 2, 3......Page 181
47 2v2 With Outside Help......Page 183
48 2v2 versus 2v2......Page 184
49 Wall Pass Keep-Away (★★★★★)......Page 185
50 Down and Back......Page 186
51 Speed Gates (★★★★★)......Page 187
52 Four-Goal Progression (★★★★★)......Page 189
53 Back-to-Goal Tactics......Page 191
54 Back-to-Goal Continuous (★★★★★)......Page 193
55 Turning Series Game......Page 194
20.1 3v1 and 3v2 in a Box (★★★★★)......Page 195
56 3v1 in a Box......Page 196
57 3v2 in a Box......Page 199
58 Adjacent Boxes......Page 200
59 3v3v3 Neutral Zone......Page 202
60 Four-Box Game......Page 203
61 6 (2 In) versus 3......Page 204
62 3 in the Middle......Page 205
63 Three Teams Game 1 (★★★★★)......Page 207
64 Three Teams Game 2......Page 208
65 Breakout Game (★★★★★)......Page 209
21.2 An Experiment......Page 211
21.3 Organizing the Box......Page 212
66 Finishing Runs......Page 215
67 5v3 to Goal......Page 217
68 Alley Game (★★★★★)......Page 218
69 Mini-Alley Game......Page 219
70 Back-to-Back (★★★★★)......Page 220
71 5v5v5 (★★★★★)......Page 221
21.6 Bonus Time......Page 222
22.1 Introduction......Page 223
22.2 The 2-3-2-3......Page 224
22.4 Who, When, Where......Page 227
72 The Throw-In......Page 229
73 Corner Kicks......Page 230
75 Penalties......Page 232
24.1 Injury Prevention......Page 235
24.2 Warm-Up, Stretching, Cool-Down......Page 237
24.4 Responsibility......Page 238
24.6 High Pressures......Page 239
25 Futsal......Page 241
FINISHING TOUCHES......Page 243
26.1 Setting Goals......Page 245
26.2 Evaluation......Page 246
27.1 The Problem......Page 248
27.2 The Impact on Player Development......Page 250
28 ABC—The 50-Player Team......Page 251
29 Boys and Girls......Page 253
30.2 Team Management......Page 254
30.3 The Super Soccer Parent......Page 255
30.4 Final Thought......Page 257
31 Soccer Travel......Page 258
31.1 The Basics......Page 259
31.2 Travel by the Numbers......Page 260
31.3 Tips for Travel......Page 264
31.4 Cutting the Cord?......Page 265
32 Further Reading: A Coaching Booklist......Page 266
Epilogue......Page 272
Credits......Page 276