A PERSONAL VIEWPOINT

It is logical to me that USA is not doing the proper things to create FOOTBALL (soccer) players good enough to compete on an International level. It is a pity, because so many gifted children are playing around U.S. fields, who were never exposed to soccer in their homes, but they have natural talent that in other countries people would take advantage of, these special children, with several youth programs that will bring those talents to a high level playing status, which will show up in National competitions as well as International

U.S. coaches and the general public have to understand that it is a completely different game than the ones people are used to seeing. This game, believe it or not, is very simple; the hard thing is by playing with the feet, any part of the human body instead of the hands, here may be the difference. Feet we use just to walk! And all our entire life we use mostly our hands for all our activities that we enjoy in our life. Mostly all American games are hand activities, we do not see anything wrong, but when we see any activity that has to involve the feet, that is when we start getting into trouble. To beat this handicap we have to practice a lot more. 

Americans are very PROUD and have to be #1 in all Sports, and some want to compete internationally, for that logical reason some people start to teach the children a game that is so unknown; some of them have a remote idea of how the game is played, but most of them have not a single notion! How can a person that never played the game; does not know the rules, teach somebody else? Ridiculous! But these people are the only ones that keep the game alive with their enthusiasm, their effort to beat the system that is not with them, against all the contrary odds they can find. These wonderful people are the ones who deserve all the credit for keeping this sport alive.

One reason may be that a lot of fathers are trying to get closer to their son/daughter. Choose to be a coach or assistant, just for the sake of spending more time together, father and son or mother and daughter, no matter, the result is the same; a lot of care for the happy family, but not a bit of help for tomorrows players. Those people may have great feelings, fantastic knowledge of another sport that they possibly played, but now the game their children choose is very unknown to them With only enthusiasm ore reading a book, trying to learn something that takes years of practice and playing it, you cannot teach it successfully, and the big losers again will be the children and the country, because the children never will develop enough skills to play it internationally, playing it locally would be fine, everybody would have the same skills.

 In other successful countries children start to play at a very early age. Before they start to walk, the lucky ones receive a ball as a gift and as they learn to walk they also learn to handle the ball with their feet.

 When they are 5,6,7, years old they start to compete, smaller fields, smaller, ball, no rules, no tactics, just for the GUSTO, just to have fun, PLAY, PLAY & PLAY. When they are 8,9 years old you can see how they are developing better skills, better ball control, because the only thing in this game is BALL CONTROL. If the children cannot dominate the ball they are in trouble because other children will be playing; only the better ones will be playing as to the coaches criteria.

 Here is where we find trouble with the American system –EVERY CHILD THAT IS ON THE ROSTER HAS TO PLAY. This way nobody needs to improve, everybody play! everybody happy! but we are killing the children’s’ motivation. Who wants or needs to improve? I’M PLAYING ANYWAY! In this way the coaching staff is harming the special talented children (as much as the not so lucky ones) that are not naturally talented, that could improve and be as good as they are. The special children would not care for the game because no matter how good they are they will be out of the game some time, and another player may not even know what to do will be playing instead.

  It is supposed to be at a very early age they do not know about alcohol or drugs; but if they do either, they will not think twice, even if they know that drugs and alcohol will be counterproductive to their performance at the game. I’M PLAYING ANYWAY!  WHO CARES? But, if they have to be good to be playing, OR, they are just hoping to have a chance to show the coach how much they have improved, they may think before doing something foolish that will interfere in his/her capabilities and being a mess at the game; very young they have to learn to be consciences of themselves; they want to be GOOD, GOOD & GOOD.

 If the coach can follow these rules he/she will see more coordination in his/her team; the players playing more together, will know where the other player will be moving, and the players notions of what a pass means will be born. Also will help the one who has been on the bench as a substitute, because he/she will start to try harder and harder to gain the starting status, and the one who is already starting will have to try harder because he/she know that when the substitute performs well, his/her positions may be in jeopardy! This way the coach is making everybody try hard to IMPROVE, IMPROVE & IMPROVE.

This segment is taken from the manual entitled: "FOOTBALL (SOCCER) & YOU" by...

WALTER RASSO

President/at futbol my way

Koach Karl’s Notes: 

 Thank You! Coach Rasso for sharing your insights with FUNdamental SOCCER! I am also hoping that YOU (the reader) will join the discussion; because your input may help improve some segments of soccer in the USA and that is what this forum is all about.

 Finally, I pray that everyone is and will continue to be Healthy/Happy and have a Wonderful Holiday Season :)

 Your FUNdamental, Koach Karl (Karl Dewazien)

• Emeritus State DoC of California Youth Soccer Assoc. 1979-2012
• Author - FUNdamental SOCCER Books Series
• Producer - ‘FUNdamental SOCCER -Practice’ DVD.
• Clinician at: www.fundamentalsoccer.com