Communication and Possession
Communication
Communication is an important part of soccer. During the game players should be constantly giving each other specific instructions about what to do and where to go. A lack of communication on the field can easily cost a team a game. It’s very important for all the players to be loud and positive.
Listening to what players are saying offers some very good insight into the emotional and mental state of the team. The personality of an individual, the overall attitude of the coach and parents can be apparent in the on-field communication of the players.
- A team with good team spirit stays positive even when they are losing the game.
- Players should be encouraging each other. “That’s the way to get a shot off, good try!” Even if the shot missed by a mile.
- Players should not make offensive comments to the other team’s players or their teammates
Possession
When you have the ball, the other team can’t score. This is a sentiment often echoed in many sports with the phrase “the best defense is a good offense”. Watching the game, you will see your child’s team gain and lose control of the ball constantly. When a team has the ball its called possession. Teams try to keep possession of the ball by making passes on the ground.
In the past teams played what is called ‘Kick and Run’ or long ball soccer. In a kick and run style game, instead of keeping possession the defense kick a long ball in the air up to the forwards. In fact, in many professional soccer games the spectators will boo the team if they start to play kick and run soccer. A sign of a good coach and a good team is one that is dynamic. Teams should use a variety of methods to move the ball up the field.
Sometimes you will hear a coach yelling out “keep it on the ground!” They are trying to tell the players to play a more possession type game. If you see a lot of passes on the ground you can say, “Wow, your team looked just like Brazil!”
