Blow outs There is always a problem with how to behave in a blow out. Playing with conditions or, worse, keepaway, is boring and playing short is really insulting. I developed a plan called negative shooting that has worked well for me. Try to avoid the blow out in the first place by sending defenders up while the score is 3-0. That way the other team is still in the match. Sending hungry defenders up top when the score is 6-0 will just make things worse. Once the score has topped out, return your starters with instructions to play normally but to shoot to see how closely they can miss. A perfect negative shot touches the post as it goes out of bounds! Balls over the crossbar are not allowed. You need to introduce this concept at practice. Begin with a discussion of having respect for one's opponents. Tell the players that playing negative requires full attention to looking as if they are trying to score - no phony play acting when they miss and no apologies if one accidently goes in. I've actually used the rules in practice, as it forces players to aim their shots - just put a cone one foot from each post to define the scoring area. Never talk about this before a match or your blow out will become a very tight match. Usually I put this in at half but with experience you can manage things by subbing defenders at any time. Many times, our opponents didn't even recognize what we were doing. One coach came across the field saying " We sure played better in the second half! ". I hope that this will work for you. Roy
JV soccer score. Pine Forrest 4 EE Smith 1 We put forth a much better effort in this one. The result was very fair; unlike the game on Monday where it should have been 15 to 0. Watched a bit of the USA/Portugal match for about an hour before they dressed. Talked about a lot of things, had them make observations about things that they were not doing that they could improve upon. Also talked a bit about playing with some passion and tenacity. Seemed to have worked. Challenged for almost every ball ... even won one or two of them. Passing was much better. Spacing is still something that needs to be worked on but it is tough when you only have one sub and you have to sub out different players at different positions. Overall, I am happy with this performance.
Re: Blow outs This is just an excellent post. My thoughts: Having been on both ends of a blowout (giving/receiving--but also as a player and a coach), there is nothing more frustrating or humiliating than having an opposing coach begin to take players off the field. Doing this teaches neither team anything. Besides clearing the bench and using the "negative shooting" approach, a coach can do any number of other tactics. Have the team play two-touch, one-touch, string together a certain number of passes before shooting, score only on headers from crosses, alternate crosses from left and right side, have forwards switch with defenders, etc. The idea is to make the your players practice skills that they will need later in the season against stiffer competition. Once a team (or a player) has proven that it can execute something successfully enough to score three or four goals, it's time to move on--especially at the high school level or lower. jgw
Re: Re: Re: Blow outs It takes as much skill to miss narrowly as it does to place it where the GK can't reach it. Try it in practice. Good Luck! Roy
I had six players today. After getting beat 4-1 ... and not hearing from any of them that they would not be there, I had 6 players. Really not happy about this.
Also. I have lost my number 10 to the varsity. He only plays about 20 minutes a game. Kind of blows b/c without him, I only have one sub. Hard to have any continuity when you are putting players in positions they have never played before during the game.
Sounds like a tough situation to be in, coach. Unfortunately, maybe some of the guys were using soccer to get in shape for basketball. Without knowing how much leeway you've got to do stuff (such as revisit the possibility of smaller sided JV matches with your opponents), I'd try to make the rest of the season as fun and productive for the remaining JV team as possible, with the hope it will boost the number of kids trying out next year.
JV score Southview 6 EE Smith 0 Pretty fair result. Stopped at Wendy's about 45 minutes before kick off ... not my idea. Came out flat b/c of that. Did not challenge for anything. Played very timidly. Got on them at half time and gave a better effort. Odd, most that have seen the school over the years say that my kids have done a bang up job and are very pleased with the things we have done on the field. I just want these kids to have the feeling of a win once before this year is over.
Fri Football score for those that care http://www.fayettevillenc.com/story.php?Template=preps&Story=5162374
Random observation ... Varsity gets waxed 6-0, 9-0 and 4-0 ... yet people tell me that they are much better than how they have played. I keep wanting to ask what team have they been watching. JV gets waxed by about the same margin, yet everyone that talks to me says that this is one of the better jv team in recent times. I shudder at what the other jv teams have been like in the past.
Who tells you this about your jv team being better then others in the past? If it is parents, it could be the level of enthusiam you give the team. That is really what shows at home with the players when they talk about the team.
Actually, the school resource officer (deputy sheriff) who has been at the school for a while and followed the game while stationed in Italy. Also, tonight, the ref's commented on how far we have come. Both had done a game earlier in the year and were impressed with our progress. That said, we lost 5-2. A very unfair result. I thought 2-2 would have been more appropriate but we only played for 64 minutes of a 70 minute game and got punished.
God, I hate losing 6-0. I just hate it. We are inmproving yet the scoreline does not reflect it. We keep making silly stupid mistakes. And players dont show up for practice. I am just sick of losing. Odd, the players dont seem to mind it too much.
They are expecting to lose, apparently that is the mentality that has been ingrained for the past few years. "We suck, but not as much as the other teams"
Purely on the defensive side of the ball. Charging in, not playing smart. No goal keeper for that particular match. You name it we got it.
Loss. To Terry Sanford. 11-1. Lost two players before the game ... one, I booted off for school related problems, another b/c of injury. Lost one player after the match after he quit. Down to 12 players.