[empennage]

I coach a U-14 boys team, and I was wondering if you guys have any tips/drills to help get the boys to be more vocal on the soccer field. When I play with them during practices I try to lead by example and talk as much as possible, but I like them to talk more.

[Richie]

"I try to lead by example and talk as much as possible, but I like them to talk more."

Playing with them is also a good way to train players in general. It can also improve their speed of play if your speed of play is fast.

That is a good way to help them with communication as well. Put yourself in a support position for who ever has the ball on the field. Instruct him from there.

They might be afraid to say the wrong things.

The only thing worst then that is when they are not afraid to say the wrong things.

Give them some examples of the right things to say.

There are a lot of different kinds of communication. Not all of them are verbal. There are all kids of visual cues which are not verbal. Work on those as well.

Never teach the words "Back Pass" unless the player communicating knows when to use it. That can take the inventiveness out of the player with the ball. Never call for a back pass if the player has time. Give the dribbler the chance to be inventive. Only when the player is high pressured, and has his head down and is about to lose the ball is calling for a back pass good communication.

Actually, sometimes calling for the back pass can be good communication but not when they are first learning.

However, it is good to start communication with the close support player. He has no ball to control. So he has time to look up the field, and to share what he see's with the dribbler.

Richie

[jdonnici]

Originally posted by empennage
I coach a U-14 boys team, and I was wondering if you guys have any tips/drills to help get the boys to be more vocal on the soccer field. When I play with them during practices I try to lead by example and talk as much as possible, but I like them to talk more.

I coach U12 boys rec and, like you, try to get out there as often as possible with them. My experience is that not a lot of coaches really do that, but I've found that it makes a big difference when they can see how something should work instead of just hearing about it over and over.

Anyway, I'll occasionally run a small-side scrimmage where I tell them that every pass should be accompanied by some sort of spoken direction to the recipient. The idea is that you're giving the ball to a guy for a reason -- so tell him what the reason is and what you want done. It can be "man on", "1-2", "turn", "time", or anything else that's meaningful. I tell them that what I don't want to hear is just a bunch of yelling out of the name of the guy who has the ball. I find this type of scrimmage helps a lot with getting them to understand what type of talk is useful and what's not. Because it's small sides, everyone gets a lot of touches and gets a lot of on- and off-ball time to work on the communication.

They do really well with it in practice and have come a long way this fall. Unfortunately, they quiet down a bit in games, but I think it's normal for 11 year old boys to be a little leary in front of strangers.

I'm trying to get them to communicate non-verbally as well... watching for players making a run, directing a player with your hands to where you want them, etc. I find that this is a little harder and leads into getting them to think off the ball -- sort of tough for kids who have a bad habit of thinking "I don't have the ball right now, so I'm out of the picture".

Anyway, good luck...

-- jeff

[empennage]

Originally posted by Richie
Never teach the words "Back Pass" unless the player communicating knows when to use it. That can take the inventiveness out of the player with the ball. Never call for a back pass if the player has time. Give the dribbler the chance to be inventive. Only when the player is high pressured, and has his head down and is about to lose the ball is calling for a back pass good communication.

Actually, sometimes calling for the back pass can be good communication but not when they are first learning.

I'm curious, why don't you like players using a back pass. You might call it boring, but I call it a good way to move the ball quickly. Sometimes it's easier to open space by dropping the ball.

Anyway, I agree with everything else you said. I feel that if I can teach these players to be more vocal it will help them when they are older. Talking might be the difference for some of these players when they try-out for high schol.

[empennage]

Originally posted by jdonnici
Anyway, I'll occasionally run a small-side scrimmage where I tell them that every pass should be accompanied by some sort of spoken direction to the recipient. The idea is that you're giving the ball to a guy for a reason -- so tell him what the reason is and what you want done. It can be "man on", "1-2", "turn", "time", or anything else that's meaningful. I tell them that what I don't want to hear is just a bunch of yelling out of the name of the guy who has the ball. I find this type of scrimmage helps a lot with getting them to understand what type of talk is useful and what's not. Because it's small sides, everyone gets a lot of touches and gets a lot of on- and off-ball time to work on the communication.

That's a great idea. I was trying to think of a drill to help them, and this seems perfect. Do you have consequences for when they don't talk? Perhaps ball turnover or maybe even push-ups?

[Richie]

Empennage said "I'm curious, why don't you like players using a back pass."

Never said that. I said I don't like a support player calling for a back pass while the dribbler is Unpressued. Players just learning how to communicate will keep calling it out to the dribbler.

It would ne nice to give the dribbler his chance to be inventive no?

"You might call it boring, but I call it a good way to move the ball quickly."

Using the back pass slows down the speed of play my friend. It is a good way to hold possession not to increase the speed of play.

"Sometimes it's easier to open space by dropping the ball."

Negative space is almost always open if that is what you mean? I did say "Actually, sometimes calling for the back pass can be good communication but not when they are first learning"

What I meant by that somestimes it is easier to hit the 2nd and third diagonal runs off a back pass, then when the dribbler has the ball. Kids just learning to communicate that idea is probably beyond them at the moment.

"Anyway, I agree with everything else you said. I feel that if I can teach these players to be more vocal it will help them when they are older."

Thanks, i agree.

Don't forget the non verbal communication like foot reads.

[bungadiri]

Originally posted by Richie
Empennage said "I'm curious, why don't you like players using a back pass."

Never said that. I said I don't like a support player calling for a back pass while the dribbler is Unpressued. Players just learning how to communicate will keep calling it out to the dribbler.

It would ne nice to give the dribbler his chance to be inventive no?

Useful clarification--I was under the same impression (that you had some general concern about the backpass) as empennage until I read this.
Good point--I generally don't differentiate "good" communication from "bad" except for the really obvious stuff like calling for the ball when you've got a defender in your shirt with you, because it's hard enough to get them talking out there. But your post made think this might not be the best way. Now I wonder if urging kids to be more thoughtful might not actually generate more communication, as well as better communication.

[jdonnici]

Originally posted by empennage
That's a great idea. I was trying to think of a drill to help them, and this seems perfect. Do you have consequences for when they don't talk? Perhaps ball turnover or maybe even push-ups?

The standard "consequence" for my guys is sit-ups. I should say that that's what I use for non-disciplinary types of things. That is, when I want them to turn up the intensity or really focus on something, but if they mess up it doesn't mean that they're "in trouble".

Often, I'll start a drill and let it run for a few minutes while they get used to what's happening. Once it looks like they're up to speed with it, I'll say "Ok, looks good... now anyone who <makes a poor pass/doesn't communicate/loses a ball/whatever> has 5/10 sit-ups". It works well in competitive drills for these guys -- again, 11 year olds. It's something they can do quickly and get right back in to the drill without too much trauma.

It also works well with a competitive drill. For example, I may set up a set piece drill or do an attacking drill... and I tell them that the defensive has to take possession away before the offensive side gets a shot off. Whichever side "loses" has sit-ups. The "losing" side doesn't see it as a punishment so much as a reason to really buckle down the next time.

For the more disciplinary stuff with these guys (a rec team), it's usually enough to take the guy who's causing the problem and just have him run laps until the situation is diffused (usually 2 laps or so and they're ready to focus). Every lap these guys have to run, even the warm-up or cool-down laps that I do with them at the beginning and end, is done with a ball at their feet -- sometimes with a ball shared between two players. The game has enough running in it that there's no reason to run just for running's sake.

-- jeff

[empennage]

Originally posted by Richie
Never said that. I said I don't like a support player calling for a back pass while the dribbler is Unpressued. Players just learning how to communicate will keep calling it out to the dribbler.

It would ne nice to give the dribbler his chance to be inventive no?

I see your point, but I guess it would depend on what part of the field you are on. If you're on the offensive third then by all means let someone dribble to their hearts content. But, if you are on the defensive or middle third of the field dribbling is often not the best option.

Using the back pass slows down the speed of play my friend. It is a good way to hold possession not to increase the speed of play.

I never said anything about speed of play. I said can be a good way to move the ball quicker. Sometimes droping the ball back will allow a team to move the ball 50 to a 100 yards rather easily. But if you're trying to dribble, it will be much more difficult.

[Richie]

Evidently we don't speak the same language.

"I see your point, but I guess it would depend on what part of the field you are on. If you're on the offensive third then by all means let someone dribble to their hearts content. But, if you are on the defensive or middle third of the field dribbling is often not the best option."

When I say the dribbler I mean the guy WITH THE BALL. He can be creative however he likes.Hecan dribble or he can pass or he can shoot. He decides you train him for years to make his own decisions, and to be a good decision maker.

Besides where he is on the field is irrelant. So I take it from this you never let your defender dribble in your defnsive half of the field? Not good for their development as players. Curious do you let them attack from the back?

At high levels defensive backs on mens team dribble all the time.

The deference in the womensgame and in the mens game in defenders is women players hardly ever dribble the ball even on our national team.

Think about this,beat a player that creates space for other players in and of itself. Do it all the time?You don't do anything all the time. That includes never dribble in the defensive part of the field.


"Using the back pass slows down the speed of play my friend. It is a good way to hold possession not to increase the speed of play."

"I never said anything about speed of play. I said can be a good way to move the ball quicker."

That is what I mean we don't speak the same soccer language.

"Sometimes droping the ball back will allow a team to move the ball 50 to a 100 yards rather easily."

You know how to move the ball easily? Proper spacing by your support players will do that.

"But if you're trying to dribble, it will be much more difficult"

If you have good spacing you can dribble until you are pressured then you can pass away from pressure always moving forward, then when that dribbler is pressure he passes to a player moving away from pressure, Before you know it your near the opponents attacking goal.

Richie