I'm trying to create a poster to illustrate the principles of play for a young audience: think early soccer players around age 7. I based it on ideas from this NSCAA piece on the Principles of Play It's still in the early stages of design, copy, and concept so keep that in mind. But I'm looking for feedback. Some of the ideas contained within PoP—there are a lot of variables, so it's difficult to execute in pictures. But hey, that's the task—paint a picture for the players.
I think the single best thing I ever heard was the "open hand--closed fist" signal for transitions. Guess who I got that from! This graphic looks pretty good.
From a strictly design standpoint, too many pictures. For example, you have three different pictures for Penetration. I think you could put them all in one picture, kinda like this. On the other hand, width, depth/support and mobility seem to be intermingled, Width in particular gets short shrift, when IMO it's one of the most important things for players to get. In the same vein as my link above, you could have one picture illustrating depth/support, with a picture that has players both ahead of and behind the ball carrier. A picture for width is pretty obvious. Mobility is harder but having a number of arrows with various runs (diagonal, curved, checking towards the ball, across the field--not just straight forward) might get the idea across.
In thinking about what Jeff said, I considered your target audience. Unless USSF changed it again, "7-U" is 4v4 with no keeper but...the initial focus at 6 and 7 should be on playing with a partner first. So you could try to simplify the information in terms of just addressing the 1st and 2nd attacker roles. That way you might avoid the diamond diagrams having everyone always supporting in front of the ball. From a tactical standpoint that tends to clog up the space in front of the ball, which is not something we want to encourage (while in possession). In 3-man midfields invaribly I found 1 mid would be in front of and 1 trailing the mid on the ball. The shape of the line would have both depth and width. That is the kind of movement I would be aiming for. I wouldn't ever want the first attacker to be the last man between opponents and the goal. .
Age 7 they are playing a state directed 7v7, but if she had stayed with Rec she'd still be playing 4v4.
Great pointers. I will try that. It's good because I'm using my kid as a guinea pig too, to test out how this communicates. Maybe this is better illustrated in 5 posters one for each principle instead of one big one. But Partly the point is that his could be digital on a tablet or phone. Maybe both.
I think it would be better if you go from "Dont Hide Behind Defenders" directly to "Players Move apart to create more space". The "move away from defenders" shows them getting into the "players are too close" position, so it gets confusing. If anything, maybe have the text "move away from defenders" with the picture for "move apart". If you can edit the art, show one player checking back.
Next iteration. I'm going to break it apart into individual topics first and try to get those down pat. Maybe I'll try to combine it into a big graphic later.
I like the graphic. I think the coaching points are too wordy and redundant. I think you have only 3 basic points regarding penetration: Score a goal by passing, shooting, or dribbling the ball past the defense
I like the graphic. And yes, I tend to be wordy. elessar78's "boiled down" version works best. It gives the general idea and doesn't bog it down with too much extraneous detail. I think it's possible to get things down to one picture and short bit of text per principle, if you limit yourself to the absolute basic core and don't try to include any exceptions or clarifications.
The number one mistake I see experienced adult players make off-the-ball is to run to the first attacker, which clogs up the space in front of the 1st attacker and pulls additional defenders toward the ball. I think this diagram may unintentionally encourage 2nd attackers to run to the 1st attacker. I don't know how to change the diagram. The problem is the lack of scale to the diagram. (And probably the limitations of the computer application used to create the diagram.)
Could be, on this forum we have shared ideas for a long time now, but I thought it was elessar 78 and when I searched just now I found a post by equus in 2011. The only thing I am sure of is that I never had a good idea that I didn't steal from somebody else. You all deserve a lot of credit for sharing on this forum.
While a bit late to the conversation, I prefer the first graphic, actually. I would break the first into about three different graphics, but all the lines on the second is too confusing. As for rca's thought that too many players running toward the ball is bad because it clogs the immediate area, that has merit. But at the youth level I've never had too many players making runs, so that would be a problem I'd like to have, actually.
I'm not even sure I'd include distance in a simple infographic for support. Certainly not just moving closer to the ball. If we're trying to put it at its most basic, I think of support in the attack to mean having defenders at varied angles and distances. Ahead of the ball, to the flanks, and behind the ball, both near and far. So if it were me, I'd emphasize angles (ahead, sides, behind) and maybe omit distance entirely.
Along lines that Jeff mentioned and keeping in mind the age, I was thinking of something I read about an exercise that Sam Snow said. The very first step in support and "building triangles" in his vernacular, is teaching that initial supporting runner (for a team mate dribbling toward the opponent's goal) to move to space ahead and wide offering a diagonal pass opportunity in a better attacking position within the field of vision facing up field. The emphasis on diagonal because that relationship adds both depth and width to the attack and creates passing lanes that are more difficult to defend. It is also consistent with the idea of moving out of the shadow of a marker. For a team mate trailing the play, you want to teach them to also show on a diagonal to one side or the other rather than hide in the shadow of the player with the ball. A diagonal passing lane behind the ball has the same advantages plus it is easier to see and pass to support if it is not directly behind you. I think, however, that is support lesson 2, not 1.