PLAYERS

WINTER LEAGUES---------------------------------------------------

PLAYSOCCER TEAM PRACTICE SESSIONS------
 

Go to PlaySoccer web site. for further organizational info. 

GOALKEEPER SESSIONS------
WYS has hired Christian Benjamin to work as goalkeeper coach for the league.

SUMMER CAMPS-----------------------------------------------------------------------

PlaySoccer / WYS  summer camps.
details coming in early spring...
  Go to PlaySoccer web site. for further organizational info.
  Check out the picures from the July camp session!  

MYSA - COACHING TIP OF THE MONTH---

High-Pressure Defense: Organized Forwards and Midfielders Can Win the Ball Back Quickly --- By Lawrence Fine

Forwards and midfielders play a critical role in a high-pressure defense and can win the possession back quickly if they attack in an organized manner.

This discussion assumes that the team is playing a 4-4-2 system. I consider it to be the most commonly used formation, and there is not much of a difference between this formation and others like 3-5-2.

If the keeper has the ball for the opposing team and throws it out to his or her right marking back, the defending forward closest to the ball should make a run toward it that is bent from the middle out. By approaching the ball at this angle, the opponent is forced to take the ball down the line, which is the intended result. The first defender’s main function is to make sure the ball does not get played back to the keeper or anyone who can switch it around the back. The second forward’s primary responsibility is to go back and towards the middle to help clog up the middle.

The opponent with the ball will approach the sideline, thinking that the defending forward has been beaten. The attacker may not realize that he or she is doing exactly what the defending team wants, creating a situation that allows the outside midfielder to step up and double team the ball.

The key here is that the outside midfielder can't step up until coverage behind is provided by either the marking back or a center midfielder. When this coverage is in place and communicated, the outside mid steps into the double team while the covering player steps to the attacking outside midfielder. At this point, the player with the ball is neatly boxed in, with the outside midfielder blocking forward progress and lateral options eliminated by the near-side defensive forward and the touchline. The only two good offensive options are to try to split the approaching defenders by passing into the middle of the field or to kick the ball aimlessly downfield. To prevent a splitting pass, the inside midfielders and stopper, along with the second forward who came toward the middle and back, must mark the nearest opponents to remove any middle-field options. Any attempted splitting pass should be negated this way. This leaves the aimless long ball as the only viable outlet for the player with the ball.

While all of this shifting is taking place, the backs must step up, which allows them to compress the field and win any errant passes. By stepping up (it's extremely important for the keeper to step up as well in order to handle balls played over the defenders’ heads), all balls should be won. At the very least, the tactic forces the attacking players to be running in the wrong way, away from their goal, in order to stay in an onside position. The outside midfielder on the opposite team should be back and toward the middle since there is no way for him or her mark to receive this ball. This outside midfielder actually becomes a second sweeper. If the ball-side marking back is the one to step up to the outside midfielder’s mark, the sweeper will have stepped over to cover his or her mark, making it vital that the outside midfielder from the opposite side of the field drops back and offers defensive support.

If the opponent with the ball is able to play the ball back to her keeper, both forwards must get back and to the middle. Chasing the ball in this situation is ineffective and leaves the team exposed, unless there is an errant pass back. 
When the forwards make their bending runs, they must do so at full speed. Being under control during the run is important, because mistiming it can cause tremendous chaos for teammates. However, if the opponent has received the ball with his or her back to the field, the forward and outside midfielder have an opportunity to pressure the ball with an aggressive run, since the chances are slim that the possessing player will have time to turn, find an open player and successfully move the ball out of pressure. Know when to take chances and when to play safe.

There are two keys to high-pressuring in the offensive third of the field. The first is to practice it a great deal. Even more important is good communication. If one player steps up and teammates aren't prepared for the maneuver, disaster will strike. With patience and good communication, this is an extremely effective way of making the quick transition from defense to offense.

Coaching Tip: Encouraging Attackers 
by Michael Singleton --- Mass Youth Soccer Director of Coaching  

Where is our next Landon Donovan or Michael Owen?
This is a question some national and regional team coaches recently posed to me. This question sparked much anxiety in them as they spent the summer looking for players with similar features and found few, if any.....

Why is this true? 

Of course there are not going to be thousands of Michael Owens running around our fields. Nor do we expect there to even be one Michael Owen. However, we can expect players to show hints of the brilliance that Michael Owen shows regularly. We should expect to see players wanting to beat defenders and attack the goal. We should expect to see players who want to be the goal scorer and want to assume that responsibility. We should see players that excite us when we see them approaching a 1-versus-1 or even a 1-versus-2 situation. 

How do we develop those players? 

Quite frequently I hear coaches encouraging players to play one- or two-touch soccer. Players need to be able to do this as the pace of the game continually increases as players grow older. However, it might be true in some cases that we (coaches) neglect the development of strong 1-versus-1 players. Players need to be able to confidently attack 1-versus-1 situations. A team may pass wonderfully, but someone needs to kick the ball into the goal. Flank players need to know how to attack isolated defenders to get into dangerous positions. 

Here are a few ideas to consider when thinking about encouraging this attacking individual play. 

- Play 1-versus-1 tournaments at practice and crown a 1-versus-1 champion for your team. Try this a few times a season and see if you crown new champions each time. Instead of playing one- or two-touch in practice games, force players to play with a minimum of five touches. This will force them to be comfortable with the ball and force them to work to possess it in difficult situations. 

- When playing 5-versus-2 keep-away, as many coaches do, force players to take five touches. 

- When working on 1-versus-1 situations to goal, have a defender wait one second and then chase the attacker. This forces the attacker to attack a defender with pace, knowing that a second defender will be back if he/she goes too slowly. 

Have attackers begin their attack from various angles so they become familiar with attacking the goal from different perspectives. Award multiple points for goals that come immediately following an attacker beating a defender on the dribble. 

As players become confident against one defender, force them to play 1-versus-2 so they can learn how to tangle up defenders. Of course, when rebounds occur, good attackers must be running towards the goal, so never allow them to take a shot and just admire it. Make them follow shots and keep them hungry and wanting to score. If they are moving forward toward the goal, the ball may hit their shin or knee and go into the goal. 

Whether the goal be pretty or ugly, people do not usually ask how, they just ask how many. 
Goal scorers are a rare breed, let’s do our part to make a few more!

- Watertown make-up date is t.b.a.... details coming soon.

T.B.A.--