Practice the Practice Attitude

Put on your cleats, put on your shinguards, and most importantly put on your practice face. "What is a practice face" you ask? Well, two-legger, your practice face is your practice attitude. But more specifically, it's your "I'm ready to play, I'm serious, I'm focused and I'm ready to kick some serious booty in the soccer world" face.

Let me 'splain more muchfully. Soccer practice is a VOLUNTEER concept. Players attend practice to improve as soccer players. Soccer practice is NOT "social hour." Soccer practice is not a "cheap day-care center."

Soccer practice must fit your soccer aspirations. If you want to have fun, play on a recreational team. If you want to be competitive, play on a competitive team. If you aren't serious about soccer, please don't tryout for a competitive team.

It is a very tragic thing when a player who happens to be very skilled, makes a team and then screws-off during practice. It is even more tragic to know that players who really want to play on the team, and are willing to work their hardest, get cut from the team to make room for the screw-off players.

Look at it this way, you are one of millions of soccer players that want to play competitive soccer. Each player is looking for an "edge" over the competition, and millions of dollars are spent every year to get this "edge" over the competition. You can spend well over $100 on a pair of soccer boots. You can get special air pockets for support and shock absorption, lightweight polymer soles, fins for ball control, soft kangaroo leather uppers and "Superman" shoelaces. You can spend hundreds of dollars on videotapes and soccer clinics to help you improve your technical and tactical skills. You can buy weird shoes that look like mushrooms to help increase your speed and improve your vertical jump, and parachutes to build stronger legs, and bungees to create resistance from your teammates. You can get lightweight shinguards, and special fabric jerseys that evaporate your perspiration more quickly. You can spend hours studying your running dynamics in the mirror, and more money on vitamin supplements, and fluid replenishment drinks, and visualization tapes... but you still won't reach your potential.

These things don't make good players, only HARD WORK makes good players. The best players in the world did not have fins on their shoes and parachutes on their backs... they had blisters on their feet and sweat in their eyes. All of the gimmicky training aids are only useful if you have achieved total efficiency in every other aspect of your training regimen. As a coach-dog, I would rather take 16 average players that had great attitudes, than a team of all-star lazy players. Hard working scrubs will beat lazy primadonnas every time.

Get to practice early. Get your shoes on and get ready to play. Dribble a ball, juggle a ball, or pass a ball with your friend as you wait for the coach to start practice. Use proper technique. Concentrate on your technique. When the practice starts, your focus is on practice. Listen to your coach. Don't talk to your friends while you are listening to instructions. Don't let your friends talk to you while you are listening to instructions. Keep eye contact with your coach when he/she is talking. Pay attention to demonstrations. Apply yourself 110% during all drills. This will develop good habits. Keep your intensity. If you stay focused and work hard, practice should never need to be more than an hour and a half. Make your sprints fast. Don't cut corners on laps. When the coach calls you in, JOG, don't walk. Don't pout when you mess-up, just shake it off. Don't laugh at your teammates if they mess-up, be supportive. Expect your teammates to work hard, and make sure your teammates expect you to work hard as well. Keep your work ethic strong even when you are not under strict supervision.You HAVE TO be your own coach. If you get in the habit of cheating when the coach isn't watching, you will lose your competitiveness.You will convince yourself that it is acceptable to cheat, and each time after, cheating will become easier. Just like running a 10K. The first time you allow yourself to give-up will be the last time you are competitive. Once you get accustomed to giving-up, it gets easier to do each time. Don't give-in to peer pressure. Aspire to be better. If practice is cancelled, make time to run on your own to stay in shape. Practice improving your weaknesses on your own time. Give 110% always, and you will always be a winner.

There is no easy way to learn this next concept except over time, but here it goes anyhow. When you get older and continue to play competitive soccer, you will hate yourself for not having tried your hardest when you were younger. Now is the time to learn and to push yourself. Now is the time to learn how to use your other foot as well. Now is the time to improve your juggling skills. Now is the time to chase your dreams.

Nobody ever catches their dreams while standing with their hands on their hips. Work hard and reach your potential.

Ciao for Now.