Jazz Influences on Soccer Practice
One of the finest jazz musicians of our time is one cool cat by the name of Wynton Marsalis. (By the way, Wynton is the only cat I will ever refer to as cool.) One day, not too long ago, I was watching a music appreciation show on the Bravo television network. This show featured Wynton & classical phenomenon Yo-Yo Ma. (Yes, my friends, his name is actually Yo-Yo Ma. NOT Yo Ma-Ma.) The show, filmed at the Tanglewood Music Center, was an impressive insight, aimed at children, to help understand music and the importance of practicing. During the show, Mr. Marsalis explained his 12 Secrets to Perfect Practice. As I watched the show, it occured to me that his practice secrets did not only apply to music, but to all aspects of life as well. Similar to a recent article of mine, I am going to reveal Wynton's secrets to y'all, while fitting them to the soccer scenario. Here they are:
1) Seek out a Qualified Instructor. Wynton explained how bad practice does more damage than no practice. He also explained how proper technique is mandatory to form a building block on which all else is constructed. Although coaches are the most obvious instructors, we can learn from anybody. This was demonstrated in the show as Yo-Yo Ma, the world's finest cello player, asked Wynton Marsalis for advice on how to play a certain jazz standard named "Mood Indigo". Although Wynton knows little about the cello, he was still able to provide valuable information to Yo-Yo Ma about the expressive style in which to play the piece. Sometimes your instructor is a teammate who can do something better than you, and is willing to show you the proper way to do it.
2) Set a Schedule. Make a schedule for yourself as to what and when you are going to practice each session. Stick to your schedule. Each session should include the fundamentals of your instrument (or in our case, soccer).
3) Set Goals. Set attainable goals, both short-term and long-term. Make a chart of your progress. Charting your progress is one of the best ways to stay focused and remain motivatived. Typical tests for soccer are how many times you can juggle the ball, how many times you can hit a target with the ball, 50-yard dash time, mile time, push-ups, sit-ups, etc. Each time you break your old record you are accomplishing more and more.
4) Concentrate. Always concentrate on practice. Pay attention to every aspect of your practice, and always strive for perfection. If you can't keep your focus, do something else, and then come back to your practice when you can focus fully.
5) Relax - Practice Slowly. Every move looks impressive at full speed, but if you slow the move down to a crawl, it is easy to figure out the mechanics of the move. Start slowly, practice slowly, and continue gradually increasing the tempo until you have reached full speed. Stay relaxed. That doesn't mean get sloppy, or reduce your attention to the practice, but try to be at ease and not tense. You will find that you will play your best when relaxed.
6) Practice Harder on Weaknesses. Always practice a little longer and harder on the things you can't do well. It is important to be a well-rounded player. For many players this means work on your off foot. Some players need extra work on trapping and some need to juggle better. Try to be "good at everything" as you become "great at certain things".
7) Play with Maximum Expression. When I think of expressive players I think of Eric Wynalda and Alexi Lalas. Eric's expression is on the field with his phenomenal dribbling skills and quick improvisational play. Alexi's expression is off the field with his wit, charm, confidence, and red goatee. Try to allow your play to reflect your own individuality and style. Add your own flair to what you do, but don't let your expression overwhelm your play... just allow it to influence your play.
8) Don't Be Too Hard on Yourself. Learn from your mistakes. Nobody is perfect all the time. Billion-dollar basketball players still miss free throws. The best players in the world still make lots of mistakes. The thing that makes great players separate from the others is that they learn from their mistakes instead of allowing the mistakes to lower their self-esteem and self-image. Be able to laugh at yourself from time to time.
9) Don't Show Off. Humility is an important attribute. Wynton used to show off in front of his dad, Ellis Marsalis, who is a very accomplished pianist. Ellis told his son "If all you want to get from playing is applause, applause is all you will get from music." What he meant is that music has so much more to offer, that being a show-off makes it impossible to reach the deeper meaning in music and prevents the musician from touching the audience on an emotional level. Music should flow from the heart, and not simply stroke the ego.
10) Try New Things. Try new ways of doing old things and try to think for yourself. Progress comes from trial and error. If nobody ever tried to do things differently we would never have left the stone age. Be creative, be daring, be open-minded.
11) Be Optimistic. Be happy. Be positive. Try to enjoy playing the game. Laugh when things are funny, smile when things are fun. Be supportive of yourself and be supportive of your teammates. Don't be pessimistic. Don't criticize your friends and teammates for making a mistake, or for not doing something as well as you. Tell them when they do something well. Be supportive when they make a mistake. Keep it fun and optimistic, and you will get years of enjoyment from the game.
12) Look For Connections. In a recent article, I compared soccer to chess, driving, and billiards. If you can make a connection between something you are learning, and something you already know, it will be easier to learn, and will be easier to remember. Here is a favorite trick of mine: I used to get confused about indirect and direct freekicks. I knew that the referee would hold his arm straight up to signal which it was, but I could never remember if his arm up meant indirect or direct. A friend of mine told me that when he held his arm straight up it made the letter "I" for "Indirect". Ever since, I've never forgotten which is which. Make your own connections.
As always, have a great time playing the game and practice hard. Ciao for Now!
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