Tuesday, November 27, 2012

What It Takes…

It is that time of year.  Actually, it is always that time of year.  Not the holiday season, but the search for the next level.  And in club soccer, that usually means college.  I have been meeting with different players and parents throughout the club, both boys and girls ranging from freshmen to seniors in high school.  And 99% of the time it comes down to the same question…what does it take?
‘What does it take,’ is an extremely broad question; however it can be answered in a very simple sentence…  It takes more than others are willing to give.  I said simple, not easy.  Just think about it for a minute, currently you are training 2-3 times a week and playing one or two games.  Every player with a half way decent club is also doing the same thing.  I don’t care if your ‘next level’ is college, varsity for high school, or to move to a higher level team, you must put together a plan on how to improve, start the plan, and most importantly stick to it.
Now you are asking yourself, “Easy said, but how do I put together a plan?” or “What should my plan include?”  This is where your coaches should come in to play.  Sit down with your coach (player must do this, not just the parent) and go over your last evaluation.  Don’t waste your time on what are your strengths, but focus on areas that need attention.  If you are weak at crossing the ball, you must add that to your plan to work on in a repeated fashion. 
It usually takes anywhere from 800-1500 repetitions before your muscles make it a habit.  If you strike 100 crosses a week, you are looking at 2-4 months before your improvements will become natural and show during a game.  Don’t forget, you must continue the repetitions after 2-4 months in order to maintain your sharpness.   This is only one weakness.  Most of us have 5-10 areas where we need to improve.
Now that I have your attention – DON’T FREAK OUT! Everyone playing has weaknesses in their game.  You don’t have to become the perfect player.  You never will get there anyway.  However, if your weaknesses become harder to find, you are well on your way.
What else are you willing to give that others are not?  This can be and usually is answered off the field.  First impressions go a long way.  I have spent nearly 20 years evaluating talent for club, college, and regional and national teams.  How a player looks and acts prior to and during a game or training can make a huge difference.  Here are descriptions of two players.  Tell me who you would want as a teammate.
PLAYER 1: Solid player, good athlete and fast, average technically.  Makes an impact once every 4-5 games (goal, assist, great defense, etc.).   Often 2-3 minutes late to training.  Never seems to have right uniform.  Takes 5-10 repetitions in training to understand what is going on.  Misses pregame warm -up because they are still putting on shoes.   Looks like they just woke up.
PLAYER 2: Technically solid, average athlete.  Doesn’t usually make an impact, but very rarely makes a mistake.  Always on time and ready to go.  Extremely focused during training and warm ups.  You hate going against them in practice because they “try too hard.” 
My guess is most of you would rather have PLAYER 2 as your teammate.  Who do you believe most coaches would rather have on their squad?  And most importantly, ask yourself – which player are you most like?
Over my many years in coaching, PLAYER 1 may get noticed first, but over time they often become a burden.  PLAYER 2 is the one who reaches their goal.  You rarely see them on the bench because coaches know they can trust them to do the right thing.  Coaches know PLAYER 2 gives them the best opportunity to win.  The sooner you can take the DISCIPLINE of PLAYER 2, the more likely your average is better than most others’ good.
I know what you’re saying now, “I do not have the time.  I have school and homework, I have drama class, and not to mention I am on student council.”
Again, I will reiterate, THIS IS NOT EASY.  If you want to be your best, it will take sacrifice.  Can you stay after training for 20-30 minutes?  Instead of getting up at 6:30 am, what about 6:00 am?  Just these two simple changes, give you 4 more hours a week.
Don’t wait for someone to invite you to get better, go out and do it.  If you want to reach the next level, give yourself the best chance.