Nordic Recap III

U10s V. Clifton Park
Eventual Champs Fall To OSSC...A Fascinating Game

Of the four games the U10s played, only one was truly in question.  The first game was an 8-0 stomping at the hands of the Capital Soccer Club...ouch.  But the second match the boys rallied to win a 2-0 match on tired legs.  Looking at the two opponents, our guys were more technical and more athletic/stronger/faster/etc. than the second group, less so than the first group.  The third game was the interesting one.  Because I was covering the U12s immediately beforehand at Dorset Park down I-89, I got to the 10s match shortly before half-time.  When I arrived, the team was tied 0-0, and survived with that score until half time.  That's a pretty rare occurrence, to see two U10 teams fail to score in a half.

In the second period, things got interesting.  The OSSC boys were on the back foot a little, but were able to conjure up some attacks regularly, enough to keep the CP team honest.  It was on one of these forays that Dima defended beautifully at midfield, on the left sideline.  Mark Lydford had busted a move from the top of the team to the back, and as Dima forced the ball loose, Mark picked it up and advanced it.  Now, I can't recall who else got involved...I want to say Andrew and Erik were there.  But the bottom line is, as our team attacked, the Erik was kicked as he dished it to Andrew, who scored.  The problem was, the whistle had gone prior to the ball arriving at Andrew's feet, and so the goal should have been disallowed, and the free kick taken (which would have been from outside the area).  Not a bad situation for us (Erik did smash a wonderful free kick home in the following game!) but the fact that the goal was the only one of the game shows how unlikely goals were in this match.

The ref was a high school kid, and clearly wished he had swallowed the whistle.  Truly, it would have been the right call to have allowed the play to continue after the foul (in the current interpretation of the laws, the officials are given a 2 or 3 second grace period to see if the advantage has remained with the attacker after a foul...if it has not, the official may bring the play back to the spot of the foul and award a free kick.  As always, if the play rewards the attacker with a quality chance on goal, a card can be issued after the play without a free kick being given.  Soccer's flexibility in application of the laws remains a standard not met by other sports.)  In the end, even though he had whistled, he indicated that the goal would stand.  The right thing in the bigger sense, but technically incorrect.

Clifton Park were not impressed, but I have to say, their restraint (the coaches) surprised me, given the amount of menacing instruction being handed down from the touchline to the players.  I fully braced for a physical assault on the ref!  We hung on to win 1-0, and the game was truly notable for these reasons:

1. The Clifton Park team was, on the whole, bigger and faster.  At U10, this typically spells doom for the smaller/younger/slower opponent!
2. They had won the previous two games, and were clearly expecting to roll us over on their way to a championship.  They were in fact good enough to win the tournament, going 3-0-1 on the weekend.  That they beat a team that thrashed us by 8 or so on Saturday is of great interest to me.  I very much would have liked to see CP's game against Synergy.
3. They did not sub on the same pattern as we do; randomly by position and without regard for how talented a boy is.  We hurt our chances of winning against teams who do not follow suit.
4. The game was incredibly low scoring.  Our other three games: 8-0 (L); 2-0 (W); 5-2 (L).  Parker had a lock-down first half in goal (probably the longest anyone has played in goal in a game this year for us!) but unlike every opponent we played, we still don't have a specified GK on the team.
5. The advantage we had, if any, was in our technical ability.  Our relatively uniform skill level more than matched theirs.  Despite being bigger or faster, their players did not have the same skill.  One suspects the boys who are "less talented" are probably encouraged to pass...
6. My assessment, without prejudice, as I walked to the field, was that the other team appeared to be superior, and that we'd take another lump.  That's not being negative, it's just that U10s tend to beat the teams they should, and lose to the teams they should lose to, mainly based on physical advantage. Though we do see age differences having an effect, combined with technical ability; a 9 year-11 month old kid has had many more touches on a ball than a just-turned-9-year-old.

While it would be unreasonable to draw any conclusion broadly from this game, it is one of those tiny moments of clarity which pop up from time to time.  Technical skill leveled the playing field, if only for 40 minutes...a little luck in an uncertain referee's decision, too.  Good things to chew over...A fun and memorable result for the boys.

Final standings, we beat the number 1 team (Clifton Park), and the last place team (Capital).  Lost to number 2 and number 4.  Finished in third out of five.  Shockingly, our kids are, evidently, average 10 year olds!  Makes me chuckle that it worked out that way.  

Apprentice Coaches (Nordic II)

Apprentice Coaches.  Perhaps Not.

If I had accomplished nothing else, the apprentice coaching program would have on its own made my OSSC years rewarding.  While I cannot take credit for the idea itself, the boys and college players who became involved under my regime on the boys' side of the club created an environment that was challenging, energizing and simply fun.  Having spent eight-plus hours in the car this past weekend with Neil Parry (former OSSC player, currently helping with U11 & U13 girls, Junior this fall at Duquesne in Pittsburgh, PA), Travis Regner (current U19, helping with the U10's - also with last year's U12 team -heading to TCCC this fall) and Andrew Debraggio (current U19, helping with the U12s - also with last year's U12 team - heading to Georgetown in Washington, D.C. this fall) I thought this would be a good time to reflect a little bit.

Nordic Recap I

Thoughts Following Nordic

A tough but solid weekend against very good competition this weekend for the boy's teams.  On the whole, Saturday was a more challenging day, and the teams did well to maintain their focus and competitive edge through Sunday where as a whole, we saw two wins (U10 & U12), one draw (U14) and two losses (U16 & U10).  The 16s kept us afloat Saturday...a win and a draw were great results, while the 14s dropped two, the 10s dropped one and the 12s dropped two.

U14 Age Data

My Kid Isn't Great...Just Older

UPDATED 6/15

I'll keep a running tally of the rosters of our opponents this year, a simple data set that examines the distribution of 1999/1998/1997 birth years among the U14 teams we play.  So far, we've beaten firmly the youngest team we've faced, and lost narrowly on the road to a team with a similar spread of players by age.  Some research on youth sports indicates that birth year is a better indicator of success than anything else; simply, the older team will be the better team.  This was made famous by Malcom Gladwell (see point #5) but there is actual, real academic research that demonstrates the theory.  Michigan State has some stuff.  Snobby about Big Ten schools?  Check out the Princeton version of the subject.  More hockey stuff, but relevant, though less scholarly here, with some thoughts on resolving the issue.  I like the notion of bringing a more merit-based approach to youth sports (rather than the current lip-service) and truly offering equal opportunity at the critical youth age groups.  I refuse to believe that a coach (especially ones who don't make their living coaching) can predict at 6-7-8 who will be a top player in adulthood.  Ridiculous.

U14 & U10 Weekly

Baldwinsville Youth Soccer Association 

V. 

OSSC

Wanted to do this one as a combined deal, as both teams played the same outfit, with similar results.  These uniforms will look familiar.  But they aren't Baldwinsville Youth Soccer Club kits...they're the greater Syracuse organization, Soccer Central...the back of the jersey tells us this!  One of the coaches/organizers of SC is none other than Rob Franco, member of the board of the CNYJSA league we play in.  His name will be familiar to our TMs; he is the scheduling guy for CNYJSA.  He's a good guy, but apparently uses BYSA as a front for Soccer Central players; SC doesn't support players playing in leagues.

Why The Special Treatment This Week

Now, it might sound like I'm accusing Rob and his colleagues of nefariousness, but I'm really not.  Mostly, I hope our families at OSSC understand that BYSA players show a tremendous amount of technical skill not because there is a great development program in Baldwinsville, but because BYSA is really a much broader group of players pooled together, and generally sending many players into the Empire program, as well as aiming to send the best Syracuse-area players to high-profile tournaments and get them into the college recruiting mainstream.  If B-ville had a program that was truly B-ville only, I suspect we'd see a result, for the U10s much more along the lines of the F-M match last week.

U14 Weekly

3-0 Win Completes 
Season Double Against Krasnijc

Another solid performance for the 14s on a soggy day.  It occurred to me as I sat in the parking lot waiting for the game that CNY might be the best place on earth for soccer, weather-wise.  Maybe a little chilly in the winter time, but when there isn't snow, it is frequently cloudy, with rain at regular intervals, but without the steady heavy winds of the mid-west (Old joke:  did you hear about the other day?  The wind stopped for a second in Kansas, and everyone fell over...har-har...).  I'm not at all being snarky about our weather here, either.  If I could make the weather for a game, last night is exactly what I'd order up.  Some rain before the game, so the ball zips along, and doesn't bounce high...plus sliding is more fun- diving headers and hard tackles - Calm winds don't mess up the ball flight, or make it difficult to play in one direction or another.  Overcast skies make it easy to see the whole field, look up at the ball when in flight overhead, and especially on crosses doesn't make the players deal with being blinded.

U10 Weekly

More GOALS!

The U10s traveled again this week, this time a short one to Manlius where they tallied four goals (Andrew Benincasa, Todd Conklin twice, and Curt Hale) in a close 7-4 loss.  Parker Scholl had two assists (I missed the other two...) too.  Travis and I were discussing it on the way home, and where we were up 3-1 in the first half, there was a massive shift in momentum in the second period.  Some of that was due to the ref...self evident, really.  And we must always presume the blame lays with us (if we can't control it, what's the point of playing games?)...However, a sneaking suspicion lingers in the back of the minds of the coaches, and I suspect that several boys on the opposition roster saw very limited playing time in the second half.  Which is fine...I honestly don't sweat losing by three, but I bring it up as yet another example of adults inability to see the forest for the trees, and "arranging" the game to get a result.

Passing Technique

To Pass Like Pros, Run Like A Pro

    I used to marvel at the ball pros would play from the center circle toward the end line, on the ground, that looked like a yo-yo on a string; the ball would fly off the passer's foot, but then appear to almost stop on a dime directly in front of the receiver near the end line.  What has come much more clear of late, as I watch more professional soccer and with a much more critical eye, is that the ball is smashed with all due pace.  What make the illusion of the string being pulled tight behind the ball, bringing it to a halt is the speed with which the receiver is pursuing the pass.  The run (which nearly always dictates the pass!) is made a such a speed, even a pass struck at full power is caught.

OSSC Weekly

7-Goal Outburst Lifts U10s Spirits; 

U14s Drop 3-2 Decision In Injury Time

Some Other Notes Too!

OSSC Updates:

What a great stretch the club is enjoying.  From the proceeds of the AGM in April, many improvements are being brought to the training facility...I don't want to spoil the surprise, but I will say this: Colgate Salvage got raided on Friday June 1st and it took several trucks to do it!  So many people to thank, including those who took time on a Friday to come to Hamilton and loan their time and vehicles, but also all the generous souls who took part in the various fundraising efforts at the AGM.  It is money very well spent, I can assure everyone.

A few of the U19s joined us for the USA/Brazil debacle on Wednesday at Rusch's in Hamilton, and a quick (and incomplete) college report:  Nate Roman is off to Brockport, Sam Owens to Ithaca, Travis Regner to TCCC, Andrew Debraggio to Georgetown, Jerod Gibson-Faber to Colgate, and Steven Keil to RIT...There are others, and I'll try to post them here.  Jerod will work with the men's soccer team as a student coach/manager at Colgate, and the rest are trying out for their respective teams, save Debraggio at Georgetown.  It's too bad for soccer that he won't play there, but the education is well worth the sacrifice, and he's going to have a blast in DC...perhaps he'll continue his coaching career down there and keep inspiring younger boys to love the game as much as he does!

U10 Weekly:

Erik Geier, Mark Lydford and Brady Morris all tallied once against Salt City, and Ethan  and Parker Scholl each finished on a brace to to renew the team's confidence following a slightly less auspicious week previously!

For all this, however, the sober coach (voice of cold reality) the SC team simply wasn't as good, or as deep.  I must credit their coaches (despite having two running up and down sidelines as though they were ARs...tacky, tacky...) for having their boys play the ball on the ground, even on set pieces, and trying to do things the right way.  Encouraging, in that regard, from last week's histrionics.

More relevantly, the energy and improvement to be seen in this team over the last four sessions, including Tuesday's game, is remarkable.  There's a lot to be said for letting the boys be boys, and the foul play we see in training does run over at times, but in the long haul, the contact has made guys like X and Brady, who started the year far less physical, into players who seek out contact and play with an edge.  X in particular has shown a marvelous improvement in his desire to plow into opponents, and he has gained confidence in his technical ability, making many long runs with the ball at his feet successfully.

When his teammates mention (gripe) about X in this regard, that he needs to pass more - and they say it about most of their teammates at one time or another! - I did mention to them, and X, that at this age group, it is possible to dribble the length of the field at times...but as they get older, the field gets bigger, defenses get better, and there will be more defenders as the boys reach 11v11...and he, as they all will, will eventually see the value of passing the ball to get forward.  But what a sight it will be if that group has 11 players when they are older, all of whom can dribble out of trouble, or beat two defenders to create man-up advantages and offer a highly unpredictable offensive look!

Edgar Davids, Dutch legend
...or...
Erik Geier with a tan...?

In closing, I suspect it will be like this for the U10s.  So long as we remain confident in the approach we take in teaching the game to our youngest, we'll have very high days and some very low days.  It was very early in my coaching career that I learned not to get too high when we were up, or low when we were down; it's just too stressful to live and die on results.  That's not to say I don't care about winning (at the college level, certainly!) but just that when we win, I enjoy it up to and with my snifter of Knob Creek, then turn off the light and wake up the next day as though it never happened.  Losses stay with me a little longer, but like an ember, rather than a fire, they provide slow, steady heat to my work, never out of control.  I must do a better job of helping the boys realize this (though I mustn't take away the pure joy they showed after a nice win like the one this week...still makes me smile!) and their parents...I doubt seriously that this week's result will have any effect on our odds for next week, though the boys will have a certain confidence after a win.  In all likelihood, the team with more better (older) players will most likely win.  And we, none of us, should let that deter us from the path we're taking, nor depress the confidence and satisfaction our little guys should enjoy for all their hard work and tremendous progress this year...so far!

U14 Weekly:

A tough road loss at Jones Road versus Fusion in injury time was disappointing, but the team showed some guts in coming back from a 2-0 hole in the second half (0-0 at the half time break) to tie it up.  In fairness, we had Fusion on the ropes, and perhaps could claim to have deserved not just the tie, but a win.  However,  set pieces featured large in this game; we scored our first on a indirect from 15 or 16 yards out (should have been a PK, but refs with guts are in short supply- he gave a weak obstruction decision, and only the cleverness of our boys made the most of his insecurity as Francesco "Totti" Spoletini served a ball to Alex Wilcox for a cool first-time finish from about the penalty spot, ironically.)  Sadly, the game-winner was also a set piece, from a throw-in deep in our half, the OSSC boys let their marking become too loose, and the player to whom the ball was thrown was unmarked, and unpressured.  He hit the shot of his life, and that was that.

Results are only part of the story, however.  In a game where I am trying to get 18 boys playing time in 70 minutes without totally disrupting the rhythm of the match, the boys all got solid minutes, and again, each guy that came off the bench played right up to the standard of the starting group, more or less - the starters are hardly perfect, too!  Gradually, each boy is beginning to show the characteristics of his game, and within the 4-3-3 formation they are becoming both comfortable, and tactically useful.  Meaning that in the course of the game, I can make substitutions not because I simply need to give boys minutes, but rather, I can make a change and alter the manner in which the team is playing, even if slightly.  With the U10s, for example, subs make little difference to the game, the chaos is going to be there regardless of the players involved.  But at this age, the boys are settling into the game and guys like Andrew K. (who I did not anticipate starting a couple months ago) is clearly effective and comfortable at the attacking central midfielder position.  

When Andrew tired a little, however, and we were down a goal or two in this week's game, I was able to bring on Kamran who offers a more direct threat; a little faster, more willing to dribble defenders, though less positionally sound and less likely to look for his teammates to help him.  There is very little negative in this.  Based on a given situation (time and score) one player may be more suitable than another, and that makes our team tactically flexible and harder to play against. 

The holding midfielders took a great deal out of the match this week, and while it is tough to learn patience in  soccer, they are beginning to see the need for the holding mids to actually "hold."  This was discussed with the Colgate holding mids this spring...so it's clearly not easy to master.  Check out that discussion here.  I remain, however, very pleased with the boys playing there, too.  Dylan C., Totti, and Alex Wilcox did a fine job, and will only get better as they grasp the nuance of balancing for one another, protecting the two center backs, and moving the ball to greater effect.  

The least fluid positions on the field are the back 4, where I have written in pen a few names, most notably Evan, Ryan and Geordi.  Jared George, Josh "Hoolahoop" Houle and occasionally Zack C. do share the right back duties (Josh did very well in his first shot at it Tuesday) but that line is pretty firm simply because of the talents of the boys playing there, and due to my belief that a back line needs to play together a great deal before they fully master the communication and timing and teamwork required as they walk the tightrope of attacking with fullbacks while defending zonally and holding a high line...and all the other bits and pieces we began discussing in training last week.  Josh Farrar, outside of his GK duties did a very nice job giving us a couple minutes in the back, too...it's nice to have an extra option, even so!

Casey O. gave a great 35 minute shut-out performance in goal in the first period, making several key saves.  His distribution was shaky at times, but like all the boys, he'll show tremendous progress in the demands of his position in the weeks to come- and he won't get any better if I tell him to hoof it long each time!  But on the whole, he gave up no goals, and made the saves that needed saving, and that is all that we can ask most days.  Josh F. put in a good shift as well, and brings a much more aggressive style to the position.  Despite conceding the goals, he played well - the last goal there was precious little to be done by ANY GK.  The first two goals, for sure the ten boys in front of him left a little to be desired defensively, but Josh contributed as well.  As the games go along, however, I would expect an athlete of his quality to quickly make the adjustments to his game, and those mistakes be eliminated fairly easily.  It's far easier for a keeper to adjust timing than to learn to get off the line with the aggression that Josh does, so he's in a very good spot!

The goals, in the final analysis, came from a couple factors we need to address.  First, the game became very open in the second period, mainly due to fatigue, which leads to mistakes and a little less effort.  Our particular problems resulting from this openness was that we did not get good pressure on the ball, did not defend with more than one player at a time (no cover for the first defender) and the back line was disjointed.  The outside backs would get caught forward, and the center backs were dropping off too deeply; sometimes they had to because of the lack of pressure on the ball in the midfield, or even in Fusion's back 4, but at other times Geordi and Ryan simply gave up space too cheaply.  Long balls over our backs are a result of not enough pressure on the guy hitting the ball.  Other than the stretch in which we gave up the two goals, the boys did a decent job of these things.  But the game demands 70 minutes of perfect, doesn't it?  It's a harsh lesson, but but we can take away the knowledge that we lost more due to factors we control than simply being beaten by a better team.

In closing, here is where I anticipate the boys playing.  Right side and left side may change frequently, as will the central striker and attacking central mid (9).  The holding mids similarly will switch spots (4 & 5), and depending on a variety of secondary and tertiary factors, other changes may be made to respond to a given circumstance.  The GKs will get field time when possible, and in all personnel changes I will try to be clear about why I making a given change, especially if it is an unusual change.