OK, we have two weeks until the first league game and three weeks until the first tournament which happens to be in Flagstaff. Why is the location important? Because in addition to the difficulty of getting a bunch of seven year olds to operate as a team, we also need to get them fit enough to play 4-7 games at an elevation of 8,000+ feet. Teams from all over the southwest will be there.
We have been practicing for 3.5 hours per week all month with extra fitness and skill sessions on the weekends. Last Saturday we pulled the kids together with another team and played a scrimmage. While all the pieces are there and we have a very talented group I am somewhat skeptical about their chances of putting together a winning record. HC, good guy that he is, is only looking at the individual skill levels. I, being a bit more realistic, am looking at team chemistry.
Da will not pass. More to the point, his dad doesn't WANT him to pass and tells him to only play in the center forward role, and oh yeah- practice is for lesser mortals. HC is so impressed with Da's ability to score he turns a blind eye to it and believes he can coach it out of him. I am of the hardened belief that parental attitude and praise are far more important than coach's directions.
Example: If a kid scores one goal and gets two assists but the parent only praises the goal, what does the kid hear? Score more goals, be more selfish. AND THAT DEFINITELY AFFECTS THEIR ONFIELD DECISIONS.
Br and
Ba both suffer from the same non passing affliction but I feel we can deal with that because the parents are more team oriented.
I approach the problem quite openly with the kids -
you don't pass, you don't play any further forward than defense. your only job will be to win the ball back and pass it forward until you are willing to use your teammates further up the field. I will willingly sacrifice points and lose games by fielding weaker lineups to hammer that point home.
That means that when I'm coaching the team line up is:
DI/Keeper
Br/RB ------- Da/LB
Ba/CM
Bi/RF --- J/CF --- LL/LF
K is very tentative right now, acting afraid of the bigger players
S is playing very slow
Ideally,
K the left footer will pick up his game and slot in as LFD and
LL will move over to his stronger right side. If
Da will start passing he'll be our strongest center forward and we can reshuffle. That would look like:
Di/Keeper
Ba/RB ----- J/LB
Br/CM
LL/RFD ---- Da/CFD ---- K/LFD
Ba and
J together are an unbeatable defensive wall. Br is a fast little bulldog.
LL and
K switch the ball crossfield with no effort and they each have excellent outside shooting and
Da is a prototypical tall CFWD who can muscle his way through the opposition. That is the starting lineup I want to see for when we have to be the strongest. For that to work,
Da and
Br have to seriously improve their teamwork with those around them.
Ba has to seriously improve his positioning and
K has to get over his sudden fear of larger players.
S will be able to slot in on defense for tournaments.
Bi can move into any of the roles except keeper and hold his own, even if he isn't the best player in any of those roles. I love that kid as he has a great attitude and good workrate - he makes a perfect utility player.
Ba is by far our best goalie, but he is far superior defender to
Di so I hope to work on
Di's keeping skills until he grows into his field player abilities.