When learning happens?
Let’s start thinking on how much can be (should be) done off the field to improve buy-in and learning of anything. Example: if you practice two times a week (60 minutes session each), we are talking about 2 hour practice in the week and that is the only time you got to spend with the ball.
Do you think 2 hours is enough time to learn something? Take those 2 hours off the whole week, what does that represent in the short run? What the kids should be doing at home? Kicking the ball around, juggling, watching videos, highlights of games, GAMES, copying their favorite player’s technique, literally anything.
It sounds silly to me, how can we learn such a complex and dynamic sport by spending so little time with the ball? It is important to acknowledge this and ENCOURAGE the kid to practice on their own. Not needing any parent and coach to tell them what to do all the time. That is when most of the learning happens, when they are exploring, being creative, shaping their own technique, etc.
Game understanding
How many things the kid can learn by just simply watching the game? Seeing the movement of the players, the passes, the positions, the moments of the game, paying attention to different things.
I say that, because not understanding the game off the ball, impacted a lot on my game when I was young. Coming from a country where the culture of soccer is big, I didn’t need a parent or a coach to tell me to practice more, we were playing pick up all day long. But being good only when you have the ball is not enough when you are playing a team sport such as soccer, what I’ve been trying to teach my players since their young age is to know what to do when they DON’T have the ball. With no game knowledge, you won’t go much further as the level increases. Knowing that you won’t have the ball all the time, what should you be doing depending where the ball is, knowing where you should be, when to move, etc.
This makes a HUGE difference on the athlete’s performance.
What do you do to support your child’s learning off the field? Do they proactively try to learn things on their own?
Make it fun, make it rewarding.
