Impact of Coaches

[SCRDAD]

What impact will the coaches have on the HS playoffs? Two teams in the New Orleans area with top tier coaches are Jesuit and St. Martins. Both head coaches are active club premier team coaches, and if I am not mistaken are the directors of coaching for their respective clubs. Both have coached some of their high school players on their premier teams. Both of these coaches are capable of making in game adjustments to help their teams win. Any other coaches out there with this capability?

[hdkjga]

Brumfield (Acadiana) is great about that. Belfour (Lafayette) has also shown this year that he and his team are able to make halftime and ingame adjustments.

[Scat09]

Forget premier. that doesn't mean a thing. Experience will give team the upper hand over others. people thought that st.pauls was in a rebuilding stage this year with the loss of 16 seniors last year and a coach. fooled them. (count them) 2 tourny wins and a district championship, and a coach with 3 state titles under his belt, rummel jesuit and any other takers bring your best to the playoffs. we have all the right tools to win state. talent, experience, and heart

[lvsoccer03]

thats some strong words there....almost sounds arrogant.

[Scat09]

some may say that.

[SoccerGeek]

I'm sure the two aforementioned coaches are great coaches if you consider their win/loss records and how fantastic their teams are. However, with no disrespect meant toward these two gentlemen, I'm not impressed. Admittedly, I do not know either of them or much about them. Like I said, their ability is obvious as demonstated by the success of their teams.

But if your team is loaded from end-to-end with premier players you should be winning. If your bench has more talent than most teams starters you should be winning. If every player on your team eats, sleeps, and sh##s soccer year round with the dedication of premier players, you should be winning. If your team .... well you get the message.

What impresses me is a coach who can take a team full of non-premier players, players who play football or other sports and don't even play soccer away from school, players who love the sport but could never afford to play premier, and still be truly competitive (even if they lose) with the all-premier teams.

Again, cudos to Jesuit and St.Martin's coaches and teams. Let's just not forget about the effort of many other coaches who mold great pottery out of left over clay.

[usasoccerboy]

When I started playing soccer in Louisiana, coaches were a rarirty whether they were good or not. Now we have an abundance of coaches, but whether they are good or not is subjective. I would think that most are not that great in the coaching or game adjustment and game analysis departments. Some may be just good disciplinarians, and there is something good in that. I believe a good coach is one who understands the complexities and nuances of the game, can spot them in every instance of their occurance, and then can instruct and correct on the spot with as little words and time as possible. Also a good coach is a good planner of practices as well. A good coach should work on only one facet of a game for each practice that is essential to a team's improvement. Coaches that try and teach everything in every practice are not as good. Unfortunately, I tend to do this at times, where other times I can stick to one topic. Usually, if I plan a lot, I can stick to one topic and teach my team how to correct their errors and improve their game.

I feel one problem with Louisiana soccer players is that they are not taught the fundamental class room things. For instance:

If you are a defender, and you need to clear a ball out of your goal mouth, which is the first thing you need to get out of your clearance:

A) Distance
B) Height
C) Width
D) An opposing corner kick

What is the second thing you need to get out of your clearance?

A) Distance
B) Height
C) Width
D) An opposing corner kick

What is the third thing you need to get out of yoiur clearance?

A) Distance
B) Height
C) Width
D) An opposing corner kick

This is a perfect example of knowledge of the game that all players by the time they are 13 should know, yet you don't consistently see it, because it is not coached. I will give the answers after, hopefully, a bit of discussion.

[NOsoccer109]

c b a

[usasoccerboy]

1 out of 3 Correct!

This was taught to me after 30 years old, and it surprised me as well, but lets wait a lil bit for others to answer first.

After they answer, I will tell you why it is the correct answer

[PutMeInCoach2]

b c a

[usasoccerboy]

CORRECT

Now give the reason why a high ball is the prefered option if you had to pick one.

Good Job!

[PutMeInCoach2]

a high ball gives the defense and goalkeeper time to reposition themselves... Also allows someone to challenge for the ball so a person cannot volley it into the net... forces them to use their head which will be less powerful going into the net and easier to clear away.... thats what i would say

[usasoccerboy]

You are a Genius!

Good Job! Couldn't have answered it better.

[usasoccerboy]

Teammates have time to get back if they are still lolly gagging ;D and as you eloquently said, gives the keeper time to get set and properly placed. Wide serves as a way to cut down the scoring angle and distance, well it is further away from the goal.

[PutMeInCoach2]

;D .... whats my prize??? a free soccer ball, or perhaps a little playing time??? lol

[usasoccerboy]

How about another question?

Oh wait, that is a question.......

[PutMeInCoach2]

that one i aced... don't want to make a fool of myself with another one lol... how about some playing time, that works good... but if not, i guess i have to settle for a bench warmer question

[usasoccerboy]

How about something easy.

What is the acronym R.I.C.E. and what does it stand for.

[sophense]

RICE therapy:

rest
ice
compression
elevation

Learned this rehabbing a baseball injury last year.

[usasoccerboy]

I thought it was Rest too, but my coaches manual has it as Remove the player from the game, but I still think the R is better known as REST. Lets face it, Rest is the same as REMOVE THE PLAYER FROM THE GAME, so good job.

I will think of some more tomorrow. Good Night.