Spring Soccer about to start.

           Spring Soccer is right around the corner. After the tough finish to the fall 2 of us decided to come back for the spring. It is definitely my last rec season. I may either take over or assist with the school team in the fall. So I am going to use the spring to fine tune the things I like and add new to keep ahead of the game.

I believe in a possession game of soccer. Offensively you need to limit turnovers, put pressure on their defense/goalie, short and quick passes and unselfishness. More passing then dribbling, use the dribble to draw them away from teammates and pressure, pressure, pressure. Good shots on goal in order to make the goalie move. As the season wore on teams began packing field in order to make the short passing difficult. To combat this we used the chip, it created more turnovers. This year I will preach the cross field pass. Bringing up a defender to relieve the pressure on our attackers and flipping the attacking field. I believe this is our next progression. As well as intermediate passing.

Defensively I preach ” Do not let them dictate to you, force them to make a decision. ” I want everything forced outside, defenders using the sideline as an extra defender. Nothing in the middle and when it does the defenders pinch close to muck up the scoring area. I do not want the defenders to attempt a tackle until the team defense is in position. I call it riding the offense to the sideline. Slow them down then attack the ball. Position first, attack the ball second. We have a slower group of defenders, so we would ask them to start the buildup only if they were open otherwise get it out of bounds. It worked for a while but now they need to be involved on offense.

We are faster then we were and our stamina is way better. We start off with stretches, jumping jacks, squats and then mountain climbers. I wanted to build strength in their legs as well as get them used to the burning of tired legs, it has worked, we have owned the fourth period. We then spring half the field, jog the next half, all the way around the field. Then set cones 10 yards apart, they sprint to the first, sprint back and do this for 4 cones. Then we sprint the field, do bow ties and finish with the 20 yard box. I want to move to more interval training and anaerobic sprint circuits. You need the stronger legs in the last 4 minutes.

In order to be a good coach you need to teach fundamentals, help them become faster, better stamina and stay ahead of other coaches. Always thinking. Talk to other coaches and even refs, they see alot. Help other coaches as well if they ask for it. Drills and small sided games help more then scrimmages without rules. Each scrimmage needs rules. Only 2 dribbles then you have to pass, the whole team including goalie have to touch it for a goal to count or even goals only count off of crosses or give and goes. I am very excited for the spring season. I think it will be alot of fun.

Just remember, quick accurate passing, constant pressure and force them to take bad shots. Then you have a chance.

What do we do with Putin?

           So the Putin led Russians invaded the Ukraine.  As of yet there has not been any bloodshed.  The Russian commander told Ukrainian soldiers to stand down or else. What should America do? Putin doesn’t care what we say. Putin is trying to remake Russia in the mold of the old U.S.S.R. He in fact said the Soviet Union falling was a geo-political tragedy.

What are President Obama’s option? Honestly. We cannot afford another war, our troops are spread dangerously thin. We can of course go with a coalition, but we would have to lead it, as well as supply the most troops. Sanctions, but they take time to work. We can cut Russia off economically, using Europe to help. We would also hurt the people, which will happen either way. These are basically the options we have. Lindsey Graham, John McCain and the Republican war machine are making the issue inherently worse.

These are the times our government should be united, not calling the President weak and pointing out his flaws. Republicans call President Obama a dictator and a tyrant one day than the next he is weak. Democrats want to find a solution without bloodshed, not more war. If we stand united, we show strength. When we point fingers under pressure, we show true weakness. Is this what we want from our leaders.

What should we do with Putin? He is a bully and a true tyrant. I am not sure there is a right answer. Any answer has problems that we do not want to deal with. It is the Ukraine, where the government leans Russian and the people lean west. Putin says he is protecting the Russian people in Crimea. Who really knows the truth? But if blood is shed, I do believe boots will hit the ground. The Cold War will be nothing compared to that.