Soccer New England

Let the Players Play
The Need to Develop More Creative Players Calls for Less
Coaching and More Street Soccer

By Giovanni A. Pacini

A group of youngsters play excitedly in the streets wrestling the ball free from one another in an effort to keep the magical sphere at their own feet. With self-taught creativity and flair, they move toward scoring a goal by striking the ball between shirts laid down on the ground.

Some are in street shoes, others in sneakers, but no matter what the footwear, the focus is on the ball. Win it and be Diego Maradona, lose it and track the ball carrier as if you were Paul McGrath. The beauty of street soccer allows for not only the game to be the ultimate teacher, but forthe imagination to run wild.

The street can be Wembley Stadium or Maracana. You can surround yourself with the likes of Baggio, Zidane, or Shearer. Each goal scored or flash of brilliant play can be met with thunderous applause from the throng of admirers watching the match. You are only limited-by your own imagination. Only in the streets can one's mind create such an atmosphere. Only in the streets can players be free from overbearing coaches who curb imagination and stifle creativity.

The street soccer mentality can and must be the cornerstone to any player's development. Recently, Bruce Arena was asked about a situation regarding corner kicks. His response quite simply put, was to have a player cross the ball, another to head it in and if all else fails, have someone be able to keep it in play. More pointedly, he said, "we don't spend a lot of time on cormer kicks, we just play soccer.

And let it not be said that the street soccer mentality is just for young players. At avery level of development, Street soccer must be implemented into training regimes. As a collegiate coach, I have implemented, on a very regular basis, the opportunity for my players to just play. Some days it's small sided games, others it is full side. No coaching from me, just play. Figure things out on your own.

But why street soccer? Well, strictly in terms of youth player development, the reasons are quite simple!

• First and foremost, it lets the gam' be the teacher. The game, in its own intrinsic way, can offer more than any coach can imagine. Look at the development of the American basketball player. His game is born on the urban basketball courts or in the driveway of his home. Shot after shot, his imagination runs wild as to what each scenario brings forth. Pick up games (street basketball) are where many, if not most of the NBA's great players nurtured their game. These urban environments and driveways are free of the obstacles (coaches) which could stifle the creativity of a young player emulating Michael Jordan or Larry Bird.
  
• Similar to playing basketball in the driveway or at the playground, street soccer can be played in the back yard, the local park, or on the street as well. If there can be a multitude of youngsters playing street hockey, why not soccer too! Grab the ball and go! Any open space can be the place where games are organized. Goals can quite simply be two jerseys on the ground. It is the simplicity of having any open space as your field of dreams.
  
• There's no time limit! In the over organized world of youth soccer, all to often kids are bound to their practice times, during which time, the maximum opportunity to truly play is minimum. In street soccer, play until Ma screams that it's dinner time!
  
• As far as equipment is concerned, all you need is a ball. Period. I can recall in my youth packing a soccer ball in my backpack and riding my bike to the park and presto, I was in San Siro! The pick up games I organized at Weston Park called for my friends to just show up; I had the ball and we played! Simplicity in its ultimate form.
  
• Similar to pick up basketball, you don't need a lot of peeple. One on one, two on two, three on three (or as we now term "small sided games") are all okay. As one who also played hockey growing up, I always what was referred as "shinny hockey"whomever had the puck, had to keep it as long as he could from the others. Talk about developing stick handling skills! The same activity can be done very easily in soccer.
  
• I would be remiss if I didn't make note of beach soccer. Its recent rise in popularity can only complement the notion of street soccer and the inherent benefits already noted here. One often hears about having a 'feel' for the ball; certainly in beach soccer, without shoes and with the ball moving unpredictably over the sand, the development 'feel' is enhanced.
  
• The coach, and in particular, the youth coach is removed as the possible deterrent of maximizing the player's creativity. Too many youth coaches have an X's and O's mentality, feature themselves as the focal point, and invariably over-coach. The true youth coach understands the delicate balance between teaching and free play (street soccer). Particularly at the under-lO level, the individual who oversees this age group is one who has the' capacity to introduce and implement activities which reflect street soccer, are fun, and indeed, challenging. Throughout the process, this individual steps back and exudes a cheerful and positive presence which only heightens the experience for the players.

At the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Convention, last January in Baltimore, Jan Hansen, founder and head of the Danish Football Schools, spoke at length about innovations in youth player development. He outlined the approach taken in Denmark relative to player development. He cited the need to create a "fun football culture". Central to that effort was the implementation of street soccer to the curriculum of the football schools. Micro soccer was pointed out as a principle aspect of the school's curriculum as well.

Implementing the elements of street soccer and micro soccer enhances not only the creative aspect of player. development, but also small group tactics, which micro soccer intrinsically introduces. I cite this effort as an example of how the street soccer mentality can (and should) he implemented into training, and in particular, the development of our youth players.

Simplicity. Street soccer in its purest form is a simple way to play the game. No frills. Inexpensive. Best of all, it ignites the creative process both physically and psychologically, which forms the basis of imaginative play. Let them play!

Giovanni A. Pacini is the Head Mens Soccer Coach at Lasell College in Newton, Massachusetts. He holds the Premier Diploma from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, instructs NSCAA State and Regional Diploma courses, and is the owner and director of Direct Kick Soccer Camp.