A full sided soccer field is a pretty big piece of real estate - about 2
acres worth, which is enough for 2 -4 house lots in most towns! It's a
real challenge for the average player to effectively compete on a field this
large - raw speed and ball skills aren't always enough.
Soccer Awareness is a technique, which may help you improve your level
of anticipation, so that you can take charge of your play, instead of reacting
to the game.
As you're playing on the field during a game, challenge yourself to know all the
answers to the following questions:
Where is the Ball?
Does our team have possession or do the opponents?
Am I in a position where I can give support or apply pressure?
Where is the Goal?
How far am I from the goal?
Am I in a position to score, or can I get into a position to score quickly enough?
Am I in a position to defend. If not and I'm needed, how quickly can I get there and who will I leave unmarked?
Where Am I?
Defensive, Middle, or Offensive Third of the Field
Center of the field - or an outside flank (wing)
Where is My Nearest Teammate?
Are they showing, stationary or making a supporting run?
Most importantly: Are they marked?
If not, where is their nearest mark?
Where is the Opposition's Nearest Defender (Pressure)?
Is their coverage tight?
Or do I have enough space to maneuver?
Where is there Space?
Is there enough space to attack?
Where is there space so I can safely maneuver the ball away from our goal?
How Much Time is Left?
How can I legitimately kill time to prevent my opponents
from scoring near the end of a game (or half)?
Do I have enough time to score?
What things will our opponents do to kill time and prevent us from scoring?
What's the Score?
If it's late in the half and we are behind, how can we keep the ball moving toward our opponent's net?
How Many of These Questions Can I Answer at ALL TIMES?
It's the little things that give a good athlete the competitive edge!
You can reach us by E-Mail:
CoachSweet@AvengersWeb.com
