I agree that soccer has developed to a good level in this country…However, there are still some real areas that we lag behind our South American and European competition. I think that if you look at the average high school age or college game, it’s an overly physical battle…The American game is about trying to play at a frantic speed for as long as possible. At times, it looks like uncontrolled chaos. When we start to get coaches that can slow the game down a bit, so players can think, then we will make progress.

From the fitness standpoint, I think we are burning out many good young players because our volume of training and games for the 16-18 year old is just too high. We have created a system where it’s the “grinders” that make it through to the next levels, and the more creative, smaller kids sometimes get left by the wayside by those in charge. Some kids are left out because they are not “big enough or strong enough”, while others are left out because we place such high physical demands on them, that some technical, but under-developed kids may break down. Look at the Spanish team that won the World Cup, guys like David Villa, Iniesta, Xavi, etc. are these slight, quick little players who don’t look physically imposing, but can dominate the tempo of the match.

Do we see the same thing in basketball? Do the “grinders” progress while more creative or skilled players are ignored? Do we concentrate too heavily on physical attributes at a young age and ignore differences in maturity?

By Brian McCormick
Author, Cross Over: The New Model of Youth Basketball Development
Director of Coaching, Playmakers Basketball Development League

The series uses many of the same concepts that we try to teach on the hardwood:

• The series starts with a corner kick (inbounds pass): Arsenal attacks the goal, but no shot develops, so theyretrieve the ball and set up to maintain possession.
• After recovering possession, they use a quick give-and-go down the left side.
• When nothing is open, they quickly reverse the ball from the left side to the right side to force Man. U to defend the entire width of the field.
• Once the ball gets to the right sideline, they try another give-and-go, but the player is not open, so they touch the ball back to the right back filling behind the cut.
• Eventually they move the ball with the dribble to the middle of the field and execute a dribble hand-off (to use basketball terms).
• After the dribble hand-off, the player passes to Cesc Fabregas in a position not unlike the high post. He turns and faces the goal.
• As he faces the goal, one player makes a diagonal run from the right side to the left side, which clears space for Sam Nasri’s cut toward goal (essentially a backdoor cut).
• Fabregas leads Nasri perfectly into his shot.

This is not a play. This is the type of tactical understanding and game awareness that we should strive to teach on the court. If players understand the basic skills (give-and-gos, dribble hand-offs), they can combine these skills over and over to create an open shot.

The most important aspect, to me, was the cut from right to left that opened the space in the center for Nasri. Players – especially young players – need to understand that sometimes a great cut does not produce a shot for the cutter, but opens space for someone else. Also, the ball handler does not need to pass to the first cutter who is open, but needs to see the play developing and realize the second cutter is wide open in a more dangerous position. When you find a player who anticipates and finds the second cutter in a situation like this, you have an elite point guard, as few players at any level see the play develop in this manner.

By Brian McCormick
Director of Coaching, Playmakers Basketball Development League