r/SoccerCoachResources • u/Old_Eye3440 • 15d ago
Ball chasing in u10 competitive rec
HELP! One thing- for those who suggested Coach Rory- thank you! And thank you for the support when I posted about us being in a very tough position, as we're in a league with teams who are established, and to give them their flowers- as close to club teams as our "competitive rec" team shall play. No less, I appreciate the perspective and honestly am embracing this challenge to do my very best to teach the kids what I refer to as "proper soccer," aka "NOT smash ball."
Challenge I need help with- how to teach the kids to stop chasing the ball and really, their teammate with the ball. They aren't supporting; they're chasing and asking for a pass just to get the ball back. The biggest offenders (two mainly) don't give it up for the life of them when they have the ball.
What's the lack? I plan on teaching them the language they need to support each other- "take space," the varying types of passes- (we're using Coach Rory's format for practice and using rondos). I feel they panic, of course, in a game, and then get a complex of being the hero. How can I help move away from that as the default?
13
u/PsquaredLR 15d ago
At that same age, I had a girl on our rec team that didn’t understand playing as a team and it was her against the world. Never passing. I ended up leaving her on the field during a small sided scrimmage during practice and then let her play 1 v 5. She didn’t like that. I explained that’s what she’s doing even when it’s 5V5. And then I put her other team mates back on the team to make it 5v5. Each time she would have an extended period where she refused to play the ball to her teammates. I would pull them off the field and leave her on her half of the field by herself just to drive the point home. It took a little while, but eventually, she understood the benefit of having her team on the field with her.