04/07/2024
I find it funny hearing coaches and trainers talking about how you will never find the Neymar’s or Messi’s of the world doing some form or ball work or dribbling through cones.
We constantly try to compare our soccer culture to South Americans or Europeans and say this is why we are so far behind. They are completely different cultures!
Yes, doing more ballwork or cone drills or juggling is not realistic to the actual game, but players in the states cannot walk out their doors into a pick up game like players can in South America. We have to use individual training at home to try and translate these skills to the game because players can’t just walk outside and find pick up games to practice their skills.
At the end of the day, the game itself is the best teacher. The more players can play, the more they will learn through experience. Europeans and South Americans especially play much more because it is their first sport, unlike the US where basketball or football is.
I put together a pick up league for players in my area, because organizing games and finding field space here is a nightmare. It was turned down by the states high school committee and told players they would forfeit their eligibility. How is preventing players from wanting to play more on their own helping our youth players develop? All just to preserve high school soccer, it’s a joke.
So no, cone drills, ballwork, juggling, whatever it is that players do individually is not going to develop high level players year in and year out, BUT that is all players have to use to separate themselves and develop on their own outside of their club environment.
I just find it funny hearing coaches in the states discouraging things like ballwork for example and then comparing our soccer culture to South America or Europe.
