Coaches:
On the 3v3 tournament strategies: To assess the value (to the players) of coaching; and in an effort to support one of the last remaining bastions of soccer FUN and of “figuring it out for one’s self,” too many of you coaches are way off base! Back off! Let the kids figure it out for themselves! Are you confident enough (as a coach) to sideline a portion of your ego for just a few brief 3v3 games? Hell, the original posting was about a bunch of 10-year olds, wasn’t it? And look at the extent to which super soccer coaching science has evolved (or deteriorated).
The origin of today’s Summit Sports 3v3 tournament series (originally Cramer Sports, then Triple Crown 3v3 Shootout) was a festive Saturday & Sunday, in the park, with friends and family, hamburgers & hotdogs, skills contests, popcorn, Tony-the-Tiger (Kelloggs was among the first national sponsors) and Chiquita bananas, watermelons and cold drinks, resulting in 3v3 FUN SOCCER. OK, there were winners and losers - but more often than not, a group of four players was self-directed. Not “coached” but sometimes parent-supported and assisted. And guess what? The players did just fine! And they played, sometimes observed, eventually they figured it out for themselves - what works, what doesn’t. Most of all, they had so much fun they kept coming back for more, and more, and more. Even those who didn’t win, experienced enough fun to keep coming back.
Why ratchet up the coaching? Keep in mind we adults can really screw things up for kids who are out for a good time. When, where, and how do we let them grow by leaving enough slack to allow them to experience their errors, then better themselves by making the necessary adjustments? It’s called Learning! And it doesn’t always need an egotistical (must win) adult to make it happen. And when the kids do figure it out, the lessons may become more valued achievements than anything you can Coach into them.
So take a break from coaching, bring an aluminum lounger to the park, enjoy your time as a parent. Cheer them on, make friends from among those on the other sideline. Demonstrate to your kids the fact we’re all part of the human family which sometimes gets together to enjoy soccer just for the fun of it.
