How do you capture this art?
People have been asking me for ‘curriculum’ and things detailing what it is we do. How do we produce our end product they say. Here’s a quickie from our State Cup final:
If you can’t see the video, click here.
They seem to think there’s a cookbook to make this happen, a recipe that can be followed. And that we’re not sharing for whatever reason.
John Pranjic, a longtime 3four3 contributor, happened to be in Southern California yesterday and chose to attend our Sunday training session with the U11’s. He wrote the following:
I think I can speak for Gary and say that they aren’t hiding anything or keeping any secrets! It’s all out in the open and ready to spread like wildfire. I was in the area this morning and Gary invited me out to watch the teams train. All access, right on the touchline.
I don’t think a video or series of videos will ever be able to capture the overall experience that these kids and coaches get. There is too much to capture! I used to be one to beg Gary to post videos and he would always respond with things like “it’s a monumental task” and “I’m not sure what type of hack job I’d do at it.” I completely understand after visiting today’s session.
Sure, he can film a training exercise and write out the dimensions of the grid, # of players, and some rules of the game, but it will never mimic the live product. You can’t capture intensity on tape. Unless you can hear the 10 year old boy panting as he is making his runs… the video will never do his effort full justice. And I bet most people would be shocked at the way the coaches interact with players. You wouldn’t fully understand unless you saw every little interaction- during an exercise, between exercises, and off to the side. (BTW… Amazing how much respect these kids have for the staff!)
Coaching points are good to hear, but the coaching points he gives his boys won’t apply to many/all other teams. He can demand certain things because his players are capable of certain things. His coaching points are specific to his teams/players needs. I for one can’t just go back and say the things I heard to my teams. They wouldn’t make sense. It all goes back to creating your own identity and philosophy as a coach. A series of videos and info will only help if you can use them to mold something of your own. You can’t just replicate it.
With that said- I do look forward to seeing what Gary and the crew come up with as far as a curriculum. I know it’s not going to be one big show and tell session. And I know that it will definitely demand us to think! I’m excited. Hopefully my ugly face didn’t make it onto the tape today!
Thanks again for the invite, Gary! Another life changing moment provided by 3four3!
There is a quote that says it all, “Some teams think they can replicate it but unless you have done it over a sustained period of time you are not a contender” Michael Owen
This was a quote that I put on one of my high school varsity shirts a few years back………
Gary,
“Coaching Soccer is an Art: Not a set of drills or a stupid licence! ”
I saw your tweet on this, and while I agree with your sentiment, there is still value in formal coaching education. In other words, the journey is worthwhile, not simply the destination. There can be a lot done to improve the quality of the coaching education in this country, but the presence of coaching education itself is a step in the right direction. Part of the solution is making it better.
For example, I believe that I saw the stat that Spain has ten times as many highly educated (i.e., licensed coaches) than England. That says something important, but certainly not definitive. I haven’t seen the similar figures for the USA, but I’d guess Spain has more coaches than the USA despite about 1/8 th the population.
Bill
Thank you Bill.
I’ll definitely have to expand in a post or series of posts.
It all depends on both the quality of education and the student.
But the bottom line is that the value that is perceived today by the soccer consumer is horribly warped.
Gary, I’m sure you’ve been asked before, but I’m new here, so I haven’t seen your thoughts- do you have some roadmap for your teams, for the players? The DA system has made it seem like non-DA clubs and coaches are unwanted in the U.S. Soccer pyramid. Have you had conversations with anyone in U.S. Soccer about how to replicate and expand your work and how to stay relevant in the larger youth development structure?
Roadmap…
Our objective is to develop quality professional players. We’ll continue building our domestic and international network to help our players make the jump to the pro game.
I’ve had no discussions with anyone in US Soccer.
We’ll continue doing what we do. If “they” want to work with us, then we’re here to help.
I don’t worry too much about “staying relevant”. We know who we are, and at what level we operate. Our art is our own. And nobody can take that from us!
Coaching players is like teaching students. There is no difference. If you are not a good teacher you will never be a good coach. 98% of coaches should stop coaching and just be parents or move on to some other hobby. To be good at anything it must consume your entire focus. Part-time coaches make part-time players. I’ll say it again. It is easier to “ruin” a player than it is to develop a player. Coaches if you don’t know what you are doing stop, study, change your mindset, and acquire your philosophy. You must know you will succeed before you begin otherwise you are doomed to fail. Apply KISS to your coaching methods. The basics and fundamentals are the most imporant. You can’t do anything without a solid foundation. All the information is there…no magic. Great stuff John & Gary!
“To be good at anything it must consume your entire focus. Part-time coaches make part-time players.”
Fantastic philosophy. I’ll be stealing this one.
Glad you like it. Here is another one.
“Winners make goals”
“No goals, no clue”
Gary, I completely understand what you are saying and what John’s points are. However, I still think a ‘cookbook’ if that’s what you want to call it, although not the means to an end is something that could only help all of us. It is certainly not enough by itself to have a list of training session ideas, but it is one of many factors that could only make all of us better coaches I would think. It would be up to us to take those ideas and tweak them to fit the individual teams we work with, but it should only help to have some new quality activities to add to our ‘cookbook’. To continue with the chef examples, any chef regardless of quality and expertise is going to be more effective with fresh homemade pasta rather than ramen noodles.
I agree Kevin.
That’s why I’ve started production on our ‘coaching curriculum’.
I spent some time reading through your blog and if people are looking for the key to your success, to me its is summed by John Pranjic in this sentence “It all goes back to creating your own identity and philosophy as a coach.”
If your just chasing a good win/loss record then your heading in the wrong direction, work objectively to towards a philosphy and you will achieve success. The level of that success wil be dictated by the whole group, not what session plans you have used.
Hello Andy:
You comment above couldn’t have captured any better exactly what John Pranjic was trying to say in his blog about coaching, and you complimenting it with you comment that followed. Too many coaches, and most time it is due to outside pressure variables (at least here in Louisville, KY) that force coaching to gear their tactics toward the change in the win/loss record category. However, you are exactly right…it people worry about this they are going in the wrong direction. Working at serving soccer to be a better place should be the ultimate goal. You do this my working at objectives regarding players development and other dynamics that evolves into a philosophy. If you stay true to the philosophy achieving succes is attainable. Individual perspective regarding those that don’t know any better is what destorts coaches that focus on and work at player development regardless of the results. Thanks for you blog.
Rob Iliff (Louisville Futsal / Academy Director)
Welcome to the community Rob!
And for similar reasons it is why there are millions of entrepreneurs but so few Googles, Virgins, and Mark Cubans; regardless of how many books, blogs, articles and websites are written about it. Many people want to read a book, follow a set of bullet points and then get rich and successful. Doesn’t work that way.
By the way. beautiful soccer and incredible skill in that video. Clearly comes from wonderful kids and great hard-working coaches.
Wishing you continued success.
–Tom
@cataniasoccer
Thank you Tom!
And yes, like in any profession:
There are those who are outliers.
Those who are exceptional.
Those who are mediocre.
Then those who have no business in the profession.
There is no recipe to becoming the best!
Only blocks of education you can place in your tool-belt and call upon when you see fit.
Gary,
I think it was Eric Wynalda whom I heard talk a while back about his experience at the USSF A License course. He said at one point, those running the course were talking about 5v2 and angles, penetrating passes, and all manner of asinine terms.
In the end, when the evaluator asked him why 5v2 is valuable, Eric gave him the answer he wanted, and then he said, “Now I’ll tell you what the real answer is. 5v2 is a good warmup. It gets your legs going and blood pumping.”
You can talk semantics until you’re blue in the face, but in the end, licensing courses are too much about over-complicating simple aspects of the game.
These licenses are about infrastructure, beurocracy, and the accompanying cash cow.
I find it hard to believe the federation actually believes these courses are of any ‘real’ substance. By real I mean it effectively transmits the tools and philosophy required to send someone on their way to developing players / teams.
If they do believe that’s the case, then the ignorance of our leadership is astounding.
Everything we do is about cash/money….youth organizations, youth leagues, youth coaches, youth uniforms, balls, balls, and more balls.
Read on:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/24/sports/big-price-tags-attached-to-even-the-littlest-leagues.html?_r=2
Speak my mind, my mind, oh well Let me speak my mind. The whole Africa is looking at 3four3 philosophical approach to youth development and for everyone that cannot see it, please take a deep breath, look beyond and above and ask yourself, what is my IDENTITY.
Having been the manager for a team that the Kleiban coaching staff had for four years, I can tell you first hand that what they do IS very special. Although it looks like they do it without effort, I know how much experience, energy, effort and thought goes into every game, training session, training drills, and interaction with the kids.
I understand Gary’s apprehension in putting together a road map of “how to do it” videos or essays. The key is to take the plan in its entirety or else it won’t work. If he puts up bits and pieces, then things will be taken out of context and applied inappropriately. To me, it has always seemed like it needs to be an extended coach training session to “download” all the info from the Kleibans. It has to be over a long period of time so the trainees can digest all of it a little bit at a time. Otherwise, it would be like drinking from a fire hose. I know that they CAN train others to do what they do because they already have done it with one of their proteges (Danny).
As for the last key ingredient in this formula, John Pranjic said it best, “Amazing how much respect these kids have for the staff!” They demand and respect from not only the kids on the teams but the parents too. It’s truly something artistic to watch. I miss it much more now because our club team dissolved due to financial difficulties.
Gary, feel free to correct me on anything I misstated above. Keep up the great work.
Thank you so much for the support Raffy!
Your advocacy means a great deal to us!
I had a very interesting discussion tonight at my monthly club meeting. People kept talking about licenses and courses and blah blah blah. No one knew what they were talking about. After listening for a few minutes, I asked them a very simple question… “Would you rather have a qualified coach (licensed) or a quality coach?” Not to my surprise, some yoo-hoo on the other end of the table said he would rather have a “dad who would be willing to take a bullet for any kid if a psycho were to storm the field with a gun” than a young coach who knows the game. He told me he wasn’t trying to offend me. I wanted to slap him. After he rambled about the .0000001% chance of someone mowing down a field of U10 girls with a semi-automatic, I told him that parents like him are the reason our club won’t advance.
They aren’t thinking about soccer. They aren’t putting soccer first. The guy shouldn’t have even been at the table, he was a treasurer for a new team our club accepted. He wasted 2 minutes of my life talking about something that seem perfectly suited for an episode of CSI.
After awhile we brought up coaching licenses again and I had enough at that point. Someone mentioned wanting to get all of our club coaches D licensed. I told them to save their money and I would volunteer to teach a better course than the D and we can make a certificate and call it something fancy.
Any suggestions on what to call my course for the yoo-hoo’s? I think it’s a given that the words “development” and “academy” have to be in there somewhere, right?
John
You might want to take a look at this website, http://www.premierskills.com/, they are offering alternative courses to that of our English FA. May give give you some inspiration around the language that is being used
Andy
Thanks, Andy! But I was joking about what to call “my course.” I’m not really going to host a course. I really did offer to teach one, though! 🙂 Unfortunately, these guys are all about getting official licenses and being able to call themselves certified coaches. They kept talking about how the Cal South is different and its “pass or fail” now. I kept trying to tell them it was pass or fail when I took my D course… and no one failed… when realistically we ALL should have. Looking back at when I took my D and ran my session in front of the instructor… I would have failed myself!!
I have your link open in my browser. It will be the first thing I look at when I get home from my morning practice. I am excited to see what the alternative options are in the UK!
Gary-
Like many people here I first found out about the site when you posted the 12 minute video of your U11’s. Been reading every line of the site since. Decided to write a post to you today on this topic and ask a few very specific questions related to the 37 second video above. I understand and agree that coaching is an art, and a lot of the success you are having is because of the respect your players AND parents have for the coaching and how you communicate ideas to them to execute on the field. Hopefully using the video above as a reference will help to answer some curiosity I think 99.9% of us are having here reading this blog.
1.) When the first Barca player gets the ball (the right full back), he immediately back passes to your sweeper, while simultaneously looking to the middle, toward your holding center mid who is checking back for the ball. He quickly sees that he is open, and points to him in an effort to help the sweeper know where to go with the ball next. While this is happening, he (the right full back) is quickly moving back into space and creating a 2nd passing angle out wide in case the sweeper needs to play it back to him. This all happens in a total of about 3 seconds.
Most of us coaches on this site technically know what is involved in teaching our players this. I think it’s more the tactical understanding that your players have that amazesus, and that this piece of the puzzle is the one we just don’t understand or know how to communicate to our players. Do you specifically instruct your players that in that situation, these actions are exactly how you want things to play out? “Miguel, if the ball comes back into our defensive third from the outside, we are going to immediately switch the field by having you play the ball to your center mid who will be checking back for the ball. Trust him, he’ll be there. Your teammates will help you remember if you are under pressure. Boys, help your sweeper know where to go to the ball next by pointing to Jose who is checking.” (You get the idea) Like is the center mid always checks back for the ball there, so that the FB (after many repititions at practice), knows this fact and therefore points towards him because he was already sure he’d be there? Do the full backs know that it is their job to immediatley create an angle for a supporting pass because you drilled it into them? Or are tactics like this just 2nd nature to your boys? I feel like 98% of U11’s around the USA would have back passed to the sweeper and just STOOD there, thinking their job for the minute is over. I feel like showing this segment of the video over and over again to my U11 team and explain each person’s job would be a start in understanding resetting and switching the field from that area. After time, practice, and of course comfort with the ball they could begin to execute this.
2.) Continuing on from the previous question, since 5 of the 8 passes are one touch, do your players just understand that this space 10-15 yards near me in this specific section of the field is about to be occupied by MY teammate who is going to EXPECT me to be passing the ball to him, after positionign himself in a place that will help us advance the ball? It all happens so quickly, 8 passes in 15 seconds, that I have to assume that they know before they get the ball not only where they are going with it next, but that after I play it to so and so, my next move is into this open space, that is going to be there, because we’ve practiced it over and over again. When your left full back gets the ball facing the inside and he quickly spins outside and plays it to the outside player with his left foot, it seemed as though he knew in his mind “No, don’t stop it, look inside, shield it, or dribble. My job here to play it to the outside from right here, even if I have to hit it with my left quicker than I really want to.
Honestly it almost looks as though this were a “set” clearing play worked in repitition at practice first with no pressure then with more pressure added and so on, until they could execute in in a game situation. I know in lacrosse in my youth we did “set clears”, and worked on these continuously at practice. Do you set your boys in their formation and work a few passing patterns into their subconcious until they just know it?
3.) My last question is also related, but revolves around the toe poke from your left winger across/into the corner of the box that set up the shot. Again, 98% of U11 youth players would either A) Take their man 1v1 in that situation towards goal, or B) create space with a quick fake and then look to cross it in front of goal. How in the world did he know that player was going to be coming down into that space and be there for the shot? He could have possibly seen him, but it magically looks to me like he just “knew” he’d be there.
All us coaches spent a certain amount of time on ball mastery, proper first touch, proper passing, tons of passing drills. We all do small sided games. Aside from these obvious things, how much time do you spend on tactical understanding? Do you do it full field, on a white board, watching videos with them, or all the above? I’m assuming your answer will be all of the above, which probably goes back to the respect they have for you both, and that your boys will listen and be eager to learn this side of the game, rather than asking what 98% of us hear every practice which is “Coach when can we scrimmage?”.
Thanks in advance for your time reading this and responding. I know there is no magic pill, no book, video, or course that can capture what you guys have. I just hope a few explanations to the specific points I’ve laid out above could help us other coaches beign to peel back the layers of what you’ve accomplished with these boys.
Respect,
Chris
Hey Chris-
I’ll chime in before Gary gets a chance to just because I have a second 🙂
One thing I picked up on while I was out there watching on Sunday was the constant use of the phrase “GIVE ADVICE!” Danny, the assistant coach, used the phrase over and over again with the U9’s and U11’s. Working with their back line and holding mid, it was amazing to see the kids understanding of what needs to happen, when it needs to happen, how it needs to happen… and all because they were giving each other advice.
And your references to 98% of U11 players… I’d say 98% of the players would just screw it up. They haven’t been taught to solve the problem correctly. Gary has given the example of a math teacher writing the equation like 1 + 1 = 4. Well, that’s similar to what 98% of kids are being taught in regards to soccer.
A lot of it comes down to rehearsal. Like you said, no pressure, some pressure, full pressure. But how many times have your players seen that situation? How many times have they successfully worked themselves through it? How many times have the successfully solved the problem in training? If the answer is zero, how can you expect them to solve it in a game?
That’s my 2 cents 🙂
Holy crap Chris!
There’s a ton of detail to talk about here, but I’ll give you the gist and reserve the microscope for future posts and this ‘coaching curriculum’ I’m building.
First, and so we’re all on the right page, I think it’s important to note that it’s actually our center back who starts everything. Our right back is the player up the field pressuring the ball.
As far as how all this is accomplished, it’s not memorization based at all (kind of how you describe). What we do in training is tactical pattern play under differing scenarios (ie as a function of pressure and sector of the field). And it’s all tied together with the common theme of keeping possession and maximizing speed of play. With time (and with the proper players), they themselves – their brains – recognize the pattern developing in real time during a match, and decide accordingly.
It is both the identification (ie vision) and manipulation of these patterns by player on and off-the-ball decision-making that is at the core of creativity.
What you see in this particular video is creativity all over the field.
Say what?
Yep!
“Creativity” is something that is also wildly misunderstood!
p.s. A little point on our coaching from the sideline … If our center back that started this whole sequence had not sprinted back to provide his buddy another option, we would have been all over his ass!
Creativity is misunderstood.
Some parent from another team asked how do you teach your players to make such awesome plays. I replied “I don’t”. They just do pattern recognition, look for open spaces, and play possession. Funny how everyone makes it so difficult.
Creativity is a tough one. We have white, latino, filipino, indian, black kids on the team. Why do latino players appear to understand possession and thinking while playing more than the other kids???
Gary, you guys are clearly doing a fantastic job and God knows how US soccer could use some more of that kind of philosophy, know-how and passion.
It seems that you intend to spread and franchise your brand and approach, and are looking for Clubs from other states to come aboard.
But at the same time you recognize how hard this is to scale, and how much it comes down to the coaches’ personal qualities.
Now way am I inducing any dishonesty from you guys,maybe the opposite, you are likely thinking aloud as you try to figure this out, and try to conciliate this. Anyway congrats again for the great job, and for all you guys share. You are already making a big difference, and it will only grow from here.
I see what you’re saying Nuno.
When I jumped on board with this nationwide collaboration concept, the first thing I told our club president and founder, Paul Walker, was the following:
“I will only get involved if the commitment is to building something legit! Meaning, if there is a serious commitment to raising the level of our partner clubs to the point where real player development is happening. If that’s not the case, then I want no part in it.”
Can we achieve it? I think so!
The question is: what level can we help our partners achieve?
Well, that’s going to be a function of their personnel and commitment to the program. But we are implementing standards they must comply with. So if we feel they are not meeting the standard or taking appropriate measure to get there, then we’ll release them from the program.
I’m revisiting articles, and after reading this comment I must reply.
It took me many months, but I eventually realized this program was a farce and I stopped supporting it.
Gary, just read some of your older blogs. You are the MAN!!!
Just want to share some coaching insights. I recommend you keep it as simple as possible. Coaching is an art but it can be learned if you specialize in it. A successful coach needs to teach players, teach parents, and teach themself in a continous feedback cycle of improvement.
coach—->player—–>
^ |–>parent—>|
|—————————|
Random thoughts:
Parents soccer is not a sport for the rich who can afford it. As Klinsmann says you need to come and play from the “streets”.
White man can’t jump in NBA…well white man can’t play with the ball at their feet.
What Chelsea did today is not soccer.
Learn from these U11 kids.
“White men can’t jump in the NBA, … well white men can’t play with the ball at their feet.”
?????!
If there’s anything the history of the beautiful game has demonstrated, it’s that race has absolutely nothing to do with it.
It’s about http://blog.3four3.com/2011/07/19/us-soccer-culture-problem/.
Where is creativity born?
With all due respect let’s talk about the makeup of these young kids and compare them with the great soccer players of the world. Let’s talk about the color of their skin, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity. Is it a coincidence that the kids physically look like Barcelona players?
Why does the US have the best basketball and football players? When I watch NBA/NFL games most of those players don’t look “white” to me. When I watch US youth soccer games and especially the US National team play I mainly see “white”.
I’m not suggesting that there are no good “white” players. Let’s understand that some of the best soccer players in the world ie Pele, Maradona, Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Robinho, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Platini, etc have darker skin. Even light-skinned players such as Ribery, Ozil, Benzema, Zidane, Muller, Cruyff, Beckenbauer etc look ethnic.
When I say “white” I am referring to players of Old English colonies you know British decent (USA, Canada, Australia, etc). Descendants of the nation that once ruled the world and help spread slavery and disease. You know the nation that invented “football” for the rich and elite. The nation of kings and queens.
There is no such thing as Soccer DNA. It’s just regular human DNA.
Let’s talk about coaches and players from a genetic makeup, cultural, and ethnic point of view. I believe creativity is genetic but intertwined with culture and ethnicity. The USA has an enormous genetic pool (~300 million), diverse ethnicities, but lacks culture.
If youth clubs focus on diversifying their player pool similar to public school system (elementary, high school, college) only good things will happen to the sport of soccer in the US.
http://www.insidemnsoccer.com/2012/02/20/the-misconception-of-one-t – 63k
You guys are doing a good job. The article above might give light to what this guys are doing.
Mixed feelings about the article. Must say I don’t think the intention of the new US curriculum is to stop creativity. I think it hits the nail on the head when talking about when to teach certain things. I can’t recall off the top of my head, but I’m pretty sure it doesn’t mention teaching 1, 2, 3 touch exclusively at the youngest age levels. Lots of the exercises provided in the manual involve multiple touches, changing of direction, and use of many surfaces. Needless to say, that manual is not a bible and you shouldn’t live and die by it.
Creativity is in the player. You can’t coach it. Anyone who thinks Messi was taught his creativity smoked some good stuff. He was given the right outlets to showcase his creativity, but no one is responsible for teaching him how to be creative. They might have taught him proper technique, but certainly not creativity. It goes back to the “total futbol” mindset. The worlds most creative players were probably brought up in an environment where all they knew was soccer. That’s where creativity is born. Where there are no rules, just a ball. That’s where our country is really behind.
We need players who are naturally creative and master the ball at a young age. We need to properly identify those players. Then, those players need to be taught to play 1-2 touch possession by coaches who understand how to unleash their creativity at the right moments. Boom goes the dynamite. We win a World Cup! haha jk………. kind of.
Well said, John. It’s not an “either-or” proposition – as in either you focus on individual skills and creativity with technical training + lots of free play / “street soccer”, OR you train the brain and focus on 1-2 touch (sorry, 3-touch is too slow), speed of play, possession, combinations, etc… . The right answer is “all of the above and lots of it” and that’s how it is wherever there is a true soccer culture, but most parents don’t want to hear b/c that means playing/training every day, so the establishment continues to feed them some BS recipe about how you can become world class w/ only 2-3 sessions per week, as long as they are the right sessions.
PrinCiPleS Of PlAy
For the coach, for the player and for the team
COACheS
1. Possession games are s means to improve both the technique and tactical
understanding of the players.
2. Opposition will be encouraged to increase the competitiveness of the players.
3. High-intensity games based on speed and agility. Short but intense working-periods.
PlAyerS
1. 1, 2 or 3 touch maximum: Minimizing the number of touches improves
the speed of play.
2. keep the game simple: Do not force situations, over-dribble or be careless with the ball.
Snippet from the US soccer manual.
Snippet from what I just said…
“That manual is not a bible and you shouldn’t live and die by it.”
BUT… if you go to page 67 of the US manual and look at the session example you’ll see that the very first thing US Soccer tells a player to do is…….. DRIBBLE! Refer to the Psychosocial area and it says that this exercise is used to help build self confidence. So, again, it’s a blueprint and decent blueprint at that. It all goes back to what this thread and what this blog is all about, though… create your own philosophies and ideas! Use information to mold your own style. Take information and use it as you see fit.
“DIE BY YOUR OWN IDEAS” -CRYUFF
You are correct John. Some coaches take this things very literally is what I am trying to say. But rest assured you are right on!
I am 18 years old and played classic for the past 6 years. I am now in college. I saw the youtube videos of your u11 team and I was amazed. You seem to focus on playing soccer and not take into account the physical attributes of a player. I played at CASL in North Carolina. CASL is a top 15 club for mens and womens but I witnessed what happens at the majority of clubs. Starting at u11(maybe)-u15 coaches focus on physical attributes. At one tryout the coaches lined us up in order of height. Coaches take bigger players and try to develop them and at CASL I saw it work about 50% of the time. But think about if they took an already skilled player and developed him even more. I gurantee that in the long run the already skilled player that lacks physicals attributes will be better in the majority of cases. I definitely do want to coach u10 to u13 players eventually because I think I could make an impact on US Soccer. I do what you do and focus on the quick passes, moves, trapping, defending, tactical, and the other skills that will set them up for a good future in soccer. I am just tired of seeing the bigger guys get picked over the more skilled but smaller player because I was one of the smaller players. Keep up the good work and I will continue to follow you team and club development.
Ok when are we going to get the goods. I would fly out to your site for a week with my iphone and record and write down every nook and cranny. For instance…how many times do you train a week, what do those sessions look like, futsal first then tactical full field, how about fitness, player parent orientation, You have a philosophy and a culture that everyone has bought into and is back up by a rigorous intensive training program??? If you can teach kids that well I am sure you can teach coaches how to do the same…
I’ve seen the boys U11 team play several times… very impressive! How will the possible exodus of at least a half dozen players next month to steve lee’s teams affect your ability to retain the same level of play? Will you actively seek players who have been developed with the same methodology, or will you have to “redevelop” players who you find talented but were trained under a different system?
Hi Jesse,
I won’t answer questions about hypothetical scenarios. I will say that people within our program are pretty well educated soccer parents and a super tight unit. Many have tried to break them off the field because on the field there is no better product. Thanks for your contribution.
All I have to say is that if you’ve done something successfully about 20 times, it is highly likely that you would be able to do it successfully again the 21st time!!!
I have been around these guys for 6 years now and four-and-a-half of them managing one of their teams. You can check their track record at the analytics page and see for yourself that they have had similar successes with many different teams that have had many different players at many different ages. The only thing consistent has been the training/coaching/system in all of those situations.
I know it is difficult for most of you from the “outside” to understand the loyalty that the Kleibans engender. So, I would say that even though it is possible that half a dozen players “could” leave at once, it is highly unlikely that it would happen unless there is a freaky reason, like playing time issues or money (Steve Lee). Of course, that all would stem from the parents, not the kids. I would bet huge sums of money that most, if not all, of the boys won’t want to leave. It will be the parents, like always, that f**k things up.
Sorry, I had to say something on that post because I know Brian and Gary have too much class to say what they really feel. (Nice restraint Brian.) I, on the other hand, don’t give two shits!!! I will always have my friends’ backs.
Lol. Thanks for that Rafael. I don’t worry too much about the “rumor has it” talk. People talk a lot with no substance. There are too many of those around in our soccer community to worry about. Just got to keep on the grind as usual.
“I would bet huge sums of money that most, if not all, of the boys won’t want to leave. It will be the parents, like always, that f**k things up.”
AMEN.
I’ve been involve in club with my son’s for about 10 years and there is something that makes a big difference between Brian Kleiban and most of the other couches the “others” see soccer as a good way to make money (which is not bad) BK enjoys his work he loves soccer, and then makes money. Who ever is been at any BK practice can feel the energy and intensity transmitted by him, he is so clear in his ideas the boys coached by him can easily understand them so i agree there is not a “cook book” but there is some one who cooks and he really cooks well congrats to all “Kleiban coaching stuff”. By the way there is just one more coach in that level Bryan Wallace
Brian Klieban is a fucking asshole who dumped his championship BU 11 team in an email and emotionally devastated 11 year old boys who worshiped him and believed his BULLSHIT!! He never had the guts to tell his boys in person why he no longer could coach them after he promised he would lead them to State Cup. He lied he broke promises and took paychecks he did not earn after cancelling practices to cater to Chivas USA Academy teams. SHAME ON YOU BRIAN
Brian Klieban is a fucking asshole who dumped his championship BU 11 team in an email and emotionally devastated 11 year old boys who worshiped him and believed his BULLSHIT!! He never had the guts to tell his boys in person why he no longer could coach them after he promised he would lead them to State Cup. He lied he broke promises and took paychecks he did not earn after cancelling practices to cater to Chivas USA Academy teams. SHAME ON YOU BRIAN. My son was so devastated after his coach dumped him without even bothering to tell him the why ( that he could not give the team 100 percent commitment ) I had to struggle to try and explain the loss of a coach he adored. I had to try and make him understand why sometimes amazing people with great gifts that Brian truly has sometimes make mistakes. Brian taught my son how to play soccer the right way but failed teaching my son that it is important to admit mistakes and tell the truth.
I respect you Gary you are a good and decent man this in no way reflects on you but your brother needs to take responsibility for his actions because he impacted children and is actions did damage.