Player Development and Plane Navigation

In my first blog post, the welcome post, I touched on the One Degree Rule aka 1 in 60 Rule for navigation. This time around, I want to touch on this again.

I am constantly looking through highlight videos of players and teams having a passing sequence that seems so slick and perfectly executed, but I tend to see the bad habits in those videos. Yes, the highlight generally ends up in a goal, but the goal only happens because opposition are below par in taking advantage of the multiple mistakes made by the team with the ball. I saw a highlight, where every single player on the attacking team is rooted to the ground once the ball is played to them. They do well enough to check to the teammate but stop once the ball gets moving. Luckily for them, the other team's players just stood in place as well. I see the sequence starting by a player giving a pass to his teammate behind his run, which makes him track back. The next pass, the teammate checks to and his body positioning is less than optimal, but he is still allowed to turn against far inferior opposition, even without knowing his surroundings. He also stood in one spot while he watched the ball travel to him for 10-12 yards.

Let's be clear here, these plays work because most teams do not defend properly at a young age. But, when these players get to 15 or 16 years old, these habits are going to get exposed. Defenders will not stand still, and they will quickly put a player under pressure, and likely run right past the player to intercept the ball and go on a counter attack.

So, the one degree rule applies here, because RIGHT NOW, a younger player (under 13 years old) can look great against opposition, but when it really matters, 15+ years old, they are going to be exposed. Just like a plane will end up 60 miles away from its destination after a 1000 mile journey, if it is one degree off with navigation, so will a player be equally off course in development of speed of play and perception of the field around him or her within a few years. And to clarify, we are not saying the player will be bad, we are saying the player will be good and comparable 90% of players. But, if you are reading this, you have a son or daughter who wants to dominate the game, not just be another player that blends in.

Our goal at the IFA is to correct the one degree in each player's development. We want to right the course and make sure they stay on the exact path necessary to thrive for their entire playing career. At the younger ages, it will be noticeable, as they know what to do a half second before everyone else figures it out. Once they get into high school age, it will not just be noticeable, it will be glaringly obvious other players lack the ability to process information at such a high speed and act accordingly.

The training requires diligence on our part as IFA coaching staff, and from the players themselves. If you are ready to be held to a higher standard, come join us on the pitch, and make the difference for your club team on the weekends. We are here and ready to help you and your team succeed.