Long Term DEVELOPMENT 
                 or Short Term Wins?...
                  While coaching at the 
                       college level I often met 
                       players who were good 
                       athletes, but not good 
                       soccer players!  Their 
                       playing ability did not 
                       live up to their athletic 
                       prowess.
                  Are any of these players 
                       your children?
                                                          Sam Snow, Director of Coaching Education - US                                         2
                                                          Youth Soccer
                 Generally the cases were quite similar.
                 Players who during puberty grow physically 
                       faster than their peers may be 1 to 3 years 
                       biologically ahead of their teammates.  
                       Consequently they are bigger, faster and 
                       stronger.
                 The “bigger is better” approach can bring 
                       success in the won/lost record, resulting in 
                       everyone thinking things are going great.  
                       Unfortunately these players may not be 
                       learning how to play soccer.  Often they are 
                       limited in their balls skills and tactically naïve.
                                                          Sam Snow, Director of Coaching Education - US                                         3
                                                          Youth Soccer
                   KICK-N-RUN
           The approach of the coach often is to make this type of player 
             the “star”, usually as a forward.  “Just kick down field to Bruce 
             whenever you get the ball”, was the command to the other 
             players on the team.  Bruce of course was expected to out run 
             the opposition and shoot the ball so hard the opposing 10 or 11 
             year old goalkeeper would shy away from the ball.
                                 Sam Snow, Director of Coaching Education - US    4
                                 Youth Soccer
                                 STILL KICKIN’?
                  Once that player gets to 
                       college (if indeed they 
                       stay with soccer that 
                       long) most of the other 
                       players are now just as 
                       fast or faster AND they 
                       have technique and 
                       tactical awareness.  
                       Being athletically 
                       superior alone is not 
                       enough to be a 
                       successful player.
                                                          Sam Snow, Director of Coaching Education - US                                         5
                                                          Youth Soccer
                 What’s more important for an 
                 U12 player, speed or skill?
                 Generally speaking, the physically dominating 
                       U12 teams win the match.  These players are 
                       bigger, stronger and, most importantly, faster.  
                       However, the most important aspect of an 
                       U12 player’s game is technical speed.    
                       Improving technical speed puts a player on 
                       the road to tactical awareness.
                                                          Sam Snow, Director of Coaching Education - US                                         6
                                                          Youth Soccer