Howto: Coping With Pressure

Wayne Rooney says:

“When trying to cope with pressure the first thing to do is to try and blank everything else out and just play.

If you can concentrate on your own game and think about what you need to do, you won’t be thinking about the game as much.

Sometimes it’s difficult to put everything else out of your mind if it’s a massive game, but that is the best way to do it. You have to think, ‘If I play the way I can, we will win’.

The other thing to remember is that you’re part of a team and a squad. The pressure’s not just on you to win, but the whole team.

For me, there are 25 players in the squad, whether it’s with Manchester United or with England, and you know that there are plenty of players around who can win games for both teams, so I know it’s not down to me to win games.

You can’t do that on your own. It’s down to the team. It’s about sharing responsibility.

Lastly, hard work pays off. If you put the work in you should get results. Thinking like this can take the pressure off you, too. ”

Sac United Spring Camps

Spring Camps are here.

 

Goal Scoring and Goalkeeping Camp
April 18-20 @ Granite Regional Park
Time 9am-12pm
Cost $90
Ages 5-18

What a great way to spend the mornings of your spring break for a serious soccer player.  Guaranteed to make you a better finisher and striker of the ball.

WPS: Season Openers

Funny thing is... this match ended 2-2. So I think this is just the first half highlights..

Women's Professional Soccer Started up this weekend. And there was some very good soccer out there.

Games will be televised every Sunday afternoon at 3pm. Try to check one out.

Goals from Last Week - Early April

Make sure you watch #4, #5, #6, #8, #10 a few times (especially #5 - Wow!)

HowTo: #2 & #5 Covering the Center-Backs

There's so much to do as a full-back – running the channels, putting in crosses, tracking the opposition's winger – that it's easy to let your center-back go unprotected.

Don't let that happen. Every good center-back needs her full-back to be aware of the game, of every attack, and of where she should be.

Positioning is vital. Let's go over three points.

• If I'm a #2 or #5 covering my center-back, what do I do? Positioning is vital. You must stay connected to the center-back - not too far wide (creates too big a channel), not too deep (allows opp. forward to get behind the central defenders), work with the center-back. Remember, the goal is in the center of the field all the way at the end.  Defend the middle of the field first, don't allow them to play a ball through you.  Above the white/red team have a very narrow and compact back four. This forces the dark team out wide. The white/red #2 will, talk and if needed, pass-on this mark to the #3 if the ball goes out wide.

 

  
• The ball is out wide on the far side and there are two open players in the middle, what do I do? Try to position yourself in line with the center-back and inside the far post. That way you protect the goal and the attackers are marked. You can leave your mark on the far side, focus on the threat to the goal. Below, the ball is coming down the left flank (pink) and the #2 and #3 (red dots) are working together to mark the two strikers.

• What happens if the ball then gets crossed to the outside midfielder I was marking? How do I deal with that? Begin from that good starting position, lined up with your center-back and inside the post. Then, as the ball travels you travel. If you can anticipate the long cross and clear the danger --> terrific. If you aren't able to win the ball, communicate and shift to apply the appropriate pressure.

Feed Your Soccer Imagination

And bob your head to the beat...

Howto: Score great goals

To score and create goals, you need to watch goals. #2 is taken straight from our fast-footwork drills.