JR.High: Where would you play yourself?

Normally I save these items for practice, but sometimes leaving you a little weekend homework can be fun, especially if you have some time to watch football. I realize on non gameday Friday’s we will have many conflicts when school starts: band, American football games, travel club practice, classic team practice, the Plum Kickoff Classic Tournament, Labor Day. . . . and so on.

If you’ve been listening to me at practice, you’ve probably heard me say, I’d like to see you develop more into a 4 or 5, or take your natural 9 skill and learn to take it from a midfield to a 6 or 8. I know some of you may think I’m speaking a foreign language, but soccer like baseball has a traditional numbering system by position. With those position numbers are specific expectations of roles. Once you learn the roles and responsibilities and your teammates also learn their roles the easier this game will become. You all will learn to run less in covering your area of the field.

I floated out the idea of two formations for our 2021 season and asked the ladies that were in present to tell me what positions they could see themselves playing in the following formations, for simplicity and the ability to change formations mid-game I’ve given each formation an easy to remember name:

• Vamanos — 4-3-3
  • https://www.soccercoachingpro.com/4-3-3-formation/
• Azzuri — 3-2-3-2, more formally a 5-3-2
  • https://www.soccercoachingpro.com/5-3-2-formation/

If you click on the links, each formation will be explained in less than 10 minutes. If you choose not too, I will briefly cover at practice, I just realize that sometimes seeing diagrams and positional responsibility in the leisure of your own home allows you to think about the player you currently are and visualize the player you will be growing into as you continue to play this game.

I believe we have the ladies to succeed at the 4-3-3 on our home field. I believe we have several ladies capable of being the #10 along with a core of 4 girls that can be strong 2&3’s.

I’ve seen some amazing 4&5’s who have a natural instinct to be centered to our defense and know how to destroy the play when they sense danger to our own goal.

I’ve seen your ability to read the game and provide support to each other this week while providing triangular passing combinations.

I’ve also noticed your ability to keep the pressure on in the opponents defensive half and create scoring opportunities.