USMNT vs Ecuador Game Thread

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The idea that our best players are switching from soccer to other sports in their teenage years seems to be one of those things that just gets tossed out there and often repeated even though it has no basis in reality.

Seriously, how many boys do any of you know who had legit pro potential - or even lets just say they were one of the most talented players on a top bracket level team at U9-U11, or DA team at U12-U13 - but then they gave it all up and are now playing football or basketball?

Nationally, I can think of O'Dell Beckham Jr, but that's about it. But locally - and I've been around the youth soccer scene in the DMV for over 15 years - I can't think of a single player who was a truly a standout at soccer going into their teenage years and then quit to play another sport.

I can think of quite a few kids who were great all-around athletes who did make the switch from soccer to play something else, but none of them were among the best of the best in soccer. Most of them switched to a sport where their raw athleticism would give them more of an advantage, after it became clear to them that they were never going to be a star in soccer because they didn't have the skill level of the kids who lived with a ball at their feat all the time.

Great post! I've been around high level soccer here for years as well. Every single boy who I thought was a standout on a decent team at U11-12, whether in a top tournament bracket, id2 camp, top division of NCSL (pre-CCL), etc. is still playing soccer. Most are playing D1 or have committed to do so, and a few have gone pro. I don't think anyone who suggests top prospects quit the sport for football or basketball has ever seen serious soccer up close.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Coaching education provided by USSF just isn’t good enough. The fact they discourage coaches from using rondos tells you everything you need to know about why players are not being properly developed.

Wait, WHAT? They seriously discourage rondos?? I don't pay attention to USSF coaching education, but this is idiotic. It's also how most European teams warm up, certainly the successful ones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Coaching education provided by USSF just isn’t good enough. The fact they discourage coaches from using rondos tells you everything you need to know about why players are not being properly developed.

Wait, WHAT? They seriously discourage rondos?? I don't pay attention to USSF coaching education, but this is idiotic. It's also how most European teams warm up, certainly the successful ones.

Our DA team warms up with rondos. This is yet another crap comment brought up by some anti-US soccer nut who found a quote in an interview somewhere and extended it into some fantasy that US soccer discourages and forbids rondos as a matter of policy.

Par for the course, here, unfortunately

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Coaching education provided by USSF just isn’t good enough. The fact they discourage coaches from using rondos tells you everything you need to know about why players are not being properly developed.

Wait, WHAT? They seriously discourage rondos?? I don't pay attention to USSF coaching education, but this is idiotic. It's also how most European teams warm up, certainly the successful ones.

Our DA team warms up with rondos. This is yet another crap comment brought up by some anti-US soccer nut who found a quote in an interview somewhere and extended it into some fantasy that US soccer discourages and forbids rondos as a matter of policy.

Par for the course, here, unfortunately

Dude, wake up. Simply because your son's coach ignores the USSF's policy does not mean that the policy does not exist. Charles Boehm a nice article about it. https://ussoccerplayers.com/2018/05/us-soccer-coaching-education-and-the-strange-case-of-the-war-on-rondos.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Coaching education provided by USSF just isn’t good enough. The fact they discourage coaches from using rondos tells you everything you need to know about why players are not being properly developed.

Wait, WHAT? They seriously discourage rondos?? I don't pay attention to USSF coaching education, but this is idiotic. It's also how most European teams warm up, certainly the successful ones.

Our DA team warms up with rondos. This is yet another crap comment brought up by some anti-US soccer nut who found a quote in an interview somewhere and extended it into some fantasy that US soccer discourages and forbids rondos as a matter of policy.

Par for the course, here, unfortunately

Dude, wake up. Simply because your son's coach ignores the USSF's policy does not mean that the policy does not exist. Charles Boehm a nice article about it. https://ussoccerplayers.com/2018/05/us-soccer-coaching-education-and-the-strange-case-of-the-war-on-rondos.html

No dude, you wake up. Lots of DA teams do them. There's no directive out there not to use them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Coaching education provided by USSF just isn’t good enough. The fact they discourage coaches from using rondos tells you everything you need to know about why players are not being properly developed.

Wait, WHAT? They seriously discourage rondos?? I don't pay attention to USSF coaching education, but this is idiotic. It's also how most European teams warm up, certainly the successful ones.

Our DA team warms up with rondos. This is yet another crap comment brought up by some anti-US soccer nut who found a quote in an interview somewhere and extended it into some fantasy that US soccer discourages and forbids rondos as a matter of policy.

Par for the course, here, unfortunately

Stop. I’ve literally been told my USSF instructors that I shouldn’t use rondos because they are “non-directional.” Never mind that there’s dozens of ways to structure a rondo.

[Anonymous]

Obviously DA coaches use them, because they’re not fools. Even the USMNT uses them. What I’m telling you is that instructors when I have been working on my USSF licenses have discouraged coaches from using them. Must be nice to live in your bubble.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Coaching education provided by USSF just isn’t good enough. The fact they discourage coaches from using rondos tells you everything you need to know about why players are not being properly developed.

Wait, WHAT? They seriously discourage rondos?? I don't pay attention to USSF coaching education, but this is idiotic. It's also how most European teams warm up, certainly the successful ones.

Our DA team warms up with rondos. This is yet another crap comment brought up by some anti-US soccer nut who found a quote in an interview somewhere and extended it into some fantasy that US soccer discourages and forbids rondos as a matter of policy.

Par for the course, here, unfortunately

Stop. I’ve literally been told my USSF instructors that I shouldn’t use rondos because they are “non-directional.” Never mind that there’s dozens of ways to structure a rondo.

Well I guess whomever told you that isn't very influential of effective. Even my kids' A and C level coaches use rondos in "regular" travel environments. If a tree falls in the forest an no one is around to hear it should anyone really care?

[Anonymous]

This was an instructor who was determining whether or not I received my next license. I think you’re conflating whether using rondos is a common practice by coaches, with USSF coaching education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Coaching education provided by USSF just isn’t good enough. The fact they discourage coaches from using rondos tells you everything you need to know about why players are not being properly developed.

Wait, WHAT? They seriously discourage rondos?? I don't pay attention to USSF coaching education, but this is idiotic. It's also how most European teams warm up, certainly the successful ones.

Our DA team warms up with rondos. This is yet another crap comment brought up by some anti-US soccer nut who found a quote in an interview somewhere and extended it into some fantasy that US soccer discourages and forbids rondos as a matter of policy.

Par for the course, here, unfortunately

Stop. I’ve literally been told my USSF instructors that I shouldn’t use rondos because they are “non-directional.” Never mind that there’s dozens of ways to structure a rondo.

From the linked to article:

One of the central tenets of the USSF’s framework is “directional play,” the idea that drills and activities should replicate game situations by guiding movements and focus towards goal. That seems to have led some instructors to discourage rondos, on the basis that they are fundamentally circular and lack that forward direction. Tschan and Russell say that’s not a directive – far from it.

“No, I think that’s a rather bold statement. I don’t think there’s a war on anything,” said Tschan when I asked him about rondos.

“It’s less about US Soccer stating what’s right or wrong but more about inspiring the coach to think about why they’re doing the things that they’re doing and is that effective for the player and their development,” said Russell.

The reality on the ground may be harder to pin down.

“When you have a grassroots coach who comes into these early, open-entry, low-barrier, easily-accessible course experiences, there will be a little bit more direction, shaping them and their ability to understand and lead young players,” explained Tschan. “As the pathway becomes something a coach navigates towards, ultimately, the professional level, there might be a more autonomous approach to then developing their ideas based on that particular professional environment … to be able to work according to their own principles and beliefs. It’s a bit of a scalable thing.

“You’re talking about a tool,” he added in reference to rondos, “so the ideas of specific activities, specific exercises, all the things connected to technique and tactics, the tools that we use to solve the problems of the game, we look at those within the context of our philosophy. So reality-based, starting with the game as the driver for our decision-making, is directional and is something that has opposition, then we would want to have that in the actual training environment. So we want to make our environment as reality-based as possible. We define that by some of those constants that are in the game of soccer when we see it being played.”

You are misunderstanding the intent. US Soccer is essentially saying that coaches should be focusing on coaching directional soccer as a method of tactical development. They simply view Rondos as more a technical development tool that is more reactionary.

The other missed point is US Soccer simply want coaches to be more aware of the purpose of the drills that they are running in practice. Run a Rondo if you want but understand the PURPOSE of why you are running and more importantly, make sure the players understand the purpose.

[Anonymous]

Rondos can be directional and tactical. I think people hear the word “rondo” and think it’s just monkey in the middle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This was an instructor who was determining whether or not I received my next license. I think you’re conflating whether using rondos is a common practice by coaches, with USSF coaching education.

Yes, I understood completely and was referring to USSF A and C level licensed coaches, who needed to pass the same bar (or higher) than you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rondos can be directional and tactical. I think people hear the word “rondo” and think it’s just monkey in the middle.

Right, it sounds like what US Soccer wants is to eliminate lazy Rondo drills. That drills must have a focused purpose.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rondos can be directional and tactical. I think people hear the word “rondo” and think it’s just monkey in the middle.

Right, it sounds like what US Soccer wants is to eliminate lazy Rondo drills. That drills must have a focused purpose.

Except there are numerous reports from coaches from different states from the East coast to the West coast that USSF instructors at the coaching courses tell coaches that they will fail the course if they try to use rondos. Either this boneheaded approach comes from the federation or from the people that the USSF picked to teach their coaching courses. Either way, it does not look good for the USSF.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rondos can be directional and tactical. I think people hear the word “rondo” and think it’s just monkey in the middle.

Right, it sounds like what US Soccer wants is to eliminate lazy Rondo drills. That drills must have a focused purpose.

Except there are numerous reports from coaches from different states from the East coast to the West coast that USSF instructors at the coaching courses tell coaches that they will fail the course if they try to use rondos. Either this boneheaded approach comes from the federation or from the people that the USSF picked to teach their coaching courses. Either way, it does not look good for the USSF.

Well, after all, who can possibly argue with "numerous reports" :/