WHAT CONSTITUTES A TEAM

BARON HAS SOME HARSH WORDS AFTER TWO BLOW OUTS

Soccer is like Chess...exploit weaknesses of position!

"We have some fine players on the pitch," commented Baron after some less than stellar performances last week." but for some reason, we just can't get it together. And that really stinks, since these lads deserve a better record than they have."

MODES OF IMPROVEMENT -- BARON STYLE

1. COMMUNICATION
If you're not talking to your team mates, the battle is already lost.

Telling people who to cover, where to position themselves, to get back into position, that there's a cherry picker, etc. That's how we do things.

We communicate with an effective style. Not with harsh words. Harsh words produce like responses.
We talk to each other to add information...to improve our position.

Next games, I want more info style communication.
If you're shy or unsure, please start practicing in front of the mirror.

2. FRUSTRATION
The team that is frustrated is playing a man down.

Frustration is like a disease. It infects, it is contagious, and before you know it the team falls apart.

Keep your angry words to yourself. Better yet, leave them in the trash can by the door and pick them up as you leave. I will NOT entertain this on my pitch.

Take this energy, turn it around, and make something productive out of it. Lead by example.

If someone screws up, I want words of encouragement...not words denoting shame. That player knows that they did something wrong. They feel badly. What you're doing is bringing a man's failure to light. Would you enjoy that treatment from a trusted team mate?

3. REMINDING YOU WE ARE A COUNTER ATTACK TEAM
There are a lot of teams in this league who have talent way above our own. And that's okay, because we've tied and beaten them.

Why?
Because we acted as a team!

A counter attack strategy has three main points:
a) we defend and break up attacks (this includes the midders coming back to destroy attacks upon us)
b) we give no opponent a free shot (always harass them...never give up)
c) we gain possession, and move it up the field for a shot at goal

CONCLUSION:
In our Spartan vs Spartan game, think about how a 7 man Black team, beat the 11 man Yellow team.

Black communicated effectively; they ensured that each man had information to do his job

They kept cool, even when Yellow scored two and were pressing with a superb attack.
In fact, words of encouragement was the way of the night.

They broke up Yellow's attacks; harassed the attackers, closed passes to Yellow players.
They denied clean and clear shots
Then they took possession and brought it up to score.

Guys...we can do this. Three simple steps.
My challenge to you as men is to accept these ideas, and use them to make the most of our last games.

STATS: (TWO WEEKS AGO)
(B) Mike A (A)
(B) Andrew M (G)
(B) Andrew M (G) - PK

(Y) Anders (A)
(Y) Jeremy (G)

MAN OF THE MATCH:
(B) Mike S
(Y) Aaron

STATS: (LAST GAME)
(Y) Shawn (A)
(Y) Ryan (G)

(B) Andrew B (A)
(B) Devon (G)
(B) Andrew B (G)
(B) Devon (G)

MAN OF THE MATCH:
(B) Leigh
(Y) Nelson