LSA Blog: Recent News and Updates

'Coaches, demolish social hierarchy in your teams'

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Welcome back players, parents and coaches.  Allow me to introduce myself again.  My name is Vinny La Porta and the game of soccer defines me.

    A soccer team, much like any group of peers, always carries with it a social entity.  Within that network lies a hierarchy, perceived levels of worth, and of course the desire to win at all costs.  Intangible bubbles are formed with each individual living within their own bubble, and each individual bubble residing within the team’s bubble.  These bubbles, though merely tools for depicting an individual’s psychological status, ruin programs and players everyday.

   There are two types of bubbles in which a soccer player lives within a team.  Player ‘A’ in bubble ‘A’ and player ‘B’ in bubble ‘B.’  Both players possess the same talent and the same technical and tactical abilities.  However there exists a pivotal difference and it is this:

    Player ‘A’, let’s say male, receives a pass, cuts to his right, and attempts a shot on goal which sails high over the bar.  The criticism heard after failing to get the shot on frame is constructive.  “Nice try!”  “Oh you almost had that.”  “Nice turn, well in, do it again, you’ll surely score next time.”

    Player ‘B’, receives  the same pass, cuts to his right, and attempts the same shot on goal which sails high over the bar.  But for this player the criticism is negative and resembles the following: “Pass it next time!” “Just play it simple.” “At least get your shot on goal, come on, scoff, whisper, scoff.”  The difference lies in how each player is perceived within the social hierarchy of the program.  Player B makes a mistake and everyone around him says, “oh, there he goes, again,” while player A makes the same mistake but everyone around him says, “nice try, if you made that it would have been a great play.”  Player A thrives in a healthy environment of constructive criticism while player B with the same talents is previously deemed a weaker player for social reasons and is left with shattered confidence and low self worth.

    Hey coaches, is there a best and worst player on your team?  If the answer is yes your team has the team bubble, in which each individual players’ bubbles reside.  If these bubbles exist than your team has players whose talents are being inhibited by social injustices.  And guess what coaches, you control the team bubble!  It is in your power to mold and even pop this bubble and free the inhibitions and fears that may be holding your players back from performing to their potential.  I have seen way too many fantastic soccer players slip through the cracks because of a negative default reaction from their peers and coaches when they make mistakes in training.  Chances are this player has the same talent and potential as the programs top performers, but he or she cannot perform because the social hierarchy of the program holds them back, and the coaches aren’t doing anything about it.  

   Players that are suffering  from this discrimination end up losing confidence, enthusiasm, and their love for the game.  In extreme cases it can make a student quit the sport all together.  Coaches, you have the power to end this charade.  And to all the player B’s out there, you’re not alone, for I was once a player B and I turned my self into a player A by beating my teammates in one on one situations, over and over again.  So try it out, take them on one on one, and beat them, for when you outplay a player A, then you become a player A.   And coaches, encourage all your students. You know what happens when your team is filled with only player A’s?  Championships.

Musings, Soccer Advice and Knowledge sharing from Coach Vinny!

La Porta Soccer Academy : Tip of the Day

Allow me to introduce myself.  My name is Vinny La Porta, and the game of soccer defines me.  

There are three equal parts to a well rounded soccer player; technical ability, tactical ability, and mental ability.  Without a proper balance between all three one will never achieve their true potential.  

   Technical ability:  This is summed up by the players’ foot skills on the ball, their ability to master shooting, passing, long balls, driven balls, chipped balls, and the weighted pass.  Technical ability also determines first touch control on the ball which is vital all across the pitch.

   Tactical ability:  This is summed up by the players’ ability to understand the game of soccer and its rhythm.  Grasping the knowledge of offensive and defensive positioning, the ability to organize teammates, and formulating answers to questions like, “how do we beat this team today?”  Tactical ability can be taught but it is only mastered through experience.

    Mental ability:  This is summed up by the players’ self perception being coincident with how they are perceived by those around them.  Mental ability, or mental strength as I like to call it, is the most important aspect of a well rounded soccer athlete, for without mental strength, amazing technical and/or tactical ability is useless.

     For example, lets take a 15 year old student, male or female, who possesses outstanding talent in both the technical and tactical aspects of soccer.  As a result this individual has been hearing praise and compliment their entire soccer playing lives, so much so that by the age of 15 their talent defines them.  Pressure thrives in this player’s head as they feel a necessity to live up to their ever-present talents perceived by those around them.  These individuals then re-define themselves by every touch on the ball, every pass, every shot, every decision, every tackle, and every second of every game.  This pressure builds and eventually causes an overload during high pressure situations. The brain locks up and their focus level is then demolished.  Without a relaxed and keen focus level, one’s technical and tactical abilities cannot thrive.  Therefore mental strength is a pivotal asset for all aspiring students of the great game of soccer.  To players that suffer from mental weaknesses I say you are not alone, for it took me six years to gain a proper balance of confidence on the pitch.  Step one, listen to all those around you and learn, but take in the opinion of only one, the ball.  What’s it got to say?