6 Blended D License 2020 Building Blocks PT 4b Candidate Version

U.S.
Soccer D License Building Blocks Part 4B Module

Skill Acquisition in Game-like Situations
© 2020 U.S. Soccer CONFIDENTIAL - Not to be shared without U.S. Soccer approval
Learning Objectives
Course Learning Objective #5: To further develop a comprehensive

understanding of Play-Practice-Play methodology
Course Learning Objective #6: To demonstrate an understanding

of how to structure one activity
2
Resources Needed
WHY Play-Practice-Play Article
3
4
Learning Activity
Individual Preflection:
How do you define a skillful player?
What are some characteristics that

describe a skillful player?
5
History
• Drills, exercises, training methods have been questioned a lot

over the last decades
• We are all in search of the most powerful learning environment for

player development
• Respective periods have offered different paradigms of thinking
6
History- 60s & 70s
Separate Integrated
The game is fundamentally a technical game

Players were mainly developed technically.
Different skills were taught, trained separately and, once mastered, you would play.
7
History- 80s & 90s
Separate Integrated
The game is the interaction of the multiple dimensions

The game of soccer is the interaction between tactical, technical, physical and
psychological dimensions. E.G. Economical training.
8
Now
Separate Integrated Holistic
The game is a tactical game

Every action is a response to a certain situation created by the game.
It will permanently have tactical, technical, physical, and mental manifestations.
9
THE ISSUE
• 3-4 Million Player Registrations for

the past 10-20 years (STAGNANT)
• ~As of 2018, only 38% of children aged 6-
12 play team sports…WHY?
We are not meeting the basic needs of players...
Basic needs of players:

FUN
&
DEVELOPMENT
The Play-Practice-Play methodology is based on the Grassroots Player Development philosophy:
At the grassroots level, children learn and develop to their full potential through game-like
experiences in an enjoyable environment which supports individual growth
11
Impact of Culture
How would you describe our culture of American youth sports?
(culture vs effectiveness)
How should we develop players by creating the most powerful

learning environment?
Culture = Effectiveness
12
PLAYER-CENTERED PHILOSOPHY
“THE PLAYER IS THE MAIN ACTOR”
Basic Needs
Fun Development
Enjoyment/fun should be Need But also……
• To get better in playing the • The meaning of respect
maintained throughout the
game
• The meaning of rules: Fairplay
different development stages • To be challenged
• Learning to collaborate
to lower the dropout rates. • To experience success
• Play to win but learn through
losing
14
Debunking the Myths about FUN
FUN Fallacies
• Having fun is about goofing off and not about learning
• Having fun is not compatible with competing at a high level
• Example- recreational versus competitive
• Fun is a function of gender

• Example- females enjoy more social dynamics
• Having fun means different things for different aged players

FUN Integration Theory
Amanda Visek, George Washington University
‘One thing that makes playing

sports fun for players is…’
Amanda Visek
George Washington University
FUN Integration Theory

2014 George Washington University study,
9 of 10 kids said “fun” is the main reason
they participate.
The children offered up 81 reasons— and
ranked “winning” at No. 48.
The participants were then asked to group

the 81 determinants and these 11 factors
were created to group the 81 reasons.
Fun & Development
A Coaching Methodology Needs to Focus on Player Needs
TO DEVELOP SKILLED PLAYERS

WE MUST FOCUS ON THE PLAYER NEEDS
18
Transfer of Training (from Practice to Games)
Soccer is a complex and unpredictable game

at every level of the game
constantly
changing
each phase of
between the
Play-Practice-
moments of
unpredictable Play replicates
attacking,
and free- these
defending,
flowing moments and
and both
are easily
transitional
implemented
moments in
between
It consists of both individual and collective actions.

19
Key Aspects on the Philosophy on Soccer
The context in which an action occurs is of the highest importance.

Actions can only be understood relative to that context (i.e. What is
currently happening? Where is it happening? Who is involved? When is it
happening? Why is this happening? How should I respond?
We use structures, like the Roadmap, to help players learn how to

perceive the situation and make decisions.
Perceive Decide Act Reflect

20
Roadmap
Player
U.S. SOCCER ROADMAP (Constants) Actions U.S. SOCCER ROADMAP (Variables)
Provides us with the moments of the game and The key qualities influence the player
desired team behavior (goals) as a starting point Attacking actions, which are what the players decide
(attacking or defending) to do (visible behaviors) to achieve the goal
Goals
Game
Transition Transition
DA AD
Every player contributes to the team in Goals Our training environments help players
the four moments of the game...each learn and develop the key qualities
moment has specific goals i.e. needed to execute the desired player
attacking= build up to create chances to Defending actions based the goal of the moment
score goals
Player
21
Actions © 2020 U.S. Soccer CONFIDENTIAL - Not to be shared without U.S. Soccer approval
Key Qualities
The key qualities influence the player actions, which are The training environments we
what the players decide to do (visible behaviors) to create should help players
achieve the goal learn and develop the key
qualities needed to execute
1. Game Understanding & Decision making the player actions.
2. Take Initiative (Be pro-active)

Player
3. Demonstrate Focus
Actions
4. Optimal Technical (execute with
optimal technical ability)
5. Optimal Physical (execute with As the players develop their

optimal physical ability) key qualities, the quality of
their player actions improve.
6. Responsible (take responsibility and be
accountable for their own development
and performance)
22
Key Qualities
KEY QUALITIES OF A U.S. SOCCER PLAYER are needed to:

Technical 4. Optimal Technical (execute with optimal
Execute the Player Actions (what the players decide to do technical ability)
{visible behaviors} to achieve the goal)
1. Game Understanding & decision making

5. Optimal physical (execute with optimal
physical ability)
Physical Player Tactical
2. Initiative (Pro-active)
3. Focus ( 90+ minutes on the task)

Mental 6. Responsible (take responsibility and
accountability for their own development
and performance)
23
Learning Activity
Individual Reflection:
How do you define a skillful player?
What are some characteristics that

describe a skillful player?
24
Develop skilled players
Skilled players:
- Read a game situation (perceive, observe and understand)
- Make a decision on which action is appropriate (decide)
- Execute the decision under pressure (action)
- Reflect (develop)
All decisions, all actions are based on the relationship between the player making the
decision, the action, and everybody around the player, both opponents and teammates.
25
Technique/Skill
Technique: Skill:
• Is a form of movement • Action
• Focus on the movement mechanics • The effect the action will have
• Standalone: by itself is just a technique • Is contextualized (Why am I doing something?)
• is used to execute a decision
Technique Training: Skill Training:

• The emphasis is on how to perform the • The emphasis is on having an effective outcome in the
movement game
• The aim is to have an ideal technique • They explore, discover, sample and learn (learning circle)
• The coach looks at the errors and corrects • They feel the effectiveness of change (success)
(explanations) • Meaningful learning moments (connected to the game)
• The players depend on the coach (instruct – • The coach facilitates (doesn’t depend on the coach)
demonstration)
• The players are copying
26
Skill acquisition How best to

develop skilled
players?
Game-context Isolated technique

skill training training
27
Powerful Learning Environment
Player Centered Approach
• Allow players to experience and look for solutions

• Decisions are based on reading and understanding the game:
• Information dictates action
• Mistakes offer a great learning opportunity
• Create environments that encourage creativity, fun, and develop skills and
ultimately build self-esteem
28
Role of the Coach in Developing Skilled Players
Coaching is not diminished, merely that the

role is redefined so that there is greater
awareness of how coaches can shape and
guide rather than dictate the learning
process.
KEY= parents, administrators, and players

must be aware of this process.
29
Role of the Coach in Developing Skilled Players
Providing the appropriate level of

challenge is necessary to helping
the players stay motivated.
Too easy= become bored
Too difficult= become frustrated

30
Self–Determination Theory
Core: All human beings have a set of basic psychological needs Competence
Autonomy The experience of Relatedness
• The need for competence The feeling one has
mastery and being
effective in one’s The need to feel
choice and willingly activity connected and
• To feel confident, successful in relation to the challenge endorsing one’s
behavior
belongingness with
others
• The need for relatedness

• To feel cared for by others
• To care for others
• To feel you belong MOTIVATION
• The need for autonomy
Self–Determination Theory
As coaches, how can we meet the basic psychological needs of the players and
keep each player highly motivated?
Optimal Challenge Optimal Engaging Reality – Based Content Social Dynamics
•I feel I need to work to •I feel the coach is an •I see how the content and •I develop relationships
succeed expert, passionate and tasks relate to my daily •Coach takes care of
•I feel I grow and succeed convinced about the challenges players and players take
through what I’m content •I have autonomy care of each other
learning •I feel part of a process
Our role as coaches is to create an environment with the appropriate level of

challenge and guide players through the decision-making process through
feedback.
Role of the Coach- Facilitating the Feedback Process
The key is to balance feedback so that

movements are well-informed earlier in
practice but are also balanced enough
to facilitate learning and keep the
players engaged and help them develop
problem solving skills (the appropriate
level of challenge must be present).
33
KEY MESSAGES

(interaction-communication between players)
Decision making is of the highest order
The technical aspect of the game is learned by playing the game

(experiential learning –> self-reflection)
Train the technical part within game situations to make it a skill
35

(interaction-communication between players)
The game is the teacher
The pitch is the classroom
The coach is the facilitator
The player is the owner
36
Practice & Play
In a skill acquisition perspective, deliberate play serves as a way for

youth to explore their physical capacities so that they can develop
flexibility and creativity.
Play-Practice-Play has done its job not only when it meets the basic
needs of players (having fun, learning, and desiring to continue to
play season after season), but also when a player is motivated for
deliberate practice.
37
Take Home Message
Technique is the isolated execution of a soccer action, whereas skill

is the execution of the technique in a context with decision-making.
Within a game-like context, players learn fundamental skills

(techniques performed in the context of the game) through
playing.
38
Complete the module questions:
• Name at least three characteristics of a player-centered environment.
• What is your key takeaway from the Fun Integration Theory (Visek)?
• What is the difference between technique and skill?
• Our role as coaches is to create an environment with the appropriate level of challenge and guide
players through their own decision-making process through feedback. Describe some ways that
you can facilitate the feedback process for players so that we can help meet their basic needs and
keep them highly motivated.
• What are some teaching actions that can be used to facilitate this?
• Next- Building Blocks Part 4C Module- Structuring an Activity Part 1
ussoccer.com
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U.S.

Soccer D License Building Blocks Part 4B Module

Course Learning Objective #5: To further develop a comprehensive

Course Learning Objective #6: To demonstrate an understanding

WHY Play-Practice-Play Article

What are some characteristics that

• Drills, exercises, training methods have been questioned a lot

• We are all in search of the most powerful learning environment for

• Respective periods have offered different paradigms of thinking

The game is fundamentally a technical game

The game is the interaction of the multiple dimensions

Separate Integrated Holistic

The game is a tactical game

• 3-4 Million Player Registrations for

Basic needs of players:

How would you describe our culture of American youth sports?

How should we develop players by creating the most powerful

• Fun is a function of gender

• Having fun means different things for different aged players

Amanda Visek, George Washington University

‘One thing that makes playing

George Washington University

FUN Integration Theory

The participants were then asked to group

A Coaching Methodology Needs to Focus on Player Needs

TO DEVELOP SKILLED PLAYERS

Soccer is a complex and unpredictable game

It consists of both individual and collective actions.

The context in which an action occurs is of the highest importance.

We use structures, like the Roadmap, to help players learn how to

Perceive Decide Act Reflect

2. Take Initiative (Be pro-active)

5. Optimal Physical (execute with As the players develop their

KEY QUALITIES OF A U.S. SOCCER PLAYER are needed to:

1. Game Understanding & decision making

3. Focus ( 90+ minutes on the task)

What are some characteristics that

- Make a decision on which action is appropriate (decide)

- Execute the decision under pressure (action)

Technique Training: Skill Training:

Skill acquisition How best to

Game-context Isolated technique

Player Centered Approach

• Allow players to experience and look for solutions

Coaching is not diminished, merely that the

KEY= parents, administrators, and players

Providing the appropriate level of

Too easy= become bored

Too difficult= become frustrated

• The need for relatedness

• The need for autonomy

Our role as coaches is to create an environment with the appropriate level of

The key is to balance feedback so that

The game is a tactical game

Decision making is of the highest order

The technical aspect of the game is learned by playing the game

Train the technical part within game situations to make it a skill

The game is a tactical game

The game is the teacher

The pitch is the classroom

The coach is the facilitator

The player is the owner