One day....driving my younger son home from practice, we were talking about (can you guess?)...soccer. Leave it to this coach dad to make a teachable moment; I mentioned to my soccer player son some ideas about being a good soccer player and what it takes. Being a teacher and a coach, I conceived some key words needed to be a good soccer player that conveniently began with "S."

In no special order I thought of these key words:
size......speed.....strength......smarts......shooting......stamina......sight...and....skills...!!
These creative words may seem simple..short...and stupid to the reader, but they do relate cohesively to soccer success. Size...speed...strength...stamina...and skills are most obviously thought of and understood although of those five key words....maybe the reader may have some reservation. Strength is needed in order to fight off the defender...to win the ball shoulder to shoulder. Stamina is surely needed since running and endurance are key components during an active, continuous motion game. A hard-working player may overcome size...perhaps even in winning headers. Speed and skills (admittedly) are probably the two S's that a player most needs.

Included in the final three " S" words are smarts and sight and shooting; all of which can be related in a way. Smarts seemingly involves the player playing the field.....knowing the game....the teamwork.....how to use the clock.....knowing what to do in a field/game situation. Sight is an awkward way of saying a good soccer player uses his sight to know where to go...to know a "man may be on".....to see a chance to assist an easy or difficult through pass for a goal..!!! It is imperative for a good soccer player to play with his head up ....always watching for the slightest advantage...using eye contact ...or some way communicating to his teammate. Shooting has to be perfected. A good shooter has to work constantly on his shot...practice on the run...different angle shots.....and especially PKs. Along with shooting, the player has to strengthen his leg(s).... be able to to use either foot/leg.....concentrate...head down and follow through.........and stay focused..!

These eight "S" words to become confident and do well in soccer are hard to master; no one player is probably perfect or can easily master all the "S's." Trying and narrowing to a few favorite words, though, is important. The aspiring young soccer player might wisely narrow those eight "S" words to at least five.....to "get by." The more "S" words you can master or feel comfortable with.....the better....!! Try (for starters)....sayyy.....smarts....skills....stamina.....then....strength(?)