Hello Blayze soccer fans!
Oftentimes, many aspiring soccer⚽ players have a question that runs through their mind: “How long will it take me to get really good?” When it comes to soccer, this answer can vary for numerous factors.
This week, Blayze soccer coach Zoe Morse will take you through understanding the timeline, factors involved, and the milestones that can be expected on your path to soccer mastery.
The Basics
For many, the journey of playing soccer ⚽begins as a child. Introducing a child to soccer at a young age, like 5 or 6, can help build a strong foundation. With regular practice, fundamental skill development (passing, shooting, and ball control) can be honed within a few years. By ages 8 to 10, many young players can competently participate in local leagues.
Mastery is a Continuous Curve
Here is a catch. Soccer, like any art or sport,🥅 has a range when it comes to development. There is always room for improvement. A player can always be faster, more tactical, or more skilled. Professional players, despite having played for years, continue to train intensively to refine their skills.
The 10,000 Hour Rule
The author Malcolm Gladwell popularized the idea that it can take around 10,000🏆 hours of practice to achieve mastery in your field. There are of course exceptions to this rule. If you apply it to soccer, practicing 20 hours a week would mean it would take you 10 years to reach ‘mastery’. But remember, quality surpasses quantity. Focused, deliberate practice can lead to faster improvements.
Factors That Influence Progress
Coaching – quality coaching can significantly accelerate (or delay) a player’s development. If you have the opportunity to choose a coach that you know develops players, this can be a better pathway than choosing a higher-ranked team.🐐
Example: You’ve gone through tryouts and are offered a spot on the top team, but with a coach that focuses on wins and not development. Or you can take a spot on the second team, with a coach that values the development of the players, and you know you will get more game time. Sometimes this is the better option.
Natural Talent – while practice is crucial, innate talent does play a role. But never focus on another person’s talent. Only focus on what you can control. Your dedication to learning is part of your natural talent.🧿
Training Environment - training with better players can elevate your game. This does not mean arguing with your club to play on an older team. This may mean finding a small training group, outside of your club, to train with. Work with kids that force you to work harder.💪
Mental Toughness – soccer is not just physical, decision-making, resilience, and attitude are also pivotal.🧠
Opportunities – playing in varied environments, tournaments, and against diverse opponents can offer rich learning experiences. Consider traveling to training camps outside of your city to work with new coaches and play with kids you normally don’t have access to either. Or play pick-up games with random players at random ages!🧑🏾🤝🧑
What About Late Bloomers?
There are many, many stories of players who started soccer in their teens or later and still achieved a lot of success. Jamie Vardy played in the lower leagues before shooting to Premier League stardom in his late 20s. Matt Turner decided to dedicate his athletic career to soccer when he was in high school and now, he is the USMNT starting goalie.🏆
Starting at an early age has its advantages, but passion, determination, and hard work can bridge that gap.
In Conclusion
Becoming “good” at soccer is a relative term and depends on everyone’s personal goals. With dedication, the right environment, and a love for the game you can push yourself forward in your progress.💪
Do you have a question that you want answered? Reply to this email with your question and you might see it answered in our next newsletter!
Article of the Week: Game Film Analysis – What Professional Soccer Coaches Look For
Blayze soccer Coach Mike Semenza shares with you some insights into game film analysis to discuss what coaches might seem in an analysis session.