Rants, Raves and a few Random Thoughts

What ever happened to Charlie Cooke?

I had the true privilege of hearing ol' Charlie scream in his brilliant Scottish accent, "GO AT HIM...!"   Such a beautiful phrase, Charlie Cooke believed in the art of one versus one (more on this specific topic in another rant).   He preached ball mastery on the individual level as the ultimate foundation in the game of soccer.   In every facet of the game, from passing and receiving to finishing, defending, and creating opportunities, success depends on an individual mastery of touch and control of the ball.

Charlie believed that many young players, especially young Americans, forget - or perhaps never believe - in this simple ideal.   They become preoccupied with the status and relative success of their high school or club teams, ODP, and the like.   Not helping the matter, many top-notch club teams do not have the time or resources to drill individual improvement.   Rather, they must devote practice time to full-field play and team strategy.

This may be the most hindering aspect of the current soccer climate in the US.   Individual player development seems to drop to a much slower pace, if not an altogether halt, as a player reaches the final years of his/her high school (and collegiate) career. Yes indeed, players mature and improve in their roles as teams develop, but individual improvement (which is undoubtedly connected to the Charlie Cooke soccer foundation) is often sacrificed in the meantime.

The resolution to this crisis is not complicated. Charlie believed in one player and one ball.   That's all it takes - a resolve to continue to develop touch and control of the ball by finding the time to work repetition exercises with both feet. No matter the stage of your soccer career, this concept holds true.   I promise. Or don't believe me - take Charlie Cooke's word for it.

-bp

Posted 2/21/06 by Ben Preyss, selfRecruiting.com

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Convention Reflection

NESCAC Coach of the Year, Geoff Wheeler of Wesleyan, talks it up with the staff. Early exit polls suggest that between 2,500 and 3,000,000 people stopped by the booth.

The NSCAA convention is the three ring circus of the American soccer. String a few halogen lights, set up your exhibit, put out the free Gatorade tank and the thing comes to life. Under one roof the chaos begins. The MLS SuperDraft, college & high school All-America banquets, clinics given by leading coaches from around the world, and all the latest gear and soccer paraphernalia can be found in one place. Students of the game, wanna-be pro agents, and gear-heads alike can find everything their looking for.

This year's convention in Philadelphia was no different...except for the unveiling, for the first time, of the selfRecruiting.com exhibit. Drumroll please. Okay, so we were nestled in the back corner, a little ways away from the big draws like Nike and adidas. No less, people found their way to us. When they arrived, weary from perusing the aisles, we slaked their thirst with our free foosball table and upbeat, fun approach to recruiting.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by. We had a great time and look forward to hearing from you. See you next year!

In the booth next door, Little John of Manchester dazzled with the most ridiculous trick bag we've seen this side of Ronaldino.

Posted 2/2/06 by Avi Stopper, selfRecruiting.com

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"...I have to focus on SOCCER."

More often than not, premier soccer players assume that there is no time for any other sport in high school and beyond.   True - playing club, ODP, Y-league, and so on can become quite overwhelming in terms of a time commitment.   But what about the athletes who are often torn between 2 or more sports?   Does playing soccer at the collegiate level mean that all other sports must eventually come to an abrupt end?

I think the common conception right now in high school is that soccer players are soccer players - and nothing else.   They can't play basketball or baseball or run track because they are committed to playing soccer at the next level.   And that commitment means that there is no time, and there is no reason to play another sport.

Reflecting on my experience, as well as the experience of so many other past and present collegiate soccer players, makes me wonder how this conception rooted itself so firmly in the youth soccer mentality - because it's just not true.   In fact, I would suggest that many of the more successful collegiate players are individuals who continued parts of their athletic careers in other sports through high school, or even college.

I'm not saying that splitting all your time and energy between various sports is going to accelerate your transformation into Landon Donovan. In fact, playing another sport definitely doesn't replace all the practice necessary to develop into a top-notch soccer player.   But contrary to many current opinions, it can be a great source of personal and social enjoyment without being a major hindrance in your quest to snag a scholarship or a spot on a college team.   So if you do enjoy competing outside of soccer, don't hesitate to pursue those additional athletic adventures.   But always keep your eye on the prize...and read MAKE THE TEAM...and drink lots of milk.

-bp

Posted 1/25/06 by Ben Preyss, former college stud

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An Interview with The Man

Being located in Chicago, which is actually quite close to the North Pole, we had the rare opportunity the other day to sit down for an exclusive interview with the world's most famous sleigh driver. He was tuckered out from a long night's work, but eager to share his insights with college prospects across the land.

selfRecruiting.com: So how long did it take this year?
Santa Claus: I always try to finish in 90-minutes.

sR: What was the #1 item on college coaches' wish list this year?
SC: Great question. It's always interesting to see what those guys want. Two years ago it was Tickle-Me-Elmo. I was a bit disappointed. Those Elmos made such a ruckus. This year it was more practical: most of them asked for a batch of recruits who took the onus on their shoulders.

sR: You're not just saying that because that's our business?
SC: Definitely not. Coaches toil away trying to find the right recruits. And most of them do it without a team of raindeer. Imagine how much easier it would be for everyone involved if the players themselves went out and found the schools that interest them and then approached the coaches.

sR: Did you deliver more soccer balls or copies of Make the Team?
SC: Soccer balls. Your book is a good read though. It would definitely work for anyone who is interested in working for me.

Posted 12/25/05 by Rudolfo Venadito, selfRecruiting.com

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