Using the '9-‘ Step Practice Routine' for Try-outs
By Hervi Rualo,
USSF "C" Licensed Coach
FUNdamental Soccer Advisory Staff
I patterned a recent tryout using the FUNdamental Practice Philosophy as my guide. We followed the '9-Step Practice Routine’ from beginning to end.
Step. 1 We held an official Beginning the Try-out.
Step 2 We used the Figure 8 Stretch Routine as our Warm-up.
Step 3 We observed the players in the One + One environment.
Step 4 We kept score of the One vs. One Play.
Step 5 We took a Half-time break.
Step 6 We played Cooperative/Competitive Small Sided Games and the evaluators kept scores.
Step 7 We finished we a Competitive Scrimmage.
Step 8 Of course we Cooled-down.
Step 9 We officially ended the Try out by announcing who made the team.
Koach Karl I figured you would like to know -how it went?
I made believers, in your system, of a few coaches whose daughters were trying out for the U-14 Dist. ODP team. One of them is A. Q's daughter. His comment was during the half-time break, and I quote " Oh, I did not know that this was what you meant for me to do in our tryouts - I thought it was only for 'how to run' a practice session " . My response to him was, " This is why Koach Karl asked you to call me so that we can show you the FUNdamental Routine and how it can also be used as a 'Try-out Routine ".
Then, you would have been proud of me, I had A.Q. run the second half of the tryout with me just observing and making private suggestions.
When we added the scores at the end of the 3 hour session (two 1-1/2 hr. tryout sessions) and before I showed them the results. I asked all my evaluators to list their top 20 players in the tryout.
I had 16 of them in my list as the top scorers during the 1 v 1 and Small Sided Games segment of the Tryout Routine. Evaluators N. G.; L. G. and A. Q. (all products of our Coaching School) were awed that the results came out that way.
Of course one of the evaluators thought it was the " Law of Averages " that I ended up with 16 of the top 20 players they listed and picked as the top players. I'll give you one guess who it is. (Hint: He's a Lawyer) He also attended one of our coaching courses. Guess we did not reach him then, but, maybe we have reached him now?
However they still all agreed that the ‘9-Step Tryout Routine’ was Fun, Full of continuous action. It made it very easy to pick the top players and leaders on the field.
The best part, they didn't realized until I stopped the tryout that 3 hours had past.
The kids were all asking if they could play 11 v 11 after 3 hours had gone by? So, we broke them into 2 groups and played a 20 minute 11 v 11 game.
Everyone went home happy and I went home strutting like a peacock. I guess a" wet " peacock to be accurate since it rained throughout the day. How about that for sharing a great tryout weekend and letting you know that the ‘9-Step Routine' works not only to improve players -but- also to evaluate players.
Thank you Koach Karl for developing such a unique and simple approach!
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