Motivational Patches
Really excited to add this program to our team... Team fundraising paid for these patches, purchased in volume, to help reward the girls for technical, tactical, and teamwork-oriented accomplishments. There is a definite "personal mastery" element to these that is meant to help shift the girls from a "win or else" perspective to one which rewards the "steps along the way" process of learning to play the beautiful game w/ class, sportsmanship, effort, hustle, desire, and grace.
Every girl should be able to earn at least one of each kind of patch. We'll hand these out every several weeks. Let me know if you have any questions about this program.
Juggling -- Three Challenge Levels
Rewards individual players that reach consecutive juggles (during practice) at various levels:
1st patch: 5 consecutive juggles
2nd patch: 10 consecutive juggles
3rd patch: 25 consecutive juggles
1st patch: 5 consecutive juggles
2nd patch: 10 consecutive juggles
3rd patch: 25 consecutive juggles
Outstanding Defense -- Big "D"
Any player can earn this patch, at any position. There are 4 lines of PCB defense on our team, and each player should know by now their defensive role at any position on the field when we don't have the ball.
This patch is not for "chasing," it is for the player
exhibits excellence in understanding when to obstruct, slow, and shepherd b/t the ball and the goal as P defender, when to slide and cover their teammates as C defender, and when to balance out the rest of the defense as B defender.
This patch is not for "chasing," it is for the player
exhibits excellence in understanding when to obstruct, slow, and shepherd b/t the ball and the goal as P defender, when to slide and cover their teammates as C defender, and when to balance out the rest of the defense as B defender.
Communication
The girls and the "team" needs to learn to communicate more and more on the field and off. Girls earning this patch have exhibited excellence in team-centered, positive communication to their teammates, and show the other side of communication ability as well -- to listen and take direction well from their coaches.
Two-Way Player
Look at this patch... the circle represents our team, and there are two equal "bolts" that are connected by the solid middle line--this is the same as our team, i.e. defense and offense (the two bolts) supported and connected by the thicker line of the midfield.
A player earning this does excellent work on both sides of the field, and through the middle, to help our team play beautiful soccer of their own accord, not via Coach SpongeBob's "urging" from the sideline...
A player earning this does excellent work on both sides of the field, and through the middle, to help our team play beautiful soccer of their own accord, not via Coach SpongeBob's "urging" from the sideline...
Toughness
Soccer is a physical game. When players demonstrate physical, mental, emotional "toughness" -- or willingness to overlook pain -- they somehow offer the team inspiration and sometimes even awe. The "T" patch will go to players demonstrating such grit.
Attitude
The patch says it all, doesn't it?
The process and journey towards any worthwhile goal is often difficult, uneven, and/or challenging in many ways.
The girls who earn one of these patches display the willingness to overlook the difficulties and keep a positive attitude during the journey, making even their coaches step back and count themselves blessed for having such players on the team.
The process and journey towards any worthwhile goal is often difficult, uneven, and/or challenging in many ways.
The girls who earn one of these patches display the willingness to overlook the difficulties and keep a positive attitude during the journey, making even their coaches step back and count themselves blessed for having such players on the team.
"Beautiful" Soccer -- What we're all striving for...
The blue star represents action(s), play(s), and/or effort or creativity that reveals itself as pure, sublime, "beautiful" soccer that takes our team game towards the next level.
This manifests itself in a myriad of ways--a killer, penetrating run and pass; a switch-the-point of attack series of pinging passes; an unselfish cross for a splendid finish; etc. This patch isn't just for one player, but for each one involved in furthering "beautiful" team play.
This manifests itself in a myriad of ways--a killer, penetrating run and pass; a switch-the-point of attack series of pinging passes; an unselfish cross for a splendid finish; etc. This patch isn't just for one player, but for each one involved in furthering "beautiful" team play.
Improvement -- The patch everyone should want...
Improvement in soccer can be measured in a number of ways, and true, fundamental, significant improvement in any one or combination of the following can earn a player one of these:
Technical ability; Tactical understanding and action; Creativity on the field; Teamsmanship, etc.
Remember: every player should desire one or more of these--regardless of if you're near the best or in the middle, you can always improve and should evaluate yourself always w/ the thought that you can do better "next time..."
Technical ability; Tactical understanding and action; Creativity on the field; Teamsmanship, etc.
Remember: every player should desire one or more of these--regardless of if you're near the best or in the middle, you can always improve and should evaluate yourself always w/ the thought that you can do better "next time..."
"The General" -- Leadership
Leadership... how do you lead? You lead by example first and foremost--on the field and off, this player demonstrates a willingness to do anything for the team Examples of great leaders include tireless hustlers, players always giving her all, players rallying their teammates to victory; players unwilling to be negative and/or give up and willing to pump up teammates or pick them up when they're down, etc.
Usually not the loudest player on the field, but definitely the player(s) others look to when they're in need b/c of their great attitude.
Usually not the loudest player on the field, but definitely the player(s) others look to when they're in need b/c of their great attitude.
Team Victory
Ahhh... victory. So sweet. But victory cannot be earned by one player alone on a soccer team. No, it must be shared by all teammates as a symbol that every player on the field and off contributes to the complete actions of the team.
Team "Attacking" and Scoring
Given to players who contribute something that creates the opportunity to score a goal, assists with scoring a goal, and/or to the player who actually scores the goal. Scoring a goal is a team effort and this patch recognizes that and rewards the players who contribute to a goal being scored.
More than one player MUST earn this patch when a goal is scored. Sometimes the key pass isn't the last pass before the goal, so it will be given to the players who helped the goal occur: for passes OR for runs that create scoring opportunities and lead to goals. This could be for a through pass, for a breakaway run, an assist, for a run that pulls a defender out of position, or for a great defensive play/tackle/save/clear that creates a scoring opportunity from the back 1/3.
So, it is possible that 3, 4, or 5 players will get this patch when a goal is scored. The better the effort, the more likely it is that a goal will be scored, but great effort can also earn an "A" patch even if a goal isn't scored.
This patch encourages teamwork and discourages selfish play. In the long run, we can only win through teamwork. Sometimes actually scoring the goal is the easy part, and the opportunity to score the more difficult part: i.e. the goal was created by a defender who steals the ball, or a midfielder sending a long, well-weighted pass, or even by a keeper who makes a great punt that puts us into the opponent's half, etc.
More than one player MUST earn this patch when a goal is scored. Sometimes the key pass isn't the last pass before the goal, so it will be given to the players who helped the goal occur: for passes OR for runs that create scoring opportunities and lead to goals. This could be for a through pass, for a breakaway run, an assist, for a run that pulls a defender out of position, or for a great defensive play/tackle/save/clear that creates a scoring opportunity from the back 1/3.
So, it is possible that 3, 4, or 5 players will get this patch when a goal is scored. The better the effort, the more likely it is that a goal will be scored, but great effort can also earn an "A" patch even if a goal isn't scored.
This patch encourages teamwork and discourages selfish play. In the long run, we can only win through teamwork. Sometimes actually scoring the goal is the easy part, and the opportunity to score the more difficult part: i.e. the goal was created by a defender who steals the ball, or a midfielder sending a long, well-weighted pass, or even by a keeper who makes a great punt that puts us into the opponent's half, etc.