ST PAULS BULLDOGS SOCCER 2016-2017

Information for all playersOverview of the Program

Purpose of the St. Pauls Bulldogs Soccer Program

• To offer our high school athletes a safe, and competitive place to play the game

• To encourage growth of young boys into young men through the game of soccer

• To compete at the highest level possible by developing complete athletes

• To help our players gain potential to play at the collegiate and professional level

EXPECTATIONS OF PLAYERS

• Players are expected to:

– Be on time to all practices

• Being on time means 15 minutes early

– Pass all classes during the Fall season

• Academics are just as important as playing the game

• Without passing classes, and being on time to classes, players risk the potential of being suspended for 1 or multiple matches

EXPECTATIONS OF PLAYERS

• Players are expected to:

– Show maturity on and off the field

• Behave as mentors to younger generations and show discipline

– Look for ways to give back to the community, and to the program

– Encourage others to play the game, both younger children (10 and up) and older (15 and up)

ST PAULS BULLDOGS SOCCEROur Way – Our Code

• Display a positive attitude at all times

• Everyone makes the right decisions for the team

• Have an unshakeable belief that we can achieve our goals

• Believe in the strength of the team

• Always want more; Always give more

• Focus on our communication

• Be demanding of yourself

• Be rested and prepared to win

• Focus on being mentally stronger

• Always keep going until the end

• Believe in our identity and play the game we love to play

• Stick together

• Stay grounded and humble as a player and as a person

• Show the desire to win in all that you do

• Enjoy and contribute to all that is special about begin a SPHS Bulldog Soccer Player

• Don’t take anything for granted

Players Code of Conduct

• Players misconduct to any staff coach will not be tolerated

• Players misconduct towards each other (foul language sarcasm, verbal or physical) will not be tolerated

• At all times, our players must understand that they are role models for other players and are responsible for their behavior

• Players have an absolute duty to maintain lifestyle that protects their capacity to perform to the best of their ability

• Players should carry themselves in a responsible manner (on/off the field) at all times

• Players should arrive at least 15 minutes early before the scheduled time of training

• Players should be responsible for establishing and maintaining a clean and enjoyable team room, training venue and game venue

• Players will adhere to all dress codes for training, games, and travel

• Players will not wear hats while at any team function and whenever inside

• Players will not wear earrings at any training or games

• All cell phones should be placed on silent for any training, game or team function

• Absolutely no alcohol, drugs, or tobacco use will be tolerated

Players Code of Conduct

• Communication comes from players to coach and coach to players. If a player is not able to attend a training session, game or meeting, they must notify the coach in a timely manner. Remember that the coaches usually will leave their cell phones in the car or office and you should plan ahead for any absences or tardiness

• Coaches will announce curfews for all home and away matches. Players will adhere to any curfew set by coaches

• Players will be expected to act responsibly on all trips for away matches. Players that do not abide by these rules are subject to being suspended from the next match

• Players must also respect all classmates and teachers at the school. Teachers are an extension of the coach and all players should respect the instructions of their teachers. Failure to do so will result in a potential match suspension

• Players are expected to be at all team practices, functions, and matches. Failure to be at these can result in match suspensions

THE ABC’s OF SPHS

• ACCOUNTABILITY– All players will at all times be held accountable

for their actions

– Players have a set expectations of behaviors and codes that they should follow. If they are not followed, players will be held accountable and that could mean match suspensions

• BELIEF– Players must believe in training, believe in the

purpose and philosophy we have as a team, and they must believe in each other

– Players must also believe in the coach and trust the coach, as well as other teammates

– Without belief in the program, and the purpose of the program, and the steps in the process, the program will not be successful

• COMMITMENT– Players must be committed.

– This commitment extends from each practice, off-season workouts, and out of season play and training

– The St. Pauls Bulldogs Soccer program is a year round program that requires lots of play, training, and commitment from both the parents and players. When you join our club, you must have the commitment to come to practices, and matches, ready and eager to learn and improve

SPHS STYLE OF PLAY

• Movement off the ball is critical to our style of play

• Very disciplined defensively and team oriented

• Organized and difficult to break down due to tactical awareness

• Capitalize on set pieces, well versed in roles and responsibilities

• Strong in central midfield area with overload in attacking midfielders

• Goalkeeping must be consistently strong

• Athletic and attacking minded in wide areas especially in attacking wing back areas

SPHS STYLE OF PLAY

• Play with creative attacking midfielders in wide areas and strong target players centrally

• Forwards look to make penetrating runs in behind the defense

• Attacking wing play to beat backs 1v1 to get into the box and provide quality crosses

• Runs from the attacking midfielders to get in between the mid and defensive lines of opponents to turn and attack back 4

• Can we press up the field and keep the game in the opponents half of the field leaving only our 2 center backs at the midway line

ATTACKING FORMATION

ATTACKING FORMATION

• By maintaining possession we work to get all players in the opponents half of the field

• Overlapping runs from the left and right back to deliver quality crosses

• Combination play in the middle to make penetrating pass

• Dynamic runs from all players, especially forwards to get in behind defense

DEFENDING FORMATION

DEFENDING FORMATION

• We must be compact horizontally and vertically on the field

• Immediately upon losing possession, we work to get 8 players behind the ball (midfield and defenders) to protect our goal

• Then we work in pairs to put pressure on the ball and win it back immediately

• GET IN POSITION, then win the ball

Position Specific Roles and Responsibilities

• GOALKEEPER– Communication and bravery – organization

of back line

– Concentration

– Shot Stopping

– Commanding in the air

– Positional Awareness (in relation to ball)

– Decision making (when to come off line)

– Comfortable with ball at feet and good distribution

– Dealing with crosses

– Ability to start attack (when to play short or long)

– Coachability

– Competitor (training and games)

• CENTER BACK– Comfortable on the ball

– Dominant in the air

– Strong in the tackle

– Range of passing (short and long)

– Positional and tactical awareness

– Speed (short, medium, and long distance)

– 1v1 defending ability

– Communication

– Coachability

– Competitor (training and games)

– Can lead the back line and keep horizontally and vertically compact

– Pressure, cover, balance, weak side

Position Specific Roles and Responsibilities

• WIDE BACK (LB/RB)– Speed (short, medium and long distance)

– Ability to make overlapping runs

– Strong in the tackle

– Ability to cover ground up and down the pitch

– 1v1 defending

– Positional and tactical awareness

– Ability to deliver quality crosses

– Knowledge of correct covering distances and angles for the center back

– Knowledge of correct covering distances and angles

– Coachability

– Competitor (training and games)

• CENTER MIDFIELD– Good with both feet

– Ability to run with the ball

– Quality passer (short and long)

– Strong in the tackle

– Strong in possession (control tempo of the game)

– Understanding of roles of 2 & 3 central midfielders

– Speed (short, medium and long)

– Creativity

– Ability to get forward; supply final pass or shots from distance

– Coachability

– Competitor (training and games)

Position Specific Roles and Responsibilities

• WINGER/WIDE PLAYER– Individual skill to take defenders on and

ability to beat players in 1v1 situations

– Ability to combine with additional attackers

– Creative movement without the ball (recognition of where open space is when attacking), specifically the ability to get in behind defenses

– Speed (short, medium and long)

– Understanding of how and when to stretch the defense

– Initiate pressing defensively and break on transition

– Quality passer of the ball and delivering quality crosses

– Ability to score goals, Coachability, and Competitor

• TARGET/HIGH FORWARD– Good in the air

– High work rate

– Ability to score goals

– Quality passer of the ball

– Willingness to take risk

– Ability to run with the ball

– Creative movement without the ball

– Strength and vision with back to goal

– Ability to hold possession and link play

– Speed (short, medium and long)

– Understanding when to combine or when to go to goal

– Initiate pressing defensively and break on transition

– Coachability and competitor

Zonal Principles of Play

DEFENSIVE ZONE

SAFETY vs. RISK

MIDFIELD ZONE

SAFETY vs. RISK

ATTACKING ZONE

SAFETY vs. RISK

Attacking Thoughts

Start attack

Anticipation

Organization

Defending Thoughts

Anticipation

Organization

Starting position

Man marking

Zonal marking

Attacking the ball

Contain opponent

Use goalkeeper

Attacking Thoughts

Penetrating passes

Penetrating runs

Support ball

Possession: build vs.

counter

Switch the point of

attack

Speed dribbling

Distance shooting

Defending Thoughts

Prevent penetrating

passes

Ball winning

Protect space

Trick players

Attacking Thoughts

Take risk to score or

setup teammate

Benefit the team, not

self

Pass to space

Runs in behind

defense

Combination play

Finish: shot on goal

Defending Thoughts

Begin defending

Pressure the ball

Create turnovers

FACILITIES

Brand new state of the art weight training facilities full with free

weights set

Weight training is an important part of player development and we

look to help athletes grow physically as well as mentally.

FACILITIES

FACILITIES

We have 5 racks that players can use for the following

exercises:

- bench press

- incline press

- decline press

- squats

- lateral presses

- pull ups

- press ups

- and many more

FACILITIES

PARENT EXPECTATIONS

• Parents are expected to show discipline and allow the players to play the game

• Parents should also model behavior at home/away matches that best represents our program with dignity, and class

• Parents should offer respect to all match officials

• Parents are expected to attend as many home matches as possible to support your player

PARENT EXPECTATIONS

• At no time during any match or training should any parent berate or belittle ANY player, official, or coach

– If at any time a parent would like to speak with a coach, any parent can schedule a time to come and speak with the coach

• No parent should come onto the field during, before, or after any match for any reason

PARENT EXPECTATIONS

• Parents are expected to encourage all players, coaches, and teammates to believe in themselves and push themselves to be better tomorrow than they were today

• Parents should look for ways to help the program grow, as a volunteer at any of the Alumni Games, match days, or an any other capacity possible

SUMMER WORKOUTS

• Summer workouts are NOT a required portion of our program

– Players that do not attend however will fall in the roster of players behind those that are attending and working hard

• Based off a years worth of work, players will be appropriately placed on JV or the Varsity program

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• PHYSICALS

– All players must have a current physical on file to participate in any soccer activity during the year

– Physical must not be older than 365 days from the predicted end of the season

• NCHSAA REQUIREMENTS

– Pass ¾ classes during the previous spring semester

– Must pass English• Summer school credit can

be used to meet this requirement

– Must have no more than 13.5 absences during Spring semester prior to Fall playing season

FEES ASSOCIATED EACH YEAR (COST TO PLAY)

• Socks $20.00

– Includes both royal blue and white socks

• Team Polo $40-45.0

– During the 2016 Fall we will be wearing the black adidas polo on match day