Brian Roberts is another exceptional coach with the Legends club. My kids don't play for him, but he is impressive.

Hard to say they are at the top of the age group when there are a handful of teams playing up a year and none of this really matters until full field.

True. Adding that next 5-6 players for a top 1 11v11 team is tough. I still like watching the younger age teams that are doing good stuff. Heck 1/3rd of them may not even be playing in 3 years, so you might as well appreciate it while you can.

Kaka,

Don't agree. We'll have to agree to differ.

Andy

Kenny,

The answers to your questions are in the following chapter from my new book.

Andy

Ending Geneticism in Youth Soccer

In society there's racism, sexism and my pet peeve...“Geneticism!!”

Both racial and gender differences have historically been construed as biological and "real," thereby justifying differences in treatment. Genetic differences, too, are typically regarded as biological and "real," justifying differences in treatment, with too little attention to the social outcomes involved.

The harm done is broader than just the use of genetic notions to privilege some individuals and subordinate others. The problem is more fundamental. It is seeing individuals as their genes, and treating them unfairly as a consequence. It is subdividing children into communities by their genetic characteristics, and promoting the idea that genetic differences are real, biological, and neutral grounds for different treatment. This is something more akin to the pervasive harm of racism and sexism. This very damaging approach strikes at the most vulnerable in our society, namely children. As such it is an unspeakable horror that can damage a young life’s potential in deep and enduring ways.

Racism and sexism are terrible biases that were once accepted as societal norms. These two ugly perspectives have been the cause of many injustices. Today we live in an enlightened country where both are outlawed and each generation better understands that differences in race and gender do not justify discrimination. However, while we have, in relative terms, conquered these issues, our youth sports structure is rotten to the core because it serially discriminates against the less genetically gifted. Paradoxically, a society that prides itself as offering every person, "Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness", refuses to acknowledge the truly horrible discrimination that coaches subject children to in sports practice and games every day of the week.

This damaging abuse of our most precious resource, (our children), has been called “Geneticism”.

Has a faster child ever consistently received more playing time or put in a “more important” position than your son or daughter? If so your child has been unfairly discriminated against.

In our ugly sporting culture children with limited genetic gifts are discriminated against in many different ways. What is equally apparent is that even the most genetically gifted are damaged by a warped sporting culture that provides them with a greater but undeserved opportunity and, in doing so, creates a “pampered superstar” illusion that prepares them to fail in life.

What makes the current reality even more discouraging is that there is a magnificent way to maximize every child’s creativity, courage, competitive fire, leadership, enjoyment and overall lifelong positive character attributes through sport. This method is the core of the “Legends for Life” philosophy.

During the first 13 or 14 years of the Legends program we had it all wrong because we catered purely to the upper genetic echelon of youth soccer players. In the early years of the new millennium we improved the Legends program exponentially by accepting students with all levels of genetic gifts. Much in the same way that good parents mature out of selfishness into servant leadership we matured out of our purely elitist mentoring phase into one that gives every child the education necessary to become a brave, creative leader for life. While still the best option for the budding superstar we also became the best developmental option for children with less obvious sporting talents. In realizing that we had wrongly offered only kids with above average genetics the best educational opportunity we finally faced up to the cold hard fact that denying less genetically capable kids an opportunity to become excellent deceptive dribblers, ball strikers and leaders in life wasn't the right thing to do. Upon realizing that our previous system had discriminated against those who were less genetically fortunate we began to offer elite individual and team learning opportunities to all children regardless of genetics. However, because of the perverse way that the youth sports world has evolved, we have taken much criticism for offering our unique coaching philosophy to children with all levels of genetic athletic potential.

The turning point for me was watching one of my daughters struggle with educational discrimination based upon a coach’s need to win. From her first involvement in recreational soccer I had determined to let others coach her for fear of putting too much pressure on her to play the game that I love. She did fairly well in recreational soccer so she tried out for a premier team. Very soon after joining a good U10 premier team and experiencing the temporary high of being selected to play at a higher level, she quickly became very de-motivated because when the win was “on the line” she was a “bench sitter”. After two months of this overt exhibition of her inferiority, and how little she was valued in comparison to the players chosen to play more, she quit the team. She wasn’t psychologically equipped to handle the consistent message that she wasn’t valued as much as the “better” players. What 9 year old is? What 17 year old is? For many months she wanted nothing to do with soccer. It took me a whole year, and a personal guarantee that I would coach her team and give her, (and every other player), equal playing time, to repair the damage that had been done and bring her back to the game she had loved as a young child. Upon experiencing the fairer “Legends for Life” philosophy and the Legend’s unique creative teaching approach, she again fell in love with the game.

This scenario is played out on a daily basis with millions of children all over the world. At some point most children quit playing the game completely. Most quit because at some point they are treated unfairly by a coach who wants to win more than optimize potential.

If we could only get every coach to play equal playing time, give children the experience of playing all positions and encourage great individual deceptive dribbling and finishing skills, (these simultaneously develop passing and receiving touch), each kid would maximize their self-concept and enjoy the positive foundation necessary to achieve the highest level of motivation, development and play that their genetics will allow.

Coaches who show less respect for some children based on their genetics do very serious damage. Every child, even when they don't have the ability to compete at the highest level, deserves an outstanding and optimizing athletic experience. Winning a game should never be more important than doing the right thing for every child.

If we can replace our winning obsessed soccer culture with one that challenges each individual to maximize their potential each child, and society in general, will be better off. If we recognize & reward all children for their brave, creative individual efforts we can make very positive improvements to society through soccer.

An interesting consequence of prevailing current methods is that, instead of providing a fair, balanced and optimizing sports experience for all, our damaged soccer society treats its less capable children more intelligently than its more capable ones. Special Olympics is a good model for fairness, balance and optimization because every child is recognized and praised for their effort and progress instead of for plays that succeed and a winning statistical outcome. The Legends approach guarantees that each child enjoys optimal growth in body, mind and character because all challenges and rewards are designed to maximize fairness and development. The Legends method maximizes genetic potential by focusing on, “Edge of Chaos” moments involving high risk and maximum effort, regardless of outcome. This may seem simple in theory but when the result of the game is on the line it is difficult to put one’s ego on hold to do the right thing for the future of the child with the ball.

The problem is obvious. The “Legends for Life” solution is achieved through a simple and practical method that is brilliant in outcome and easy to understand but difficult to implement because society has led us astray and conditioned us to think that it is the “win” that is important. Kids fortunate enough to experience the “Legends for Life” teaching method learn to be excellent soccer players and significant courageous, creative, leadership character for life. Shouldn’t your child have this opportunity?

The Legends Approach - For Children, Parents and Coaches

Be a positive life force. Empower people, especially children, with your example and your teaching. Be determined to live each moment of every day to its fullest. Grab the fruit of life and squeeze every last drop of juice from it. If it's worth doing, do it well. Do it with an open, honest frenzy and fervor that others will admire and wish to emulate. If you fear it, you have the greatest reason to attempt it. Step beyond your comfort zone to the greatest degree possible. In so doing you will push the edge of your abilities further in your lifetime than you ever imagined. Others, especially children, will see your power and follow your brave, creative example. In your mind's eye see yourself as omnipotent; as capable of reaching for, and achieving, the highest goals and ideals. Work with a reckless passion at everything worthwhile. Fill your seconds, minutes, and hours only with important things. Live your life fast and frenetically. If you teach, or coach children, leave nothing in your tank when the lesson, practice, or game is over. Give, give, give and give again. Then give more. Give until you collapse exhausted into a deep, untroubled sleep with a smile on your face at the end of each wonderful day. Find a career you love and never retire...not at 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 or 100 years of age. Keep amazingly busy in ways that challenge your body and mind to its fullest extent. Go where you have never been before, and when you get there, change it for the better.

Abandon the sofa and the TV, for the classroom or sports field. Work, travel and embrace diversity of race, religion, gender and preference, with the certain knowledge that most people are good, and can be trusted.

Crucially, make a huge impact and difference. Improve yourself while challenging others to grow and flourish. Build your own wings, while helping others to fly. Soar to the highest heights, and laugh at the lowest lows. Do so in the certain knowledge that you bring your own weather with you. Understand that storms are in the mind. Believe in your "one of a kind" indomitable spirit. Laugh at those who tell you that the goal of life is security. These are the people who will never really live.

Be the first amazing you. Not the second, and poorer version of anyone else. Shock and surprise everyone with your unique talents, love, and intensity. Bring these talents to the party of life and make it better! Live totally in each precious and dynamic moment. Embrace everything, in such a way that you show those you influence a vision of how to focus on all worthwhile things. Trash any notion there are limits to what you can achieve. Only the weak see opportunity and rewards as limited. Believe in abundance. Make it happen, and along the way, share it with everyone. Avoid the fear of scarcity. Your energy is best spent passionately in the pursuit of shared spiritual wealth, not hoarded against some imaginary danger.

Always remember that a great life is made by the go givers not the go getters...a stranger is just a friend you haven't met yet...never judge a book by its cover...no person is so tall as one who stoops to help a child.

Trade security for love: suspicion for trust: misery for laughter: rest for passionate hard work and money for priceless riches of the spirit. Moment by exciting moment, make your life the most stupendous it can possibly be.

Andy

Teaching from the Sideline

Teaching positively, encouragingly, enthusiastically and loudly from the sidelines is an essential and vital component of the Legends philosophy.

In games I raise my voice to the degree necessary to be heard by the player I'm trying to help. My tone is unfailingly positive, instructional and encouraging.

In Daniel Coyle's great book "The Talent Code" he says, "A few years ago a group of American and Norwegian researchers did a study to see what made babies improve at walking. They discovered that the key factor wasn't height or weight, or age, or brain development or any other innate trait, but rather, (surprise!), the amount of time they spent firing their circuits, trying to walk."

The Legends have applied these findings to games. This will come as no surprise...when soccer players attempt lots of very difficult dribbling fakes during matches they learn quicker. When our Legends coaches are quiet on the sidelines the number of creative, deceptive dribbling attempts drops significantly. If, at the coachable moment, we demand that our players attempt a brave, creative solution to every possession, we see a massive increase in "skilled" efforts, and gutsy, risky, out of the box solutions. We've tried silence and vocal encouragement. When we don't shout "skill" our players use very little creativity, when do shout "skill" we get an abundance of creativity. However, despite using the same word, i.e. "skill", each player's skilful attempt is different in significant, or subtle, ways.

In all learning the key is the moment of process. I call the moment a player receives the ball, the "Moment of Truth". Learning occurs in all moments. If the "Moment of Truth" is wasted in fear induced kick ball, the child learns to fear and react negatively. If the "Moment of Truth" is answered with a pass to a teammate, the child learns to use an average skill to give the responsibility to someone else. However, if the "Moment of Truth" is challenged with a brave, creative, skilful move, followed by a penetrating pass or shot, the child learns to take the full responsibility to lead the team using the most difficult skills. This child is accepting the most frightening of responsibilities, in the most publicly criticized forum for children...youth sports!

If at "The Moment of Truth" a child is left to choose either: 1) kick ball, 2) an easy pass play, or 3) a very difficult skill option, which do you think will be chosen most often? If you answered "1)" you are correct. Even when we continuously ask our players to play skillfully, many possessions are kicked away with no attempt at skilful brave, creative, leadership.

When I go silent the number and the degree of difficulty of "Moment of Truth" attempts plummets drastically. If my players are to achieve greatness I have to encourage big plays, praise gutsy attempts, enthuse about effort, cheer when an honest mistake is made, boost confidence, escalate expectation, stretch limiting visions and expand horizons.

When I stay silent the polar opposite usually occurs. Most kids will choose the easy play, chicken out, give less effort, avoid risk, stay in their comfort zone, set easy goals and fail to see the big picture. But, when we raise our voices with positive encouragement, and expectation of a skilful play, kids flourish. They become braver, more creative leaders. They know that if they pick the gutsiest possible option and lay it all on the line, in our eyes they can't fail. Over time this approach turns introverts into extroverts and shy kids into kids who love center stage. Once a kid has enjoyed center stage success, in the highly criticized and frightening arena that Legends soccer provides, he or she will find other life leadership challenges much easier.
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in his great book "Creativity - Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention" says, "A good creative person is well trained. So he has, first of all, an enormous amount of knowledge in that field. Secondly, he tries to combine ideas because he has the judgment to say, "This is good, I'll pursue this further."

When Legends coaches demand "skill" from the sidelines we do not remove meaningful choice. We only remove negative choice e.g. kick ball or simple, comfort zone plays. As Mihaly says a "creative person is well trained".

Anders Ericsson has done extensive work on, "Skilled Memory and Expertise". He confronts the paradox of expertise and claims that people not only acquire content knowledge as they practice cognitive skills, they also develop mechanisms that enable them to use a large and familiar knowledge base efficiently.

Legends players transition their deceptive dribbling and finishing skills into the live game quicker than any soccer program I have yet seen. We make this quick transition by first insisting that our novice players attempt a brave, creative deceptive dribbling play, followed by a penetrating pass or shot, on every possession. Once our players have learned the most difficult option well we give them the option to choose the simpler route to goal. We first teach players to do the most difficult, (e.g. shooting), with a certain knowledge that the easier tasks, (e.g. passing), will be learned simultaneously.

We have been accused of encouraging kids to make mistakes all of the time. This could not be further from the truth.

Mistakes are not OK all the time!

For example: In the Legends club the mistake of not giving 100% is educated out of the player. We educate players to give continuous 100% effort by asking them to gauge and publicly vocalize their effort at regular intervals in practice. We teach them what 100% looks like so that they understand how to give it and assess it.

Kick Ball is not OK. That mistake is a cardinal sin. We don't shout clear it, (to clear it is to fear it!). We don't shout, "Get It Out". We encourage our players to make mistakes with the right attitude.

Only by making brave, creative leadership mistakes will each child become a talented brave, creative leader.

Richard Branson made a successful business career based on risk, mistakes and having another go. He's wealthy but he doesn't make money the first priority. He's taken some of the most daunting personal risks, (One of the books I would recommend to anybody is "Losing My Virginity"), but he's had one heck of a ride and provided many thousands of people with meaningful daily passion, vision and mission opportunities.

He's now spearheading the private enterprise "Race to Space". I love the long-term "go for it" example the guy sets to those poor souls who seek short-term instant gratification in life.

If the process is good and right, mistakes are a key component of optimal growth. Mistakes usually occur at the ragged edge of further skill and character acquisition. It is these mistakes that the Legends club encourages vocally, enthusiastically & frenetically.

We push the, "Edge of Chaos", because only then do our kids learn to conquer chaos and take life to a whole new level.

In our society sporting leadership is revered. Legends players quickly become soccer leaders. Their exceptional soccer ability builds peer respect and self-belief. In this way Legends players develop the character and desire to be brave, creative, lifelong leaders in society.

If we constantly and vocally encourage this "try something difficult that you've never tried before" attitude from the sideline, every child will quickly learn to be a team leader.

In our society sporting leadership is revered. Legends players quickly become soccer leaders. Their exceptional soccer ability builds peer respect and self-belief. In this way Legends players develop the character and desire to be brave, creative, lifelong leaders in society.

Andy

you put so much faith in Daniel Coyle's book. you might read some of the reviews as it relates to sports. there is some very valid criticism of his theory

Zidane

The above is my only recent Coyle quote.



You exaggerate my faith in Coyle.

Andy

Getting Players and Parents to “Buy In”
Optimal Individual and Team Meaning

You can have the best developmental philosophy in the world but if your children don’t buy in you’re wasting much of your time. To get your child to commit, what you ask them to do must be creative and meaningful from two paradoxical viewpoints; a) individual and b) team.

The percentage of developmental focus on the individual or team has to be carefully balanced at all stages of life. To prepare your child for the most meaningful team interaction the initial focus must be completely individual. As your child gradually embraces and masters creative uniqueness and essential individual life skills, the emphasis gradually changes to team empathy and leadership.

It is impossible to explore individual and team creativity without examining the issue of meaning. The majority of people want their life to have meaning, and to make a difference. If over a career one spends 100,000 hours at work it makes sense to want to “make a difference”.

Maslow states,


When we look at the core of meaningful participation your child must first experience measurable individual and personal growth. This type of growth relies on the process of moving beyond current ability to build new skill. Courage is essential to this process. True courage is a commitment to what needs to be done to learn new things, irrespective of the cost or risk to previous knowledge. Deciding to have meaningful participation in all areas of our lives tests our courage because we often have to reject the past to welcome the present; or abandon the familiar for the new.


George Bernard Shaw from Man and Superman, Epistle Dedicatory


Stephen Joyce from Teaching an Anthill to Fetch

Often the most fear is associated with doing the right thing and tests our dedication to the most meaningful path.


Joseph Chilton Pearce

Creativity is the other main component of meaning. It is vitally important to children. Creativity improves your child’s self-esteem, motivation and achievement. If you encourage your child to think and act creatively and independently, your child will try new things. He/she will be more willing to open up to new ideas and work with others to explore novelty. Creativity motivates children to do extra work at home. For example, creative soccer players conquer new moves and build elite skills inside and outside of team practices and games. As a result, your child’s pace of learning, growth and self-esteem will increase. As you encourage creativity your child will become more talented and confident. Confident children welcome new challenges. They develop good instincts and unique abilities. Confidence fosters a positive attitude toward problem solving. This allows your child to enjoy more of life’s experiences. To optimize their potential children need meaningful learning environments and philosophies. They need to feel that they make a difference. When your child knows he/she makes a real contribution in important ways it will nurture and stimulate his/her creativity. If you involve your child in creative activities you bestow a gift that money can’t buy. Better still, if these activities combine creativity and fun with manageable challenge and stress, (as in Legends soccer), you will nurture self-esteem and creativity, while also cementing the foundation of a strong character.

The creator of the Stanford Business School course on creativity, Michael Pay, shares three theories about creativity with his students:

Individual creativity is important. Just as one cannot build a resilient team out of non-resilient individuals, one cannot make a creative team out of non-creative individuals. By more fully expressing their adaptability and flexibility, two of the most important aspects of creativity, team members are able to operate more creatively together.

Unfortunately, “creativity killers” are commonplace in sports, schools and homes. Avoid environments and people who micromanage and control your child. Control freaks will teach your child that originality is a mistake, that exploration a waste of time. Mentors like this hover and order children around. This causes your child to hide or suppress creativity and risk taking. Also steer away from adults who focus on the win, (outcome), versus moments of deep focus, (process). Another to avoid is the “my way or the highway” guy. Anyone that allows only rigid pre-defined actions limits your child’s curiosity and creative passion. Lastly, get away from the person who pressures your child to do things that are way above their current level of ability. Unrealistic expectations can instill negative feelings for the subject or activity.

What you should first do is pick a mentor who strengthens your child’s creative and courageous habits. Pick a person who relaxes the controls; when allowed creative license children embrace spontaneity, generate self-confidence and build the will to experiment. These are essential to the creative spirit. Second, choose a mentor that shows appreciation for your child's efforts. Third, find one that allows your child to accomplish tasks without help, one that encourages new, innovative, and original perspectives. Pick a teacher who provides a creative aura. For example, pick a soccer coach that encourages your child to pretend to be one of his/her superstar heroes. Your child should have fun emulating great players. Find an environment that promotes maximum creative performance; one that encourages creative problem solving in a variety of ways. Find a teacher who encourages children to embrace alternatives, experiment and constantly re-assess and adapt based on each new experience.

Doc Childre and Bruce Cryer, from Chaos to Coherence

The “Legends for Life” program has a proven track record of developing phenomenal courage. To do so we emphasize and teach elite individual deceptive dribbling and goal scoring skills. In doing so it will challenge your child to combine courage and creativity in ways that can’t happen when the focus is on team interaction and winning. As your child learns to perform the most difficult and creative soccer skills under pressure, he/she becomes capable of team interaction and leadership on a completely different level compared to players without the individual brilliance, self-concept and problem solving ability of a Legends trained player. While players from traditional programs, with limited skills and confidence, struggle to step up to the next level, the Legends trained player welcomes the challenge with total belief that it can be beaten.

More importantly, this great strength of character and self-concept carries over into life where Legends trained players are better prepared to embrace new situations, tests and changes that determine life long fulfillment.

Teachings of Don Juan