High school

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http://www.oysan.org/Assets/US+SOcce...pment+2009.pdf

Search the web, you will find it hard not to trip over references to the 10,000 hour rule in all areas of human performance. Reading the linked presentation focus on slides 6-17. Setting the Usain Bolts aside, because our focus should be on developing the players we have, not lamenting our lack of "freaks of nature", everything that makes a player good, and makes a good player great is learnable.

Unless your proposal is "iron curtain" era sports camps where the genetic freaks are isolated and trained for "the good of the country", then we need a broader approach. The beauty of a "10,000 hour ish" approach is that when a freak comes along it will make them better as well.

BTW Malcolm Gladwell did not originate the 10,000 hour rule, he popularized it. The theory has actually been around for some time. There are also some adjuncts to the theory. Yes you must have aptitude, and some natural inclination towards the activity, otherwise you never make it to 10,000 hours. Bill Gates would never have spent 10 years working 20 hours a week for something GE wasn't passionate about.

My biggest issue with the Usain Bolt line if thought us it gets us nowhere. If as a group we are parents, coaches concerned about development in youth soccer players, it is worthless to lament the super humans our children will never be.

If we can instill a passion and hardwork, however, they can each become the best they can be. That is a more relevant goal than trying to create an athletic master race.

But you miss the point and you're arguing for the sale of arguing. Point is, coaches can have the most impact on skill. They can have some impact on speed and a small impact on size (muscle mass but not height). The 10,000 hours you're so hung up on should be spent mostly on the technical side, with some but much less focus on speed. Or better, speed training and agility incorporated into technical work. That was my original point and further, when people make statements that "all speed is gained through hard work" is just plain wrong.

[Unregistered]

But you miss the point and you're arguing for the sale of arguing. Point is, coaches can have the most impact on skill. They can have some impact on speed and a small impact on size (muscle mass but not height). The 10,000 hours you're so hung up on should be spent mostly on the technical side, with some but much less focus on speed. Or better, speed training and agility incorporated into technical work. That was my original point and further, when people make statements that "all speed is gained through hard work" is just plain wrong.

To say "everything that makes a player great is learnable" is sophomoric logic. Genetics plays a big part in what makes somebody great at something. Not everything, but a big part. Professional baseball and ping pong players have been correlated with genetically above average eyesight. Professional basketball players with height. High jumpers with excessively long Achilles' tendons. Swimmers with long arms and on and on. Genetics always plays a strong role. If you don't believe that then you probably don't believe in evolution.

[Unregistered]

To say "everything that makes a player great is learnable" is sophomoric logic. Genetics plays a big part in what makes somebody great at something. Not everything, but a big part. Professional baseball and ping pong players have been correlated with genetically above average eyesight. Professional basketball players with height. High jumpers with excessively long Achilles' tendons. Swimmers with long arms and on and on. Genetics always plays a strong role. If you don't believe that then you probably don't believe in evolution.

Here is a novel idea, why don't you spend some time explaining what you believe, instead of all the words you have been wasting telling me (incorrectly) what i believe. So I to understand you believe that we will all only be great at things we are genetically predisposed to? So what does that mean for Oregon, and even the US as far as trying to have great soccer teams? Also I am curious much is always talked about that the reason many folks from Latin America are such great soccer players is they are playing all the time...How does genetics fit in here?

I will stick to my statement that everything that makes a player great is learnable. That is not to say it is easy to learn, on the contrary it takes a lot of work. I also totally agree you need a love, passion, and drive toward it, because otherwise you will give up long before you put all the hard work in. I acknowledge there are the freaks who have a heart twice as large as normal, or have way more fast twitch muscles, or whatever, and these will be the individuals with huge potential, whether it is achieved or not, but talking about these freaks doesn't give us any basis to look at how to improve player development.

[Unregistered]

But you miss the point and you're arguing for the sale of arguing. Point is, coaches can have the most impact on skill. They can have some impact on speed and a small impact on size (muscle mass but not height). The 10,000 hours you're so hung up on should be spent mostly on the technical side, with some but much less focus on speed. Or better, speed training and agility incorporated into technical work. That was my original point and further, when people make statements that "all speed is gained through hard work" is just plain wrong.

You lost me here... You state "with some but much less focus on speed. Or better, speed training and agility incorporated into technical work." And then you say that it is wrong to state all speed is gained through hard work. It seems like on the first hand you have endorsed spending training time on speed work, but then you seem to back off it to the view that speed is only the gift of those naturally blessed with it.

I think we agree on the magnitude of speed, it would be very difficult to turn an ordinary paced runner into a Usain Bolt, but either of these athletes are only going to achieve their maximum speed through hard work. The potential for speed may be different at a biological level, but the achievement of speed will only be through hard work.

[Unregistered]

You lost me here... You state "with some but much less focus on speed. Or better, speed training and agility incorporated into technical work." And then you say that it is wrong to state all speed is gained through hard work. It seems like on the first hand you have endorsed spending training time on speed work, but then you seem to back off it to the view that speed is only the gift of those naturally blessed with it.

I think we agree on the magnitude of speed, it would be very difficult to turn an ordinary paced runner into a Usain Bolt, but either of these athletes are only going to achieve their maximum speed through hard work. The potential for speed may be different at a biological level, but the achievement of speed will only be through hard work.

No, the achievement of a persons maximum possible speed takes hard work but there will be people who are fast who don't work hard at all and others who will be slow no matter how hard they work. Just like there are people who are smart who don't work very hard and perform at a high level and others who study all day long and don't perform as well.

[Unregistered]

I keep coming in here hoping the dialogue has changed, unfortunately.....

I'll try to do my part. So we begin play Sept. 3. How about everyone else? Is that when most teams are starting?

[Unregistered]

You lost me here... You state "with some but much less focus on speed. Or better, speed training and agility incorporated into technical work." And then you say that it is wrong to state all speed is gained through hard work. It seems like on the first hand you have endorsed spending training time on speed work, but then you seem to back off it to the view that speed is only the gift of those naturally blessed with it.

I think we agree on the magnitude of speed, it would be very difficult to turn an ordinary paced runner into a Usain Bolt, but either of these athletes are only going to achieve their maximum speed through hard work. The potential for speed may be different at a biological level, but the achievement of speed will only be through hard work.

Sheesh try reading the post it's not that hard to follow. Skill can be impacted significantly. Speed can be impacted to some degree but to a lesser degree than skill. Focus in skill first speed second. Is it that difficult?

[Unregistered]

You lost me here... You state "with some but much less focus on speed. Or better, speed training and agility incorporated into technical work." And then you say that it is wrong to state all speed is gained through hard work. It seems like on the first hand you have endorsed spending training time on speed work, but then you seem to back off it to the view that speed is only the gift of those naturally blessed with it.

I think we agree on the magnitude of speed, it would be very difficult to turn an ordinary paced runner into a Usain Bolt, but either of these athletes are only going to achieve their maximum speed through hard work. The potential for speed may be different at a biological level, but the achievement of speed will only be through hard work.

Usain Bolt = HGH.

[Unregistered]

Here is a novel idea, why don't you spend some time explaining what you believe, instead of all the words you have been wasting telling me (incorrectly) what i believe. So I to understand you believe that we will all only be great at things we are genetically predisposed to? So what does that mean for Oregon, and even the US as far as trying to have great soccer teams? Also I am curious much is always talked about that the reason many folks from Latin America are such great soccer players is they are playing all the time...How does genetics fit in here?

I will stick to my statement that everything that makes a player great is learnable. That is not to say it is easy to learn, on the contrary it takes a lot of work. I also totally agree you need a love, passion, and drive toward it, because otherwise you will give up long before you put all the hard work in. I acknowledge there are the freaks who have a heart twice as large as normal, or have way more fast twitch muscles, or whatever, and these will be the individuals with huge potential, whether it is achieved or not, but talking about these freaks doesn't give us any basis to look at how to improve player development.

Your logic is all over the place and full of non-sequiturs. I just can't bear to respond anymore.

[Unregistered]

Back to the original question. How is HS soccer looking after the 1st games? Interested in hearing about Boys soccer since Girls have their own threads

[Unregistered]

Back to the original question. How is HS soccer looking after the 1st games? Interested in hearing about Boys soccer since Girls have their own threads

Was at Liberty for my daughter's practice last night and caught most of the Liberty - Hillsboro boys game. Hillsboro forward with the Valderrama hair is very good! The guy was everywhere but always where he needed to be.

[Unregistered]

Who is the 6A Boys favorite? Central, Jesuit or someone else? Why would Woodburn beat a team 17-0?

[Unregistered]

Jesuit

It's not even fair to the hardworking High School players who face this juggernaut.

It would be nice if someone could give them a game from Oregon. It's not Woodburn they lost to Hillsboro 2-0.

[Unregistered]

I'd take Central. They have an equal number of good club players and a top coach as well.