Looking in the mirror.....the right way.

As a teenager and young adult, I was frequently called out for looking at myself in almost every reflection possible.  People would often criticize me in mid conversation for not paying them the appropriate eye contact and most would assume I was just staring to admire myself.  Although at times this could be the case, I was really looking at myself for the wrong reasons:  trying to find flaws.  I would see what my hair, skin, clothes looked like.  I would wrongly judge myself before others could say a word.  I noticed this trend but never thought anything of it until I became a little bit older, and some might even say wiser.

As a goalkeeper (or really anyone with a passion), it is important to look at yourself in terms of getting better.  It is important to self-reflect and self-critique in order to move on and improve.  However, the danger comes when one judges themselves too harshly for mistakes without giving enough credit when they do the right things.  Too many times in my career I have become a victim of this destructive thinking.  I would blame myself for losses and goals, human mistakes and common errors.  I never understood that I was preparing myself for more failure with this way of thinking and not success.

It was all too simple.  I was punishing myself before anyone had a chance to.  Like the young man in the mirror seeing flaws in himself and not realizing the things which I had going for me.  I was blaming myself for everything before my coaches and teammates could.  In time, I've learned that sometimes you need to turn off the self-judgement and become your own biggest cheerleader.  If you don't believe that you can turn it around, then why should anyone else??

I really wish I would have come to this conclusion at a younger age.  I cannot tell you how many times I suffered a lack of confidence for being overly self-critical.  So many games and goals were lost because I wasn't able to deal with situations correctly and confidently. Even today, I wage war against who I naturally want to be at times.  Blaming others, depression, time lost with loved ones, fights started because of my bad mood are all symptoms of being too much of a perfectionist. 

Enough about me, and onto the future.....

For younger soccer players, it is very important to assess your game.  Depending on your goals, you have to do this properly.  Be objective.  Take time to really figure out what went wrong and what you can do better.  I certainly feel that the off season is where a lot of players make their careers.  The work put in away from the crowds and coaches can take players careers farther and higher than they ever thought possible. 


After games, I sit and think about every goal scored.  What could have I done differently?  Communication?  Footwork? Concentration?  Positioning?  It all pours into my head.  There are times I sat up all night blaming myself for so many things.  However, the difference now is that I refuse to take these mistakes into my next game. I realize that life is a series of ups and downs.  That success can be defined simply as getting up just one more time than you've fallen. 

It's my hope that you as a reader will not fall into the pitfalls that have haunted me.  To look at your game in a more scholarly and healthy approach.  What follows is merely my advice for how to assess and evaluate your game. 

The pursuit of greatness starts with looking at everything.  I can promise that your game or the game of your goalkeeper will improve if you can look at every game with these things in mind:



Analyze the game as a whole-  So many times we tend to focus on what went wrong.  This is OK as long as you can acknowledge what went right.  Be open and brutally honest with yourself.  Talk yourself through every situation.  Were you in the right spot to prevent the goal? Did you decide to distribute a little too hastily?  Could I have punched the ball there instead of trying to catch?? 

These are all questions I ask myself after a game.  I think about all my mistakes and make a note of whether it was a simple human error or something that I can control in the future.

Start with perfection- It will not do you any good to sit there and say "well there wasn't anything I could have done" or "it wasn't my fault".  As a youth player, I took the attitude that there was always something I could have done.  "Did I guess?" "Can I come out to take the angle more?"  "Could I have used my other hand to tip the ball?"  These scenarios all run through my head.  I then go through the game and think about every goal and play where I felt I might have been able to do something differently. 

Visualize the right outcome- So maybe you lost by 4 goals and your team gave up a few breakaways and they scored on a penalty kick.  Maybe you come to the conclusion that there was nothing you could have done.  STOP!!  This will do you no good as you move on.  The better play is to visualize yourself making the save utilizing a different process.  Maybe you visualize doing the footwork before you tip the ball around the top corner.  Maybe you see yourself yelling at your defenders about the open forward who scored the easy tap in.  Do everything in your power to turn this negative thought (the goal) into a more positive one, and a learning experience for the future.

Talk to your coaches and your teammates (even your opponents)-  Many times talking to coaches and your teammates helps you figure out how everything went down.  Most people do not have the benefit of playing on TV every week and will not be able to get different angles of each play.  Talk to your defenders, head coach, gk coach if you have one and get to the bottom of each scenario.  This will help you figure out what you parts of your game you might need to work on.  Also, take time to seek out the other teams goal scorers and try to figure out what they saw and how they came to the conclusion.  Many of us play games against people we know, go to school with or live in the community. Ask your forwards what they saw when they were shooting on you in training.  Are you giving them too much near post?  Were you too far off your line?  Were you leaning a certain way?  These little tidbits could be the difference between letting in a goal the following week or making that big save.

Practice and put it to rest- All you can do is all you can do.  Figure out what you need to work on, and do just that: work on it.  If it's kicking the ball, kick the ball.  If it's shot-stopping, then practice taking shots.  If you need to work on crosses, take crosses.  There are drills for every skill.  If you need some, there are great videos out there for free.  If you want a personal touch, get a coach to train you.  Figure out what exactly you need to work on and put in the work.  Practice each skill until you are comfortable with it.  Even then, keep working on it.  As you approach the next game, rely on the knowledge that you have trained hard and deserve the best from your next appearance.

Learn from your mistakes- I've posted about this before, so I will keep this brief.  Every mistake is a game or a practice is an opportunity to figure out what you need to work on.  Be grateful and passionate about this opportunity.  If you approach it the right way, you can take your game to a whole new level.

Give yourself credit- I recently read that holding a low opinion of yourself is not a virtue but a vice.  It's okay to feel good about....well...doing a good job.  One of the best things about coaching young kids is watching their esteem improve through working hard.  They get better at goalkeeping and see how hard work pays off.  This give them the confidence to apply this well known lesson to other things in their life.  Don't be afraid to say, "YES, I'm AWESOME".  The fact of the matter is:  YOU ARE AWESOME.  Let this new found love for yourself and your goalkeeping skills flourish and flow through your veins when you play.  Goalkeeping is an art, and you are the painter, sculptor, or whatever you prefer!

Forgive and Forget-  So of course you want to save everything.  Now that you've visualized the right play and gave yourself the right amount of credit for things done right, it's time to move on.  Forgive yourself for being human and just like every goalkeeper who's played the game.  From Peter Schmeichel to Iker Casillas to your favorite goalkeeper, just know they've all experienced what you are going through. 

Forget the errors and mistakes.  Using the visualization noted earlier, these mistakes are now great plays.  Move on to your next game.  When you walk places, you don't recall all the times you've slipped in the past.  You don't think about slipping or falling down because of the slippery patch or uneven ground you walked on yesterday.   Do the same with your goalkeeping.  Forgiving and forgetting means starting anew and being excited to take on the challenge of your next game.

Quantify your game play-   So how should one look at their own game?  Here is a list of things to analyze after your games to help you get started:

1) Distribution-  starting the attack is the goalkeeper's job here.  Are your clearances high enough? Are you getting enough distance with your throws? Goal kicks?  Punts?  Are you accurate enough?  As a young goalkeeper, I was allowed to pick up the ball during any point in the game.  My coach forced me to pass the ball sideways on goal kicks to defenders so that they could pass the ball right back.  I would pick up the ball and punt it away - you can see how they would make that illegal by today's rules.  As a result, my kicks from the ground have been the most inconsistent part in my game.  Even now I constantly work on my technique.

2) Shot stopping- are you in the right position? Are you aggressive enough cutting down the angles?  Did you catch everything you could? Did you give away corners?  Run down the situations in your head.  Could footwork help you make a save?  Did you give up a bad rebound?  For me, this is a very important part in your game.  Players score goals from shots.  It's your job to stop them.  Figure out the best ways to do this for your game.  If you're shorter, come off your line a bit more.  If you're taller, then stay back a bit.  Are you diving backwards or to the side? Did you guess the wrong way?  All these things I have done wrong in the past, and even today, still do them.

3) Communication- Can you prevent goals from happening by just opening your mouth? Can you tell your defenders where to take the forward? Where they are running to?  Can we let them know which foot to push the forward on to?  Who to mark during set pieces?  Breaking up plays before they develop is a great way to help you and your team.

4) Reading the game-  Can you cut out that cross? That through ball?  Can you start higher up the field to prevent certain situations? Did you come out for things that weren't yours?  Did you come out when the forward had a defender with them?  You can get better in your  game by asking yourself "what happened?"and then addressing that with what should happen.

This is a great place to start for all goalkeepers after their games.  However it is not only a good thing to look at your own game, but use this criteria to assess every game you watch.  Critically watch every goalkeeper (even me) to this high standard of perfection.  You can learn so much from other goalkeepers if you just know what to look for.  Become a student of the game and taking a more philosophical approach will help you in your quest to become better.

Smile-  I once read a proverb that said, "Smile, it's later than you think".  What it's trying to say is enjoy the process, the journey, the challenge, life.  Becoming better at anything requires failure and persistence.  Enjoy trying to improve your game.  Wherever you are in your career, there is always room for improvement.  Mistakes, great games, criticism, praise, take it all in stride and remember, "it's later than you think".


Thanks for reading

May the posts be with you!!


Joe Cannon






 

Who and how much??

Ok, so your son or daughter is starting to do some things you were not so sure they were capable of.  They have been playing well with their team, and others are starting to take notice.  Approaches of private lessons and camps to improve their game are coming at you left and right.  Or is it the other way around?  They let a ball go through their legs last game, that you can no longer just stand there and let them fend for themselves.  Whatever the journey, the reasons to find a private coach or to enroll in a camp are far and wide.  Many parents have no clue who to trust or where to turn to.  Don't worry or fret, I'm here to help, and if you want more specific advice, please email me at GKUnion101@gmail.com.

There are so many things to consider about the next step.  Time, money, and the motivation factor of the player at hand are all just a few things that come to mind.  To be honest, the location of each person has a lot to do with the expense factor as well as the supply of quality coaches.  I can write for days on what makes a good coach, but the scope of this blog is about how to find them, and how much you should pay.

If you are fortunate enough to live in an MLS market, please know that one of the great benefits of MLS coaches and players is there accessibility.  I cannot speak for all players but a majority of my friends and myself would try to pursue other revenue streams (ie coaching) to help supplement our income.  (My game with the ladies was limited since I lived with my mom so money to pay for dinner was always a necessity during this time of my life).

Parents and coaches looking for quality team training or personal training should always look to their local MLS or any professional team first.  The reasons are endless.  Their experience, exposure to advanced coaching methods, objective approach to players and their passion are all things which make this an advantageous choice.  The price per session can be anywhere between 100 -200 dollars per session depending on location and individual.  A simple email or approach at practice to any given player is always the best way.  More than likely it will be the younger players who are more enthusiastic about this, and for the sake of saving your own reputation, do not ask any Designated Players to coach your son's team.  You see where i'm going with this.

If you do not live in an MLS market, search out the closest professional team.  If this is not an option find your nearest University with a soccer team.  The higher the division, the most likely the better, but this is not always the case.  Most of the coaches at top colleges will charge the same as MLS players if they have been around or about 25% less if not.  Also, depending on the price of living, some markets will dictate higher financial demands.

If there is not a college or pro team, try to find the best club team.  You can easily find this out by asking around and getting a general consensus.  Most club teams have goalkeeper coaches, and most of these coaches will want to do private lessons.  Now if you are asked to pay 100 dollars an hour for a private, then you know you are dealing with either a good GK coach, or just some clown who thinks that he is that smart.   I would say anywhere between 50-75 dollars a session is a decent wage and don't be afraid to offer this right off the bat.

Group sessions from my experience offer the best bang for your buck as well as the coach's.  Rather than have your GK or player pay top notch money for one session, its almost just as useful to grab a couple of other players who are also interested in improving and paying less.  Most of the time, I do sessions for 4 GK's at 50-60 bucks per kid, which means i'm making more money than a private lesson at 150-200 dollars a session.  It's better for my pocket, and the parents.

These group lessons is how I learned when I was a kid, and for players who are highly motivated, they are the best tool.  Motivated players will absorb the words spoken by the coach, not only to themselves but to the other players as well.  For a visual learner like myself, it was also good to see how things are done the right, and the wrong way.

Before I sign off, I'd like to give you the qualities of coaches to stay away from.  First, any coach who does not want his/her "player-student" working with other coaches because it might affect their technique is full of BS.  I don't care if any of the kids I work with go see other coaches.  Why??  Because I know i'm the best coach there is, bar none.  If a young GK goes somewhere else, it is because they have found someone they enjoy working with more and that is fine also.  The game of soccer wins either way because they have continued playing.  Second, avoid coaches who seem overly biased about their own players they teach.  Nothing is more annoying than hearing a guy talk about all the great players he coaches and bad mouths other players.  Soccer is a game, an art , and a passion.  There are so many avenues to success, and never think that a certain coach is the only answer.  Thus,  avoid negative coaches in general.  99% of kids won't be pros.  However, with the right coach, 99% of these kids can enjoy the benefits of improved self-esteem, lessons in improvement through hard work, goal-setting and many more attributes a great coach brings.  Finally, any coach who seems to be driven more by money than a passion for the kids needs to be ignored.  I understand that coaching is a big business, but there is no place for these clowns.  You can usually spot these guys a mile away and use your best judgement like you would when making other financial decisions for your children.

So I'm sorry that this went long, but it's a topic which could easily be a whole book.  Please don't hesitate to email me at GKUNION101@gmail.com if you have any questions about the coaches and situations you encounter.  It might take a little while to get back to you, but i promise to do so.

Well hope this finds everyone well.  Thanks for reading and until next time.....

may the posts be with you!!!


Joe Cannon

Improve Your Game

Over the years, in almost every kind of form, I've been asked what is the best thing a young goalkeeper can do? Should they take private lessons from a GK coach? Should they find a better club team? Do I have time to tell their kid some advice as I give them an autograph? Better schools? Better coaches? Less politics? I've heard all the justifications why a kid has not reached MLS yet.

I feel bad for the parent who has entered into an unknown realm which they have no knowledge of. I feel bad because I remember this feeling when I would try to date girls in college. A helpless, second guessing, collection of curiousity and ignorance all bundled up in a baseless confident facade which perpetuates the problem. I will address all of these concerns in the future, but right now, I want to address the young goalkeeper. (the concerns of parents and not my dating!! haha)

Without changing anything else in their routinue, all the young GK has to do to improve his/her game is to play with older children. The faster, stronger athletes who shoot the ball harder will help the younger goalkeeper improve reaction time, speed, hand eye coordination and their confidence, especially when they go back to playing with kids their own age. I think of my own experience, and I was lucky to find a group of European adults playing soccer at the same park I praciticed at. Each day after training I would sit in goal and get scored off of time and time again. After a few weeks, the goals were less and less, and after months, my game and expectations were increasing with every shot these guys were taking. On top of this, I would go out and try to find where the best players my age would practice. Every group of players needs goalkeepers and you will find a lot of goalkeepers will even want to play in the field when left to their own devices.

It is here that the young GK has to be proactive in reaching out to his teammates. Asking to be a part of something and inviting yourself to a training is always scary in some senses. (i'm talking about casual get together practices, and not team trainings) However, remember that most young players who go to practice on their own probably just want to shoot on goal. Having a goalkeeper there will help improve their game as much as it will yours.

If you are fortunate enough to find older players to play with, then keep in mind not to get too discouraged if success eludes you in the first few sessions. Remember the big picture. At every level, I have ever played at, there is always a period of adjustment. I have struggled to be as consistent as I want the first time I am introduced to a high level of soccer. It's OK. Even today, I still struggle the first few days of pre-season after a lenghty lay off. The key is to not be too hard on yourself and to stay motivated.

With this is mind, there does need to be a basic understanding of goalkeeping technique. Who should you trust to do this? Well stay tuned for my next blog and I'll let you know how to find the best goalkeeper coaches in your given area.

Until then, may the posts be with you!!!

Introduction

Hello my name is Joe Cannon and I am here to write about the soccer goalkeeper.  After playing goalie for over 25 years, I wanted to give back to the community and the "union" which has given me so many great memories and experiences in my life.

So many people have asked me over the years the best ways to improve their skills as a goalkeeper.  Obviously, most of these questions have come from the younger members of our goalkeeping community and many of these future blog posts will be addressed to their needs.  I am open to all questions and comments and can be reached at GKUnion101@gmail.com.

My first advice to the younger goalkeeper is to not fear mistakes.  When you are new to anything in life, the way you learn is to try and fail.  These failures are necessary in your quest for success.  This blog could not fit all the characters it would take to let you know about all the "bad" goals I have given up in my career.  Even at my age, I can learn from all of them, and for the most part, I have.

Whether it's practice or games, the goalkeeper cannot become victim of fear.  In order to prevent the anxiety and circumstance of game play, each goalie must be the individual to put themselves in pressure situations.  This "self-pressure" must be dedicated to getting the most out of your practices.  Not in the sense of results, but rather the dedication to perfection in your effort, attention to detail, as well as an enthusiastic attitude to constantly learn from your coaches, fellow players, and of course, your mistakes.


In the next coming posts, I will give you some specific ways to start working on your game.  Until then, go out and make some mistakes.  From my experience, it's the best, and really, the most productive way to learn.


May the posts be with you!


Joe Cannon