College dreams and the off season...
Hey friends and fellow GK's,
Sorry it has been so long but I was back in California for the offseason, went to a couple bachelor parties, made a few trips, and got married. Wasn't really in the mode to chat soccer, but now that I'm back in Vancouver, I wanted to write a few thoughts down.
Recently, I have received some emails asking what high school kids can do to play college soccer. Although it seems a fairly simple question, the answers are sometimes not so simple. The first thing one must do is to realistically view themselves. Do I have a chance at playing? If so, what level? Have I been contacted by anyone? Has someone ever recommended college?
So you think you have a shot huh? Well there are a few basic things that all students should do to have the best options to play at the college level. First, you have to study. I look back on my high school days and wish I would have put a little more time and energy into my schoolwork. There were so many colleges where I did not have the opportunity to play because of my grades. Right away, I closed a few doors. Secondly, you have to currently be playing soccer at a competitive level. Of course there are always exceptions, but for the most part, coaches are looking at players from all over the country (sometimes the world) to fill out their rosters. Like everything else in life, the higher you go up in level, the more competitive the field becomes. To help yourself out, make a list of colleges you would like to attend. Dream colleges, back up schools, interesting places that you could see yourself going and being happy.
The next step is to simply write to the coaches of those schools. Let them know you are interested. This will go a long way. Coaches have no clue who to recruit at times and the last thing they want to do is waste time trying to recruit someone who is not even interested in their school. When I was younger, I had a lot of pride and waited for coaches to contact me. I look back and realize how foolish I was. Don't make the same mistakes I made.
Also, make sure that you have on file a highlight tape that includes a few minutes of you in games. Be very selective with the highlights. Make them relevant to what you want to show. Try not to show you kicking the ball a thousand times and then making 3 saves. Coaches want to see you making good decisions and manifesting good technique. Ask a current coach or someone who has played in college to give you more direction. Or you can just send me a link to your videos and I can give a quick summary. You may have to wait awhile though..haha
The next topic I want to touch on is the offseason. For younger players, this is usually the summer, but nowadays, it's different all over. If you are really serious about your dream of playing soccer in college or professionally, the offseason is not a time to waste just vacationing and playing video games. Although I did my fair share of that as a youngster, I was also very keen on trying to find people to play with and find games. If you're a bit older, you can lift, do plyometrics and basically work on getting stronger. Ask your coach or trainer what they would like to see you work on and just do it!! (Nike reference ;-)
There was an old saying at the St. Francis High School weight room. It went something like this: "When you are not training, there is someone out there who is. And when you meet them, they will win." It pretty much tells you the story. You have to want it more than anyone else. Throw out skill and technique, and give me a kid with desire. It is easier to take these motivated kids and work out the other stuff. In saying that, these motivated kids tend to also be students of the game.
Here in Canada, our younger players in the Whitecaps Academy live and breathe soccer. They train almost daily in hopes of realizing there dreams to play soccer professionally. What will happen when you face these kids?? Your work ethic and determination are the only answers to that question.
Best Wishes and
may the posts be with you....
Joe Cannon
Monday, 4 February 2013
Monday, 22 October 2012
Mission Impossible?? Canada's next step...
The Canadian Men's national team suffered a humiliating loss to Honduras last week in the final game of the CONCACAF preliminary round, eliminating them from a World Cup '14 berth. I know our fans here in Vancouver are disappointed and it has been very interesting to watch coverage from the media in placing blame.
Already head coach Stephen Hart has fallen on the sword and can be seen as the scapegoat. However, after talking to players from the team and others surrounding the situation, Hart is merely a pawn in the larger reason why Canada's soccer team wasn't able to make it to the next round.
I think we all have to acknowledge the uphill battle the CSA has in front of them. There is no recent history of soccer achievement on the men's side which could help motivate and drive the younger soccer players of today. Some will argue that the women's side has been so instrumental in driving the sport, why can't the men do the same? Well this is definitely comparing apples to oranges.
The Canadian women's soccer team has been helped more by Title IX than by any CSA developmental program or curriculum. By my recent count, all but two players on the Olympic roster have played for, or are still playing at American Universities. A third, Diana Matheson, plays at Princeton where no athletic scholarships are given (Ivy league), so she could also be exempt somewhat. These universities are the same places where American stars Mia Hamm, Brandi Chastain, Hope Solo and Alex Morgan all applied their trade. Canadian women have been getting to compete and play with the best in the world for the last couple of decades. In the future, this will change with the rest of the world putting more emphasis into the women's game.
Where does that leave the men? The American Universities have manifested themselves to be a deterrent to professional growth rather than a benefit. Unlike the women, Canadian men are more at a disadvantage when they go off to college. The limited training schedule and priority to school rather than sport leaves college players way behind when compared to players in other parts of our region. Even though many former USA players have used the school system (Clint Dempsey, Carlos Bocanegra, Cobi Jones, John Harkes, etc), the recent trend suggests North American players are foregoing their University experience to play MLS and professional club soccer. (Brek Shea, Omar Salgado, Tim Howard, Landon Donovan, etc)
Where then should a young Canadian play?? The CSA has yet to come up with a system that develops the best players in Canada and puts them in competitive environments year-round. Is this really their fault?? Yes and no. The weather, lack of facilities, money, and the large geographical make up of Canada makes it difficult to put together a year-round program which can truly identify and train today's talented youth. On top of this, the priorities of MLS clubs in Canada are not always aligned with Canadian soccer's. What's a country to do??
Canada at some point will have their moment. When Paul Caligiuri scored for the Americans in Trinidad to put them into the World Cup, it did a lot for men's soccer in the USA. Without knowing it, the 1990 Men's World Cup team gave tons of young American boys ,like myself, the dream of playing in a World Cup. We knew it was possible because it was done before. On top of this, the momentum created along with hosting the 1994 World Cup, gave the USA it's newest professional soccer league: MLS.
Canada needs this moment now more than ever. This is why this latest loss was so devastating and painful. It has literally put Canadian soccer on pause in the public and media's eye. However, we cannot look back, but to the future. From my end, here are just a few suggestions to help Canada create the moment it needs to bring this country back onto the World Stage.
1) Get a coach who is motivated by the challenge - Listen, we all know Canada won't be producing droves of talented players like Brazil anytime soon, but they do have some very capable players who can help make a possible breakthrough. CSA has done a great job in hiring John Herdman for the women's team. They need to do the same on the men's side. Someone who is great with the media, positive with their team, and also very enthusiastic about the job. It could be a former Canadian player or even a young ambitious coach. Thankfully, this is not my job.
2) Start developing a long term plan between CSA & Canadian MLS teams - With players from all over the world living in Canada to play soccer, new possibilities for players have opened up. The CSA and the teams should try to pinpoint younger and/or talented MLS players who have no chance to play with their home countries, or could get a jump on their "caps". Lots of pros just want to get "caps" to be able to qualify for a English FA work permit. They know that there is more money to be found overseas, but without a parent/grandparent from Europe, you only have a few options. One of them is playing for your national team a high percentage of the time. (or marry a British girl) Find ambitious players who want this option and try to exploit it. Think Camilo, Stefan Frei, or even a player like Eric Hassli.
3) Make Edmonton FC or create an NASL team, the lone destination for all Canadian reserves - Russell Teibert, Bryce Alderson, Ben Fisk, and Caleb Clarke can all benefit from playing twenty something games in the NASL. Add players from TFC and Montreal and you get a young Canadian team playing week in or week out. I really don't know if the rules will allow this, but something to this effect should be done.
4) Turn the page......slowly - The next World Cup is not for six years as far as Canada is concerned. It would be foolish to simply force everyone 27 and older out of the equation because of their age. Every tournament and international game now becomes a stepping stone. It is going to take awhile but now you really need to start ushering in a new era and a new attitude. Of course a lot of this will come down to suggestion 1.
5) Play ugly - Learn from the Americans. At home, we play exciting and attacking soccer. However, away, we simply just try to dig in and get results. One of the things CONCACAF teams struggle with the US is our athleticism. I would like to see the Canadians exploit this as well. Use size and strength to plug up the middle and force teams to cross from wide positions and deal with your height accordingly. Of course, this will all come down to the coach as well.
Canada as a sporting nation is just coming into its own as far as our sport is concerned. As a soccer nation in CONCACAF, the history of Canada is relatively short and spotty. There will be that moment propelling the country to the next level. Until then, enjoy being a loyal fan who was there before they made it big. Of course the recent loss was painful, but used in the right way, this loss can be used as a catalyst to bigger and better things.....
Best of Luck CSA!
Already head coach Stephen Hart has fallen on the sword and can be seen as the scapegoat. However, after talking to players from the team and others surrounding the situation, Hart is merely a pawn in the larger reason why Canada's soccer team wasn't able to make it to the next round.
I think we all have to acknowledge the uphill battle the CSA has in front of them. There is no recent history of soccer achievement on the men's side which could help motivate and drive the younger soccer players of today. Some will argue that the women's side has been so instrumental in driving the sport, why can't the men do the same? Well this is definitely comparing apples to oranges.
The Canadian women's soccer team has been helped more by Title IX than by any CSA developmental program or curriculum. By my recent count, all but two players on the Olympic roster have played for, or are still playing at American Universities. A third, Diana Matheson, plays at Princeton where no athletic scholarships are given (Ivy league), so she could also be exempt somewhat. These universities are the same places where American stars Mia Hamm, Brandi Chastain, Hope Solo and Alex Morgan all applied their trade. Canadian women have been getting to compete and play with the best in the world for the last couple of decades. In the future, this will change with the rest of the world putting more emphasis into the women's game.
Where does that leave the men? The American Universities have manifested themselves to be a deterrent to professional growth rather than a benefit. Unlike the women, Canadian men are more at a disadvantage when they go off to college. The limited training schedule and priority to school rather than sport leaves college players way behind when compared to players in other parts of our region. Even though many former USA players have used the school system (Clint Dempsey, Carlos Bocanegra, Cobi Jones, John Harkes, etc), the recent trend suggests North American players are foregoing their University experience to play MLS and professional club soccer. (Brek Shea, Omar Salgado, Tim Howard, Landon Donovan, etc)
Where then should a young Canadian play?? The CSA has yet to come up with a system that develops the best players in Canada and puts them in competitive environments year-round. Is this really their fault?? Yes and no. The weather, lack of facilities, money, and the large geographical make up of Canada makes it difficult to put together a year-round program which can truly identify and train today's talented youth. On top of this, the priorities of MLS clubs in Canada are not always aligned with Canadian soccer's. What's a country to do??
Canada at some point will have their moment. When Paul Caligiuri scored for the Americans in Trinidad to put them into the World Cup, it did a lot for men's soccer in the USA. Without knowing it, the 1990 Men's World Cup team gave tons of young American boys ,like myself, the dream of playing in a World Cup. We knew it was possible because it was done before. On top of this, the momentum created along with hosting the 1994 World Cup, gave the USA it's newest professional soccer league: MLS.
Canada needs this moment now more than ever. This is why this latest loss was so devastating and painful. It has literally put Canadian soccer on pause in the public and media's eye. However, we cannot look back, but to the future. From my end, here are just a few suggestions to help Canada create the moment it needs to bring this country back onto the World Stage.
1) Get a coach who is motivated by the challenge - Listen, we all know Canada won't be producing droves of talented players like Brazil anytime soon, but they do have some very capable players who can help make a possible breakthrough. CSA has done a great job in hiring John Herdman for the women's team. They need to do the same on the men's side. Someone who is great with the media, positive with their team, and also very enthusiastic about the job. It could be a former Canadian player or even a young ambitious coach. Thankfully, this is not my job.
2) Start developing a long term plan between CSA & Canadian MLS teams - With players from all over the world living in Canada to play soccer, new possibilities for players have opened up. The CSA and the teams should try to pinpoint younger and/or talented MLS players who have no chance to play with their home countries, or could get a jump on their "caps". Lots of pros just want to get "caps" to be able to qualify for a English FA work permit. They know that there is more money to be found overseas, but without a parent/grandparent from Europe, you only have a few options. One of them is playing for your national team a high percentage of the time. (or marry a British girl) Find ambitious players who want this option and try to exploit it. Think Camilo, Stefan Frei, or even a player like Eric Hassli.
3) Make Edmonton FC or create an NASL team, the lone destination for all Canadian reserves - Russell Teibert, Bryce Alderson, Ben Fisk, and Caleb Clarke can all benefit from playing twenty something games in the NASL. Add players from TFC and Montreal and you get a young Canadian team playing week in or week out. I really don't know if the rules will allow this, but something to this effect should be done.
4) Turn the page......slowly - The next World Cup is not for six years as far as Canada is concerned. It would be foolish to simply force everyone 27 and older out of the equation because of their age. Every tournament and international game now becomes a stepping stone. It is going to take awhile but now you really need to start ushering in a new era and a new attitude. Of course a lot of this will come down to suggestion 1.
5) Play ugly - Learn from the Americans. At home, we play exciting and attacking soccer. However, away, we simply just try to dig in and get results. One of the things CONCACAF teams struggle with the US is our athleticism. I would like to see the Canadians exploit this as well. Use size and strength to plug up the middle and force teams to cross from wide positions and deal with your height accordingly. Of course, this will all come down to the coach as well.
Canada as a sporting nation is just coming into its own as far as our sport is concerned. As a soccer nation in CONCACAF, the history of Canada is relatively short and spotty. There will be that moment propelling the country to the next level. Until then, enjoy being a loyal fan who was there before they made it big. Of course the recent loss was painful, but used in the right way, this loss can be used as a catalyst to bigger and better things.....
Best of Luck CSA!
Wednesday, 5 September 2012
The Morning after....
OMG! I can't believe that just happened.....
Yeah, that's probably the first thought that crossed my mind. I do not like talking or dwelling on my mistakes, but my younger brother convinced me to go ahead and write. After giving up a bad goal, so many thoughts come into your head....
"What just happened?", "Why me?", "I can't believe this", and even the old "please get me out of here" all crosses your mind.
However, there is still a game going on and the last thing you want to do is let your thoughts cost your team another goal. The initial thing is to stay focused until the game is over. Only then, is it a time to reflect....
I can only imagine how difficult it is for goalkeepers to go through this a first time in their young careers. For someone, like me, it is a tad easier, but in all honesty, nothing in life can prepare you for the isolated feeling in front of thousands of fans.
It even gets worse when family, close friends, and thousands of supporters have spent tons of time and money to come and watch a game. All these things come into play after making a mistake, but then you really have two choices.
Do you let this mistake get the best of you? Or do you make this another learning experience to grow and become a better person?
After making a big mistake, it is human to want to runaway and hide in a hole, pretend you don't care, or just start making excuses.
You can choose to do this, but a better way out, in my opinion, is to simply raise your hand and say "it was a mistake, and I will learn from this". There is a tendency to want to do more than you have been merely to "make up" for your mistake. STOP!
You don't have to do MORE. You just have to be YOU! Hopefully this means going back to being the hard working player you have been and concentrate on the only thing you can: this moment, the next play, your day to day habits as well as your attitude.
Do I have the mental capacity to come back and be better? Or will I sit and dwell about the past??
I think we all know which one is the correct answer.
For the young players out there, it's important to know that no matter who you are, you are going to make mistakes. However, it is your response to these mistakes that show the world who you are.
The most successful people in the world say that the biggest problems present the biggest opportunities. Well that's exactly what I'm doing. Bad goals are part of the position. Accept this and move on.
If you have a story you'd like to share or just want some encouraging words, please email me at GKUnion101@gmail.com
The advice I give to all younger goalkeepers is to go out and make mistakes. They are the best learning teachers and as Billy Joel says, they are truly the only things you can call your own. haha.
may the posts be with you....
Joe Cannon
GKUnion101@gmail.com
Yeah, that's probably the first thought that crossed my mind. I do not like talking or dwelling on my mistakes, but my younger brother convinced me to go ahead and write. After giving up a bad goal, so many thoughts come into your head....
"What just happened?", "Why me?", "I can't believe this", and even the old "please get me out of here" all crosses your mind.
However, there is still a game going on and the last thing you want to do is let your thoughts cost your team another goal. The initial thing is to stay focused until the game is over. Only then, is it a time to reflect....
I can only imagine how difficult it is for goalkeepers to go through this a first time in their young careers. For someone, like me, it is a tad easier, but in all honesty, nothing in life can prepare you for the isolated feeling in front of thousands of fans.
It even gets worse when family, close friends, and thousands of supporters have spent tons of time and money to come and watch a game. All these things come into play after making a mistake, but then you really have two choices.
Do you let this mistake get the best of you? Or do you make this another learning experience to grow and become a better person?
After making a big mistake, it is human to want to runaway and hide in a hole, pretend you don't care, or just start making excuses.
You can choose to do this, but a better way out, in my opinion, is to simply raise your hand and say "it was a mistake, and I will learn from this". There is a tendency to want to do more than you have been merely to "make up" for your mistake. STOP!
You don't have to do MORE. You just have to be YOU! Hopefully this means going back to being the hard working player you have been and concentrate on the only thing you can: this moment, the next play, your day to day habits as well as your attitude.
Do I have the mental capacity to come back and be better? Or will I sit and dwell about the past??
I think we all know which one is the correct answer.
For the young players out there, it's important to know that no matter who you are, you are going to make mistakes. However, it is your response to these mistakes that show the world who you are.
The most successful people in the world say that the biggest problems present the biggest opportunities. Well that's exactly what I'm doing. Bad goals are part of the position. Accept this and move on.
If you have a story you'd like to share or just want some encouraging words, please email me at GKUnion101@gmail.com
The advice I give to all younger goalkeepers is to go out and make mistakes. They are the best learning teachers and as Billy Joel says, they are truly the only things you can call your own. haha.
may the posts be with you....
Joe Cannon
GKUnion101@gmail.com
Wednesday, 4 July 2012
Summertime Blues...
So the off-season has begun for so many goalkeepers out there. College, youth, and many competitive players find themselves with so much free time during the summer season. Well there's a quote I'd like to try and reiterate which I read in High School:
"When you're not training, there is someone, somewhere, out there who is. And when you meet th
Now I could of hacked this up a little bit, but you all get the point. Right now if you're not doing the best you can to improve your game, someone out there is. When you go back to practice or tryouts or whatever, you want to make sure you worked harder than the other guy or girl. This is your new summer mission.
I have always thought that it is hard to really improve throughout a season. Of course you can make small gains week in and week out (both skill and confidence wise) but the off season is where you set the base.
This summer try to work on things you normally can't. If you need to improve your strength in jumping, then do some plyometric exercises to get your spring a little bit better. If your footwork needs some work, then get out and do some footwork drills. If you simply need to get better, call some older players who need a goalkeeper to shoot on and let them know you're available.
It is not the time to play Call of Duty and socialize with friends online. Trust me, I have enough 20 and 30 year old friends who do that to this day. It is time to set your goals and go after them.
"If not now, then when? If not you, then who?"
Take responsibility for your goals and dreams and get out there to make them happen. Summer is a great excuse for your competitors to relax and get comfortable in their free time. For the ones who are serious about achieving their goals, the time is NOW.
While other people are daydreaming, let's be proactive in trying to make ours come true.
May the posts be with you.....
Joe Cannon
GKUnion101@gmail.com
"When you're not training, there is someone, somewhere, out there who is. And when you meet th
Now I could of hacked this up a little bit, but you all get the point. Right now if you're not doing the best you can to improve your game, someone out there is. When you go back to practice or tryouts or whatever, you want to make sure you worked harder than the other guy or girl. This is your new summer mission.
I have always thought that it is hard to really improve throughout a season. Of course you can make small gains week in and week out (both skill and confidence wise) but the off season is where you set the base.
This summer try to work on things you normally can't. If you need to improve your strength in jumping, then do some plyometric exercises to get your spring a little bit better. If your footwork needs some work, then get out and do some footwork drills. If you simply need to get better, call some older players who need a goalkeeper to shoot on and let them know you're available.
It is not the time to play Call of Duty and socialize with friends online. Trust me, I have enough 20 and 30 year old friends who do that to this day. It is time to set your goals and go after them.
"If not now, then when? If not you, then who?"
Take responsibility for your goals and dreams and get out there to make them happen. Summer is a great excuse for your competitors to relax and get comfortable in their free time. For the ones who are serious about achieving their goals, the time is NOW.
While other people are daydreaming, let's be proactive in trying to make ours come true.
May the posts be with you.....
Joe Cannon
GKUnion101@gmail.com
Friday, 8 June 2012
Euro 12 Goalkeeper Watch....
So I chose my top 3 on Twitter last night, and I just wanted to give my insight.
Iker Casillas- Big game player. Has the experience and the athleticism to win any game. Already has a Euro and a World Cup to his credit. Has the fortunate pleasure of playing behind the world's best team.
Joe Hart- Playing in England is no easy task. Playing for Manchester City and leading them to the EPL title is even harder. He has proved he has got the mentality and pedigree to win big games. The only question is can he do the same for England. I think he can.
Manuel Neuer- a tough pick over Buffon and Cech, however he has a certain confidence about him that makes him seem older. Germans are very mechanical and methodic and Neuer fits this bill. The same questions come up with him as they do Hart. Can his International game live up to his club performances. Once again, I believe it can.
Others to watch: Buffon, and let's be honest, I'm writing this after the displays of Cech and Szczesny, so I don't have to include them now.
Enjoy!!
Iker Casillas- Big game player. Has the experience and the athleticism to win any game. Already has a Euro and a World Cup to his credit. Has the fortunate pleasure of playing behind the world's best team.
Joe Hart- Playing in England is no easy task. Playing for Manchester City and leading them to the EPL title is even harder. He has proved he has got the mentality and pedigree to win big games. The only question is can he do the same for England. I think he can.
Manuel Neuer- a tough pick over Buffon and Cech, however he has a certain confidence about him that makes him seem older. Germans are very mechanical and methodic and Neuer fits this bill. The same questions come up with him as they do Hart. Can his International game live up to his club performances. Once again, I believe it can.
Others to watch: Buffon, and let's be honest, I'm writing this after the displays of Cech and Szczesny, so I don't have to include them now.
Enjoy!!
Tuesday, 5 June 2012
The Mental Save
I think we can all see where this is going. At some point, we either become the greatest person the history of the world, or we beat ourselves up for not acheiving that incredible title. Whether it's work, relationships, or the sport we love, our ego guides us down this never-ending path to perfection. It never ends because in our minds, we are never perfect.
Tuesday, 15 May 2012
Building your brand....the non social network way!
As a player, and sometimes a coach, it is very obvious what you want from the goalkeeper. Let's be honest here, there are going to be some ups and there are going to be some downs. However, the challenge is to stay consistent in this entire process. I don't mean consistent as far as letting in goals, or results. I mean consistent as far as your attitude and training habits.
My career has been blessed with so many great memories. I have played with some incredible players and been on some great teams. For most of my career, I've been a starter in MLS rather than a backup goalkeeper. However, a few times in the past few years, I have found myself on the outside looking in.
"Cream rises to the top", my former goalkeeper coach Tim Hanley would tell me. Keep doing the right things and in time, all will develop as it should.
My biggest learning experience with this came from my recent days with the San Jose Earthquakes. I started out the season in great form and then in a matter of three games, we had let in six or seven goals. We had a break, and the next game I found myself on the bench.
Why? Who? What happened? I was so bitter and I wanted to blame so many people. The next four weeks that followed were probably the lowest of my career. I was so focused on being bitter and thinking I was wronged, that I stopped focusing on what was important: my passion, my job, my position, my team, being a goalkeeper.
Meanwhile, I made it difficult for the other goalkeeper. The natural tension that arises between two goalkeepers will always be there, but I was not a good teammate. In practice, I would be ultra competitive and not do the things I should to help the other guy. I was so focused on being angry that I was hurting my team by focusing on myself.
After a few games, I got the job back, and then played a good game on my return. I was still bitter and I didn't care. I didn't care about my teammates as much as I should, my organization, or even the coaches. I was too good to fail now and I had proved all these people wrong.
Well what happened next is a true event of karma, or maybe even chance, but provided the lesson. Being bitter and now the starter, I was over it. I was better than this and that, and I came to training with a chip on my shoulder. Why should I care about people who treated me so "bad"?? As fate had it, a freak broken ankle is what happened next. I couldn't believe it, I was devastated.
With a broken limb healing and traded to a new team, I had months and months to reflect about what happened.
The first reflection, is that I tarnished my brand, and who I was and what I was about. Rather than focusing on my passion for my team, I was focusing on myself. It was wrong. I had falsely imagined obstacles and wrong-doings. In my pride, I was convinced by the story I had created. I was too focused on trying to find blame for my situation. The lesson was simple: there was no one to blame but myself......NOBODY.
The same scenario came again last year and I used my experience to cope with the challenge. I made a love for my new team, new city and new country a top priority. Although not content with being a back-up again, I had enough faith to know that my chance would come.
I was blessed to come to a team with an amazing medical staff that could get me back to my best. I worked to get fit, trained on my reactions, and became a vocal cheerleader for the team. I supported and worked with the other goalies, stayed after practice to refine my own game, and did everything I could to be ready for that next opportunity.
The result has not only been better play, but a stronger determination and dedication to training that I hadn't had in years.
By focusing my energies on things that I could control, I got back to the things which have helped me maintain my decade and a half career in MLS: passion, desire, committment, and team before individual.
For players of all ages, I hope you can learn from this lesson. There will be times when you are faced with "politics", injury, or just plain bad luck. However, your response to these situations will define you as a player and a person, even more so than your abilities on the field.
It's important to focus on everything that YOU can control. Your attitude about yourself and the team, habits on and off the field, work ethic, working on the weaknesses in your game, rehabbing, whatever it takes to bring your passion to the next level. These moments and personal decisions will carry you to lofty heights.
In the end, every athlete knows that it is not just the battle with opponents that make us proud and overjoyed. It is the challenges we face inside our own heads and the challenges that we have personally overcome which makes the reward that much sweeter.
These lessons apply no matter where you are in life. A soccer field, work, school, or even at home. Improve your brand through your positive attitude and unrivaled will and dedication to your cause. When this happens, no matter what the world says, you are a true winner.
May the posts be with you.......
Joe Cannon
MVLAGK@gmail.com
My career has been blessed with so many great memories. I have played with some incredible players and been on some great teams. For most of my career, I've been a starter in MLS rather than a backup goalkeeper. However, a few times in the past few years, I have found myself on the outside looking in.
"Cream rises to the top", my former goalkeeper coach Tim Hanley would tell me. Keep doing the right things and in time, all will develop as it should.
My biggest learning experience with this came from my recent days with the San Jose Earthquakes. I started out the season in great form and then in a matter of three games, we had let in six or seven goals. We had a break, and the next game I found myself on the bench.
Why? Who? What happened? I was so bitter and I wanted to blame so many people. The next four weeks that followed were probably the lowest of my career. I was so focused on being bitter and thinking I was wronged, that I stopped focusing on what was important: my passion, my job, my position, my team, being a goalkeeper.
Meanwhile, I made it difficult for the other goalkeeper. The natural tension that arises between two goalkeepers will always be there, but I was not a good teammate. In practice, I would be ultra competitive and not do the things I should to help the other guy. I was so focused on being angry that I was hurting my team by focusing on myself.
After a few games, I got the job back, and then played a good game on my return. I was still bitter and I didn't care. I didn't care about my teammates as much as I should, my organization, or even the coaches. I was too good to fail now and I had proved all these people wrong.
Well what happened next is a true event of karma, or maybe even chance, but provided the lesson. Being bitter and now the starter, I was over it. I was better than this and that, and I came to training with a chip on my shoulder. Why should I care about people who treated me so "bad"?? As fate had it, a freak broken ankle is what happened next. I couldn't believe it, I was devastated.
With a broken limb healing and traded to a new team, I had months and months to reflect about what happened.
The first reflection, is that I tarnished my brand, and who I was and what I was about. Rather than focusing on my passion for my team, I was focusing on myself. It was wrong. I had falsely imagined obstacles and wrong-doings. In my pride, I was convinced by the story I had created. I was too focused on trying to find blame for my situation. The lesson was simple: there was no one to blame but myself......NOBODY.
The same scenario came again last year and I used my experience to cope with the challenge. I made a love for my new team, new city and new country a top priority. Although not content with being a back-up again, I had enough faith to know that my chance would come.
I was blessed to come to a team with an amazing medical staff that could get me back to my best. I worked to get fit, trained on my reactions, and became a vocal cheerleader for the team. I supported and worked with the other goalies, stayed after practice to refine my own game, and did everything I could to be ready for that next opportunity.
The result has not only been better play, but a stronger determination and dedication to training that I hadn't had in years.
By focusing my energies on things that I could control, I got back to the things which have helped me maintain my decade and a half career in MLS: passion, desire, committment, and team before individual.
For players of all ages, I hope you can learn from this lesson. There will be times when you are faced with "politics", injury, or just plain bad luck. However, your response to these situations will define you as a player and a person, even more so than your abilities on the field.
It's important to focus on everything that YOU can control. Your attitude about yourself and the team, habits on and off the field, work ethic, working on the weaknesses in your game, rehabbing, whatever it takes to bring your passion to the next level. These moments and personal decisions will carry you to lofty heights.
In the end, every athlete knows that it is not just the battle with opponents that make us proud and overjoyed. It is the challenges we face inside our own heads and the challenges that we have personally overcome which makes the reward that much sweeter.
These lessons apply no matter where you are in life. A soccer field, work, school, or even at home. Improve your brand through your positive attitude and unrivaled will and dedication to your cause. When this happens, no matter what the world says, you are a true winner.
May the posts be with you.......
Joe Cannon
MVLAGK@gmail.com
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