Characteristics of a Dundee United FC Player
Attitude
- Support your teammates at all times. Nothing will earn you time on the sidelines faster than negative comments toward a teammate.
- Respect your opponents, their coaches, fans and officials at all times.
- Practice time belongs to the coaches. Coaches expect each player’s full attention during practice time. The game belongs to the players and only the players can make a difference during the game.
Safety
- Players should have a water bottle (LARGE) at all practices and games. Dehydration is the #1 enemy of a soccer player. If you wait until you are thirsty to begin drinking water you are too late to do any good.
- Players are expected to wear shin guards, cleats and socks for all practices. If you forget your shin guards or socks you will not be allowed to participate in any contact drills or scrimmages.
Courtesy/Responsibility
- Players should arrive at practice a minimum of 10 minutes before the scheduled practice time. When practice starts, it is time to work and the player should be in full equipment and finished with “social” time.
- PLAYERS MUST BRING THEIR OWN BALL TO PRACTICE. If you do not own a ball, see the coach.
- Players should arrive at games a minimum of 30 minutes before game time.
- If, for any reason, you cannot make a game or a practice, a phone call to the coach or the team manager is expected from the player. If Mom or Dad want to make the call, that’s fine, but it is the player’s responsibility to see that the call is made.
- Our team represents the Dundee Township Park District when we are at home games, and we are representatives of the entire Dundee community when we are at away games. Our bench and spectator areas will be clean and free of water bottles, candy wrappers and other debris when we leave a game site.
Skill Development
Dundee United FC utilizes a curriculum for skill development that is age appropriate. Our program presents players with the complete game of soccer in addition to individual skills and moves. All that is need for success is a player with a willing attitude to learn and train hard.
Individual Skill Development:
- Dribbling & 1v1 Moves
- Passing & Receiving
- Shooting & Finishing
- Individual 1v1 Defense
- Goal Keeping
Game Concepts
- Situation Fundamentals: Offense & Defense
- Principles of Team Attack: Length/Penetration, Depth & Width
- Principles of Team Defense: Pressure, Cover, and Balance
- Transition Fundamental: Gaining Possession, Losing Possession
- Formations: Soccer shapes
- Modes & Styles of Play
Soccer4U
Dundee United FC has put together a montage of champion soccer moves called Soccer4U (below). The video requires Apple’s free QuickTime 7 player. Please note this video is intended for educational purposes only. Many of the clips originate from strongsoccer.com, a great resource; if you like their clips, give them a donation for their bandwidth!
Small Sided Games (SSG)
Playing with fewer kids on a smaller field improves both physical and mental soccer skills. Technical abilities will accelerate due to increased time with the ball. The ball skill demands are soccer realistic. The players are involved on both sides of the ball and there is no hiding in the weeds.
The compactness and quicker action of a small sided game produces more opportunities for problem solving by players individually and as a team. SSG enhance the demands for transition and thus tactical awareness. Players are required to make more quality decisions faster, placing a greater demand on mental concentration.
The game is more fun to play because the players are always involved.
SSG Advantages
- Players get more touches on the ball
- Fewer players on the field reduces the size of the “swarm;” more space per player = less “bunching”
- Does not allow players to “hide” or be excluded from the activity;
- All players must attack and defend
- Presents realistic but simple soccer challenges
- More opportunities to score goals and to defend goals
- Requires players to make simple but realistic soccer decisions
- Player experiences more tactical situations more frequently
- Game is less complicated
- Player must concentrate more because action is quicker and more constant.
- Player has fewer interactions to consider (which of my other 10 players do I pass to?)
- Player has many more quality decisions to make
- Realistic Soccer Experience = Improvement In Play