A Simple Way to Stop Soccer Players from Bunching Up
The Most Innovative Idea I Have Heard
"When your teammate has the ball what do you do?"
"Stay Away, Stay Away, Stay Away"

Hi SoccerHelp:

Two weeks ago we won 4-0. The team we beat was not that good and my players got pretty sloppy. Once they figured that it was easy to score on that team, my girls started stealing the ball from one another because they all wanted to score goals. I started benching players every time they stole ball from their teammates.

I had a long talk with them before the next game.

We Chanted the Team Mantra where I ask "When your teammate has the ball what do you do?"

And they reply: "Stay Away, Stay Away, Stay" Away" - again and again.

I also told the worst offenders that I would only warn them about stealing the ball from their teammates once the during next game and if they did it a second time, they would be benched for the entire game.

Well it worked. We beat a pretty good team 2-0. We played a 1-1-1-3 soccer formation plus a goalie. The field is not that wide and the girls can cover quickly on Defense. The Ball hardly ever got onto our side of the field. When the other team got the ball, they had to get past three girls to get to my Goalie and each girls was tougher than the next.

We had one true assist and another goal. It was the best my team ever played. We are now 3-0-2 with only one goal scored against us in five games.

Coach Troy, U8 Rec coach, Premium Member