Sure you’re just not a bitter Bulls fan?

I find it incredibly refreshing to read articles such as this. I’m most definitely routed in the sport of soccer, having played and coached for the greater part of the last 10 years, but I’ve also been studying and analyzing LTAD literature for the past 3-4 years.

My company is young, but I cannot sing enough praise for you having written about points 2-5. I feel that everyone in today’s sporting world seems to pursue the faster, better way to get results but I feel as though the common error is in the sport community’s perception of how skills are acquired. I don’t at all feel as though gains in skill acquisition and match performance are linear, but instead go through peaks and valleys as children progress from early to middle to late childhood. Puberty, social pressures, family pressure all confound the process but what I don’t see enough of is coaches/clubs/organizations teaching positive coping strategies. I have a elementary understanding of the relationship between mastery-/performance-oriented training environments and their effect on the type of coping-mechanisms that children develop but I was wondering if you’ve ever written on any of those areas?

Great read.

Take Care,

Kyle Washington
Owner – Washington Total Soccer
http://ca.linkedin.com/pub/kyle-washington-oct/18/b63/ab8

Later
Billy