How to improve away from the pitch: Soccer IQ

How to improve away from the pitch:

I'm going to be shooting a blog series for the  next month.

I wanted to start this new year with some concrete ways you can improve away from the pitch!

I started with sleep.

Then,  Nutrition 

Next, Recovery 

Finally, Soccer IQ.

Here are three things to focus on to help your athletes’ improve their soccer IQ:

How to improve your soccer IQ:

If you have received our emails, you  sent emails about this but I think it something we can continue to learn more about. You should have a love for the game. 

1) Watch the game!
I have had several players tell me.

"oh, I do not watch soccer! I play."

I will be honest; I get it. When I was growing up, there was a shortage of good soccer to watch. We could not get up on Saturday morning and watch the premier league. In this day and age, players should be watching games! Watch your favorite players/clubs/national teams.

Tip: Please, parents encourage your player to do more than watch highlight clips from Youtube. Yes, it is entertaining, and I have nothing against it, but you learn so much more from watching a game( tactics, formation, decision making, movement on and off the ball).

Especially if you're a young player, you are in the right spot. Always try to watch all the pro players but also watch the more experienced players in your club. If you are a slightly older player in your club, watch HS players. HS players should attend college. College players watch… Ok, You get my point. There will always be someone better than you. Watch and learn from them. What do you watch for? That leads me to my next point…


2) Watch the players who play your position:

It would be best if you studied those who play your position. You can learn so many tips. How do they solve problems? What is there attitude? How do they communicate? What is their body shape? How do they move on the ball? Off the ball?

Next, I would say when you're watching the game try to predict what they're going to do.

For example, a defender may watch a center back prevent a through ball from happening with proper positioning. If you're a midfielder, watch the center midfielder's movement and try to predict what gaps or pockets they're trying to find. If you're a forward, look at how center forward making a blindside run drags the defense out of position.

3) Encourage your players to talk to their coach/read

My last point I would recommend is talking to a coach.

Ask them for feedback from their game? "why did you tell me to do that the game?"

Don't be afraid to ask questions! Coaches(like teachers!) love it when players take the initiative and want them to reach out.

My next co-point, I would also say read—anything about the game.
I have listed some of my favorite books below.


( I am not an affiliate marketer, just a big reader!)


Some of my favorite books by athletes/coaches:

When Nobody was Watching: My Hard-fought Journey to the Top of the Soccer World by Carly Lloyd
Stillness and Speed by Dennis Bergkamp
My Turn: The Autobiography by Johan Cruyff
Soccer iQ: Things That Smart Players Do by Dan Blank
Masters of Modern Soccer by Grant Wahl
The Mixer: The Story of Premier League Tactics, from Route One to False Nines by Michael Cox
The Numbers Game: Why Everything You Know About Football is Wrong by Chris Anderson and David Sally

Tip:
Parents, please read these books with them. I have improved so much by reading from coaches and athletes and gleaning insights with much more knowledge than myself.

Again these were my top tips for increasing your IQ! Try these tips and let me know how much more knowledgeable you become about the game!