The individual is more important than the team

The first page of Jose Morinho's coaching 'bible" is a simple statement:

"The team is more important than the individual"

This is true for adults, but for kids, my statement would be as follows:

"The individual is more important that the team"

While this seems at first almost blasphemous in our modern USA coaching culture--as we look closer we see some truths.

A great team like Barcelona is made up of great players like Messi and Iniesta (among others) both who as indivduals more than team players. (Ginez Melendez, who discovered Iniesta, showed me videos of Iniesta at 12 from his computer--I never saw him pass the ball once --just dribbled score goals). Only the developed individual can contribute to the group--the groups success depends on the highest possible inputs. Without the individual it there is no contribution to the group. Without the group receiving change and evolving there is no growth and the group fails to thrive.

And today we see the outcomes of this misunderstanding by coaches and soccer leaders across the country (and World) as kids drop out, we deal with Relative age effect, poor player development and unentertaining soccer focused on the team value of the win.

Last year I took a year long coaching course with the NSCAA "Advanced Director of Coaching Diploma,"  Led by Matthew Robinson of the University of Delaware it brought together some of the leading practitioners of Player Development in the US.

One of the assignments asked for us to read and review Steven Covey's Seven Habits. If you have not read it--it is an excruciating look at getting to know oneself and personal development.

As I read the book I saw unfolding an outline on personal development--but also a clear curriculum on soccer development. And a fresh look at precisely this problem of collective over the individual.

Personal development and soccer development are intertwined.

One of Covey's tenets is First independence, then interdependence.  This is an interesting idea that flows from the inside out idea.  We focus first on ourselves, sharpening our effectiveness before we seek interdependence of and efficiency of collectiveness. This applies directly to coaching development ideas where the player must first learn to stand on their own, comfortable on the ball, with the dribbling skills to declare independence on the field before they can seek to synergized, building relationships of the passing game of interdependence. 

But, interdependence is a choice only independent people can make. 

So how do we unleash our kids from the collectiveness that can hold them back?

1) Make the Person the Priority
Focus each of them to look inside to be true to themselves and search for excellence.

2) Player second
The best players play--the second best players compete. 'Players' with a more random and varied skill set to call upon--will always overwhelm those who compete (the trained, drilled, athletic, winning mindset, mentally tough--you name it, all of these are adult objectives projected on to young kids).

And if you want to be good at play you had better practice by playing, social, emotional, technical and physical problem solving.  Only Play until the age of 16. Kids who practice this the most will have the most to offer the group.

3) Team comes next
The team and the group become important as the boy or girl become an adult.  The change is overnight--kids at this age--sometime after later puberty--literally "grow up" at this age it is ok for them to lift weights--take on physical challenges. The prefrontal cortex close and executive function decision making is refined. Emotional, socially, holistically it is time for the individual to join the group. Now, at this age the team or group does take on importance.

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.--1 Corinthians 13:11

Kids will let you know when that time comes. And if we can wait we can maximize that individual to allow for new and better contributions.  Like the Hunter and Gatherer societies that did not ask boys to  contribute before the age of 16, they were allowed to play explore and create--evolutuoin has taught us that this is the most efficient learning model.