The formula for being a soccer player has long been known in Brazil, the country with the most professional players in the world: 16,000. It's a country where, as "The New York Times" reports, a child begins dribbling at 3, plays informally on beaches by 7 and sleeps with a ball. It's no wonder Brazilians know what it takes to be a soccer player. Getting an early start also plays a huge role in England, where David Beckham was noticed at age 8 for his talent and signed by Manchester United at age 12. Becoming a soccer player can start in childhood with supportive parents; the rest is up to you.
For Parents
Step 1
Introduce your child to soccer at a young age, ideally from 6 to 12, if not sooner. This recommendation for an early start is not confined to soccer officials in England and Brazil. U.S. Youth Soccer, in a landmark "Best Practices for Coaching Soccer in the United States" document released in 2006, calls for fun, unstructured soccer play for very young players that allows experimentation with the game.
Step 2
Allow the child to dribble first and master passing later if you are coaching your son or daughter individually or as part of a U6 to U10 team. Encourage comfort and creativity with the ball, "Best Practices" advises, and avoid pressuring a young player to look to pass first.
Step 3
Find a team to play futsal, an indoor game of five players, to give your child experience with ball mastery in close quarters and in intense doses. Sign up with a league appropriate for his age, from U6 to U10, so your child can work in a concentrated way on reflexes, creativity and decision-making. This soccer variant, played on a wooden gym floor with a smaller ball, gave Ronaldinho and other Brazilian players a chance to develop their flair and finesse
For Players
Step 1
Try out at a soccer club beginning around age 10 to be placed on a travel team if you have aspirations at a professional or Olympic level. Call your state's Olympic Development Program for information on tryouts to this even more exclusive training if you flourish in travel soccer. Players such as Mia Hamm and Julie Foudy for example were discovered through the ODP in their mid-teens. Or take a different tack and play recreational soccer in beginner leagues or even informal pickup games to improve your game.
Step 2
Practice each element of the game: passing, receiving, shooting, dribbling and defense. Stay late and work on your own, taking extra free kicks from different angles. Give 100 percent at practice so you'll be ready at a game. Rate yourself on and work to improve your knowledge of the game, skills, mental ability and fitness, including endurance, speed, strength, and balance and agility.
Step 3
Graduate to an elite academy team affiliated with U.S. Soccer. Expect to have a light schedule in terms of competitive matches and little emphasis on who wins or loses, with the focus more on superlative skills development through small-sided games.
Tips and Warnings
- Watch the world's best pro soccer, particularly the English Premier League, the UEFA Champions League and the FIFA World Cup, for ideas on how to beat a defender, how to move as a team and how to find the open player.
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