If Soccer Were a Game of Poker

“If soccer were a card game it would be Poker. In Poker you get dealt good hands, bad hands and mediocre hands.”

This statement was made in a blog post that I read earlier this evening. The premise of the post was that some players are dealt great “natural hands”, but never make anything of them.

Other players don’t have the natural talents, but through hard work and dedication they go on to have solid soccer careers.

It always makes me a bit fearful when I see a young player with great speed or physical gifts. Too often coaches fail to develop the player, but instead let him simply coast on his/her advanced athletic ability.

As time goes on, other players catch up physically, but since the athlete hasn’t taken the time to work on their skills, they now find themselves behind the curve.

If you coach a naturally gifted athlete, be sure that you continue to work in soccer drills that emphasize technical skill. They must have a firm grasp of the fundamentals if they want to play soccer at a high level down the road.