| Presence Lends Conviction
by Douglas L. Semark
Former AYSO Director of Education
Used by permission.Copyright © 1997
AYSO.
All rights reserved.
Reproduced from a
1997 Section Meeting presentation
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Your presence on the field
includes visual impressions, displays of physical ability, proximity
to play, and sound reading of proper location and timing. In these
cases, your body is the mechanism for creating this presence.
Creating a Better Mechanism
(Body) through Stretching
1. Foundation Posture
(to prepare for proper stretching)
- Place feet hip width apart.
- "Grab" the ground with the toes.
- Slightly relax and soften the knees.
- Pinch in buttocks to help place pelvic
girdle in true horizon.
- Pull in abdomen.
- Place shoulders back, but don't over
tighten them.
If possible, this is the
desirable posture for most people. If pain or discomfort occur, stop
and see a doctor.
2. Active Stretches
(using muscles that oppose those we want to stretch -- no pain)
- General leg: Lift leg about 45°,
hold, then lower leg.
- Hamstring: Lift leg about 45°, then
point toes toward knee; relax, then lower leg.
- Achilles tendon: Lift leg about
45°; point toes, then pull toes upward toward knee several times.
Relax, then lower leg.
- Quadriceps: Place hands in small of
back. Lift leg backward with knee bent. Using only leg muscles (no
hands), pull knee back as far as possible while pointing toes toward
knee. Relax, then lower leg.
- Upper body: Stretch arms wide, and
as far back as comfortable. Slowly pull them forward and cross them
until the elbows bend and the hands can "grab" the shoulders.
Repeat, letting other arm cross on top.
3. Passive Stretches
- Inner and outer leg: Stand on one
leg, lift opposite foot backward and drop hip. Hold position, then
raise hip and lower foot.
- Hamstring: Keeping lower back
stable, slowly stick buttocks out until toes begin to come off
ground. Move forward to foundation posture by tightening hamstrings.
- Arms and upper body: Place hands
low in front and lace fingers. Lift until over head, then let go and
bring hands and extended arms down and out until they reach the
sides of the body.
Strengthening and Tempering the
Mechanism
4. Jog in Place to Warm Up
(normally 2-5 minutes)
- Begin slow and easy, knees coming up
slightly.
- While slightly increasing pace, bring
knees higher.
- Lift knees toward chest and kick up heels.
- Slow down and stop.
5. Jog/Run for Pace,
Rhythm, and Speed
- From goal-line, run (do this using at
least 60% speed) to goal-area line (6 yard line), then jog back.
- From goal-line, run to penalty-area line
(18 yard line), then jog back.
- From goal-line, run to half-way line, jog
back.
- From goal-line, run to far penalty-area
line, jog back.
- From goal-line, run to far goal-area line,
jog back.
- From goal-line, run to opposite goal-line,
then continue around the field varying speed and direction. Run
backward and sideways (without crossing legs) both left and right.
6. Jog for Flexibility
- Run the course counter-clockwise at 60%
speed, then turn and run clockwise.
- Run the course counter-clockwise at 80%
speed, then turn and run clockwise.
- Run the course counter-clockwise at
variable speed, from slow jog to sprint, then turn and run
clockwise.
Using the Mechanism
7. Soccer Position (a
proper transitional posture on the field)
- Keep feet spread about shoulder-width
apart.
- Keep weight forward on balls of feet, with
heels on ground.
- Keep knees slightly bent.
- Keep hands relaxed and arms held slightly
out from the sides.
- Keep shoulders relaxed, neck flexible, and
head mobile.
Each of these elements, or
variations of them, are essential foundations for increased quickness,
acceleration, and mobility.
8. Quickness (from a
soccer position standing start)
- Lead in the direction of the sprint with
the hand and arm that correspond with the leading foot.
- Allow the center of gravity to follow the
lead of the hand and arm by lifting the leading foot up off the
ground, but do not place it on the ground until the body has begun
"falling" in the desired direction.
- Taking a very short stride, place the
leading foot on the ground behind the moving center of
gravity, while the pushing (trailing) leg extends the ankle, knee,
and hip for maximum acceleration.
- Concentrate on keeping the center of
gravity moving in a straight line, rather than up and down or side
to side.
- Complete each successive stride with the
foot meeting the ground behind the center of gravity.
- A more compact stride is better for
control, agility, starting, and stopping; a longer stride is good
for straight ahead running.
Common errors include standing
flat-footed, miss-stepping in the wrong direction, raising the foot
and knee too high on the first step, not using the arms to help get
the body in motion, and holding the whistle and arms up and close to
the body.
9. Turning (while
moving at speed)
- At the moment the turn is to be made, the
leading leg must be extended beyond the center of gravity, then bend
at the ankle, knee, and hip to reduce momentum.
- As momentum ceases and the center of
gravity begins to "rebound" from its forward motion, the trailing
leg and arm become the lead leg and arm for transition to the new
direction.
- Extend the new lead arm to lead in the new
direction.
- Allow the center of gravity to follow the
lead of the hand and arm by lifting the leading foot up off the
ground, but do not place it on the ground until the body has begun
"falling" in the desired direction.
- Taking a very short stride, place the
leading foot on the ground behind the moving center of
gravity, while the pushing (trailing) leg extends the ankle, knee,
and hip for maximum acceleration.
Common mistakes include
overrunning by half a stride, ending up flat-footed with both feet
parallel, and turning away from play rather than with it.
10. Presence (being
there and being seen without being in the way)
- At times when there is active play, be
within 5-20 yards of play.
- Usually, be behind play and away from the
angles of attack.
- At times when the ball is in the air or in
transition, anticipate its next probable location and move to within
20 yards of that spot.
- Depending on proximity of play, continue
to run for a few strides even though play slows down.
- If play borders on conflict, close on the
spot to within five yards, avoiding the angles of attack.
- As much as possible, come to rest in the
"soccer position" for a quick response to changes. Try to keep the
body "live" at all times during play.
- As always, keep play between you and an
assistant referee, and delay, rotate around, and get behind play
during transitions. Also, immediately transition to the opposite
side assistant referee.
In addition to using your bodily mechanism
as a means of creating visual and proximate presence, think about
aural presence, legal presence, and emotional presence.
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