“Winning does not equal development.” – Adè Harding

Eavesdropped Coaching

I was sitting in the background, trying to meld with a small chair and table just outside of, kitty-corner, to an indoor soccer field. I’ve never really been interested in soccer, a game the rest of the world, outside of the United States, calls football. But, you don’t really care about that. All I need you to be sure of is, I wasn’t sitting there to watch soccer. I was simply a vehicle. A chauffer, for my grandson. Now, he was in there, on the other side of a wall, garnished by netting, created to keep soccer balls slightly under control. I was grateful to be benefiting from that structural control and it didn’t escape my notice that Ade Harding was talking with the kids he was coaching about that very subject, control.

“Develop control,” he said in his kindly, English accent. “What happens if you simply kick the ball hard and let it bounce high? It can be stolen.”

Yes. As you can tell by now, I wasn’t just sitting there. I was eavesdropping. Coach Adè had captivated a new student, someone who could related to him in ways his younger, more energetic students could not.

“Because I’ve mastered these principles I can still play better than many young players, even though I’m 61 years old, have a damaged knee and walk with a cane.”

His personal description was a secure-hook, enabling him to reel me in. I began to listen more intently, wanting to learn from this proven master teacher and coach.

“Slow down. I want you to develop a soft touch with the ball,” he continued.

As a result, children, some as young as five or six years of age, began to hop on one leg while gently guiding a soccer ball around closely-spaced, short plastic markers.

“You’re not just learning to control the ball in these exercises, you’re building the muscles that will allow you to have the ability to move laterally, quickly and efficiently. Most people you’ll be competing with are singularly-focused on fast, forward movement. You’ll be able to maintain control of the ball in every direction. They’ll fly right by you as a result,” he taught.

His students were heeding his words and worked to achieve the outcome he anticipated. It wasn’t easy. He knew it wouldn’t be easy and that they may become disheartened. So, he offered additional instruction to them.

“We all make mistakes. You know when you do. You don’t need a coach to tell you you’ve made a mistake. When you recognize you’ve made a mistake, simply correct it and keep going.”

I was no longer sitting in the background, trying to meld with a small chair and table just outside of an indoor soccer field. I wasn’t simply a vehicle. A chauffer, for my grandson. Now, I was standing at the wall, listening and learning.

“Slow down,” Coach Adè said again. “Develop a soft touch.”

“Ok coach. I’ll keep working on it,” I said, as practice ended, just before I left to drive my grandson home.

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