TRAINING TO GAMES
BELOW S ONE OF MY SOCCER PARENTS AND FELLOW COACH. HIS NAME IS JOE HAMM. HE PLAYED ON THE 1972 OLYMPIC TEAM. I ALWAYS ENJOY HIS INSIGHTS.
Scott,
i agree with the guy, when i was in St.Philip Neri grade school, we played 10-12 league games, and maybe 4 or 5 playoff games tops. our school yard soccer hours to CYC game hours ratio was probably 20-1. only 2 or 3 parents showed up. Mr. Flynn, father of US soccer president Dan Flynn, coached us in 5th and 6th grade.
then in high school CYC select, we would practice 3-5 days a week spring and summer, even though league games were in the fall. Our coach, Dave Berwin, was a friend of pat McBride, who was then playing for White Star, a team coached by George Mihalovic, a Serbian immigrant. The Serbs were called the Brazilians of Europe. Our practices were copied from Mihalovic's practice, constant dribbling and receiving ball skills, and small games, especially small sided or full field 2 touch.
We would play 5 games to win the Missouri U-19 cup. that was the only age group back then. Sometimes going 2 or 3 weeks without a game, and then the game was often a practice game. In spring 1968, we played NCAA champs SLU to a 2-2 tie, and the starting line up on the U.S - 19 team in 1968 came from our neighborhood.
we weren't the best athletes, but had good technique and one and two touch skills.
Our teamwork was unsurpassed, as was our drinking ability
In college, we had the same coach for our club team, and many of the same players.
One year we played the St.Louis stars to a 2-2 tie a week before the NASL season.
Your buddy, Don Popovic, was the captain. that is the time when i got to know him.
Oh for the good old days.
it will never be the same.
Scott,
i agree with the guy, when i was in St.Philip Neri grade school, we played 10-12 league games, and maybe 4 or 5 playoff games tops. our school yard soccer hours to CYC game hours ratio was probably 20-1. only 2 or 3 parents showed up. Mr. Flynn, father of US soccer president Dan Flynn, coached us in 5th and 6th grade.
then in high school CYC select, we would practice 3-5 days a week spring and summer, even though league games were in the fall. Our coach, Dave Berwin, was a friend of pat McBride, who was then playing for White Star, a team coached by George Mihalovic, a Serbian immigrant. The Serbs were called the Brazilians of Europe. Our practices were copied from Mihalovic's practice, constant dribbling and receiving ball skills, and small games, especially small sided or full field 2 touch.
We would play 5 games to win the Missouri U-19 cup. that was the only age group back then. Sometimes going 2 or 3 weeks without a game, and then the game was often a practice game. In spring 1968, we played NCAA champs SLU to a 2-2 tie, and the starting line up on the U.S - 19 team in 1968 came from our neighborhood.
we weren't the best athletes, but had good technique and one and two touch skills.
Our teamwork was unsurpassed, as was our drinking ability
In college, we had the same coach for our club team, and many of the same players.
One year we played the St.Louis stars to a 2-2 tie a week before the NASL season.
Your buddy, Don Popovic, was the captain. that is the time when i got to know him.
Oh for the good old days.
it will never be the same.
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