How SmartGoals helps smarten-up Tampa youth soccer?
Young player dribbling through SmartGoals interactive cones
I have used SmartGoals in many ways, for different purposes of the game. As well as Fitness/physical training and Physical education classes. I have combined SmartGoals with other Brain training devices, for one to be creative and add even more stimulation to the training/exercise.
In my mind I have created different scenarios of the game and, used SmartGoals for those different key moments of football. For example, technical/physical warm-up, defensive drills, passing through the lines, attacking, finishing, crossing, possession games, goalkeeper training and many other game scenarios.
Scanning and awareness is crucial in many sports, but also my firm believe is, that it also relates to life in general. You drive you should be constantly scanning especially you blind spots. If you are walking in a busy inner city, you should be aware of your surroundings. With the smartphone, tablet, computer day and age I see that this attribute is diminished, especially in the younger generation. Therefore SmartGoals are a helpful device to add to training purposes. This gives athlete’s, patient’s that extra oomph, that they need to learn or relearn that instinct.
With the game of football and the trend of “Gegenpressing” and it’s organized chaos, player’s have to think more quickly and should have greater awareness of the picture on the pitch around them. Which in terms of my training, I always have at least one exercise per session where I implement the SmartGoals.
Peter Bosz, Source: Voetbalprimeur
“Intelligent players anticipate. Unintelligent players react. Always. If you think faster, you are faster on the field. If you react, you are always too late.”
I always have been fond of player’s that are athletic, can move well, are working for the team on both ends of the pitch. I am fond of player’s that are willing to learn the game from different positions. I believe if you want to have bigger possibilities to get sufficient playing time you should know several positions. I enjoy player’s that can dribble but are productive with their dribbling actions. And of course that have great awareness and make quick decisions. Overall, to me you must be productive to what you do on the pitch anything else, gets you hardly any results. For example, what is it worth to play tiki-taka and have 75% possession, but you are not being productive when it comes to creating goal scoring opportunities and or goals. In my trainings sessions I try to recreate game realistic exercises, that are helpful to the athlete. If the situation occurs in a game, they at least have experienced the situation. Certainly, in comparison practice to a game situations, in a game you end up having more pressure.
With the player’s that I train youth and adults and utilize the Smartgoals on, you can see that they are improving on their awareness, quickness, sharpness of dribbling, as well as their physical condition. Smartgoals have been a great equipment to use especially in the blazing sun of Florida. No other Brain training devices are useful to use in the blazing sunlight.
I also provide Skillgames and I have tested several youth player’s. Getting into clubs and other organization have been a tough journey, many clubs and organizations in the area, do not understand the value of the Skillgames. The young athlete’s and the parents of the athlete’s really enjoy the skillgames and it’s value. My vision is to grow the Skillgames more and more and I am a firm believer other’s will then see the value of it. But journey’s are not to be easy, therefore the destination will be much sweater.
Name: Ricardo Angel Dorthalina
Location: Tampa, Florida, USA
Background: Master’s of Athletic Therapy, Bachelor of Osteopathy, Football Specific Strength and Conditioning
Philosophy: I prefer ball-oriented work with clients, especially with the younger generation, I do not see Club coaches in the USA work with a proper concept of developing players, the foundation is often miss, many at the age of 13/14 do not know how to properly control aerial balls
Trainees: Boys and Girls, ages 7 and Up
Favorite quote: “Knowing others is wisdom, knowing self is enlightenment, mastering others requires force, mastering the self needs strength.” - Lao Tzu
Favorite coach(es): Huub Stevens, Louis Van Gaal, Peter Hyballa, Norbert Elgert, Oscar Ortega
Favorite playing style: I enjoy proactive football.
Favorite clubs: Ajax Amsterdam, FC Schalke, FC Barcelona
Favorite way of using SmartGoals: Activation, and for scanning dribbling actions
Instagram: @profeslickricktheruler1983
Linkedin: Ricardo Angel Dorthalina
Website: www.matchfitrd.com