Tournament Recap – Lee’s Summit, MO

This was our first real chance to play together as a team, and we’re still learning our players’ strengths and positions. Unfortunately, this tournament didn’t have the level of organization we would normally expect. We also ended up facing 2015 teams, and it seemed like some guest players may have been even older. Player cards were not required, so anyone could go onto the field. There was also some inconsistencies with the officials.

As a Dad, I’d prefer to avoid tournaments in extreme heat where kids are pushed to play 3–5 games in a weekend. There’s a good perspective on this from a popular YouTube channel, and I agree, we want our players to develop a love for the game that lasts.

That said, our boys played incredible soccer this weekend. They gave everything they had, and we saw major improvement, especially when we faced the same team again on Sunday after playing them Saturday.

My coaching focus has been on building a solid defense. We’re putting stronger players there. They are learning how to move the ball to the outside, when to delay versus when to press, and how to stay focused on the whole field, not just the ball. Moving forward, we’ll shift more attention to striker and midfield roles. We experimented with both a 1-2-3 and a 1-3-2 formation, and may continue trying different setups.

Thank you to all the parents who braved the parking, the schedule changes, the delays, and the extreme heat. I wish we had better information regarding game times and field locations to keep everyone up to speed. Your support means a lot. Look forward to seeing everyone at practice this week.

-Coach Chase