Mass Youth Soccer Association

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We look at the following categories when evaluating players:

1. Technical Skills – a player’s comfort level with the ball

-Dribbling, receiving, passing, heading, shooting, tackling (getting the ball back from the opponent or regaining possession of the ball).

2. Tactical Decision Making – the decisions that a player makes

-When, where, why, & how to dribble, receive, pass, head, shoot and tackle the ball.
-What to do when our team has possession of the ball
-What to do when our team does not -have possession of the ball.

3. Physical Abilities – Speed, Quickness, Strength, Agility, Balance, Aggressiveness

4. Psychological / Mental Skills – Involvement in the activity

-Wants to be involved all the time - Work ethic
-Takes charge in the activity - Discipline
-Loves the competition - Commitment
-Personality in game competition - Coachabililty

5. Offensive Ability – helps to keep possession of the ball for the team

-Loves to have the ball at their feet
-Comfortable with the ball
-Finds a way to move the ball forward toward the opponent’s goal
-Finds a way to score goals
-Positional awareness (positioned to support teammates who have the ball)

6. Defensive Ability – helps win the ball back from the opponents

-Recovers to a defensive position after his/her team losses possession of the ball
-Good tackler of the ball
-Show restraint/patience when outnumbered by attackers
-Applies immediate pressure to opponent to win the ball back when appropriate
-Communicates with other players on the team