Vision Training: The missing link in American Soccer

While our national team pool of players increases in ability and experience by the minute, many young American players still struggle with the game of soccer for various reasons.  I contend that the largest road block we face is the way that we see and watch the game leading to a lack of true understanding and quality play.  This can be improved by playing the game more, watching the game on tv and proper training of our young players.  In this article I am focusing on how we train our players.

Seeing the Game:

"Visual Attention" on the ball, is in my opinion quite different in soccer than many American sports due to the inherent and unnatural location of the ball at our feet.  Once the ball has entered the player's immediate field of vision they must at some point lower their vision to focus on the ball so that they can make good decisions. "When something gets our visual attention we may focus both eyes on the object." This pause is called "fixation" and this is a true moment of frustration for American players.

We are not raised to play games where we need such a unique "field of vision" to play comfortably.  In addition, due to the lack of experience in the sport the vast majority of our youth players are being coached by volunteers who maintain the same levels of anxiety when a ball comes to them in a game as their U9 players do.  

How can we improve player vision?

By training players to work on their vision we can lower their anxiety levels and turn that feeling into a controlled and comfortable feeling.  Below I have mentioned some of the typical approaches taken by coaches.

1. Insist and ingrain players to continually take photographs in their minds over an over again before the ball arrives in their field of vision.  Use those photographs to remember where the pressure (opponent), space and teammates were before they receive the ball.  

2. Encourage them to anticipate and envision what decisions they will make when the ball comes to them by continually surveying the field while the ball is not in their immediate vicinity.  

Not enough

I have discovered though that this advice while sound, is clearly not enough.  We must strive to embrace the aspects of the game that the rest of the world has developed.  As a young coach I have embraced coaching courses, books, videos and logged countless hours studying the pro-game in an effort to devour more knowledge that I had not been taught as a player.  

A year ago I purchased a video called " The Vision Training System" and discovered two great coaches named TJ Kostecky and Len Bilous who have changed my outlook on what players need in training.  Ever since I have used the methods learned from them in my team training, camps, clinics and my personal play which needs every advantage possible. 

Coach Kostecky does a great job of putting together a comprehensive and dissectible video of vision techniques integrated with standard situations that will definitely improve a player's relationship with time and space.  I encourage every coach and youth soccer organization to incorporate this video into their curriculum.

The bigger picture--On field vs. Above field
In addition to "on field" vision training we must be diligent about showing "above field" training.  I refer to this as the bigger picture to our players so that they can envision the small phases of play as part of the larger puzzle.  


1. Train them to watch games with a wider field
Even my best players are so focused on the ball that when they watch a game on tv they truly only see the immediate field around the path of the ball.  I like to encourage them to watch the game with the entire story.  One method is to take the team to a pro game or college game and use it not only as a team building experience, but as mental training focused on tactics.

At Upper 90 Soccer we have built a "video session" into our summer program where we teach a lesson around goals from different world cup videos.  I have used these world cup videos and clips from our own games with my HS team with positive feedback from the players.  I believe this method can be used at any age as long as you understand your objectives and age group.  With our Lil' Kickers we use video to show rules, the passion for the game, introduce world class players to them, illustrate the simple shapes in the game (triangles and diamonds) as well as explain what all of the lines on the fields mean.

If you get a parent to video tape your youth games, it can be used as a great team building event and a training session.  Review the game first alone and take notes so that you can forward to the highlights you want to focus on.  The players will get more out of this than you might anticipate.

2. Use a White board with magnets
As often as possible I think a coach should use the tactics board  before warm-ups, at practice as well as at games to show players what it is they are striving to achieve.  Even if you are working on "change of direction moves" to avoid pressure like the "Cruyff" you can show them on the board/field where the move could be used due to standard situations.  If you do not own a tactics board you can simply lay out two different colored cones in the grass and move them about to demonstrate your bigger picture.

Some of our best players and coaches have used "Vision Training" in order to complete their arsenal of talent.  Click here to see what players like Cluadio Reyna, Julie Foudy and other pros have to say about it.

Best of luck.