How often have your players come to you during a practice session and very enthusiastically asked, "Coach, can we please do the following drill?" vs. Having, them come to you and ask," Coach when are we going to play soccer?"

When as a child, if you can remember that far back :) did you get together with your friends and say, "Hey, how about we do the following soccer drill?" As a matter of fact can you ever recall getting together to organize a baseball, basketball or football drills? Or, did you simply choose-up teams and begin playing that particular sport with a few modifications to adjust to the number of kids that showed-up?

Can you imagine a group of kids in Brazil/ Argentina/ Germany/ Holland/etc. getting together and saying, "I think we should do the following soccer drill!" Or, do you see them just choosing up teams and start to play soccer?

Do you see a trend here? Are the children, even you as a child, telling us something about the words we are and should be using? Does it matter what words we use? Do words really make that much difference?

Let's begin by checking the dictionary and see which words have a more enjoyable sounding definition:

"Drill" - Instruct by repetition. Strict training and instruction."

Do you think your players come to you to be Instructed by Repetition? Have you been exposed to the word 'boring?'

Do you think your players come to you because they want Strict training and instruction? Do you believe that the 'love of the game' can be taught through strict instruction?

If we combine the word soccer with drill we come up with the often used words 'soccer drill'. Our soccer dictionary would then result in the following definition. "Strict, Repetitious, Instructions to develop youth soccer players!"

Strict, has often resulted in players, standing in lines, waiting for their turn to touch the ball, and being under the coaches scrutiny.

Repetitious, has often resulted in players, standing in lines, waiting for their turn to touch the ball, and being under the coaches scrutiny.

Instructions, has often resulted in players having to listen to the coaches' verbiage…while standing in lines, waiting for scrutiny.

Let's check the dictionary again and see what we have for the word:

"Game" - Playing activity. Competition according to a set of rules.

Do you think your players come to you so that they can be in action which causes change while being lively, vigorous and energetic? Have you been exposed to the word 'FUN'?'

Do you think your players come to you because they want Competition according to rules? Do you believe the 'love of the game' can be taught by playing soccer within the Laws of the Game?

If we combine the word soccer with game we come up with the words 'soccer game." Our soccer dictionary would then result in the following definition. "Playing, Actively, With Rules!"

Playing, has often resulted in players having to move around the field as the ball moves, touching the ball when they are on Attack, touching the ball when they regain possession in Defense, and being observed by the coach who helps when necessary.

Actively, resulting in players meeting the demands of the game. Learning while playing soccer and receiving help from the coach when necessary.

With Rules, resulting in players playing in a safe environment, while learning the game and receiving help from the coach when necessary.

It may sound seem and sound silly to ask for a change from the word 'drill' to using the word 'game.' Thousands of skeptical youth coaches who made the change have come back to praise the positive changes that occurred in their own personal attitude toward practices. And they have written about the noticeable change in their player's attitude also.

The '9-Step Practice Routine' is built on 'buzz words' that simplify soccer for the developing player and coach. We have found that the elimination of the words 'soccer drills' and replacing them with the words 'soccer games' can/does make an attitudinal change.

"To Youth Soccer Drill or Not To Youth Soccer Drill" ... That was the question.

Now you know the answer...