I coached soccer at the high school level where many of the players play basketball too.
During practice, while they were having their break, I used that time to transfer information by asking questions.
One of my favorites, was asked to solve an apparent contradiction.
A basket is a little bigger than the ball. A soccer net is hundreds of times bigger than the ball. Why are both teams able to put the ball in the in the basket 90/100 times in a game and only a few times in a soccer goal? Shouldn’t it be the opposite, considering the proportion?
In the beginning they looked surprised. Why does this happen and not the opposite?
After a while, with a little hint, the answers come.
In basketball we shoot with our hands. Obviously we have much more control. To do the same in soccer we have to improve the sensitivity of our feet. We do everything with our hands, and with our feet we just walk or run. So, PRACTICE to improve foot skills.
Another reason. We can shoot, in basketball, over the head of our opponent. In soccer we need to trick him in order to have an open and clear view of the goal net. Again, practice to learn how to trick an opponent and have a clear shot!
In basketball we can cross the field by ourselves in counter attack and score. You can’t cross a soccer field by yourself and beat 11 opponents, because you’ll constantly loose the ball. This means STRATEGY. Work with teammates, passing appropriately and arrive at the border of the area in order to have the famous ‘clear shot’.
A soccer field is 10 times bigger than a basketball court but the players are only twice as any. That means there’s an enormous surface to guard with a lot less players. Without FITNESS you will be ‘dead’ in 10 minutes.
In conclusion:
*Improve fundamental skills
*Strategy
*Fitness
All the rest will come by itself. Victory too!
