Feel The Soccer Rhythm
Last spring I was sitting in a local park just enjoying a beautiful day. There was a couple with a small boy maybe two or three years old sitting close by at a picnic table listening to some pop music. The baby was standing on the table and just dancing away. It was so unusual and almost shocking to see. I mean this boy had the beat like Michael Jackson use to. I didn’t see him moon walk or anything but he was really going at it. He had the rhythm and beat down. After watching for awhile I got up and went over to the mother and told her how amazed I was at how her son could dance like that. She told me that he loved to dance and that when she was carrying him she could feel him dance in her stomach. I told her that her kid had the potential to be a great athlete if he was lead in that direction. I thought to myself how I would love to coach this boy in soccer as he was growing up.
Then I started to think how this might play a significant role in why children develop soccer skills so well in Latin countries. There is that omnipresent Latin beat that just seems to permeate the atmosphere and gets into your blood and stays with you your entire life. I was thinking the Brazilian samba and all the great players that have come out of that great country. Every Latin country has its own music with a beat that is inescapable.
It is such a pleasure to watch Lionell Messi play as he is a picture of rhythm in motion. Ronaldinho is another example and there are so many others. Even the Spanish and Italians have their rhythm. I use to love to watch Luis Figo darting up and down the field in his quick harmonious style.
Having young soccer players with this innate beat and rhythm is a dream come true for soccer coaches. Young soccer players with this ability seem to pick up soccer skills and soccer tactics so quickly and naturally and are a true pleasure to coach and watch play this beautiful game.
The U.S.A. has some of the best soccer training facilities in the world and it seems ashamed not to fill them with little Lionell Messi’ and Ronaldinhos’. I think it might be a good idea to learn a thing or two from the Samba kings and start music soccer therapy for the youngins, I mean it can’t hurt. If they don’t play soccer at least they might turn into great dancers. I have seen some coaches using music while performing soccer skill training sessions but I think it has to start very early in the home. It will take more then a couple of years to get the results but I think that it may be worth a shot.
Richard Moore
Inventor of –
The Kick Coach
www.thekickcoach.com

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