14 year old Erling Haaland was INSANE
Anyone of us who coaches soccer knows that Erling Haaland’s successes at 14 years of age from then until now – as a Man City megastar- are a story about the human collective and our yearnings to celebrate talent, determination, competition and exceptionalism.
As a veteran of the grassroots soccer movement, coaching for the last 13 years, I realized early on that the best moments support an individual player’s growth. Every child you interact with comes to you to help them create their unique soccer and life story and what I have experienced over the period of each season is remarkable!
As an example, a player comes to my mind and heart that I coached during my 4th season. A 2nd grade player begged her mother to sign her up for her first touches with a ball, a new team and sport because she wanted to play with her friends. Children often decide these things at lunch and on the school playgrounds during recess every day, i.e., chatting about what sport or activity they want to be together for, etc.
This new player stepped onto the pitch for her first game and quickly discovered that an opposing player, who she did not know, was dribbling a ball and moving towards her. She was intimidated and then moved out of the way, shrugged her shoulders, put her head down and asked to come out. The next game she exhibited concerns about not wanting to start and was hesitant to stand up to be ready for a substitution. Fast forward to the final game of the season. Instead of avoiding an oncoming player with the ball in the last 2 minutes: (1) she firmly positioned herself, (2) did not dive in too early, (3) was able to close space, (4) asserted the correct pressure to force an error, (5) gained possession and (6) made a connecting pass that advanced the ball forward. This combination of 6 decisions began a transition from defense to the attack, then into the middle and final third our team went. It did not result in a goal, but in that moment, I recognized what a desire to play with your friends was truly about. It was about creating a unique space for the nature of growth as an autonomous decision maker on the playing field and in LIFE. That player never returned to to the game of soccer, but she did grow as a human.
These stories are what the majority of grassroots soccer players, coaches and their parents live for. Walking to my car after the first game of the next season without her, I smiled because her final and “clutch” decision under pressure or any of the thousands like it where I supported the whole child development model was all because of my “love of the beautiful game”!