Simple Ways to Coach Soccer Intelligence

Game intelligence in team sports is hard to quantify, as top level players are noticed for their exceptional ability to read the game, anticipate the next play, and find solutions on the field. It is very difficult to isolate a single action, and then attribute it to game intelligence, but when we look at a player's overall ability, it can generally be categorized it into two parts. First, the ability to strategize and make intelligent situational decisions on the field, and second, the carrying out of those decisions with technical skill and speed. The foundation of game intelligence is found in part one; the decision-making and strategy component, but technical and physical skill, also play a part in decision-making. When I talk about game intelligence with soccer coaches, the majority of them do not want to hear about scientific studies, data and abstract theories. Coaches want logical and realistic training methods that work, which can be incorporated into their regular practices. This is why connecting the dots of game intelligence, with logical training methods is so important. For a number of reasons, I believe the most effective and direct way to develop game intelligence, is through game based trainings. These are the types of trainings where players are constantly playing, stoppages are limited, and coaches tend to speak to individual players, without stopping the game.