By Neil Hull, NSCAA State Technical Coordinator, Texas

Many coaches and players alike talk of winning the second ball. When the coach asks his players, "I want you to go out there and win the second ball," do the players know what he is talking about or why he has requested this tactic? Hopefully over the next few paragraphs we will be able to resolve and unwrap some of the whats, wheres, whys and whens of winning the second ball.

What is the Second Ball?
As a ball is played over the heads of the defenders from the midfield, the strikers see the ball's trajectory (path of flight) as being too low to clear the defensive line. From visual clues and experience, the attackers notice the defenders are more likely to win an aerial ball. Rather than attempting to win the 50/50 ball in the air, the attacker sets up in a position to win the second ball and gain advantage from a possible weak or mis-timed defensive first touch. Even if the defender makes a good first touch, the attacker is in a position to apply pressure, the first principle to winning the ball back.

Where Should a Coach or Player Attempt to Win the Second Ball?
This tactic is generally for an attacking system. The best area is in the final attacking third, although it may also be effective in the middle third. It depends upon your team's shape, formation, size, age and sometimes gender.

If your team is playing a three-forward system and the opposition's defense is aggressive and taller, have your attackers position themselves around the defender receiving the ball. This will psychologically force "numbers up" or "color of shirt" pressure on the defender. This might assist in creating the wayward first touch.

Age and gender can sometimes be a reason to effect the second ball. Young players, both male and female, do not like to head goal kicks or high aerial balls. If they let the ball bounce, that is the time to win the second ball. As players get older, the attacking use of winning the midfield aerial ball is often emphasized by the coach. Some of the more adventurous players step up to the mark, creating the plays we have already discussed. In my opinion, this is not a good tactic to use defensively or in your defensive third, If you give an attacker the first touch, what is the initial thought in the striker's mind: Can I shoot? Defenders should always try to win the first touch and prevent the ball from bouncing.

Why Play the Second Ball?
Why would a team or player choose to implement this tactic?

· To gain an attacking advantage from a known player's weak first touch.
· When inch for inch your team, or you as a player, are smaller and attempts to win aerial balls are a losing battle.
· Creating shape behind the ball by allowing them the touch it may provide for your team to regain or set up shape.
· Prevent the "jumping in" scenario inexperienced defenders often display.
· When your midfield is taller than theirs. Letting the opposition's defense win the first touch in the air and your midfield win the second could set up an automatic counterattack.

We could go into many more, but thoughts on tactics are your own. Development of a tactic to suit a team's style and knowledge of the game is up to the individual coach.

When Should This Tactic Be Applied?
It comes down to the choice of the coach or individual player. From a coach's standpoint, they should be looking to the team advantage from the second ball. Does the coach's or team's style of play suit this tactic? If the team is playing "indirect" and wishes to draw the opponent to its half to set up a counterattack or line of confrontation, this is a possible attack. However if the team is playing "direct," then the forwards are coached to win every ball. It becomes an individual decision whether to challenge for the first ball or step out and wait for the second.

Two areas I would look at outside of your control are the size of pitch and the weather. Is the pitch long and narrow (more of a direct game)? Going with the wind? Is the opposition winning the ball because of compactness of the field or mis-timed delivery? Then may be this is the time to change tactics and attempt to win the second ball.

Is the weather rainy, the field sticky and the ball dying on the bounce? First, players don't like heading the ball on days like this. It automatically sets up the opportunity for a weak touch. Secondly, the ball dies with its first touch in the mud. It is a prime opportunity for your attackers to win the ball and pentrate or take the shot.

The game of soccer is not black and white; the game grows and evolves. It is 90 minutes older at its conclusion, its players and coaches 90 minutes more experienced. During the match, all participants have made decisions to the future of their game's evolution. It is not a game of endless timeouts, scratches, or 50 athletes sitting on the bench. The control in playing soccer comes from the players. It is on the training ground where a coach demonstrates the techniques and tactics he wishes the players to employ. A strong team is able to transfer this to a game, with maybe a little tweaking at halftime. Consider the tactic of winning the second ball and placing it in your game. If you don't utilize it, at least know it's out there, in case it's used on you.

U.S. MNT Games to Air Live on ABC, ESPN & ESPN2 Beginning with
USA-Czech Republic on June 12 on ESPN2;
Schedule Highlighted by USA-Italy Showdown on Saturday, June 17 on ABC 

CHICAGO (March 18, 2006) – The U.S Men’s National Team will kick off their 2006 FIFA World Cup campaign live at 11:55 a.m. ET on ESPN2 on Monday, June 12, 2006, against the Czech Republic. ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 will broadcast all 64 games of the 2006 FIFA World Cup live in Germany from June 9 through July 9, 2006.  

ABC Sports will broadcast 12 tournament games, including the USA’s match-up against Italy at 2:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, June 17, as well as the championship match at 1:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 9, at Berlin’s Olympiastadion. The Saturday afternoon USA-Italy match-up is poised to be one of the tournament’s major highlights. 

ESPN will televise 31 matches, including the USA’s final group match against Ghana at 9:55 a.m. ET on Thursday, June 22, while ESPN2 will air 21 matches, including the U.S. squad’s opening match and the tournament’s opening match between host Germany and Costa Rica at 11:55 a.m. ET on Friday, June 9. 

All of the tournament matches will be simulcast in high definition for the first time ever on ABC HD, ESPN HD and ESPN2 HD. 

During the World Cup, ESPN and ESPN2 will present World Cup Live – a daily highlight and analysis show of all the tournament action. ESPN and ESPN2 will air 32 episodes of World Cup Live between 12 a.m. and 2 a.m. ET (9-11 p.m. PT) as part of ESPN’s “Trifecta” block of programming. Shows will include news updates as well as reviews and previews of World Cup action from Germany. ESPN2 will also air 12 live editions of the show between games on select days between June 9-19.

U.S. Men’s National Team 2006 FIFA World Cup Television Schedule

Date                 Matchup                                    Eastern Time                 TV

June 12             U.S. MNT vs. Czech Republic     11:55 a.m. ET                ESPN2

June 17             U.S. MNT vs. Italy                      2:30 p.m. ET                 ABC

June 22             U.S. MNT vs. Ghana                  9:55 a.m. ET                 ESPN

2006 FIFA World Cup Groups

GROUP A: Germany, Costa Rica, Poland, Ecuador
GROUP B: England, Paraguay, Trinidad & Tobago, Sweden
GROUP C: Argentina, Ivory Coast, Serbia & Montenegro, Netherlands
GROUP D: Mexico, Iran, Angola, Portugal
GROUP E: Italy, Ghana, United States, Czech Republic
GROUP F: Brazil, Croatia, Australia, Japan
GROUP G: France, Switzerland, South Korea, Togo
GROUP H: Spain, Ukraine, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia

 2006 FIFA World Cup Television Schedule – First Round

Date       No.     ET                    Network            Match                                                   Site

June 9     1       11:55 a.m.         ESPN2             Germany vs. Costa Rica                         Munich

               2       2:55 p.m.          ESPN2             Poland vs. Ecuador                                Gelsenkirchen

June 10    3       9 a.m.               ABC                 England vs. Paraguay                             Frankfurt

               4       11:30 a.m.         ABC                 Trinidad & Tobago vs. Sweden                 Dortmund

               5       2:55 p.m.          ESPN2             Argentina vs. Ivory Coast                        Hamburg

June 11    6       8:55 a.m.          ESPN2             Serbia-Montenegro vs. Netherlands          Leipzig

               7       11:30 a.m.         ABC                 Mexico vs. Iran                                      Nuremburg

               8       2:55 p.m.          ESPN2             Angola vs. Portugal                                Cologne

June 12    9       8:55 a.m.          ESPN2             Australia vs. Japan                                 Kaiserslautern

              10       11:55 a.m.         ESPN2             USA vs. Czech Republic                         Gelsenkirchen

              11       2:55 p.m.          ESPN2             Italy vs. Ghana                                       Hanover

June 13  12       8:55 a.m.          ESPN2             South Korea vs. Togo                             Frankfurt

              13       11:55 a.m.         ESPN2             France vs. Switzerland                           Stuttgart

              14       2:55 p.m.          ESPN2             Brazil vs. Croatia                                    Berlin

June 14   15       8:55 a.m.          ESPN2             Spain vs. Ukraine                                   Leipzig

              16       11:55 a.m.         ESPN2             Tunisia vs. Saudi Arabia                         Munich

              17       2:55 p.m.          ESPN2             Germany vs. Poland                               Dortmund

June 15   18       8:55 a.m.          ESPN2             Ecuador vs. Costa Rica                          Hamburg

              19       11:55 a.m.         ESPN2             England vs. Trinidad & Tobago                Nuremburg

              20       2:55 p.m.          ESPN               Sweden vs. Paraguay                             Berlin

June 16   21       8:55 a.m.          ESPN2             Argentina vs. Serbia-Monte.                    Gelsenkirchen

              22       11:55 a.m.         ESPN2             Netherlands vs. Ivory Coast                     Stuttgart

              23       2:55 p.m.          ESPN               Mexico vs. Angola                                  Hanover

June 17   24       8:55 a.m.          ESPN2             Portugal vs. Iran                                     Frankfurt

              25       11:30 a.m.         ABC                 Czech Republic vs. Ghana                      Cologne

              26       2:30 p.m.          ABC                 Italy vs. USA                                         Kaiserslautern

June 18   27       9 a.m.               ABC                 Japan vs. Croatia                                   Nuremberg

              28       11:30 a.m.         ABC                 Brazil vs. Australia                                 Munich

              29       2:30 a.m.          ABC                 France vs. South Korea                          Leipzig

June 19   30       8:55 a.m.          ESPN2             Togo vs. Switzerland                              Dortmund

              31       11:55 a.m.         ESPN2             Saudi Arabia vs. Ukraine                         Hamburg

              32       2:55 p.m.          ESPN2             Spain vs. Tunisia                                    Stuttgart

June 20   33       9:55 a.m.          ESPN               Ecuador vs. Germany                             Berlin

              34       9:55 a.m.          ESPN2             Costa Rica vs. Poland                            Hanover

              35       2:55 p.m.          ESPN               Sweden vs. England                               Cologne

              36       2:55 p.m.          ESPN2             Paraguay vs. Trinidad & Tobago              Kaiserslautern

June 21   37       9:55 a.m.          ESPN               Portugal vs. Mexico                                Gelsenkirchen

              38       9:55 a.m.          ESPN2             Iran vs. Angola                                       Leipzig

              39       2:55 p.m.          ESPN               Netherlands vs. Argentina                       Frankfurt

              40       2:55 p.m.          ESPN2             Ivory Coast vs. Serbia-Monte.                  Munich

June 22   41       9:55 a.m.          ESPN               Ghana vs. USA                                      Nuremberg

              42       9:55 a.m.          ESPN2             Czech Republic vs. Italy                         Hamburg

              43       2:55 p.m.          ESPN               Japan vs. Brazil                                     Dortmund

              44       2:55 p.m.          ESPN2             Croatia vs. Australia                               Stuttgart

June 23   45       9:55 a.m.          ESPN               Saudi Arabia vs. Spain                           Kaiserslautern

              46       9:55 a.m.          ESPN2             Ukraine vs. Tunisia                                 Berlin

              47       2:55 p.m.          ESPN               Togo vs. France                                     Cologne

              48       2:55 p.m.          ESPN2             South Korea vs. South Korea                  Hanover

2006 FIFA World Cup Television Schedule – Second Round

Date       No.     ET                    Network            Match                                                   Site

June 24   49       10:30 a.m.         ABC                 1st A vs. 2nd B                                      Munich

              50       2:55 p.m.          ESPN               1st C vs. 2nd D                                      Leipzig

June 25   51       10:30 a.m.         ABC                 1st B vs. 2nd A                                      Stuttgart

              52       2:55 p.m.          ESPN               1st D vs. 2nd C                                      Nuremberg

June 26   53       10:55 a.m.         ESPN               1st E vs. 2nd F                                      Kaiserslautern

              54       2:55 p.m.          ESPN               1st G vs. 2nd H                                      Cologne

June 27   55       10:55 a.m.         ESPN               1st F vs. 2nd E                                      Dortmund

              56       2:55 p.m.          ESPN               1st H vs. 2nd G                                      Hanover 

2006 FIFA World Cup Television Schedule – Quarterfinals

Date       No.     ET                    Network            Match                           Site

June 30   57      10:55 a.m.         ESPN               Winners – 49 vs. 50       Berlin

              58       2:55 p.m.          ESPN2             Winners – 53 vs. 54       Hamburg

July 1      59       10:30 a.m.         ABC                 Winners – 51 vs. 52       Gelsenkirchen

              60       2:55 p.m.          ESPN               Winners – 55 vs. 56       Frankfurt

2006 FIFA World Cup Television Schedule – Semifinals

Date     No.       ET                    Network            Match                           Site

July 4    61         2:55 p.m.          ESPN               Winners – 57 vs. 58       Dortmund

July 5    62         2:55 p.m.          ESPN               Winners – 59 vs. 60       Munich

2006 FIFA World Cup Television Schedule – Third Place Game

Date     No.       ET                    Network            Match                           Site

July 8    63         2:55 p.m.          ESPN               Runner up – 61 vs. 62     Stuttgart 

2006 FIFA World Cup Final on ABC Sports

Date     No.       ET                    Network            Match                           Site

July 9    64         1:30 p.m.          ABC                 Winners – 61 vs. 62       Berlin

- ussoccer.com -

California Futsal Association – North

Address: 1400 El Camino Real # 117, South San Francisco, Ca 94080
Phone: President Luis Azucena -415 648-4375 Dan Proctor -707 528-6828
V.P Nelson Cabrera -415-601-0466 or Fax: 707 578-8692
Website: www.californiafutsal.org email: information@californiafutsal.org
Luis A. office hours Mon 1-6,Tues 2-10, Wed 1-6, Thurs 1-10 & Fri 1-10

2006 Northwest Association Cup

California Futsal State Cup & Northwest Regional combined

Be a Sponsor for the 2006 North-West Assn. Cup

CFAN are looking for sponsors for the 2006 Northwest Assn. Cup on the weekend of April 21 through 23 for youth teams, and adults (adults may be switched to another week depending on sign ups). This tournament is administered by the California Futsal Association - North.

If you will like to sponsor the tournament and/ or have any questions please feel free to contact a CFAN representative at the phone numbers listed above for more information.

As a sponsor of the tournament, CFAN will name a court after your company or individual name. Also, if you have any banners to display, we will gladly put your banners up in the gym next to the court you sponsor or on the net of the futsal goals…It is your choice! CFAN is asking for a $200 sponsorship per court.

Here is your chance to advertise and get the exposure for your company. Teams from Santa Rosa, San Francisco, San Jose, Tracy, Modesto, Tri-Valley, South San Francisco, Oakland, and more will be in attendance.

Northwest Assn Cup Divisions

Under 10 Boys Under 12 Boys Under 14 Boys Under 16 Boys Under 19 Boys Men Adult Open

Under 10 Girls Under 12 Girls Under 14 Girls Under 16 Girls Under 19 Girls Women Adult Open

Help Support CFAN AND THE 2006 North- West Assn. Cup!

Coaching Corner: Fun Games for Under 8s (Part 1)
By Lee Mitchell, NSCAA Region III Technical Director

Several of these games are "knock out" games where the losers are knocked out and the last player left is the winner. Since the first ones knocked out are often the ones who need the most practice, those knocked out should be required to do something to either get back into the game or to keep them working on their ball skills until the game is over. One possibility is to set up a parallel game for those knocked out to take part in.

Simon Says
Purpose of the Game: To encourage children to run with the ball, keeping it close to their feet.
Area Needed: 20m x 20m.
Story: Simon is the King of Knotty Ash. In Knotty Ash all of the people are children. When King Simon says, "foot, knee, sit, elbow, head on the ball," you must do it immediately. The coach can also integrate commands such as "change direction," "go faster," and so on into the game. If King Simon does not issue the command or a child responds slowly, he or she receives a "Gotcha." However, children should not be eliminated from the game.
Equipment: Eight cones to mark the area and one ball per child.
Organization: Mark out a 20m x 20m are using the cones. Ask each child to dribble around Knotty Ash (the area) with the ball remaining close to the foot (tell the children to imagine that the ball is connected to their feet by a short piece of elastic). The coach calls out a comm and which the child should follow only when preceded by "Simon Says..."

The drill/game "Simon Says" encourages children to move with the ball under close control. They have now begun the process of dribbling. The next progression would be to encourage the children to use their peripheral vision. The following game, Tigers in the Jungle, will create an environment to enhance this process.

Tigers in the Jungle
Purpose of the Game: To encourage children to look up while dribbling at speed.
Area Needed: 20m x 20m.
Story: Each child chooses to be a type of animal that lives in the jungle and makes the sound of that animal. Only tigers are not allowed. The tiger is the most feared animal in the jungle and is going to attempt to kick the other animals' soccer balls into the surrounding alligator-infested swamp. If the tiger kicks a ball into the swamp, the child can dodge the alligators and bring the ball back into the jungle again. The child then stands with legs apart and the ball in the air making the animal's noise. When another animal/child dribbles the ball through this child's legs, they are free to continue the game. Beware of the Tiger!
Equipment: Eight cones and one ball per child, except the "tiger".
Organization: Mark out a 20m x 20m are using the cones. Ask the animals to dribble around the jungle with dribbling into each other or the swamp (the area outside the grid). The tiger (a child without the ball) will prowl around the grid and, on the coach's command, will enter the jungle and attempt to kick as many balls as possible into the swamp. Remind the children of safety points regarding challenging for the ball. All players may re-enter the grid once they have retrieved their ball from the swamp.

A drill such as Tigers in the Jungle encourages children to dribble the ball at speed while using their peripheral vision in a controlled, pressurized and fun situation. The next technique to be taught when dribbling is to change speed and direction while attempting to beat a defender.