2009 Mike Getman Soccer Camp Schedule
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RECRUITING
Step One -Make your List
By Coach Getman
Now that you know that you need to be thinking about college in your Sophomore and Junior year (if you read the last Issue of "Whats A Blaze"), here is a list of what your next steps should be.
1) Decide what schools you are interested in. You may have no idea yet or you may have a school you have wanted to attend since before you can remember. Either way, keep in mind that this will be a work in progress. You may change your mind. You may be contacted by a coach from a school that you never considered. You may visit your desired school and decide you aren't comfortable there. At this point you are just trying to narrow down your choices and start a list. You may need to do some research. You can find College Soccer Programs listed at www.thesportsource.com or at many other websites. You can also find most University websites by typing the name of the school plus ".edu". For instance, www.UAB.edu.
Check out College Soccer websites for helpful information. Ask your High School and Club Coaches if there are colleges they would recommend.
In your next step you are going to want to create a soccer resume and mail out your resume to the Soccer Coaches on your list. In the next issues of "What's A Blaze", I will talk about what to include in your resume and cover letter.
2) Sign up for soccer camps at schools on the top of your list. This is a great way to get to know several college coaches at once and to showcase your talent to them. Going
to camp will allow you to work with college coaches and to see if you
like their style and demeanor. Spending a week with a coach on and off
the field, is the best way to see if you are a good fit with each
other. If you check out the "Director & Camp Staff" page of our website, you will see that the Mike Getman Soccer Camp has coaches from 13 different colleges. Other college soccer camps may do the same.
Read my step by step guide in the future newsletters and send in your questions. I will answer your questions and more in each edition.
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Question and Answer
by Coach Getman
What is this difference between your "Mini Camp" and your full residential session?
Our "Mini Camp" is a three day camp that focuses on Attacking Skills and showcasing your talent to college coaches. Our full residential session spends more time in training sessions and is aimed at players of all ages. The mini camp is a little more intense because of the short duration. Both camps make use of college coaches to work with the High School age players and both camps provide high level competition.
Email your questions. Coach Getman will choose one to answer in each NEWSLETTER. info@uabsoccercamp.com
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The UAB Way
by Coach Getman
When we first came here in 1992 and started to rebuild the UAB Soccer Program, we had to answer one big question. What are the keys to success at the Division I level? As we went through the process of building this team, we realized that the keys to success are the same at every level.
The number one factor in the success of any team is the quality of its players. This doesn't mean the coach doesn't matter or the opponent doesn't matter. It means that when the game begins, the result is up to the players.
In order for our players to become the best they can be, we must provide 4 elements.
1. We must have good players to practice against each day. If you are the best player on your team, who will challenge you? If day after day you can dribble past all the defenders, what incentive is there to work on new moves or on doing things quicker? If you are a midfield player and there is no one working to get open, how will you work on having better vision?
2. You must have good opponents to play against. If you win each game by 5 goals, you won't get any better. You must be challenged where each time you make a mistake, you get punished. It is important that you must play well to score or win. If the game is too easy, you don't learn.
3. You must have good facilities that allow you to work on your skills or tactics in an efficient manner. This means a smooth surface that allows the ball to roll without bouncing. How can we work on tactics if the players are forced to focus only on the ball as it bounces around? At the college level facilities also include weight rooms, training rooms, locker rooms etc.
In 1999 I took my college team to Argentina. We played a match against the River Plate Football Club Reserve Team. River Plate is the largest club in Argentina and one of the most respected in the world. Our match was at their training facility, which is used by all of their youth teams up through the reserve team. The field had almost no grass. Yet it was incredibly smooth and flat. The ball always rolled true and we had a great match (we actually won 2-0).
If a team has a state of the art stadium but a poor practice field, it will be difficult to get as much out of practice as you should. You are going to practice almost every day. You may only play a home game once a week. The practice facility will be far more important in your overall development.
4. You must have good coaching. The right guidance is vital. The coach must be able to point out what you did well and what areas you need to improve. He must be able to communicate clearly and simply. His method of motivation must fit you as an individual. If you have a hard time taking criticisim, Bobby Knight might not be the right coach for you. At the same point if the coach is just a cheerleader, who will point out your mistakes and devise a plan to correct them?
These same elements hold true at the youth, high school, college or professional levels. The younger the player, the more important each element is. Young players must have the right environment to improve. A good coach will help provide motivation and point out success. He will also provide the practice and game situations that allow each player to strive for improvement. If any one of these factors is missing, than players will not reach their full potential.
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UAB Men's Division I Soccer
Joel Wallace Joins the Staff:
Joel Wallace, a former UAB assistant who has
spent the past 11 years as the head men's soccer coach at Westminster
(Mo.) College, has rejoined the Blazers' staff as an assistant coach. Wallace specializes in working with goalkeepers and will assume
that role in his new position with the Blazers. "Coach Wallace brings a lot of energy and experience to our
team," Getman said. "I am very excited to add such an outstanding coach
to our program. His primary responsibility will be coaching our
goalkeepers, but he will have a hand in all aspects of UAB Soccer."
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Greetings! 