Goals at World Cup are Down Again

 It Must be the Shoes

Another World Cup has come to an end and the number of goals scored in the competition is down again. Since 1998, when they allowed 32 teams in the finals, the number of goals scored has dropped steadily. In 1998 there were 171 goals scored in 64 games. In 2002, it went down to 161 goals and in 2006 it dropped even further to 147. And just when we figured that the new Adidas Jabulani ball was going to give the keepers nightmares and result in more goals being scored, the opposite happened. In the 2010 World Cup, total goals scored dropped down to only 145. What has gone wrong?

Those who have been to any of my “Psychology of Goal Scoring” or “Secrets to Goal Scoring” lectures or courses would be looking for me to explain the drop in goal scoring, but they also know that I would probably come up with a most unique and thought provoking explanation. So, not to disappoint, let me give you something to ponder on the subject of why goals were down at this year’s World Cup.

First of all, let me state some of the obvious reasons as to why goals are down. To start with, athletes today are fitter than ever. Players are able to run at top speeds longer and faster than before. Advances in physiology, nutrition, and training methodology have allowed players to get fitter meaning that coaches can demand players to get back to defend in numbers more often and faster than ever before. No doubt this will have an affect on the number of goals teams give up over time. For example, trying to get past 7 players to get an attempt at goal is a lot easier than trying to get past 10 players to get a chance to score. The math is simple.

Another reason may be that soccer’s third-world soccer countries are no longer easy to beat. For example, who would have thought that New Zealand would be the only team not to lose a game at the World Cup? When teams are fit, organized, and can defend well, they can upset any of the top nations or reduce the number of goals that they give up so that they do not have to go home feeling embarrassed. These two factors are probably the main reason why goals are down.

But on the other hand, one would assume that the new ball would have increased the number of goals scored at the World Cup. Goalkeepers have complained about the ball and in this World Cup I saw an unusual amount of goalkeeping errors that resulted in goals. Had those errors not occurred there would have been even less goals scored. Having said all that, I want to look at one other factor that may be affecting goals scored and that is the new shoes that the players are wearing today. Yes, the shoes! I think, they add to the equation a little bit.

I think that they are too flashy, colorful, and noticeable. The bright oranges and yellows that we see in a lot of the shoes that the players are wearing are easy to spot on the pitch. The eye can locate these colors quickly when there is motion involved. That can be motion of the player wearing the shoes or motion by a defending player. In fact, yellow as has been shown to be one of the most noticeable colors in the color spectrum when motion is involved. Bright orange is not far behind. This is simple to test. Next time you are in a vehicle, notice how quickly the eye can spot a yellow car, van, or truck. Also notice that the construction pylons are usually orange. This is not done by accident. When a car is moving, the driver can spot the bright orange pylons very quickly. These colors are picked so that drivers in motion avoid running over construction workers.

I believe that defenders are quick to find players that they need to cover when their opponents wear bright orange or yellow shoes. It’s harder for an attacking player to disappear from the field of vision of a marking player because they can quickly pick out where they are in their peripheral vision because of their shoes!

Coaches talk to their strikers about getting on the “blind side” of defenders so that they can elude them. Getting on the “blind side” of a defender means getting to a position where they can’t be seen. Coaches ask players to make “blind side runs” all the time meaning that they want their players to run behind defenders so that they can’t be spotted until it’s too late. Well that’s all fine and dandy, but when players show up with bright colored shoes that can be spotted a mile away, what’s the point of this whole coaching point? Wearing bright colored shoes will make it even easier for the defender to find his man.

A talented young player that I recently met told me that he was going to buy the new Nike Superfly shoes in bright yellow. After watching him train I told him that he was one of the better attacking players on his team and should lead his team in scoring but I advised him to change his mind and not buy the bright yellow shoes. He didn’t listen and after 13 games he has yet to score a goal for his team. Could it be the shoes? I’m sure there are a number of reasons why he has not scored but maybe it may have a bit to do with the shoes.

At the highest levels, a fraction of a second can be the difference between scoring and not scoring, winning and losing. Why would a striker in particular, want to give away any possible advantage?

So there you have it, my theory on why goal scoring was down at the 2010 World Cup but I expect goal scoring to be up at the next World Cup because this article will make its way to coaches around the World and they will ban their strikers from wearing bright colored shoes. Oh, and the fact that these new shoes are so lightweight, well, that’s a whole other topic.

Thanks for reading,

John DeBenedictis

 www.goldengoalscoring.com

Secrets to Scoring Goals

Golden Goal Scoring Newsletter 2009

Students Scoring Goals

The students from John DeBenedictis’ Golden Goal Scoring Course are scoring goals to give their teams a greater chance of winning. As everyone who follows soccer knows, goals in soccer are precious, which is one reason the game is so captivating and unique. Quite often a single goal will win the match and the anticipation of that goal can bring the crowd to frenzy. Just the goal scoring opportunity often creates excitement. And the higher up you go, the harder it gets. Players, who score most often, get the breaks and make it to the next level. Most students of the Golden Goal Scoring course have improved their goal scoring ability dramatically!

4 YEARS AFTER TAKING THE COURSE STUDENT LISA WATSON STILL Scores CONSISTENTLY

Lisa Watson took the Golden Goal Scoring course in 2004 and in 2008 was the leading scorer for Laurentian University up until receiving a season ending injury. She was amongst the top 3 in league scoring for rookies. But her ability to score consistently started shortly after taking the course.

Watson always had the speed to break away from defenders but scoring is not often easy when you have a whole team chasing you. But Lisa cleverly thought of the keys to scoring on her chance in the Oakville Tournament right after the course in 2004. "As I approached the net from an angle after beating a defender all I thought about was what John said to do when close to goal." said Watson.

It was a key goal because it was the game winner. And Lisa didn’t forget about the celebration either. It

was one that would rival any World Cup performance. And why not. It’s fun to score!

Lisa played a year up for Newmarket in the CGSL U15 Regional Premier Division in 2004 when she took the course. "The goal-scoring course was extra special for Lisa", said her coach and father Russ Watson. He went on to say "the knowledge she gained was invaluable for us this year in the Ontario Cup with the only goal of the game for her team."

Russ attended the Golden Goal Scoring coaches course prior to signing up Lisa and also came with her daughter to be part of the player’s course. DeBenedictis encourages parents to attend his unique course because the key to getting better is to practice on your own and constantly remember the key mental points about goal scoring. Parents can remind their kids these points in a friendly manner. There is so much unique information presented in the course. Parents can bring up different points throughout their son or daughter’s career. Each point will have its relevance at a different time and place.

Russ Watson actually thought that it was great to be in the course with his daughter. "How often are you going to be learning together in a course situation in your life with your child? Not often if ever. I thought it was the highlight of my summer just being able to share the experience with her", said Russ.

Lisa started the next season off by scoring 9 goals in just the first month of play and 4 years later, her goal-scoring prowess continues. It’s important to note that although the course gives life long mental cues that will help players score more goals, their personal training must be kept up. Their skills need to continue to improve, as does their team play.

Her coaches have done an excellent job to train her but having someone like her father to remind her of they keys to scoring are important and needs to be commended. Refresher courses once in a while are available to players who have taken the course.

ANALISA ROMANO SCORES 4 GOALS IN FIRST GAME AFTER ATTENDING THE GOLDEN GOAL SCORING COURSE

After two intense days at John’s Golden Goal Scoring Course Analisa Romano scored 4 goals in her first game since she started the course.

Analisa Romano

"That’s more goals than the whole team has scored in the last 4 games," said her coach Gerry Gentile. " And three of those goals came directly from the new attitude and information she acquired at the course."

Analisa wasn’t the team’s top goal scorer before the course but she certainly paid attention to John’s unique teaching methods to make the effort to change her game. She led the team in scoring and also won the league scoring title in the OYSL.

"Quite often some players are able to take the information provided in the course and apply it to their game quicker than others" says DeBenedictis. "It’s often not about skill but about the ability to concentrate, focus and take the information and apply it. That’s not easy because you have to be talking to yourself, reminding yourself throughout the game about what to do. Often, even with the greatest intentions, players lose their thought process for a split second when they are in a position to score and the opportunity goes to waste. It’s at that moment that the player must evaluate their performance and know that they let their thoughts exit their mind at the same time they tried to score under extreme game pressure"

"Sometimes you can’t tell on the field or in the class who is really grasping the unique and specific information given and who is not. Scoring is all in the mind. Sometimes I even forget simple things when I’m demonstrating. Simple things like keeping focused throughout the skill. Things I teach. It’s human and you will need to review it over and over and self analyze yourself constantly", says DeBenedictis.

"Most players grasp the concepts on the field because I’m there to remind them with each shot but it takes self discipline to take that information and apply it in games. My techniques for teaching goal scoring are all about giving players the right guidelines in a unique way to make players do the right things when they have a chance to score. At the end of the day it’s the student who will need to apply the information in a game. Analisa showed she could score in the field sessions but was also able to take it to game situations."

Gerry Gentile, her coach said that Analisa was on a tear since taking the course. "She even got called up by the Under 21 team and scored 3 goals for them in that game. Analisa’s playing with a lot more confidence. "

Just prior to taking the course Analisa was dropped from going any further with the Provincial program. Three months after taking the course she went to train in Italy. She impressed the coaches so much by her scoring ability that she was called up to train with the Italian National U19 team because her grand parents were from Italy and made her eligible for the team.

Incredibly, in less than 3 months after taking the course, she went from not being good enough for the U16 Provincial team to being considered for the Italian National U19 team.

Unfortunately, they could not get her carded in time for the U19 World Cup in China because the team roster was already submitted to FIFA prior to the Italians discovering her.

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John DeBenedictis Course Director holds unique record for Canadian Born Soccer Coach

DeBenedictis introduced his Secrets to Goal Scoring Topic to coaches in Canada in April of 2003. He received such rave reviews for his unique teaching techniques and detailed information in the goal scoring session that he was welcomed by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) to be one of the Guest Speakers at their convention in 2004 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The NSCAA hosts the World’s largest annual Soccer Coaching conference with coaches attending from all over the world.

He received impressive reviews at his session and was invited to speak again in 2005 in Baltimore, Maryland. He presented 2 lecture sessions at that convention and had the honour of speaking after Brazilian World Cup Champion coach Carlos Alberto Parreira.

"It wasn’t easy following Parreira who had won the 1994 World Cup. I’m a Canadian talking about scoring goals in soccer. We’re known for our hockey. Thankfully, the record crowd didn’t disappear but I planned something to keep them interested, which worked like magic. People who I saw at this years convention in St. Louis (2009) told me how they enjoyed, remembered, and still use the information I presented in my session to this day."

DeBenedictis holds the distinction of being the only Canadian born coach to speak to over 1,000 soccer coaches at any coaching conference in the world.

He has lectured to coaches in the Toronto area and was invited to speak at the California Youth Soccer Association’s annual coaching conference in Feb. 2007 where he also spoke to large crowds. He has always received great reviews.

Coach Doug Mead from the Cherokee Soccer Association in Woodstock, Georgia e-mailed DeBenedictis,

I wanted to do the entire course right there! Thanks- It was awesome."

Team scores 38 goals in 11 games AFTER COURSE

The Vaughan Under 16 Girls OYSL team, playing in the top league in the Province was having trouble scoring goals way back in 2004. Coach Gerry Gentile of the Under 16 Girls team Vaughan Azzurri sent his attacking players to the course and had this to say about the course.

"It was excellent and has made a difference. The team struggled to score goals right up until the course. Actually, ever since that first game after the course when we scored 6 goals in a league game, the team has played really really well and with more confidence."

That’s the most goals we’ve scored in a league game in a long time, maybe ever."

The Results Have been Dramatic!

 U16 Vaughan Coach, Gerry Gentile

Later in the season Vaughan beat the undefeated team from Burlington in Cup play. They won by a score of 4-0 with goals on all 4 chances that they had. Analisa Romano had 2, Jasmine Merith had one and Shannon Hughes, (another goal scoring course student) had the other. That sent them to the finals of the league cup, which they won.

LAURA TWIDLE SCORES CONSISTENTLY

Her coach and father, Bob Twidle said, "as a midfield player Laura does not get as many chances to score as a typical striker but when she does get a chance

she’s definitively more relaxed in 1 vs 1 situations with a goalie and confident about what to do than any other player on the team. That’s resulted in a lot of goals and she’s certainly played well to lead the team to first place."

Coach Twidle also attended the coaching version of John’s Golden Goal Scoring Seminar. He made John’s methods a regular component of his training sessions. Twidle said, " I introduced many key elements John taught in his Goal Scoring Course to all of our team players. The results have been dramatic with overall scoring this season that is 3 times better than any other year."

DeBenedictis’ book on his goal scoring teaching techniques will be out shortly. It features the secrets, tricks, and facts that will improve goal scoring for players who get scoring chances plus it will give players information on how to get more chances to score in a game.

DeBenedictis will be taking his unique course across North America in 2009 and 2010. DeBenedictis keeps class sizes to a max of 16 students but prefers to work with 8-10 players per course.

"I wanted to keep the ratios down so that I can work with each student individually to guarantee success", said DeBenedictis " I have studied and analyzed goal scoring in great detail over the past 12 years and took all that information and packaged it in a very specific way. With my experience as a goal keeper, I used my perspective as a former keeper to present the topic in the most powerful, and in-depth method that I felt was going to work with players 14 years of age right up to pros."

Of course DeBenedictis did not accidentally stumble on his material.

He has coached for over 35 years and received a B.Sc. majoring in Health and Physical Education with an advanced Certificate of Coaching. He has always been interested in human body movement, visual and muscular perception, and sport psychology.

"I’ve used super high speed camera’s to analyze soccer skills," said DeBenedictis. "Human motion and perception make up a big part of my techniques but combining that with facts, sport psychology and my experience as a goalkeeper is what makes it uniquely different. It’s taken hours and hours of reviewing and analyzing tapes, to build the course. I’ve had to piece all the psychological and scientific information together so that athletes can understand the concepts."

DeBenedictis may be a pioneer in his work on the topic especially since he brings it down to an individual level. " I try and connect with each player one on one and teach the course as though I’m only working with one player at a time. Even on the field, I structure all the exercises so that the player can go home and work on their skills on their own or with a friend. The challenge is trying to satisfy the player who is 14 along with the player who is in their mid twenties and are at different intellectual levels," he says.

"I’m surprised how well some of the younger players grasp the concepts," he says. "The important factor is that all players must have the basic skills involved in passing and kicking a ball. I cannot help them in this course if they cannot kick a ball properly. Since so much of it is sport psychology there is nothing that any sport psychologist can do if the basic skills are not there."

The course DeBenedictis has put together is often referred to as ‘The Secrets, Tricks and Facts to Scoring Goals’. "Yeah, that’s what it is in a nut shell. Secrets that goalies such as I don’t want the player to know and likewise, the best goal scorer’s in the world also don’t want anyone to know because they don’t want the next player to take their job," said DeBenedictis. "This was one fact I continuously ran into when studying the mental makeup of some of the best goal scorer’s which was very evident," he said.