One attribute ALL top players have in common is their unwavering commitment and desire to improve.  The players that have went the furthest and had the best experiences (in any sport or anything worthwhile for that matter) would undoubtedly be able to share story after story of hours of self-directed practice and play.  Some players may talk about dribbling their balls inside their homes around obstacles (that expensive lamp precariously sitting on that end table) trying not to break anything (I can remember breaking my fair share of windows in my house), some might reflect on spending hours upon hours smacking their ball against an exterior wall of their house or a nearby building to improve their ball striking and first touch, others may have friends in the neighborhood who gather together to play soccer and a host of other sports in a nearby cul-de-sac, and the stories would go on and on.  You may be asking:  Ok, so what?  What's the common thread; well, stay with me for a minute.

Perhaps many of you have heard or seen the illustration of "The Iceberg Theory of Success".  Basically, it illustrates the fact that we can all see the success, outcomes, and accolades of someone that is successful.  Whether success is measured in business titles, promotions, fame, fortune, championships, records, impact on community, etc... we SEE that; it's quite obvious to even the most casual observer.  What we typically do NOT see is all the work, training, values, sacrifice, risks, education, etc. that went in to building the foundation for that success:  The sweaty, dirty, daily grind.. week after week, month after month, and year after year.
 

How does this relate to an iceberg?  Well did you know that only about 15% of an iceberg is actually visible?  Up to 85% of the foundation of the iceberg goes unseen; it's underwater!  No one ever sees it!  This is a great illustration for the true journey to success.  The most successful people have an unseen foundation of individual effort and growth that most people do not ever witness or experience.  Whether the individual commits to continuing education year after year always trying to improve and gain an edge, or simply worked harder and longer than others were willing to, that foundation, like an iceberg, was built over years and years of steady growth.. adding little by little over a lifetime or a career.

In our "world" a.k.a. the "soccer world", the common thread of players that "make it" has never been a reliance on private/paid training, special equipment, or $1,000s worth of camps.  Success, REAL, ENDURING success, is not determined by the suffix of your team name (A, B, C, ECNL, DA, RPL, etc.).  All of this is fine and good (it is certainly important), but it's not what makes or breaks a player.  Instead, it boils down to players simply having a love affair with their soccer ball.  Instead of sitting in front of the tv, playing video games, or interacting on social media, the players that "made it" spent time honing their craft.. a craft that they loved.  Hour after hour, day after day, the best are working.. competing with themselves to gain that edge through individual effort.  And it's not a quick process.. we're talking YEARS of commitment to intentional, oftentimes unseen, practice.
 

Often we are asked by players or parents:  What can we do to make this team or that team or this program or that program?  

 

The answer is always the same, and really, quite simple:  You have to practice more and work harder than your competition.  Consistent, intentional practice is the only way to be the best you can be.  There is no short cut to excellence.  The path is simple:  Consistent practice => confidence => confidence breeds success.  To use the iceberg illustration again:  You have to put in the effort in the "unseen" moments of your life.

 

Much like a construction worker may use scaffolding to reach new heights on the side of a building, so too can soccer players use scaffolding.  Each new skill or benchmark they reach, sets them a little higher to reach for a more lofty height (or goal), and builds a larger foundation below.

It is our hope that our monthly soccer homework, skill training nights, and 4v4 nights are one of many tools players can use to reach their personal, attainable goals.  Every player's journey will be different, but in the end, ALL successful players will have one thing in common:  an enduring love for their passion over many, many years that drives them to always try to improve.