In 1997 US Soccer Federation unveiled Project 2010, (an initiative to win the World Cup by the year 2010). That initiative stressed the need to increase development at youth level in order to build a broader base of quality players to choose from, as well as create players with international level skills and sophistication.

To help in this initiative, Ferdie Ato Adoboe, founder and director of Ferdie's Soccer Magic Academy, thought it necessary to conducted research on youth trends, concepts and habits that have shaped the game in America until today.

The research focused on the quality and intensity of individual relationships youth players have with the ball. Data was collected among all age groups of youth players across the country. We used both qualitative and quantitative approaches that included questionnaires, interviews, field studies at camps and tournaments, with observations and role-play simulation. We carried on a cross-cultural comparison with the data we collected, trying to establish the differences in habits between kids from American culture, and kids from successful Youth World Cup and World Cup nations-like Ghana, Spain, and Brazil. Ferdie hoped that the results of this cross-cultural research would provide some vital information to help bridge the gap and prepare us toward 2010.

back to the top

Here are some of the reults from our research

1. The quality of the game is clearly driven by the quality of individual players on the field.

2. The quality of individual players is driven by the quality and intensity of individual relationships players have with the ball.

3. 95% of our youth soccer players play organized structured matches, and virtually no fun creative games on their own

4. 90% of youth players from other cultures play mostly fun creative pick up games and few organized matches thus, more creativity.

5. Our youth players would rarely play with the ball, ie just the ball, why? "because it's boring" they claimed.

6. Throw a soccer ball to our kids and 90% catch it with their hands first. 44% of the kids from other cultures reacted with their hands first.

7. Give our kids a ball alone on a field and their first inclination is to kick it or shoot it. In other cultures they tried a fancy skill (usually one they could not do yet), or they juggled.

8. Over 80% of our kids did not know what to do with the ball when they were asked to "just play with it."

9. When our kids go to a game and are on the sideline waiting their turn, only 20% want to play with the ball on the side. The 20% who played, played for no more than 3 minutes with the ball. In other cultures 68% played some kind of game on the side.

10. Of the number of our kids who claimed they love the game, 82% admitted they did not care much about playing with the ball alone. 30% of kids in other cultures admitted they would not play alone with the ball.

11. Most our youth players did not like to juggle, asked why, most answered “because I'm not good at it”, or “it’s hard”

12. 74% of our kids who juggled used mostly their thighs. 80% of kids from other cultures used mostly their feet to juggle.

13. Asked who they would see to learn new skills, 90% of American youth players said coach. 78% of kids from other cultures said friends.

back to the top

OBSERVATIONS:

This research has helped us pinpoint some of the main characteristics and habits that exist in our soccer culture. When we compared our kids approach to soccer with kids from other countries, there were differences. These differences exposed us to things we can do to raise the quality of soccer in our culture. Raising the level of soccer means raising the quality of players, which in turn means raising the quality of individual relationships players have with the ball.

In other cultures kids bring their game to coaches and parents, whereas here in America coaches and parents bring the game to kids. Our players for some reason do not associate playing with the ball with playing soccer. They want to play the game, but want little to do with the ball when it is taken out of a match. Our kids love soccer- no question. However, there is a lack of appreciation for the ball, which leads to the lack of understanding that

1. The game is the ball.

2. To be good at the game means to be good with the ball.

3. A player’s skill level depends on how often they play with the ball. The more they play with the ball the better they understand the ball, thus the higher their skill level.

4. Playing with the ball does not require a coach or a training session, just the player’s love and passion for the game.

5. To acquire skills means to find time on their own outside of practice to play with the ball.

6. It is not their coach’s job to make them skillful, NO! It is the player’s responsibility to learn skills.

The conception that my coach teaches me skills and makes me good has stiffled the development process in American soccer.

Player development in American youth soccer will be expedited when we pass the primary initiative for acquiring skills to the player, thus, involving them in the development process, and equipping them with the knowledge, responsibility, and capability to help each other

Our job as adults will Just be to TEACH kids how to play with the ball., and set up environments conducive to growth. Without a relationship with the ball outside of team training, it will be difficult to acquire the skills necessary to enjoy the game and succeed at a high level.

At Ferdie's Soccer Magic Academy it is very obvious to us that 90% of soccer playing kids do not play with the ball because they simply do not know how.

This research has helped us to develop concepts, products, and programs that make learning skills easier and engaging, but more importantly, social and cultural and therefore more inviting and fun . FUN because the process is involving, the culture is aware and supportive, and the players experience success. This is exactly why your soccer magic experience will be your best soccer learning experience ever. Guaranteed.

To implement any of our programs and resources with your players please contact us by phone at 1 413 253 4888, by email at Ferdie@soccermagic.com, or visit our website at www.soccer-magic.com

back to the top

Part 2
Speed Juggling: A Habit for Exceptional Soccer Skills
By Ferdie Ato Adoboe
Guinness World Record Holder in Speed Juggling.
Founder/Director, Ferdie’s Soccer Magic Academy

Soccer in America is now more popular than ever, better than ever, and has more college and professional opportunities than ever. Just about every town has a league and kids of all ages are lacing up for some fun-n-games. As a result, competition has grown and it has become increasingly necessary for player’s to find unique and innovative ways to keep their development ahead of the competition.

Over the last decade the speed at which soccer is played has increased enormously, placing tremendous demands on players to keep up with pace.

Success in soccer today is about skills, but more importantly, skills with speed and quickness.

Ghanaian born US youth soccer sensation, Freddy Adu is a special player. What makes him special is that he is exceptionally skillful and incredibly quick with the ball at his feet. He demonstrates outstanding control and speed.. His ball handling abilities, and overall soccer sense have made him the most sought after player his age in the world.

What did Freddy do growing up as a soccer player that made him so good at an early age? What kind of habits did he have with the ball when he was 7? How can we produce a player like that in our culture. The answers to these questions should be implemented on the millions of youth players in America, and we would have found part of the magic recipe for creating the best players in the world.

At Ferdie’s Soccer Magic we recognize that a player´s creativity and speed of play comes from their range of vision. Vision comes from superior comfort in handling the ball, because it frees the eyes to see the game.

Better eye-foot coordination and balance improves your control and increases your ball-handling ability, and consequently, your ball-handling speed. This is why we dedicate our program to focus on elements and activities that affect comfort, speed, and quickness with the ball. Specializing and focusing on individual ball-handling skills has allowed us to probe deeper into habits needed to succeed at the highest levels of the game. In this article I will introduce you to one of the concepts we use at FSM that is helping us change the way players relate to their soccer ball and approach the game of soccer.

This concept is SPEED JUGGLING.

A few years ago at the USA Cup in MN, Freddy Adu put on a ball control exhibition by juggling a soccer ball on one leg, while balanced on the other. His touch moved the ball only inches off his foot. He barely moved, as the ball stayed right there on his foot while the touches became faster, and faster, until you could not keep up counting any longer. It was breathtaking, and ripples of appreciation just buzzed through the air. An on-looking father next to me from Colorado said, “How is he able to do that and make it look so easy?” A coach next to him asked “how many years of practice did it take for him to be that good”? Right away I responded “it couldn’t have taken that long, he is only 12 years old.” And there was a burst of laughter. I felt good about my little sly joke. Then I heard a young boy say “ I wish I could do that.” Funny enough his friend responded “if you could do that you would be on the national team too.” Isn’t that the truth? I thought to myself.

The fact is that Freddy Adu is in the US national team pool at age 14 because he is an outstanding player. He has skills and abilities many kids cannot even imagine. He clearly demonstrates an unusual understanding of the ball which is most likely the result of his love for the game, and his unique habits in playing with the ball. It is no coincidence that Freddy is the one 14 year old soccer player in America who demonstrates the ability to juggle with speed. It is no coincidence if you know that he is originally from Ghana. Ghana is one of a few nations in the world where Speed Juggling is a national phenomenon. Ghana has dominated world youth football over the past decade and a half, winning the youth world championship twice, and twice runners up. Furthermore, the Guinness world records for speed juggling are 141 juggles in 30 seconds and 266 in 1minute, both held by Ghanaian Ferdie Adoboe.

Most young soccer players in West Africa particularly Ghana, can speed juggle. They can do that because the soccer culture teaches it to children who love and play the game. They call it “TOTALS” and every soccer player grows up doing it. This exceptional relationship that ghanaian youth demonstrate with the ball is in part what helps set them apart from the rest of the world. and also explains how and why Freddy is the player he is.

back to the top

So, what is Speed Juggling?

Speed Juggling is a new developmental habit that inherently teaches a player the ability to handle the ball quickly, under pressure, and with control. A player’s objective is to juggle a soccer ball on their foot as many times as possible in thirty seconds or one minute. It is a way of juggling a soccer ball that directly reflects the demands of today's quicker, faster, more controlled game. By speeding up your juggles you increase and improve your touches on the ball, you improve your control, and you learn to handle the ball quicker and faster.

back to the top

Origins:

•Ferdie Adoboe conceived Speed Juggling as part of his Ferdie’s Soccer Magic skills program. Like most of his teaching concepts, Speed Juggling was derived from a popular childhood habit in his native country Ghana (where he developed as a player) , and transformed into a developmental skill that he teaches to give today's youth an exceptional relationship with the ball. The original form of juggling on one leg is most common in Africa and South America where players like Diego Maradona and Abedi Pele grew up practicing it. Today we all know what those players can do with a soccer ball, and we can only watch in awe when Freddy Adu steps on a soccer field. Ferdie Adoboe combined the concept of speed with that form of juggling to create Speed Juggling.

back to the top

How is Speed Juggling different from traditional juggling?

Traditional juggling is a low-pressure activity. If you can imagine an average professional player just juggling, he or she would look rather comfortable and relaxed because there would be no pressure. Speed jugglinghowever, is a high-pressure activity because the player is in a hurry to get as many touches as possible. Speeding up your touches increases the risk of losing control of the ball,thus putting the player under pressure and stress to maintain a higher level of concentration. Speed Juggling simulates the demands and pressures of today’s game, which is played at a much faster pace than just five years ago. This means not only must players be flawless in their techniques and skills, they must also have the ability to execute them quickly. Speed Juggling is the habit that teaches both by intensifying a player’s contact with the ball, thus, helping them understand and master the ball in a shorter period of time.

The U.S. has been behind in the game for years - yes, we are catching up, but we have caught up to the habits of the 80s and 90s. Today's game has moved further forward and our coachers need to stay abreast with the times by introducing and teaching habits and skills that will make our players competitive in today's game. This means we have to think beyond traditional trends and come up with more creative, innovative and unique ideas not just to help us catch up, but to help us take this game where no one has ever been before. For USA to be World Cup Champions, which is the objective of project 2010, our players need to be doing things different from the rest of the world, which gives us an edge over other them. Speed can help us succeed.

Speed Juggling is easy to learn but it requires a particular technique that can be taught. All of my students are beginning to get the hang of speed juggling and as a result, are seeing direct improvements in their control of the ball and in their overall game. As part of any developmental program, Speed Juggling is an important developmental habit that can propel our players to the next level. Any player who discovers Speed Juggling becomes a better player by default, because they never leave the ball alone. This immediately results in an increase in number of touches, increase in speed of touch, thus improving the quality of touch and also, decreasing amount of time it traditionally takes to master the ball. Speed Juggling is the one activity that accomplishes what every coach tries to instill in a player- Ball Addiction and Ball Mastery.

back to the top

Tips and Technique

• Start by placing the ball on your foot and hold it there for a few seconds.
• Foot must be angled slightly upward so that the ball can sit on it.
• Squeeze toes together to create a flat surface.
• Ball must be on the laces
• Lift ball up by lifting knee up slightly.
• Do not strike the ball.

back to the top

Guinness Book Recognition

Part of my efforts in bringing Speed Juggling to the forefront of soccer in America was to lobby Guinness Superlatives to establish a world record in their publication, giving all soccer players an ultimate goal to strive for. On January 22 1999, the first Guinness world records were set at the Ft Lowell Shootout in Tucson, AZ., when Ferdie Ato Adoboe recorded 136 juggles in 30 seconds, and 262 in one minute On July 16 2000, Ferdie improved his one minute record to 266 at the Schwann’s USA Cup in Blaine, Minnesota. Then on August 27, 2003 Ferdie appeared on the NBC Today Show in NY and rewrote his name in the Guinness book of records juggling 141 times in 30 seconds. On that same occasion, Tasha Nicole-Tirani of Georgia unofficially recorded 137 juggles in 30 seconds. Even though you might find this in the Guinness book, FSM will not recognize this record because she was allowed 7 attempts at the record.

back to the top

Ferdie Soccer Magicians Accomplishments

Robbie Russell set the first youth speed juggling record at Ferdie’s soccer Magic Academy in 1995 with 115 juggles in 30 seconds. Robbie has gone on to become a high school All-American, college All-American and captain at Duke university, and now playing for Sogndal in the Norwegian premier league. Bruce Arena recently invited Robbie Russell to join US mens national team in preparation for Germany 2006.

Mary McVeigh of Northampton, MA set the first womens Speed Juggling record on August 13 1999 at Ferdie’s Soccer Magic Academy in Easthampton, MA with 92 juggles in 30 seconds. Mary went on to become a high school All-american, a college all-American at Dartmouth, and played for the Philadelphia Charge in the WUSA.

Skyy Anderson has made the US U-15 womens national team as recently published in soccer america magazine.

In our 80+juggles club are notables such as Kerry O’Malley, 2002 big east rookie of the year at Providence college; Erin Duffy, 3 year All-American at Wheaton college; Kirsten Ahrendt, 2004 freshman # 10 at Dartmouth and prospect for the Danish national team, Aaron Posner 120 juggles is now at Syracuse University, and Catherine Pacilio of William and Mary fame and now Marketing Director at MYSA. And this is only the tip of the iceberg.

back to the top

Budding stars

These young players coming up thru our program are rewriting our record books with remarkable numbers, and all the while making noise with their game around the country. They can speed juggle, they can play, and they are wanted by teams everywhere: Christopher Wade 13 years old of Brunswick ME., 117 in 30 sec.; Mike Posner of Springfield, MA,110; 15 year old Holly Tyser of Somers CT equaled Mary’s female world record of 92 juggles last summer.

Emily Harris, Danielle Dakin, Lauren Yelinek, Akua Murray-Adoboe, Samantha Fortier, Skyy Anderson, Ian Waldron, Elia Delmolino, Mike Ruectenwald of NJ are a short list of players demonstrating tremendous potential for the future. They are all in state, regional and national team pools.

C. Wade	E. Harris	H. Tyser	L. Yelinik
M. Posner	Sam Fortier	Skyy Anderson	Mike Ruectenwald

back to the top

Conclusion

Juggling is an important daily habit and practice for soccer players. All good soccer players can juggle, and juggling helps a good soccer player become a better soccer player. Speed Juggling adds quickness and fast footwork to your touch. Speed Juggling develops muscles and turns them into fast-twitch muscles because of continuous contractions in the legs, leading to quicker reactions. Speed Juggling helps players develop better balance and coordination, and it teaches the finest most delicate touch in the game of soccer.

As we begin a new era in US soccer history, and the popularity of soccer continues to soar, a good player is no longer one with skills but one with skills, speed, quickness and breathtaking control. It is with such foresight that I introduce you to Speed Juggling - the developmental habit for soccer players in the new millennium. Henceforth, it is not “how many” you can juggle, but “how fast” you can juggle. Speed Juggling is quick, fun, and better for your game, so work at it, have fun with it, and you won’t lose. .

Soccer is all about Love- Love of the ball…

Kids who know how to play with the ball, love the ball. Kids who love the ball, play with the ball. This love thing feeds their desire to play, which allows them to master the ball and succeed at the game. By TEACHING kids how to love, and PLAY with the ball, we in-fact teach them to love the game and succeed at it.

tm

back to the top