PLAY= The LOVE of the GAME
TRAIN= The WORK of the GAME

Nothing wrong with training but playing and discovering who you are is a player is the 1st step IMO

I trained players for years on technique etc and honestly after training for a year or two of hard training they can juggle over 1000 times do multiple skills etc but what did they discover or come up with on their own?

That's where I feel we miss creativity. Again having a

Foundation of basics is fine imo. But does your kid always have to be with a trainer?

Every kid is different and each country is different so its an interesting debate

This commercial about Pogba is how many in France or Brazil grow up



You play everywhere, observe the game, learn skills from older brothers, sisters, friends, uncles. Train some with local team, play futsal, street etc.

Question how does Freddy Adu or a Darlington Nagbe or many other immigrant based kids show up in American many times at young ages and be so far ahead of US counterparts?

They say culture and play. They may have had a local youth coach but they played and were inspired

Through play. I just think so many train so much stateside that were are speeding up the process. DEVT is a slow roast not a microwavable meal.

Many ups and downs.i

In my own devt i was an african american kid with no history of soccer in my family. I saw the game at aroubd 8 yrs old. Our school played everyday and got me hooked. I played everyday. Would observe players better and be like man I want to be like him

We learned and competed, fought, argued, socialized, messed around through play.

If "only" in a training environment you think you get exposure to that? Maybe you do, i don't know

There were days I was happy, sad, pissed etc but always couldnt wait to play the next day.

But again everyone is different and has different experiences and maybe in the states without organize settings it wont happen.

This relationship between play and train is something I've been thinking a l9t about lately.

I have a son who is 6 and he loves to play but not to the same drills. But again I'm a coach so its almost like a preachers son type of thing too.

So much to unpack and question

I'm not saying I'm right or know the way I'm saying I'm questioning everything.

We will unpack more on @WBeBallers

Question for trainers who was the dopest baller you played with growing up? And what set them apart?

Did they have a trainer?

Also who are producing the most creative and versatile players worldwide?

France, Brazil most would say? Theres a combination of culture, play, training, coaching. But whats interesting it seems when you pick the talent later around 12, 13, 14 seems to work well than earlier