Watch: A fascinating visit to Puerto Limon, source of Tico talent
- by Mike Woitalla @MikeWoitalla, Aug 9, 2018
2 comments about "Watch: A fascinating visit to Puerto Limon, source of Tico talent".
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Mike ,that was great! I wish we could do this with other 3rd.world countries that produce soccer talent. Show more videos of South American/African countries in how Talent is produced in the slums. We might be able to learn something from this, that you perhaps don't need things such as fancy matching color pennies, shinguard, fancy shoes,astro turf fields, great accommodations, lighted fields , money, space,etc, perhaps a lot less of the frivolities would do.
The video emphasizes the SIMPLICITY of this game which is that you only need a ball, a little space, and a real LOVE for the game .
Note what is important here,PICKUP Soccer, Mixed Ages. And I totally forgot this ANGLE which is so important to the overal development of the youth. Like myself, in the street soccer days, we never had color pennies or any other way of distinguishing the two teams. That lack seperating teams by color or anything FORCES the youth to be constantly AWARE, LOOK UP, to see WHERE his teammates are, thus forcing the youth to THINK more, and CONCENTRATE. This was all learned automatically without someone telling you, like a licensed coach...
Another angle, is that the kids play on lousy fields, unlike our kids who play and learn in such a Sterile and Sanitary environment with great facilities whereby kids can even apply Anti-bacterial hand lotion to wash their hands after practice in case of bacteria on the ball. Playing on lousy fields forces the youth to be more AWARE of how the ball could bounce forcing them to ANTICIPATE more. This aspect is so important in the development of the youth.
A soccer Club in Holland AZ'67 makes their youth as part of their development play and practice in cow pastures in order learn to anticipate and to trap the ball under bad conditions. They are going back to how kids learn in the old days for today's kids miss learning certain aspects of the game in sterile environments..
Good video but USA will never go backwards to lower standard of living just make kids play pick up to keep them busy. The only solution in my opinion is for USSF to build futsal cages. Mostly in the inner city and hope soccer can overcome basketball as sport of choice. Whenever I find pick in Europe it's on a futsal court with handball nets. We have full fields which stand empty as they cost money for anything on a regular basis.