I Can’t Do it for You Hunter

During our usual post game debrief in the car ride home from a game in May 2023, Hunter asked “How can I make it into the Red’s team Dad”

Red’s is the Division 1 (below SAP) 

One of Hunter’s best friends lives next door, and plays for Red’s, he wants to play with his mate. Hunter has only been playing organised football (soccer) for 18 months, his mate has been playing for 8 years. It is Hunter’s first year at the club, he doesn’t have the network of people who understand what he is capable of

An insurmountable pathway to his goal of playing in Red’s team?  To play with his mate, OR an opportunity to demonstrate what is inside his chest

”Hunter I can explain and lay out 3 things to work on, but you can only achieve this goal by doing the work.   You NEED to do the work, I can’t do it for you Hunter”

• Working on his first touch, how he controls the ball when it arrives to him or he is running up to the ball
• Foot skills, how he kicks the balls with touch, and some power, with both feet when passing to a teammate
• Fitness, how he is able to sustain runs up and down the field, and maintain his effort for 90 minutes in a game, as next season will be played on full field

The wrapper was he must work on 1 of those 3 things everyday for at least 20 minutes.   “That’s it Hunter, just 20 minutes”

Just 20 minutes, that’s not very long. Everyday.

Hunter is 12 years old (at the time of the advice), and I wanted to set him a goal which didn’t seem impossible, very attainable. Making the goal small, but for every day, means it’s about building a routine, and a mindset. Holding him accountable, being present and aware of when he is spending that time on a drill for 20 minutes.

Finding the balance between him just having fun and the 20 minutes of the drill was delicate.  So I would remind him “If you want to play for the Red’s, you know what you need to work on, for every 20 minutes you put in, your are closer to that goal, the more work you do, the faster you get there.  BUT….. I can’t do it for you Hunter”

2024 season has just begun, Hunter is almost my height, not an achievement worthy of celebration, based on those who know my height.  Yet he has grown almost 5 inches in the last 6 months, worked on his drills all off season, so he is excited.   As a father I am feeling sick with nerves for my son who has been working hard all season, where is he at in this journey.

He started on the bench, normally plays Centre Back, and it’s a new coach who just throws him straight into the midfield. The first couple touches were rusty, he was moving well, looks like he has a little more pace than before. He takes a loose bouncing ball with his right foot (dominant) brings it to ground and then with quick look see’s a team mate up the middle and with a stabs a firm pass up the sideline with his left foot (non-dominant) into a space where his team mate can run onto the ball.

All the skills we outlined in middle of 2023, were on display in 2 minutes of game one 2024.   You could see his confidence build from that play for the rest of the game, he returned to his vocal on field coach self with his many new team mates.

Friday was round 2, and Hunter is starting, it’s under lights and he was carrying an injury sustained from a rare Futsol tournament appearance for his school (he was asked to play, they needed players)

Starts the game with high energy in the midfield again, very vocal and giving team mates good run on play with his passing. 15 minutes in, he is open at top of the box and takes a shot on goal, it cannons off the right post, so close to his first goal. 25 minutes in, receives a pass in right of the box, takes a shot and the goalie gets a hand on it, but not enough of a hand. Big sister Saige bellows “Hunter has scored” as all the team parents are erupting in joy as the team goes up 2-0 early, and Hunter scoring his first goal ever.

He would play his best game, he would score another goal which might have been better, but it didn’t mean the same as that first one, the 9 months of hard work packaged up, now bursting out like fireworks on New Years eve 

Hunter asked me after the game “how did you think I played”.   My response to our normal post game car debrief was different this time.

“Can you see and feel the difference in how you played tonight compared to last game of 2023”. - Yes

”Do you think your first touch and passing was improved over last game of 2023” - Yes, a lot better

’Hunter you should be proud of yourself, because what you are seeing is the results of the hard work that YOU put in over the off season”

See what you can do it YOU put in the work Hunter, you get out what you it in.

“You aren’t finished yet, you know what you need to do, every day, don’t you”. 

“Yes dad, 20 minutes everyday”. 

“Why Hunter”

”Because you can’t do it for me”