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The Importance of Watching Soccer on TV

25 Jan, 2008

By: Chris Hummer – Potomac Soccer Wire Editor

As young players get older and what we are teaching them becomes more complex, I cannot stress enough how important it is that they – and their parents – become advanced “students of the game” by watching more and more high quality soccer. Watching it live is best, but TV is better than nothing.

Players need to watch so they learn how professional teams play by holding possession in order to create scoring chances, how every first touch by an accomplished player has a purpose, how individual creativity can change a game, and how gamesmanship during set plays can often make or break a game during close contests. In short, players need to watch to discover what they didn’t know they didn’t know (that’s not a typo). Once they know what they didn’t know, players (and their parents) expand their store of examples of what’s possible, knowledge that they can use to constantly improve and fine-tune their own playing abilities and their contribution to the team.

Parents need to watch games so they learn to appreciate the game as a whole through what they actually see happen and what they hear via the commentary of analysts. As they begin to recognize what good soccer looks like and how to analyze even the finest points of the game, they will be able to appreciate the important difference between a team that is being “developed” by quality, knowledgeable coaches over one being “built” using a measure of success based only on wins and losses from early age. The right team environment, along with the support of knowledgeable parents, and an able coach who is dedicated to player development without short-cuts will turn out high quality players who love the game for life. That passion will drive players to constantly work at home to emulate their heroes on the professional field, which develops their own skills further, while teaching them something American players rarely learn on youth fields – creativity through experimentation.

One final note. When you watch, instead of following the ball the whole time, pick up what’s happening off the ball (easier when you watch a live game). Every step an experienced professional player takes on the field has a purpose and is driven by a personal tactical decision or by the direction of a teammate with a tactical team view. Even the decision to walk has a purpose – a concept foreign to most “run faster, kick harder” soccer moms and dads. For example, a forward’s job is to score goals, and sometimes they’ve just made three strong 75-yard runs and need to simply take a break in order to be properly prepared for their next scoring chance.

No matter who you are, player or parent, watching and learning the game outside of scheduled and structured practices by watching the best of the best play live or on TV is just as important as any other aspect of learning the game. It’s called “soccer IQ” and NO PLAYER can succeed at a high level without it. So, get some tickets and watch it live or get together over some popcorn to watch some pro on TV - invite others, make it a party. Coaches – burn out your DVR and have a standing order that rained out practices are simply moved to your living room to watch a game with the team (and their parents). Use the pause, especially during set plays. Watch how every first touch is away from pressure, how every player moves to new space after they’ve passed, how defenses utilize pressure-cover, etc.. The dividends will be paid on the field sooner than you may think.

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Live Soccer Choices

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DC United games live at RFK - www.dcunited.com for schedules.
Lower Divison Pro all around the region - USLSoccer.com
College Soccer in the Fall - Men's and Women's

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Soccer on TV

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Major League Soccer has a “Direct Kick Package” on Dish and Direct TV that can be purchased for around $60 for all games for the season.
Fox Soccer Channel and GolTV are soccer-dedicated channels available on advanced packages of all satellite and Cable packages
Univision, Telemundo, Galavision, Telefutura are Spanish-language stations that carry a lot of soccer.
ESPN2 carries one MLS game of the week during the MLS season (March-October) as European Champion’s League and UEFA Cup games on weekdays in the afternoon from Nov – May.
Verizon and AT&T broadband internet customers get ESPN360.com for free.
Visit our home page for daily soccer on TV listings.
The MLS web site – www.mlsnet.com shows most games live over the Internet each week. Click sights and sounds on their menu and choose a game.

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