• Proto-Soccer's Existence:

The reason for Proto-Soccer Training is to eliminate "Not Clear" thinking and function from your root. Realize that in essence, there is no fixed teaching. All I can provide is an appropriate medicine for a particular ailment (If you find yourself 25 yards from goal, I will teach you how to score from 25 yards and out).

• Introduction:

To understand soccer, one must approach it in a very simple and direct manner. Proto-Soccer is dedicated to building Soccer Artists. "Ones who can display their soul through the medium of soccer."

In the history of soccer, the instinct to follow and imitate seems to be rampant in most players and coaches. This is partly due to human tendency and partly because of the steep traditions behind teaching certain styles. Consequently, to find a refreshing, open teacher of the game is a rarity. Thus, the need for a beacon to guide the true way is apparent.

• Proto-Soccer Flexible Methodology:

Proto-Soccer Training is committed to training any individual in the art of football as it exists today and how it will change in the future. Proto-Soccer believes there are no limits to a player unless the player decides to limit themselves.

• Proto-Soccer Training Style:

The method of training we use, is a progression that rapidly educates the novice soccer participant into a focussed and inventive soccer player. We begin with the physical body as the base factor in organizing the training regime. Soccer skills development is then applied. Next, a tour through simple attacking and defending understandings as it applies to the game. We then introduce players to various individual styles that comprise compound movements and understandings. The individual player then applies all that to how they can contribute to the team concept as a whole. The outcome is the student arrives at the point that he or she can let go and allow the body and mind to work effortlessly to solve any on the field problem.

• Proto-Principles of Teaching:

1. Introduction to Proto-Methods
2. Trained in the Proto-Method
3. Challenged in different areas to master the Proto-Method
4. Proto-Method is customized to be unique to individual through stylization

• Soccer Understandings:
  
  
• First soccer, in essence, is defined as the team with the most goals at the end of the game wins.

So simply, we must understand that soccer is about scoring goals and stopping goals from being scored.

To do these two very important activities you must develop your physical, mental and spiritual skill as it is allowed to be used in soccer. Skill is defined as an art, or technique. In this case, it is the art of controlling the ball to either stop or score goals.

Above all at this Base Skill Level, We are preparing the body and mind to become more aware of the challenges it will encounter on the path to success. The most positive aspect of improvement at this stage is it improves not only your soccer base, but your ability to cope with life itself.

First you will learn an overview of how we will go about improving your mind and body and then we will take you through each piece more in depth.
Let us look at the process of when an event occurs all the way through to your response to that event. (ex: you see an opening for a shot on goal, you take the shot) Here are the elements that go into action occurring:

Action Process:

1. Realize:
2. Decide
3. Begin From
4. Execute
5. Adapt

1. Realizing is defined with Perceptual Speed: quickness of eyes to see openings and to discourage the opponent, confusing him and slowing down
2. Deciding is defined with Mental Speed: quickness of mind to select the right move to frustrate and counter the opponent
3. Where you begin from is defined with Initiation Speed: economical starting from the right posture, and with the correct mental attitude
4. How quickly you execute the simple physical action is defined with Performance Speed: quickness of movement and carry the chosen move into effect involves actual muscle contractions speed
5. How quickly you can adapt in the moment is defined with Alteration Speed: the ability to change direction mainstream.  Involves control of balance and inertia.  (use small phasic bent the stance)

This Action Process is how humans go about completing any task. First it begins with an event occurring, say an opening to take a shot on goal.  Then the realizing of the opening needs to take place in the mind. Once that occurs a decision needs to be made to take advantage of this opportunity and then the issuing of the direction to the body to take the shot. Now where the body is starting from is the important factor. If you are standing, you are in a better starting position to begin the physical movement to take the shot then if you where laying down. We are discussing the factor of speed and how we can improve it. Next is the performance speed, which would be how well you body lines up and takes the shot.

The final factor is your adaptation speed, which can occur at any time during this process. If the opening closes, how quickly can you process and adapt to that change. If your adaptation speed is slow, then you will continue to take the shot and it will not be successful because the opening has closed. If you adaption is quick, then you will stop or change your movement to the current situation. Maybe another opportunity to shoot has opened up in another place. How fast can you change and adapt correctly to restart the action process.

Players need to understand how the process for learning soccer should go. Please see the illustration of a Proto-Players expected learning curve. As you can see, during the ages of 11 to 17 a players learning curve normally doubles or triples. If they continue with the game after adolescence they will be open to the correct mindset of improving, and the learning curve turns into a more of a constant. They will have the gift of consistently growing from there on in.

• Soccer Training Levels : Non-Soccer Specific and Soccer Specific

Soccer Stage 0: Base Physical Skills  (non-Soccer Specific Training) begins the process of honing physical growth maturity.
Soccer Stage 1: Soccer Skills (Skill Specific Level) is where all Soccer Skills can be introduced and then inspired in each pupil.
Soccer Stage 2: Soccer Elements (Simple Soccer Level) teaches where and how those soccer skills can be in soccer.
Soccer Stage 3: Soccer Styles (Soccer Artists Level) You then move to higher levels of interpretation in the game by stylizing and specializing.
Soccer Stage 4: Soccer Team Tactics  The team aspect of soccer as a whole enters the mentality to empower your game.

*During the lifetime of a soccer player, each Stage is explored in depth. *

Soccer Stage 0 to Soccer Stage 4, runs the training spectrum of a soccer player's life. From the player's body control to improvising in mid air to carry out a team tactic, all can be measured on the Soccer Player's Spectrum (Stage 0 - Stage 4). Although everyone needs to start with Stage 0. This Player Spectrum is where you are meant to touch every level weekly. It is not a scale to measure how much you have accomplished in the game, but one that organizes how to build a soccer player. All professional players need to touch every level weekly to stay fresh and on top of their game.

The spectrum though does predict that strength in the lower levels effects the ones above. So look at the Soccer Player Spectrum as something that is open and fluid for a player to touch the top or bottom daily.

• Tools that we supply the player:

We present the player with the ability to outmaneuver and outsmart their opponent. That is the skill and science of the sport of soccer. To have this ability, you must understand the soccer elements, the different types of options available and when and where each type is best put to use. The Proto-Player develops combinations of elements to attack and defend consistently at a high rate.

The Proto-Player will be armed with various styles of attacking. He or she will have at their command techniques that bewilder and confuse the opponent. Their dribbling and passing feints will tie opponents into "knots." They are able to combine real attacks with fake ones in such a manner that both appear to be the same. Through defensive and judicious movement, the player keeps their opponent off-balance. The Proto-Player has the ability to get in close and understands the value of mixing it up. He has so perfected change, that it is used for attack, as well as defense. Finally, she is the master of the game itself, for she knows when to attack and when to allow attack.

• The Science of Attacking:

Scientific attack is no simple matter but requires years of study and practice for its successful use. Once more, remember, a successful player is who wins. In preparing the player to win, training gives him his playing choices. A player who has learned to select, correctly, the choices he has been taught. So the presenting of the right options initially which begins at Proto-Soccer Level 2 Soccer Elements, ensures the best chance of success.

• Proto-Trainers Responsibilities:

During a lesson, the Proto-Trainer will have made a point of explaining, convincingly, the tactical application of each movement, whether of attack, or defense. In each case, he will have stressed.

Why ____ it is done.
How ____ it is done.
When ____ it is done.

• Proto-Training Summary:

Proto-Soccer is not a matter of petty technique, ultimately, it is to progress players to higher levels of success in soccer. It is not a question of developing what has already been developed but of recovering what has been left behind. These things have been with us, in us, all the time. We have just forgotten where they are. Proto-Soccer is not a matter of technology but of an insight into training mentally, physically and spiritually. We have helped by drawing a map and illustrating meanings through our Partnership with "Virtual Soccer Trainer." (Vsoccertrainer.com). With our guidance and recommended training material, A player will arrive to the highest playing level they commit to.

To systematically (with art, dignity and results) train in the game of soccer and become different takes 2 to 4 years of commitment. After that you will have adopted enough strategies to command the field.

If people say Proto-Soccer is different from "this one" or from "that one" then leave the name "Proto-Soccer" out, because the name is just that., a name. Don't make a big deal over it. We are finding what brings about greatness.

For Proto-Trainers ... Proto Soccer is about defeating ignorance in soccer. Learning Proto-Soccer is not a matter of seeking knowledge or accumulating stylized patterns, but it is discovering the cause of ignorance.

• Good Luck,

Kamal de Gregory
Proto-Soccer Region III Chief
Innovative Soccer Systems

some thoughts adapted from Bruce Lee