So whats the difference between these two words that is often used in Sports.
Technique is a skill or ability in a specific field. In this case, when we refer to technique in Soccer, it refers to the game actions such as dribbling, shooting, passing, defending and etc.
Tactic refers an action or strategy carefully planned to achieve a specific end. It can occur in individual or collective effort.
So which is more important?
We firmly believe that at a younger age, the key emphasis is to get the fundamental technique right. Since it's the core function of all movements in a game, coaches need to develop time and effort to ensure that technique is fully mastered before that they get into complex game situations. That is also the reason why some of us will realise that why some kids have very little impact in the game and slowly just lose interest in it. The key factor is because if they cannot control the ball well enough this will lead to them chasing the ball in most parts of the game. Different players have different learning curve, hence some of them will develop a stronger technique while some need more time to brush up on their technique. Hence, its important for parents to note their progress of their child because sometimes in a big team set up, some children will eventually lose out on getting the maximal attention in training. If this persists over a period of time, they will feel demoralised and also end up not enjoying the game.
The key importance is getting the technique right. There is no point in doing repetition of drills only to find out that they are working on their technique wrongly, in that way we are actually doing more harm than good. There are a few ways to solve this. One of it will be to reach out to the internet and search for relevant information. The other will be to engage a private 1-1 coach to correct their technique. In a private environment, players will be taught the proper technique and through supervision, they work on the right technique with repetition. Think of it like tuition, if you require more assistance in Math you will engage a Math tutor to help you become better, in this example, it’s the same! In this way, they will be able to execute the game actions better and quicker. Our individual training program is 60 minutes long, players are put through a series of drills to assess their technique level and also to identify key weaknesses. From there, our experience trainers will craft out drills that correct the technique. Of course, it doesn’t stop there, players have to practise on their own outside their training time to get better. One example will be the Free maestro ball program which they can practise. Do it consistently for 30 days and you will see massive improvement. These are the marginal gains that will go a long way. Think of technique as a weapon in your armoury, with a better technique you will have a better set of weapons in your armoury and your chance of victory will be higher. This “weapon” also will stay with you for life.
So now we shall talk a little more on tactics. Having good technique alone will not be enough to win games. In a match, there are more players involved hence we require strategy/tactics to overcome the opponents. This is the job of the team coach to devise a plan to carry out in his weekly team sessions with his/her players. In a typical soccer academy session, coaches will then breakdown different plays and game situations to drill their players to perfection so they are prepared for their upcoming games. This will help increase their chances of winning games. For youth football games, a coach will have more influence to change the results of the game using respective game tactics as its easier to manage compared to the adult’s game. Think of tactics like a game of chess, the coach will be playing the game and the players will be the chess pieces. The players will play accordingly to the coaches plan and instructions. Of course tactics and technique can come together hand in hand, once the coach prepares the players to build a strong foundation in their technical ability, he can then now introduce tactics on how he or the club wants to play. So in a typical training session, it will consists a lot of game stimulation drills to micmic the scenarios that they will face and work on it over and over again. However at a higher level of football, tactics is definitely vital in winning games. Managers are paid to win games and championship.
In summary, there is no right or wrong approach of doing things. It’s just a matter of what is deem as important to you as a parent for your child, winning games or having a good technical foundation to prepare them for the future. We would love to hear your thoughts, feel free to comment below.
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