By Joey Bilotta

Think soccer stardom is won on technical skills alone? Think again.

Beyond individual ability, scouts at international soccer schools look at how players work with their team. They don’t want to sign a player who’s going to disrupt harmony within the squad. They’re going to research, talk to coaches and parents, and get background information about team attitude.

What they want is a well-rounded soccer player, someone whose teamwork skills will fit into their system from Day One. That’s a big part of what scouts look for, and it’s the same thing we tell players in our international soccer schools.

A lot of players show individual ability. Good team players take the game to the next level.

Training for teamwork on the pitch
Players moving up to pro teams from international soccer schools average about ten thousand hours of play with the ball. Our coaches estimate conservatively 50 percent to 60 percent of that time involves practicing with a team.

Like any other skill, practice is crucial to building player interaction. Our international soccer schools dedicate one training session per day to team-oriented play.

Do the same with your team: set up scrimmages and organized positional plays. Let players know where they should play a specific position on the field. Make it a priority to interact with teammates. Develop an instinct for how each player reacts.

Participation is key
It’s important for all players to attend the practice sessions. You build relationships with your teammates, the same as players in international soccer schools. It’s almost second nature, a sort of in-built telepathy. You know where people are going to be on the field. You know what they’re going to do with the ball.

You build those relationships through many hours of practice as a team.

Building better teamwork off the field
Chemistry for teams works the same at home as it does in international soccer schools. You have to learn to live with the good and bad about everyone. When you step over the line on the field, you’re as one. You’ve got to be as one off the field as well.

Social activities bond teams together so you can understand each other’s personalities. Players in our international soccer schools take cultural excursions together. You can do the same thing with your local team.

Activities can be simple: a hiking trip, paintball, laser tag, or something similar. It doesn’t have to be soccer-related.

Training like a pro
Players in international soccer schools concentrate on teamwork as well as technical skills. Don’t forget to implement that at home. Coaches and parents talk about players showing better organizational skills, reading the game better, and helping organize their teammates into different positions on the field.

Are they talking about you? Start training like an elite international soccer schools player today, and they will be soon.

Ready to kick-start your soccer adventure overseas? Thousands of our soccer players have achieved international confidence and world-class soccer skills. Some have gone on to trials with professional teams. Will you be the next? Contact EduKick Soccer Camps to find out how you can take your soccer game to Spain, England, Italy, France, China, Brazil, or Mexico.