Thoughts on Charlie Francis and soccer

[NumberTwo]

@svincenz

Interesting points:
A few brief comments:

• I agree that the emphasis has to be put chronologically on technical, tactical, athletical skills. At the same time, humans are very plastic before 9-12 years of age, with consequences also on lifetime gene expression (as a general phenomenon, of course). I was wondering if by not trying to direct gene expressione in the early years, we are losing the best time to influence it. The same can be said for learning foreign language, mathematical skills and so on. Now, read biographies and you can understand lots of things, read textbooks and you will soon get caught is some dogmatic views. Mine are only points for discussion, of course.

I agree. A good book to read is “Why Michael Couldn’t Hit: And Other Tales of the Neurology of Sports” written by Harold L. Klawans, a professor of neurology at Rush Medical College in Chicago. In a portion of the book, Klawans discusses the concept of “windows of opportunity” for skill development.

“His 1996 book, “Why Michael Couldn’t Hit and Other Tales of the Neurology of Sports,” looked at the greatness–or lack thereof–of several sports legends. In the book, he argues that basketball superstar Michael Jordan failed as a minor-league baseball player because he had not acquired the baseball skills he needed at a critical time in childhood when the brain develops certain motor skills.”

I highly recommend anyone interested in developing athletes from a young age read this book.