Role of a Sub

A player who shows envy or jealousy toward the starting team is often judged to have a poor attitude. In truth, envy and jealousy are natural feelings. It’s how a player handles her feelings that determines whether she is team-oriented.

Not wanting to sit on the bench is perfectly acceptable. If you’re a player who has given everything you’ve got, and it’s not good enough to be a starter, you can either quit the team and take on another challenging project, or accept the role of being a substitute, knowing you will have opportunities to contribute to your team’s success.

A substitute must learn to take satisfaction in performing steadily and reliably each time she steps on the floor including 100% effort in practice. A team can only be as good as the players they practice against. If the starters practiced against a group that was not giving it their best shot, they’d have a tough time improving. But if they have to scratch and fight every day to beat the subs, they’ll improve easily.

How a substitute handles feelings of jealousy or disappointment determines her attitude and her team spirit. A substitute should never:

Start or listen to gossip that alienates the team against another team member

Sulk or act disinterested while on the bench

Put a damper on everyone’s spirits after a game because she didn’t play, or

Grumble about having to practice with the weaker players.

The role of the substitute is difficult to master, but its rewards are worth the effort.

Marta Marta Marta

September 29, 2008 – I am giddy with excitement. Last week, the new Women’s Professional Soccer League held its draft of the world’s top foreign players. And Marta was chosen by the as-yet unnamed Los Angeles team!  

It always irked me that L.A. didn’t have a team during the last incarnation of women’s professional soccer (WUSA). But if Marta ultimately signs with the team, her presence just may make up for that. She is the envy of most male professional players, let alone her female counterparts, and she’ll be a big draw for the game.

If choosing Marta is any indication, the Anschutz Entertainment Group (which owns the Galaxy as well as the L.A. women’s franchise) plans to build its WPS team with star power. Marta is the female equivalent of the Galaxy’s David Beckham (though she surely won’t get the same kind of money).

Considered by most to be the best player in the world, Marta has twice been named FIFA world player of the year. Known universally by her first name, Marta Viera da Silva is the most exciting talent to come out of Brazil since Ronaldinho. The 22-year old forward has led her country to back-to-back Silver medals in the Olympics and currently plays for the Swedish club Umea IF.

Marta has speed, incredible dribbling skills, unparalleled on-field awareness, the ability to  create scoring chances out of thin air, and, best of all, superb finishing ability. She swivels, spins and uses every bit of her foot. Containing her is a defender’s worst nightmare.

No one will ever replace Mia Hamm in the hearts of American fans, but Marta could well give her a good run for her money.

Now it’s not a done deal until Marta signs on the dotted line. Each of the seven teams in the league were allowed to draft four international players, providing them with the opportunity to begin a formal negotiation process.

Marta won’t come cheap: L.A. picked third, so it’s likely the first two teams were scared off by her potential price tag.

L.A. must now notify Marta’s current club of their interest, and much like the men’s game, they will only be allowed to negotiate with players in the last six month of their contract, or if they receive permission from the club to negotiate.

During the international draft, L.A. also picked Japanese midfielder Aya Miyama and Chinese striker Han Duan. See all the draft picks here.

A couple weeks ago, L.A selected Shannon Boxx and Aly Wagner as well as former Penn State standout Ali Krieger in a dispersal of players in the U.S. National Team pool. The WPS General Draft takes place on Oct. 6th.

Fingers remain crossed that Marta will be moving to my little burg. And I’m looking forward to the possibility of a WPS vs MLS friendly in the future. 

Voting Underway for 2007 U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year Awards

Nov. 16 2007.  Voting is underway for the 2007 Best of U.S. Soccer Awards. The finalists for each of the four prestigious U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year Awards – Male, Female, Young Male and Young Female – have been announced by the sport’s governing body in the United States – and now fans get to separate 2007’s best from the rest. 

Vote for both the prestigious U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year Awards as well as ussoccer.com’s 2007 Best of U.S. Soccer Awards. Read more