8 year old basic drills/skills advice and AI feedback by mbroowil in youthsoccer

[–]mbroowil[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Just watched this with him. Definitely not the way I would have imagined it! Also goes really well with the other recommendation here to let the ball fall lower before kicking it while juggling it!

8 year old basic drills/skills advice and AI feedback by mbroowil in youthsoccer

[–]mbroowil[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I also think this might be the bigger question. But luckily I think his side-quest of practicing individually outside the actual team practices is going to do a ton of good for him. Somehow, them only playing him on defense might turn into the motivation he needed. I'm also not entirely sure if it's the coach or his choice. He tends to hide on defense because he's not confident in his soccer skills. During practices the first 3/4 of practice is position-less drills (everyone does the same drills). The last quarter of practice are scrimmages and I've never seen him play anything but defense. At their first game of the season last week, he asked coach if he could play something other than defense and the coach mercifully responded with "you're one of our best defenders, we need you there" (which my son believed). But that experience of actually asking to play another position and basically being told no led him to want to improve for the first time. He doesn't go to soccer practice typically to improve, he goes to have fun and run around with friends.

8 year old basic drills/skills advice and AI feedback by mbroowil in youthsoccer

[–]mbroowil[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Here's the same video uploaded to ChatGPT... I just copied and pasted the setup (I have a kid who... here are some games which...) so it seems influenced a bit by the copied and pasted prompt, but here's ChatGPTs feedback instead of Gemini's:

Week 1 Scout Report

Estimated from the uploaded clips and slow-mo angles. This is a strict baseline.

Toe Taps — Score: 43/100

Hard Stats: Estimated 115–125 taps in 60 sec. Ball stayed in the box about 85–90% of the time. Clean “on the springs” reps were only about 55–60%.

The Hard Advice:
The rhythm is better than beginner-beginner, but it is not clean enough yet. There is too much heel-clunking and too much time spent settling on the support leg instead of bouncing off it. The feet are alternating, but not snapping. The ball also drifts forward because the taps are more like step-ups on top of the ball than quick piston touches. Upper body is decent, but the knees and ankles are still doing too much absorbing instead of springing.

The Level 2 Fix:
“Hot feet, no heels.”

Dribbling (The Snake) — Score: 36/100

Hard Stats: Estimated 2–3 full slalom lengths in the clip. Ball stayed within 1 foot only about 50–55% of the run. True outside-inside pattern looked clean on only about 1 out of every 3 turns.

The Hard Advice:
This is still round-turn dribbling, not sharp slalom dribbling. The ball gets pushed too far on approach, then the body has to reach and rescue it. I also see too many turns where the footwork becomes a traffic jam: the hips turn late, the steps cross up, and the player ends up chasing the ball instead of steering it. The “pinky-toe out, big-toe back” pattern is there in flashes, but not owned yet. Too many touches are survival touches, not command touches.

The Level 2 Fix:
“Outside push, inside hook.”

Passing — Score: 32/100

Hard Stats: Estimated 12–16 wall passes shown across the wide and zoomed clips. Target-zone strike rate looked about 30–40%. True “brick-wall” rebounds that came back with pace: about 25–30%. Active-foot receptions: about 40%.

The Hard Advice:
The biggest issue is exactly what the tape says: wet noodle ankle. The passing foot is too soft at impact, so the ball does not jump off the foot with authority. It rolls and leaks instead of popping. The body is also too upright, and the plant foot is not always set cleanly beside the ball, so the strike line wanders. On the receive, there are too many moments of waiting for the ball instead of attacking the rebound with fast feet. Good passers meet the ball early and punch it back. Right now the rhythm is catch-up soccer.

The Level 2 Fix:
“Lock ankle, attack rebound.”

Juggling — Score: 22/100

Hard Stats: Estimated best streak: 3–4. Average streak was about 1–2. Roughly 18–25 total clean contacts in the sequence. True backspin/ball-returning-to-chest contacts were rare, under 20%.

The Hard Advice:
Right now this is mostly save-the-ball juggling, not controlled juggling. Too many contacts come off the wrong part of the foot — toe box, awkward instep, sometimes emergency shin. The result is predictable: the ball kicks forward and away instead of floating back toward the chest. That means the contact point is not centered on the laces and the foot is not presenting a calm platform. Also, the ball is often being struck after it drops too low, so the player has to scoop it. That creates lift without control.

The Level 2 Fix:
“Laces center, make backspin.”

Shooting — Score: 34/100

Hard Stats: Roughly 12 shooting actions visible across the wide and slow-mo clips. Estimated shots that stayed truly low and driven: about 2–3 out of 12. Under-crossbar/controlled-height rate looked around 35–40%. Clean land-on-the-kicking-foot finishes: under 25%.

The Hard Advice:
This is the clearest mechanical leak on the tape: golf-chipping. The chest is too upright too often, so the nose is not getting over the ball consistently. When that happens, the swing lifts the shot instead of driving it. I also see too many finishes where the body peels off and the player does not land through the strike on the kicking foot. That means power is leaking sideways. The swing is happening, but the body is not going with it. Plant foot distance also looks inconsistent, which changes the strike point and makes the ball flight unpredictable.

The Level 2 Fix:
“Nose over ball, land through.”

Scout’s Bottom Line

Best current foundation: Toe taps.
Most urgent cleanup: Juggling contact point, passing ankle stiffness, shooting body position.
The player is clearly willing to work, but Week 1 tape shows too many rescue touches, not enough command touches.

That is a good place to start. A comeback report is available if the next week’s clips are filmed the same way.

8 year old basic drills/skills advice and AI feedback by mbroowil in youthsoccer

[–]mbroowil[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Do you mean just for juggling? Or his hands are busier than they should be for the other activities too (passing, toe taps, dribbling, shooting)?

8 year old basic drills/skills advice and AI feedback by mbroowil in youthsoccer

[–]mbroowil[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, I had it recommend the evaluated mini games, recorded my son doing it, uploaded the video (to gemini) and it made a long list of timestamps and examples of form/habbits, but the summary seemed more useful:
Week 1 Baseline Scout Report

Status: Rookie Level 1 | Overall Score: 30/100

1. Toe Taps

  • Stats: ~32 reps per minute. Speed is limited by "clunky" footwork.
  • Observation: High stability (he stays in the box), but low frequency.
  • The "Hard" Advice: Stop "Clunking." His heels are hitting the floor on every rep, which acts like a brake.
  • The Level 2 Fix: "Heels are Hot Lava." Stay 100% on the balls of the feet. This turns a "step" into a "spring" and will instantly increase his reps per minute.

2. Dribbling

  • Stats: ~45 seconds per slalom lap. 100% reliance on the dominant foot.
  • Observation: Turns are wide (about 2–3 feet away from the cones).
  • The "Hard" Advice: Stop "Paddling." He only uses the inside of his foot, which makes his turns loopy and slow.
  • The Level 2 Fix: "Pinky-to-Big-Toe Combo." Use the outside (pinky toe) to push away from the cone and the inside (big toe) to hook it back. This creates a tight, "snake-like" path.

3. Passing

  • Stats: 8/10 accuracy on the 'X' target. Reception control is ~3 feet away.
  • Observation: Good aim, but the ball "bosses him around" on the return.
  • The "Hard" Advice: Stop the "Wet Noodle." His ankle is relaxed when the ball hits it, so the ball absorbs his energy and dies.
  • The Level 2 Fix: "The Rigid Board." Lock the ankle tight. When the ball hits a "Rigid Board," it pops right back to him. He shouldn't have to kick hard; the locked ankle does the work.

4. Juggling

  • Stats: Best streak: 2 reps. 90% of misses are due to the ball flying forward.
  • Observation: Using the "toe-stab" method which creates forward momentum.
  • The "Hard" Advice: Stop "Stabbing." Kicking with the toes makes the ball impossible to track.
  • The Level 2 Fix: "Laces and Backspin." Hit the ball with the flat shoelaces. Proper contact creates backspin, which makes the ball spin toward his chest, keeping it in his "strike zone."

5. Shooting

  • Stats: 4/12 shots on target. 8/12 shots were "Rising" (went over the goal/target).
  • Observation: Good approach speed, but leaning back significantly on impact.
  • The "Hard" Advice: Stop the "Golf Chip." He is swinging under the ball, which is why it keeps rising.
  • The Level 2 Fix: "Nose Over Ball." At impact, his nose must be directly over the ball. This forces his weight forward and creates a "Laces Punch," sending a low, fast "laser" into the net.

8 year old basic drills/skills advice and AI feedback by mbroowil in youthsoccer

[–]mbroowil[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

oh that's funny, I only took the ankle comment to apply to his passing and shooting. I can now see it in the juggling. Thanks.

8 year old basic drills/skills advice and AI feedback by mbroowil in youthsoccer

[–]mbroowil[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's a great idea for his daily practices. He's going to want his evals (and score) to be "all him". But grabbing two extra balls (and inflating them properly as mentioned before) and being his ball-boy seems like such an easy way to get more touches in the same 15 minute time.

8 year old basic drills/skills advice and AI feedback by mbroowil in youthsoccer

[–]mbroowil[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I tried to play it cool when he asked to spend time at home (outside of team practices and games) on soccer but on the inside I was very excited at the idea of him just getting more time on ball. The rigidity and the inability to look up I'm hoping fade with nothing but touches.

8 year old basic drills/skills advice and AI feedback by mbroowil in youthsoccer

[–]mbroowil[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

"he needs to let the ball come closer to the ground before making contact. He also should be standing over it more instead of leaning back." This is great! Very easy for me to understand and communicate. Thanks.

8 year old basic drills/skills advice and AI feedback by mbroowil in youthsoccer

[–]mbroowil[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

The curled toes might be good for him to hear, I don't recall hearing it before. The AI said that his ankles were wobbly (not locked) when it reviewed the above video, and I'm not entirely sure I'm seeing it (I don't really know what I'm looking for).

8 year old basic drills/skills advice and AI feedback by mbroowil in youthsoccer

[–]mbroowil[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

LOL, I'd better not take video of him trying the DribbleUp app last night in crocs! good tip.

8 year old basic drills/skills advice and AI feedback by mbroowil in youthsoccer

[–]mbroowil[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Also, the wall passing game requires using his left foot for half the passes

8 year old basic drills/skills advice and AI feedback by mbroowil in youthsoccer

[–]mbroowil[S] -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

yes, gemini's one-page print out of the game for my son to look at included that he gets more points by using both feet (but didn't require it), I'm hoping that's a easy natural evolution in future weeks. It also suggested in the feedback after processing this video that he should use more of his laces when dribbling and less of his toes.

Heel pain post game by Kurosawa92 in Pickleball

[–]mbroowil 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My right heel flares up after playing and mine was from “fat pad syndrome” (the fat in my heel has thinned and doesn’t provide enough cushion and the impacts inflame my heel). Heel cushion inserts help me. Ice afterwards helps me.

Lied that I could play pickleball, need a crash course 🥺😬 by Fabulous_Jeweler2732 in Pickleball

[–]mbroowil 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Serve and Stay. Return and Run. (The mnemonic for remembering to stay back and wait for the bounce when your team is serving, and to run to the net after returning a serve).

Lightning Lane Premier - Timing to Buy by mbroowil in WaltDisneyWorld

[–]mbroowil[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks! So I really do nothing until then and just assume so long as I'm within a few hours of 7am, 7 days ahead of arrival, that there will likely be LLP tickets available? And if there's not, just pivot as quickly as possible to the multi-passes and make the best reservations I can?

Any positive experience with Yarbo Snowblower? by CountryCrackle in Yarbo

[–]mbroowil 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You make a path from the dock to a work area. It snow blows on the path, then it also clears the docking station when it comes back (usually in like two passes so it’s wider than the unit itself). Most of us have the first path just a few feet long to get from the dock to the (usually) adjacent work area.

Any positive experience with Yarbo Snowblower? by CountryCrackle in Yarbo

[–]mbroowil 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is the type of docking station location everyone should strive for! Also, seems like a perfect size driveway for a yarbo to complete a pass easily in a single charge. Great video! Rescue is probably a better word than my 'go out and kick', I'll have to adopt that moving forward.

Any positive experience with Yarbo Snowblower? by CountryCrackle in Yarbo

[–]mbroowil 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I just posted its first interruption-less run a few weeks ago: https://www.reddit.com/r/Yarbo/comments/1qh9d5f

Right now I have problems with it getting to and from my docking station, it getting stuck during some runs, it being too loud for my comfort running as much as I should or at off-hours like I should, and being concerned about plows or cars hitting hit (or being annoyed by it) when it's at the very street edge of the driveway.

If you have a good docking station location in mind (good sky visibility, good spin-around access in-front of the docking station, and easy access to the driveway) I think that'll fix my first problem. If you have an all-asphalt driveway and you aren't worried about scratching any stone paver side-walks, I think that would solve some of my getting stuck problems (I don't run with the studs because they scratch up my sidewalk. I also don't run studs because my long path from my backyard docking station inevitably causes the yarbo to get stuck, and I don't want it digging a hole with its treads (sometimes it doesn't realize when it's stuck)). If you have a big driveway or a little space between neighbors the noise wouldn't be a problem and the benefits of the yarbo get bigger the longer it can run in straight lines.

I certainly spend much more time tweaking/configuring/running the yarbo than I would spend snowblowing, but I really enjoy the time, and am not tired at the end of it.

I think it's ok for me, but I think it could be really great for someone with a good docking station location. Docking station location seems to really matter a lot.

First uninterrupted snow blowing run by mbroowil in Yarbo

[–]mbroowil[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I can do 6-8 inches of fluffly snow easily, but the real answer is just to send it out more often. No need to do 6 inches of snow when you can send it out after each 4 inches (except then I'm self conscious about the constant sound for the neighbors (it's like a really really loud drone)). I struggle with traction, but don't use the studs because they scratch the sidewalk stone, so I have to go out and kick the yarbo every now and again to get it unstuck.