- Aggression is not just an ideal; it is a responsibility.
- Cowardice is unacceptable.
- Halfway doesn’t cut it; it will get you hurt.
- It’s your job to demand more from your teammates.
- Hold each other accountable for Effort, Bravery, and Focus.
- If you don’t call them out – it’s on you. They will never improve and neither will your team.
Practice with Intensity. Every Session.
- It is your job to do everything in your power to beat me by as much as you possibly can.
- If you do not genuinely try to annihilate me, you are robbing me of my chance to feel those emotions that make soccer worthwhile and memorable.
- You are responsible for taking me to my emotional brink. If you do not do that, you are cheating me.
- FORCE ME TO BRING MY BEST – or suffer the consequences.
- I will thank you – for pushing me beyond my limits, for making me feel that emotion, for forcing me out of my comfort zone, for making me a better player and a better teammate.
Game Play
- Be the aggressor: Regardless of the competition, the aggressor usually wins. The team that brings the fight is the one that dictates the terms of the engagement. Remember what Mike Tyson said? Be like Mike.
- Stay the aggressor: The aggressor dictates momentum, but momentum will only stay with you as long as you give it your undivided attention. The best way to maintain dominance is to continually exert dominance.
- Close the door: As soon as you open the door to hope, you are inviting disaster. Sustained aggression is critical to a competitive culture. Remember Perrysburg?