The Formula For Success

Daniel Olstad • March 10, 2025

An equation for Successful Actions

There are countless scenarios that play out during a soccer game. Pass, shoot, dribble, turn, beat the defender, small touch, big touch, driven pass, lofted pass, press, hold the space, and on and on and on. In any given moment for individual players, not to mention the team, there are actions to made and there are countless actions that can be made in that single moment. So how does a player make an effective action. Math was never my thing but I have come up with pretty simple formula that will show how a player gets to an action on the field, the result of which could be positive or negative.

Forgive me if I am a little off on this equation. I am not a mathematician nor was I good at math when they started adding the alphabet next to numbers. My brain was a believer that those two things were distinctly different and should remain apart. Sort of like pickles and ice cream. To me they are both wonderful alone, but please don’t put them together.

Here is the equation

(A + D) + E = X or (Awareness + Decision Making) + Execution = Outcome of Action.

the outcome of the players action during a game is a direct result of their awareness or ability to see and take in the information around them and their ability to use that information to make a decision and execute that decision using their technical abilities. In the simplest example if a player wants to complete a pass in the game they need to use this formula by; first being aware of the space around them, the location of their teammates, and the location of the opposition. Next the player must decide on who to pass the ball to, where to pass the ball (into the space, to the feet of the player, the specific foot of the player and so on), and the weight (speed) of the pass. Once that decision is made the player must be able to execute that decision using the proper techniques for the given action. A players ability level in all three of these components will determine the range of actions that can be completed and the rate of success.

Let’s look at the formula’s components more in depth.

Awareness

Awareness is for me the most critical component of the game. A player with good awareness of the field is capable of making a wider range of decisions then a player who does not. Even players who have high technical ability need high level awareness to be successful. A player can have all the skill in the world but if they can’t take in and use the information around them then they won’t be able to make and execute good decisions. A player who has a simpler skill set and ability to read situations and use information effectively will very often have a high rate of success on the field.

If you look at player A and Player B below the highlighted area shows their range of awareness. Obviously player A has a large area of awareness and thus can make more decisions than player B is capable of. Player A’s ability to see the bigger picture around them on the field will offer them a great chance of find a successful action.

A B

In order to build awareness players must constantly practice taking in the information around them. As coaches we should be asking players to check their shoulders and scan the field even during the most basic of exercises. It is tough for young players but we need to help them to understand that the ball is only one piece of the puzzle in the game. Just watching the ball and where it goes creates a narrow scope of awareness. Being able to see the ball, and scan the field for space, teammates, and the opposition greatly broadens the player’s awareness.

Another way to build awareness is through communication. When players communicate with their teammates it helps to build awareness because one player may not be able to see what another sees at a given time. On field communication is critical to increase a players awareness of the game happening around them. A player may not know a defender is on their right side because they did not scan the field enough, but if a teammate let’s that player know there is a defender on the right then awareness has been increased through communication.

The best example I can think to give players when it comes to awareness is that it is like doing a research report for school. If I am going to do a report and I only have one piece of information than my report is not going to be very good. Instead if I spend time compiling a lot of information and then ask for assistance from a friend or teacher to see if I missed anything or if they have any more information to add I am going to end up with a much better report.

Decision Making

Decision making is directly correlated to awareness. There is no arguing that. A player who has great awareness in the game will be more likely to make a good decision then a player who does not have good awareness. Decision making is a result of the player being able to take in the information around them and use that information to come up with a plan of action.

In the example below you see player A and player B in the same situation. Player A’s awareness of the field is limited and player B has very good awareness from consistently scanning the field, checking their shoulders and having good body position. Because player A does not have good awareness they do not know the defender is behind them and they choose to turn with the ball and end of losing it to the defender.

Player B though using their awareness is able to know the defender is behind them and make the decision to pass the ball the way they are facing to player C who is in space away from the opposition. Because player B is able to take in the all the information around them, they can use it to make the best possible decision, which leads to the action and best possible outcome based on their ability to execute the action.

Example A

Example B

Execution

A player takes in the information, decides on an action, and now has to complete or execute that action. To do this, players need to build their technical ability. A high level of technical competence leads to an increased amount of available actions and an increased rate of success in those actions. The more tools you have more you can do and the more effective you can be. A carpenter can’t build a house with just a hammer.

An effective forward in a 1v1 situation will be able to use their awareness to gain information about the defenders speed, ability, body position, aggressiveness and support from opposition teammates, decide on a course of action such as looking to beat the defender, and then use speed, ball control, and various fakes or feints to execute that decision. A forward with a wider range of technical skill and creativity will be more successful in beating the defender then a forward with a basic dribbling skill set. Both forwards may make the same decision but one will have a higher rate of success because of their ability to execute their decision successfully.

Another example would be a midfielder A who can pass accurately over various distances with both feet on the ground or in the air versus midfielder B who can only pass on the ground with their right foot. The first player is able to make a wider range of passes and if they have good awareness will be able to make a wider range of decisions with more effective execution then the player who can only pass a short distance with one foot. Midfielder B may have good awareness and may decide the best pass is a longer one, but their inability to execute will lead to an unsuccessful action.

The Outcome

As we already said the outcome of a players action is a result of adding together all three components, (A + D) + E = Outcome of Action. A player with strong ability in all three areas will likely have a higher rate of successful actions then a player with a high ability in two areas, and most definitely a higher rate of success than players who are lacking in two or all of the areas.

If you look at the top players in the men’s and women’s games at any position you will see this formula come into a very clear picture. Think about someone like Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City. De Bruyne has a high level of technical ability thus his ability to execute actions no matter then degree of difficulty is high. Not only that, he is a great decision maker due to his elite level of awareness on the field. Put the three together and you get a high rate of successful actions that make him a world class player. When you compare De Bruyne to your local semi-pro team players the difference in level does not just exist in the feet but it is also exists in the eyes and the brain.

On The Field

As coaches we need to early age players enhance their abilities in all three components, awareness, decision making, and execution. We must create exercises and sessions that challenge players in all three areas as much as possible. This is critical at all ages. A players cognitive abilities (awareness and decision-making) are just as critical as their physical abilities (technique, speed, strength, fitness, etc). A player with good technical ability, superior physical qualities, but a lack of cognitive ability will not be as successful in the game of soccer as a player who has the same technical ability, lower physical qualities, but superior cognitive abilities.

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Q & A with Hollye Anne Brinkley

By Daniel Olstad • March 10, 2025

Hollye Anne Brinkley was centerback and captain of the River City FC 2007 girls before moving on to play for Saint Louis Scott Gallagher ECNL-RL. Hollye spent her time at RCFC (formerly Liverpool FC IA - St. Louis & Webster Groves United) from the age of 8 before moving on at 16. During her time at the club the 2007 girls were Missouri President's Cup champions and Midwest Regional participants, Missouri State Cup Finalists, and had top 5 ranking in Missouri via GotSoccer. Now a senior at Nerinx High School and committed to play soccer at Grinnell College next year, we asked Hollye about her experience at River City FC and how it helped shape her development as a player. What was your overall experience like at RCFC (LFC, WGU)? I had a really good overall experience. Even with all of the name switching and changes that were going on while I was at RC, I always felt like the coaches were still completely focused on making me the best soccer player I could be. With it being as small as it is, there was always a very tight-knit and caring culture. It was very personalized and I always really appreciated that. Growing up playing with River City helped me to improve so much as a soccer player but my confidence also skyrocketed during my time there. I really loved my teammates and my coaches, which made it hard to move on. How did the coaches at the club contribute to your development? Like I said, it was always very personalized. I started club soccer in 3rd or 4th grade and had a few different coaches during my time at RCFC, especially in my earlier years. But I came in not having a lot of technical skills and I wasn't very confident, and my coaches really met me where I was at. The focus was always on growth and improvement, not just on winning. I never got chewed out for making a mistake and every coach I had was so supportive which kept me loving soccer instead of getting burnt out. Were there any specific coaches who had a significant impact on you, and why? I was with Coach Daniel (Olstad) for most of my time at River City, probably about 5 years. His approach to coaching was so methodical. He had a reason and a purpose for everything. He really transformed my idea of soccer and helped me to understand it as a tactical and thoughtful game, rather than just kick and run. His dedication to our team was inspiring and pushed us to give our all. Were there specific areas of your game that the club helped you improve? I was with River City for my formative soccer years, so I honestly got better at everything during my time there. One specific example that comes to mind is learning to play the ball long and in the air. It took me a long time to figure out how to hit the ball just right to get it in the air and how to get it where I wanted it but because River City was such a safe place to experiment and make mistakes in practice (and sometimes in games!) I never felt like I was behind or failing at it and that really encouraged me to continue trying. How did the club's training help you develop your tactical understanding of the game? Like I said, Coach Daniel was a very methodical coach. Especially as we got older, we talked a lot about making the ball do the work and moving off the ball. During my time at River City, I really grasped that soccer is not a game that can be played with people standing around doing nothing. I learned that there was always something I could be doing to support my teammates and that lesson has served me very well. After RCFC, where did you go to play? I went to play with St. Louis Scott Gallagher ECNL-RL. What specific skills or attributes do you believe you developed at the club that helped you move to a higher level? I played a lot of different positions during my time at River City...my very first season I played forward and by my sophomore year of high school, I was firmly rooted as a centerback. However, even though my preferred position was on defense, I learned how to be versatile and play different positions. This flexibility allowed me to come into my high school team and my next club team as a player who was able to play a few different positions, not just centerback. It opened up different opportunities for me on different teams. I also believe that growing up in River City instilled in me the importance of recovering after making mistakes. It was never a big deal if you made a mistake, it was just important that you worked as hard as you could to make up for that mistake. How did the club prepare you for the increased demands of higher-level competition? Even though River City was a smaller club, Coach Daniel never shied away from pushing us to compete against higher level teams from larger clubs. We got a lot of opportunities to play really good, challenging teams and were better for it. He made sure that our team was consistently challenged and that we knew we could hold our own against the teams we were playing in our elite tournaments and league games. Because he was so confident in us challenging ourselves, that made us confident. Our team learned that we were just as good as the high level teams we were playing and because of this, I was able to go into new situations, like tryouts with tons of elite players, feeling confident that I was just as good as them, if not better. What was the most important lesson you learned at the club that you carry with you to this day? Coach Daniel used to say "Don't be sorry, be better". I always took that as a way of saying don't dwell on your mistakes, just make up for them and be better next time. I think the most important thing I learned at River City was to work as hard as I can to make up for my mistakes. Don't waste time saying sorry or feeling bad for yourself, just recover and fix it. I've brought that with me on every team I've been on and it applies outside of soccer too. It really changed my perspective. Looking back, what advice would you give to younger players who aspire to move to a higher level? This is much easier said than done, but just be confident in yourself. Trust in the work and time that you've put in and the skill that you have - they will show.

The Circle of Control

By Daniel Olstad • March 3, 2025

Control What You Can, Forget What You Can't!

There Is No Need To Yell

By Daniel Olstad • February 17, 2025

Throughout my coaching career, I've never been a yeller. While I might raise my voice occasionally to address the entire team, and, particularly in my early years, I sometimes lost my composure over questionable calls (a behavior I've since learned to manage), these instances were rare. One thing I don't do is yell at players. I've found it counterproductive, counterintuitive, and, frankly, it looks terrible to yell at a child playing a game. There are better and more productive ways to motivate that lead to better results in terms of long term development. Am I demanding? Absolutely. Do I have expectations? Yes. However, I've learned that providing players with clear, concise, and valuable information yields far greater long-term developmental success than yelling ever could. Game knowledge, the ability to deliver quality practices, and connecting with players on a personal level while genuinely caring about their well-being have earned me more respect from players over the years. Some parents have even asked why I don't yell more, with a few even requesting that I do so, believing their child responds well to it. I can explain precisely why I don't yell at players and why I believe it's wrong, especially in youth sports. Yelling at players to motivate them reveals a lack of intrinsic motivation. These players rely on external motivators to perform at their best, hindering long-term development. Yelling triggers the amygdala's fear response, impairing clear thinking and information processing. Even if a player responds after being yelled at, the motivation is primarily to avoid further reprimands, a fear-based reaction known in psychology as positive punishment (the addition of a negative stimulus). A more effective approach is demonstrating the correlation between choices and consequences. Instead of yelling, explain the benefits of desired actions. For example, instead of yelling at a player who fails to recover defensively, resulting in a goal, explain that failing to track their player will lead to more scoring opportunities for the opponent. Conversely, sprinting back will help prevent those chances. Consequences for consistently failing to meet expectations, such as reduced playing time, should also be clearly communicated. Accountability is best maintained through clearly defined standards and expectations. When these are established and understood by everyone, there's no need for yelling. Simply state the unmet expectation and the corresponding consequence. For example, "You were a distraction during practice when you should have been listening, so you will not start the next game." Leading by example is crucial. Even when frustrated, coaches should demonstrate emotional intelligence by calmly articulating their concerns. During challenging games, instead of yelling, focus on developing and communicating a plan to improve the situation, ensuring players understand the necessary adjustments and their rationale. Yelling is unacceptable in most professions. No parent would suggest yelling as a helpful strategy to a teacher, dentist, or doctor. Imagine a parent saying, "Screaming at Billy will really help his reading," or "Berating Sally will make her floss," or "Yelling at my child in front of everyone is the best way to get them to eat more fruit." Such scenarios highlight the absurdity of using yelling as a motivational tactic. While I strive for consistency, I'm not perfect, and there might be occasions when I raise my voice or even yell. However, I've learned that far more effective methods exist to maximize player performance, earn their respect, and guide their long-term development as both athletes and individuals. These include: Game Knowledge and Clear Communication: Effectively conveying the who, what, where, why, and when of teaching is essential. A Positive Learning Environment: Creating a space where players feel valued, respected, and challenged is paramount. Personal Connection: Taking a genuine interest in players' lives beyond the sport fosters a connection that translates to increased effort and respect on the field. Simple conversations about favorite foods or school can make a significant difference, regardless of the player's age. Understanding Child Development: Recognizing the specific needs of different age groups is crucial. For example, young children thrive on activity. Structuring practices that keep them engaged and moving minimizes boredom and behavioral issues. Positive Reinforcement: As my first coaching instructor emphasized, "Catch them being good!" Praising positive actions, even if the outcome isn't perfect, is scientifically proven to yield better long-term results than any other method. Praise a good pass, a well-taken shot (even if it misses), or a good decision (even if it results in a turnover). Address the technical errors separately. The use of positive reinforcement to shape behavior and desired actions was solidified by observing my wife's previous career as a marine mammal trainer. Trainers use positive reinforcement to shape animal behavior. Desired actions are rewarded, while undesired ones are simply ignored. This positive approach encourages the animals to perform behaviors willingly, knowing they'll be praised and rewarded. (Don't tell the kids, but I treat them a lot like my wife used to treat the sea lions and seals!) In conclusion, neither I nor any coach within our club will yell at your player. There are far more effective ways to encourage performance, learning, and development. Carlo Ancelotti, the current Real Madrid coach and the most successful coach in UEFA Champions League history (with five titles), provides a compelling example. In a recent book about his leadership, former players and staff consistently noted his calm demeanor, recounting only one or two instances of him yelling or expressing anger, and never on the field. If a coach of his caliber, working with players like Vinícius Júnior, Mbappé, and Bellingham, doesn't need to yell to achieve success, then I certainly don't need to yell to help your player develop and, most importantly, enjoy the game.