PROSTAR USA (PS) PATHWAY PHILOSOPHY
“Passion - Purpose - Progress”
Mission Statement
Prostar Soccer is a community based organization committed to helping each player learn, grow, and celebrate his or her love of the game. We are dedicated to developing character, integrity, and personal growth for the youth player, student athlete and future leader. We serve our community by continuing a tradition of fun and excellence in developing players, coaches and teams. Prostar Soccer will provide quality programs, facilities, staff, education, leadership and management while developing youth into adults of exceptional character, uniting them in a lifetime sport community.
“The PS Pathway”
The PS Pathway is the characterization of all that is PROSTAR SOCCER; the rules and manner in which members hold themselves and how they expect other members to conduct themselves. This is not inherent in all people, but can be learned. The PS Pathway encourages passion, leadership, respect and, above all, quality. The following is a summation of the PS Pathway. It is by no means all inclusive, but enough to provide an idea of what it means to sport and represent the colors of our club and be part of something new and something great.
Club and Organizational Philosophies
PS Brand
All who represent PS are representing the PS brand and hundreds of people throughout the region. PS stands for excellence, passion, desire, commitment and respect.
PS – A Coaches Run Organization
What sets PS apart from most is the fact that the coaches run the organization. All decisions are made or delegated by the elite coaching staff assembled throughout the club and region. Each and every decision, from the smallest adjustment during practice, to the hiring of staff is made by the Coaches. Each decision has the basic foundation of ‘what is best for the player and what is best for soccer’. Keeping this in the forefront of all thoughts ensures the right decision is always made.
PS Volunteers / Employees (V/E)
To be an PS volunteer / employee takes a certain type of motivation and passion. We expect v/e to take ownership of their positions and, therefore, they are held accountable for the work they do. We seek to recruit and hire men and women who are knowledgeable and critical thinkers of the game and who have personalities that are comfortable in any situation when dealing with club matters.
Operations
Equipment
PS are a Nike Soccer Club, coaches are expected to be attired in Nike Soccer whenever they are representing PS.
Coach Education
Education of our players comes first from the education of the coaches. The commitment from PS to educate our coaches and volunteers is of the highest priority. Evaluating programs, coaches, volunteers and players is paramount in continuing the growth and success of PS at all levels.
Monthly informational and educational meetings are scheduled to ensure that even at the highest level of coaching and administration within the organization there is still continuing growth and the desire to improve.
Coach Education Sessions in the form of club meetings, coaching clinics, session plans, etc. are continuously provided to all coaches within the organization to encourage the betterment of everyone associated with PS. Coaches are also encouraged to participate in all national licensing programs and to seek outside opportunities (PS Academy, state, regional and national team program participation, etc.) for educational development.
Player Education
Player Development & Recruitment
While each PS Club is slightly different and must adapt to the various economic & geographic limitations for the game and development of soccer within their respective communities, PS seeks to develop players both from within and through recruitment. PS encourages and expects their coaches to be actively recruiting players to strengthen the club. Recruitment should be based on a number of factors including but not limited to strengthening the clubs player registrations, strengthening team personnel, changing
team personnel, acquiring the best talent and having the opportunity to coach the best players. We believe that player development for existing players is enhanced by the competition of recruitment by raising the standard of all players.
Pre Match, Post Match and Match Play
It is our objective to ensure that all teams are progressing and
improving consistently, developing an ever growing love and passion for the game, as well as experiencing the emotions of winning and losing with good sportsmanship.
If a team is winning all the time, they are encouraged to schedule a scrimmage against tougher competition to be sure they are being pushed. Likewise, if a team is in a losing slump, then a scrimmage is encouraged against an opposition that they should beat, to regain a positive attitude, develop a goal scoring mentality and create confidence in defense. Development is always more important than winning in the PS Philosophy, and so understanding all experiences of the game is essential to team and player development.
We believe that “the game is the best teacher”, and therefore we encourage our teams to play 30-50 games a year. A demanding schedule but rewarding none the less, and therefore, the calendar must be a strategically thought out by the coaching staff throughout the year, ensuring sufficient periods of time for our young athletes and teams to recover and regenerate, and other times to intensify training for an upcoming game or event.
Formation
PS adopt the 4-4-2 as our default formation, with which all teams within the organization should be familiar. This is not to say from team to team that other formations should not be used. We encourage teams to be familiar with a number of formations. The default system is to ensure that players are comfortable when guest playing within the club and with the PS Academy and regional teams formed from joint ventures within the PS family of clubs. As the level of play increases, the subtleties of more formations must be learned to adapt to scenarios such as opposition, team strengths and weaknesses and the score of the game.
Player Position
PS believe that under the age of 14, every player should have the opportunity to experience all positions on the field. Players should not be molded into specific positions because of speed, size or other qualities, but should experience the emotion and functions of all positions on the field. The development of a goalkeeper also requires varied playing opportunities. While this position has become highly specialized at early ages, these players also need to experience playing on the field. These experiences allow them to advance their soccer knowledge, raise their technical ability, and gives them opportunities to think as a field player, all of which raise the level of their position-specific demands. At U15 and older, players become more familiar with two or three specific positions, understanding the defensive and offensive roles and expectations that the position entails.
Playing Time
Playing time for any individual is completely at the coach’s discretion. We encourage that playing time at all levels should be equal throughout the season. At the younger developmental ages, players should be exposed to as much of the game as possible. Limiting team roster size will aid in increased playing time for all players.
At the older/higher levels there will be instances when playing time will vary from game to game, but if player placement has been completed correctly, then equal playing time throughout the year should be achieved. For instance, of your ten field players, this could mean you play eight of your starters and play two of your weaker players, 80/20 rule. This will provide a more balanced level of play. Especially in the youth division, starters should vary throughout the season.
Substitutions
Substitution patterns should be dictated by the game and not pre-determined in any way. Players will be educated to use the current state of the game on how to approach their substitutions. Playing up a goal or down a goal may dictate the haste in which players enter and exit the field. Regardless of the state of the game, all players should come off the field at the center line and exchange “hand-slaps” with their replacement. This will promote team spirit and give confidence to the player entering the field.
Pre-game Routines
PS understands that different players need varying levels of arousal to play to their full potential. Some players need a more calming environment and some need a more vibrant energetic environment to be ready to play. It is the duty of a coach to recognize the needs of the individual players and create a warm-up environment that can serve all. Initially players should be given time on their own to prepare both mentally and physically. Later, players should experience repetitions of actions they will see in the game. Forwards should be allowed to finish, wide players to cross, defenders to deal with balls in the air and striking longer balls, etc. All players should experience game action at game speed, but only for a short duration to avoid fatigue before the start of the match.
Half Time
PS encourages players to analyze problems and discuss solutions on their own before coach intervention. Players should be given a couple of minutes away from the coaching staff to voice opinions and discuss solutions. The coach should then bring their views and knowledge to the group. It is the coach’s discretion whether the information given should be technical, tactical or motivational in nature, or a mixture of each, depending on the situation of the game. Comments to apply should be positive, instructional, constructive in nature, clear and concise in delivery.
Post Game
This is the part of the game where players should be given education on how changing specific things would have altered the game. Mistakes must be learnt from and positives must be acknowledged. Spend very little time dwelling on the past and prepare to look forward to the next challenge and how that day’s game will enable the team to be better next time.
The Player
Practice and Game Attendance
Practice and game attendance is optional for all levels of player within our organization. Players who wish to become better and succeed within the game will attend all practices and games with the attitude of wanting to leave a better player. Our program is designed to promotes and encourage players who wish to push themselves, providing the opportunity to practice with other teams within the club on any given day. This allows the player the option to train up to 2 times a day, 4 days a week, if desired.
Attendance and commitment will be major factors with player placement. Players who do not show to team events, jeopardize playing time or their position on the team.
Travel
All coaches and players must be aware that at any time during their travel they are representing themselves, their team and, moreover, PS. It is imperative that players are respectful to all around them and adhere to the rules in PS travel code of conduct.
Players must realize that education comes before soccer; therefore, a player is expected to maintain a high degree of personal, social and educational standards if he/she is to be considered for travel as an PS player.
Player First, Team Second
Similar to the European youth club structure, PS encourages the player to be first before his or her individual team. For example, we encourage:
-the player to train with older, experienced teams in place of his/her own teams.
-the player to guest play with an older team in place of their own game.
This enables players to be comfortable playing on teams that are in line with their ability regardless of age but based on performance in training and game days. Players are encouraged to train with higher level teams to accelerate their development.
Regional Academy Player
The PS Regional Academy, ODP, Regional and national events shall take precedence over club activities.
Player Placement and Movement
Player placement and movement is the process by which a player moves from one roster to another, based upon the players individual abilities, performance, head coach and Director of Coaching evaluations.
Trials and Player Placements
Current players are not required to attend trials because they are being evaluated over the entire season and coaches know the position of each and every one of their players before trials. PS is loyal to players within the club first, however, players may be replaced with players from outside the club if the new player demonstrates higher levels of ability with regards to
the coach’s evaluation criteria.
PS Supporters
Coaches' Sideline Behavior
From the outside, the conduct of the coach on the sideline can be perceived as a reflection of the conduct of all coaches within PS. Coaches are a reflection of their players and should conduct themselves with respect for the officials, the opponents and the game of soccer.
Remain positive when at all possible but motivational throughout. Education and being a first class role model are the paramount reasons that a coach has been given the opportunity to coach for PS.
Parents' Sideline Behavior
Parents & fans are expected to be positive, motivational and supportive to all players and officials, at all times. Parents are expected not to coach from the sidelines but enjoy the experience of the game.
Players' Sideline Behavior
Players are encouraged to support other PS teams and give their full support, be as loud but respectful as possible and help educate the rest of the community in the way soccer should be supported, as it is in the rest of the world.
PROSTAR USA
“Passion - Purpose - Progress”
