Soccer is a growing sport in the USA. Still nothing compared to the other major sports like the MLB, NFL and the NBA, but it is getting recognition.

A lot of people don’t think soccer is a sport, they think it is boring because the scores are always low and sometimes there is no real winner, it goes to a tie.

But I am here to tell you that it is an incredible sport and that you as a basketball player can learn a thing or two from Soccer that can help you improve your game.

I was fortunate enough to have my chance at a collegiate career in two sports. I played Soccer at the Jr. College level before playing basketball at 4 year university. WOW! Was I in for a surprise. It had been several years since I had played competitively, but I still had the hang of it (in my mind). The second I got out on the pitch (the field), it was on! I had never seen foot work and coordination like that before. We had players from over 14 different countries on our team, but the skill set was still the same. PURE AWESOME!

Yes, I made the team. But it took adjusting.

Now, what can soccer team basketball players? Just like I mentioned before, foot work and coordination. You think it is hard to dribble a basketball? Try sprinting full speed with the soccer ball no more than a foot away from your body. It was like they had the ball on a string, like a yo-yo.

The coordination necessary for a soccer player to control the ball in and out of the defenders without tripping over their own feet is unmatched. Basketball players need coordination as well to move fluently in and out of defenders in the same manner. Having the basketball on a string like a yo-yo attached to your hand. Everywhere you cut, the ball leads. Coordination is necessary for the sport at all levels.

I didn’t list this one above, but this is the most crucial. Yes, the pitch is bigger than a basketball court by far, but the spacing in soccer and basketball are the same as far as importance. On the court you, can’t have all the players on one side, even though a lot of times it ends up that way. When you watch a soccer match, see where everyone is at. Spread out! They know if they get congested there can be no ball movement and no rhythm, just like in basketball. To keep that flow, you must know how to spread the floor.

Last and most importantly, vision. This was my biggest benefit from playing soccer that transferred over to basketball. Knowing how and where to place the soccer ball increased my abilities as a passer when I played basketball. Having that court vision is crucial at all positions, but especially for the floor general, the point guard. After playing soccer at that level, my passing increased. My alley-oops were on point, I was able to split two defenders with a long bounce pass in transition to an open player down court, I was better able to hit my big men on a pick and roll. All through the vision I gained from playing soccer. Learning angles and speeds of my passes and where and when I needed to get the ball to a certain spot.

Coordination and foot work, spacing, and agility are all areas that trainers like myself, coaches, and even parents are pointing out to you players. The importance. The need. You may not have found a way to do it before. To get that edge. I tell you, watch a soccer match sometime. Study the game as it relates to these teaching points. You will see what I am referring too. If you get a chance to play it with your friends or in P.E. class or at the local rec center, I encourage you to try it a couple times.

I guarantee that if you give it a try with an open mind, you can see the transformation taking place in your head. Basketball and Soccer is a lot of like, and there is always new things we can learn from things outside of the basketball realm that can relate and transfer to the game.

Sincerely,

Layton Westmoreland

Spartan Basketball Performance Coach/Skill Development Trainer