Transition Game - by Justin Hess
Being a High School midfielder, you have the difficult task of contributing both offensively and defensively to your team’s success. There is nothing more demoralizing than playing offense, surrendering a turnover, and having to hustle back for a long defensive stand in which the other team eventually scores a goal. In fact, the only thing more frustrating as a midfielder than running back to play defense, is being stuck playing D for a drawn out possession. Usually, as we’ve all experienced, these extended periods of defense often snowball from failed clears and missed opportunities. Learning to limit an opposing team’s second chances is a great way to curb their scoring capacity while keeping midfielders fresh and getting your team’s attack involved in the action. Many may think the key to limiting these second chance opportunities is the defense’s responsibility, but it is actually the midfielder’s. I will offer a few clearing tips for midfielders so that they can spark their team’s transition game and save their legs for the offensive half of the field.
First, it is important to realize that an effective clear grounds an effective offense and transition game. Every time you have an opportunity to clear as a midfielder you must focus mentally and realize how important it is to get the ball to your attack. Huge momentum swings can occur with broken clears, and dominating the clearing game is the most efficient way to spoil a comeback. Now let’s get to some physical aspect of midfield clearing.
The easiest way to create transition opportunities is with the unsettled clear. Off of a shot, the midfielder who’s man took the shot should always be the first person to break out, looking for an outlet pass from the goalie. Remember to break up-field, and give the goalie a target. If you don’t have confidence that your goalie can get the ball to you, it helps to run something like football post route. That way, the goalie has more of you to look at and hopefully get the ball to. If you don’t get the ball right away, and the opposing team has picked you up, turn and flash towards the ball once you reach the midfield line. If for some reason your defender is in front of you, which they never should be, recognize this, and cut deep so that you can start a fast break.
Once you get the ball, it is important to make a wide turn, look up-field, and move your feet. If one of your fellow midfielders is open, and he has room to run, pass him the ball immediately. Moving the ball quickly in the open field sets great teams apart from the pack. Also, passing the ball will always move faster than anyone on the field.
I would like to address a few common mistakes I see younger players make while clearing. First, never break directly up-field to receive a pass from a defenseman or midfielder if they are positioned on one side of the field. The only person you should break straight up-field for is the goalie. In this situation, you want to run a slant route towards the sideline. Only once you are about to run out-of-bounds should you turn your momentum completely up-field. The second most common mistake I see is not talking. Shout for the ball if you are open. And if you still don’t get the ball, try to visualize why your teammate didn’t make the pass. Maybe you could have cut a few yards farther or put yourself in a better position to receive a pass. Lastly, most young players try to rush the settled clear. This only leads to transition opportunities for the other team. It is much better for the ref to call you for failure to advance, and allow the defense time to set up, than for an errant pass to be intercepted by an opposing attackman.
To recap, midfielders need to focus when clearing. Break up-field, then break towards the ball to receive a pass. Move the ball quickly and crisply and yell if you are open. Clearing is one of the most important, yet overlooked, intricacies of the game. Being an effective clearing midfielder will help you earn the respect of your coaches and trust of your teammates.
