When parents watch game film, they usually watch the ball. That is natural, and it is also why so much film never helps. Your player touches the ball for maybe two or three minutes in a whole game. The other 87 minutes decide most of what happens. Here are the four things I look at first.
1. Where they stand without the ball
Pause the video when the ball is on the other side of the field and find your player. Are they in a spot where a teammate could pass to them? Are they too close to a teammate, or hiding behind a defender? Good positioning makes the game easier before the ball ever arrives.
2. What they see before they get it
Watch your player's head in the two or three seconds before a pass reaches them. Do they look over their shoulder? Players who check their surroundings early can play forward and avoid pressure. Count the looks in one half. Most young players are well under ten. The best are constantly scanning.
3. The decision they make with it
Was there a better option? Forward pass, switch of play, dribble into space, or keep it simple? Don't judge the result, judge the choice. A good decision that doesn't work out is still progress. A lucky outcome from a poor decision usually doesn't repeat.
4. The first second after losing it
Every player loses the ball. Watch what happens next. Do they react right away to win it back or get goal side, or do they stop and drop their head? Coaches at every level notice this, because it shows character as much as skill.
How to watch together
- Pick one of the four things per game. Not all of them.
- Let your player find the moments. Ask "what did you see there?" before you say anything.
- Point out two good moments for every one to work on.
- Keep it short. Ten minutes beats an hour.
Want a second set of eyes?
This is exactly what a GSP video evaluation does: I watch a full game, show your player these moments on video and give you a written plan for what to work on next.