To go along with the 3×3 breakdown video that Mathieu posted last week, here is the camp workbook.
With the Olympic Belgian 3×3 team visiting for a Q&A and teaching at the camp, this was one of our favorite ones.
We realized 3×3 holds a great potential to develop “next play” mentality because the next play is really already happening.
Besides this, when you look at 3×3 as a ‘small-sides game’ in itself, it offers an environment where a high level of decision-making can develop more quickly because of the higher amount of touches and decision-making moments. It’s like a 5v5 on steroids.
The main observation we as coaches and the visiting pro players made is that players tend to focus too much on 1v1 during 3×3 – and that learning to use a variety of strategies (our national team shared some of their favorite tactics) fosters a more interesting way of playing the game.
We think 3×3 is a great way to improve 5v5 play just as futsal for full-court as Daniel Coyle noted in his book The Talent Code when looking at Brazilian soccer players performance:
Christmas 3x3 Workbook“One reason lies in the math. Futsal players touch the ball far more often than soccer players—six times more often per minute, according to a Liverpool University study. The smaller, heavier ball demands and rewards more precise handling—as coaches point out, you can’t get out of a tight spot simply by booting the ball downfield. Sharp passing is paramount: the game is all about looking for angles and spaces and working quick combinations with other players. Ball control and vision are crucial, so that when futsal players play the full-size game, they feel as if they have acres of free space in which to operate.”
Joerik Michiels is co-founder of Elite Athletes and is the Skill Director and soul of the Elite Academy.
Follow Joerik through instagram @joerik or connect at joerik.michiels@eliteathletes.be.
