Bobby Muuss,
Wake Forest University Head Men's Soccer Coach;
2016 NCAA College Cup Runner-up;
3 straight appearances in the quarterfinals (2015-2017);
Muuss' record in his first three years includes 55 wins - more than any other D I program in that same span.
3x ACC Coach of the Year;
former University of Denver Head Coach (2013 Summit League Coach of the Year);
former Assistant Coach at UConn (2000 NCAA Champions, 3x Big East Champions)
Wake Forest University is one of the top men's soccer programs in the country. In this video, Coach Bobby Muuss gives an in-depth video lecture and PowerPoint presentation on how he has built a positive culture and developed an identity of what it means to play the Wake Forest Way. He goes into extensive detail through Q&A from the moderator and other listeners' questions. He covers topics such as sports science, coaching philosophy, pre/during/post halftime talks, recruiting, player & staff meetings, non-negotiables in his philosophy, dealing with injured and troubling players and so much more.
What Defines a Positive, Winning Culture
Coach Muuss discusses coming into a program and respecting the culture and team identity which is already in place, and the process of making it your own. You'll learn why it is important to not force a culture on your team, but rather fuel the transitional process through rules and expectations, and equally enforced standards. He also discusses not taking shortcuts in this process, putting the team first in all of your decisions, and the role of open and honest communication.
Wake Forest Culture and Identity
Next, Muuss walks through "The Book" - the definitive guide to how things are done at Wake Forest. Culture is discussed in terms of:
- How everything, both on-field and off, is aligned with the program/team goals.
- "Earn the Jersey" through work ethic and the respect of the Wake Forest brand.
- How team rules, expectations, and standards align with the core values of the culture and drive accountability.
"The Book" further details the Identity of the team. Identity includes the principles of play, which are the principles of success, and how these align with the Wake Forest culture. It also includes leadership and communication, including how to pick & use captains and implement a leadership group.
Coach Muuss does an outstanding job of outlining and drilling into how he has created a successful culture at Wake Forest. If you are starting a new program, or taking over an existing one, this video will assist you in developing your culture and team identity.
66 minutes. 2021.
RD-05848B:
Bobby Muuss,
Wake Forest University Head Men's Soccer Coach;
2016 NCAA College Cup Runner-up;
3 straight appearances in the quarterfinals (2015-2017);
Muuss' record in his first three years includes 55 wins - more than any other D I program in that same span.
3x ACC Coach of the Year;
former University of Denver Head Coach (2013 Summit League Coach of the Year);
former Assistant Coach at UConn (2000 NCAA Champions, 3x Big East Champions)
From the Championship Soccer Institute comes this video from Bobby Muuss, who has utilized the 4-2-3-1 formation as part of Wake Forest's identity. Through an interactive dialog with the program host, slides and supporting video, you'll gain insight into how the Wake Forest principles of play are executed within their implementation of the 4-2-3-1.
How Principles are Taught
Utilizing slides to detail, and video to explain the defensive, attacking, and transitional principles, Coach Muuss brings a clear understanding to how their program identity is displayed through the use of the 4-2-3-1. You will gain a clear understanding that your identity is not your formation, but rather a tool to assist you in playing within your identity. Muuss covers:
- Defending - Through the thirds with their press, setting traps, and shutting down opportunities.
- Attacking - How to build, dominate, and create scoring opportunities.
- Transition - The reactions to a change of possession in all thirds.
Visualizing the "Why"
Next, Coach Muuss drills deeper into their "why", by diagramming a few key concepts of his program's identity. He covers seeing the "ball and build" in the defensive third, the creation and use of space in the midfield to create ideal match-ups and overloads, as well as how the press is set up and creates pressure pockets to enable an effective transition.
Positional Profiles
You'll hear Muuss discuss recruiting into the system and review positional identities and desired player attributes for each role. Through his help, you'll be able to define positional profiles based on what makes you "you", and the skill set required to achieve this. Positional profiles detail the physical, mental, technical and tactical attributes desired. Coach Muuss also details communicating the positional identifies to ensure a common understanding amongst your program.
This video provides an invaluable look into how Coach Muuss has interpreted the 4-2-3-1 and used it to execute the Wake Forest identity. Regardless of the level you are coaching, you'll get great insight into how to start implementing your "why".
62 minutes. 2021.
RD-05848C:
Bobby Muuss,
Wake Forest University Head Men's Soccer Coach;
2016 NCAA College Cup Runner-up;
3 straight appearances in the quarterfinals (2015-2017);
Muuss' record in his first three years includes 55 wins - more than any other D I program in that same span.
3x ACC Coach of the Year;
former University of Denver Head Coach (2013 Summit League Coach of the Year);
former Assistant Coach at UConn (2000 NCAA Champions, 3x Big East Champions)
Bobby Muuss' Wake Forest men's soccer team has developed into a national powerhouse in his time on the sideline playing a modern, possession-based style of soccer. In this video, Coach Muuss elaborates on an element at the core of Wake Forest soccer - playing out of the back - and demonstrates 10 drills he uses regularly in his practices to prepare his team to successfully build out of the back when it counts. Each drill can be adapted to fit most age groups and/or skill levels as well as both three and four-back formations, and the tempo and intensity your players will face will help develop their technical skills and decision-making abilities with the ultimate goal of creating chances in the offensive third of the field.
Why Out of the Back?
Why take the risk to play out of the back, possibly losing the ball to an opponent in a dangerous position? For Coach Muuss, building properly out of the back, whether on a goal kick or a throw in, will gives attackers more space to penetrate. Playing out of the back pulls opponents out of their shape, and by taking advantage of opponents who press late or in an unorganized way, Muuss' team creates numerical advantages farther up the field.
Coach Muuss admittedly has the luxury of recruiting talented players that fit his possession-oriented style of play, but how can club and high school coaches, who don't have the same control over the players on their teams, build a roster capable of playing out of the back against a high press? The key, according to Muuss, is challenging your players with fast-paced, high-pressure situations each practice to improve their technical skills and, more importantly, their decision-making. As the coach, you can manipulate the parameters of a drill - the size of the playing field, playing against greater numbers, or not being able to play the ball back to a keeper - to increase the pressure placed on your defenders. By playing with greater urgency, your players will make better, more timely decisions and develop the fundamentals necessary to build from the back successfully.
7v7 Build vs the Press
In the featured 7v7 Build vs the Press drill, the back four and three central midfielders must play out from a goal kick. Without wingers to serve as an outlet up the line, the midfielders must help in the build. Coach Muuss describes potential coaching points and modifications that can be made to the drill to better suit your players' skill level, before showing video of his Wake Forest team in the drill. To be successful in the drill, his players must be confident of their first touch and mindful of their body shape when receiving the ball, look for opportunities to break lines with a pass or on the dribble, and make quick decisions. The defenders must be ready at all times to win the ball back on a turnover, and Muuss will often play a counter ball to the pressing team to test his defense's ability to get back when the ball is lost.
Coach Muuss has created an exciting, possession-based style of play at Wake Forest where building from the back is part of the team identity. You, too, can train your players to feel comfortable playing out of the back against a high press, but it is essential they are repeatedly challenged by being placed in situations that require them to quickly make good decisions. This video is a must-see for any coach looking to help their players confidently play against pressure in their defending third of the field.
56 minutes. 2021.
RD-05848D:
Bobby Muuss,
Wake Forest University Head Men's Soccer Coach;
2016 NCAA College Cup Runner-up;
3 straight appearances in the quarterfinals (2015-2017);
Muuss' record in his first three years includes 55 wins - more than any other D I program in that same span.
3x ACC Coach of the Year;
former University of Denver Head Coach (2013 Summit League Coach of the Year);
former Assistant Coach at UConn (2000 NCAA Champions, 3x Big East Champions)
Coach Bobby Muuss presents a week of in the life of his Wake Forest men's soccer team. Starting immediately after a game against Syracuse on a Saturday, Coach Muuss details the preparation that goes into recovering from one game while readying his team for a Tuesday game against Davidson, before finishing the week with a big game the following Saturday against Clemson. From player recovery to the pre-game meal, and every staff meeting and training session in between, you'll get to see it all. If you have ever wanted a glimpse of the inner workings of a successful Division I soccer program, this video is for you.
Program Preparation
As soon as one game ends, there is work to be done, and each member of the Wake Forest coaching staff has their own responsibilities. There is an enormous amount of data collected during each game - GPS tracks distance that players traveled and coaches track everything from restarts, to throw-ins, to blocked shots and more. Coach Muuss and his staff immediately break down film to send to their players to prepare for player meetings, and also evaluate player readiness to manage the load of athletes who played the most minutes.
With the end of one game, the countdown clock starts ticking until the next game, and not a second can be wasted. Coach Muuss and his assistants set the schedule for the week and develop training plans to manage player fitness and provide functional training to prepare the team for what they will see in the next game. Meetings with staff about player injuries and academic updates are interspersed with player meetings to review how they performed in various situations in the last game.
Inside Look
In this glimpse into the Wake Forest men's soccer program, Coach Muuss shares just about everything - from his weekly schedule to his training session plans. You will see how the program tracks player fitness and how players are incorporated into training sessions while managing their workload. Muuss even gives a tour of the men's soccer suite, and his attention to detail is evident even in the design of the Wake Forest men's soccer headquarters.
Coach Muuss believes that there is always something to be done, and coaches should always be looking for ways to get better. This video demonstrates how every minute of the week is planned out and everyone at Wake Forest - coaches and players - continuously work to get better and take their program to new heights. Soon after watching, you can start doing the same with your own program!
60 minutes. 2021.