The 4 Essential Stages for Individual Development

Stage 1: Player Responsibility (this stage lasts entire career)

Informal experimentation ball & movement familiarity in isolation in 'street' (home, schoolyard, neighborhood etc, training field without coaches present) situations with varying resistance. No parents, no coaches or referees, no video or analysis. Repetition is the key to success to master the exercises and make these skills your own. All done in an enjoyable way allowing for expression of personality.

Stage 2: With Mentor, Teacher With Long-Term Vision

Formal ball & movement familiarity in organized (controlled team) environment

Stage 3: In Club or Team That Puts Development Before Results

Experimentation in non-competitive games (no tournament- league games etc) learning to recognize the situations in which to apply actions in the right place and time

Stage 4: Player and Coach/Club Come Together to Realize Vision

Taking actions into real games situations. This takes longer and with youth players patience is required as well as their acceptance of their own limitations. Risk vs reward and consequences etc.