1. Preparation. Everybody shows up with 3 minutes or less before the match starts. There's no way to stretch out or prepare mentally for the match. This does not look like the behavior of a serious team. We have given up the first goal in all 4 of our matches because we were not mentally ready.

2. Patience. We need to know when to slow down and control the ball. This does not mean dribbling - - it means passing the ball and moving it around, rather than just giving the ball away. When we are playing with no subs, or when we are playing against a team with lots of speed, if we possess the ball, we don't have to play as much defense.

3. Good choices with shots. We keep shooting from long range and putting the ball up over the goal and into the back wall or netting. All this does is give the ball away. Let's make better choices. Let's keep shots low.

4. Moving the ball across the median line. To score when we are playing using square field hockey goals, just whacking the ball right at the keeper is not likely to get us a goal. Moving the ball back and forth across the center (median) line forces the keeper to turn. If we move the ball quickly and give a good pass, a player making a far post run can score with a tap-in.

5. Keep the passes flat on the floor. There's not much room indoors, and if we serve a ball in the air, the player getting the ball has to take extra touches to control the ball. This allows the defender extra time to get in there. Keep the ball on the ground so your teammate needs fewer touches . . . you might get the ball back!

6. Defense. We get tired, and then do not stay with attackers when they run through. This leads to 3-v-2 or 3-v-1 defensive problems, and goals for the other guys. These are mental mistakes . . . we get tired and play stupid. You have to track back and go with the runners. We like making extra-man attacks on their goalie, but we don't help out our own goalie enough when we are tired. Teams like to leave players "offsides", but since we are indoors, offside does not apply. Look back over your shoulder, and come back to help on defense.

7. Making the same play over and over. Everybody has a favorite move. . . . but if you make the same move against the same player six times in a row, how effective is it going to be? Change it up, do something different, make a pass, look for a give-and-go . . . then do your good move. If you make 3 passes in a row to the player on your left, the 4th time go the other way, or pass back to the keeper, or . . . . something different . . . . . just don't be predictable. If all you've got is one move, then it's time to learn another one.

8. Take away space. When we are defending, especially on restarts, step TO somebody. Take away their space before the play starts. If you are marking tightly, chances are that the guy with the ball will not send it to the guy you are marking. If you are 10 feet away, then that's the guy that will get the ball, and he's got time to turn, drive, pass, shoot . . . all bad things! If you are tired, step to the guy and lean on him . . . if he doesn't get the ball, you can rest. If he gets the ball and has room, you're going to have to chase him down . . . and you are already tired. Take away the space early.

9. Use the entire width of the field. We do not open up and play with our heels on the line, facing the entire field. If it's good enough for the English Premier League, it should be good enough for us. Watch how they do it. The field is too narrow as it is, so we need to use all of it. If you start wide, you can always run in . . . but if you start in the middle, you just end up out of room or outside the post headed the wrong way with no angle to shoot.

I don't have all the answers, and I'll be glad to talk to anybody about any of this. I'm not trying to pick on anyone. Overall, the level of play is going up, but I do see some things that need work if we want to get better as individuals and as a team. Barry