I recently found on YouTube video a site which makes you wonder about the
routine that a little Hawian lad has every morning. This video is of a child prodigy named KJ
Ahlo. To say the least he is "out of his league" considering his age.
During the opening segment of this video, you see KJ sleeping with the a ton of soccer
balls in his bed. It makes you wonder if he even plays soccer in his sleep. KJ usually warms up with 500
juggles with his feet, 500 with his thighs, then 1,000 mixed (without dropping the ball, of course!)
KJ also does this ritual before games on game day--it's his way of preparing for
"battle".
We don't know what KJ is thinking about all day, but we can see that he
keeps his spirit in soccer. If you keep watching the video you can see the command the KJ
has over other players twice his age and size. Through it all you can't help but wonder, “how does
he do that?"
When I first saw this video, I thought that KJ was just a little "Too" much into
soccer. Then I remembered my own son's obsession with the XBox and it hit me that while, Yes, while he does
seem to go a bit overboard with it, he can in fact interact with others while he is with his "constant companion" -
the soccer ball. After dealing with the XBox, I think I would have rather had the soccer ball.
At any rate, this video does show the value that getting touches on a ball has for one's
game. I guess when you make a soccer ball as much a part of you as your shoes and socks, you get to a point
where is moves where you want it to go without having to think about it at all.
That is the part about practice. When you make the ball "become" a part of you like
KJ has, you literally can do anything you want in terms of controling it.