A Skillzys® Q&A

What follows is an actual dialog between company CEO Mark Abboud and his imaginary friend. 

What is a Skilly®?

First of all, it's "Skillzy®", with a "z".

Similar to a Girl Scout or Boy Scout merit badge, Skillzys® are achievement awards that young athletes can earn by properly executing sports-specific techniques or tactical ideas in game competitions.

That's kind of cool, I guess.  What do they look like?

Skillzys® are colorfully printed plastic cards (30mil PVC), with the similar weight and feel of a typical credit card.

So my players "earn" these Skillys and put them... where?  In their wallets?

First of all, it's Skillzys®, with a "z", not Skillys.  And no, all Skillzys® are punched with a 5/16" round hole in the upper-left corner of the card and are meant to be displayed on a player's soccer bag or backpack using one of our Attachmentz™.

Really?  So my players can earn these Skillzys® then carry them around with them?  Kind of like portable bragging rights or something?

Exactly.

Ah, "show your skills" in your logo.

Exactly. 

So do I just give these Skillzys® out to players after they've practiced certain skills?

How and when a specific Skillzy® is awarded to a player is up to each individual coach or club director. 

However, we recommend that Skillzys® are used to:

• Focus your players on specific techniques (Scissors, Step Over Turn, etc) or tactical ideas (Give & Go combination play, "I Go Ball!" Call on defense, etc) and use training sessions to develop them.

• Encourage your players to continue to develop these techniques or concepts in real-time league or tournament games.

• Recognize your players' eventual execution of the techniques or ideas by awarding them with the appropriate Skillzy®.

Hmm.  Focus, encourage, recognize.  You could call that the F.E.R. Method.  I like it.

Um, OK. 

Do I get any monetary compensation for giving you that idea?

If we use that, we'll pay you $10,000 for it.

Awesome!  OK, back to the Skillzys®.  So what you're basically suggesting is that players have the opportunity to earn Skillzys® by performing skills in game competitions.

That's right.  In order for players to develop any part of their game, there has to be practice.  However, it is extremely difficult to duplicate real game pressures in training sessions - pressure to perform from coaches and parents, fear of making mistakes in front of spectators, the game intensity of opposing players, and more.

So if all this is missing from training sessions, and training sessions are the only place that coaches are focused on individual and team development, something is missing from the overall development plan.

At Skillzys® we believe that True Skill Development can only occur when players work to develop their techniques in games as well as in practice.  They need to be given the freedom and the encouragement to attempt newly learned or not-yet-mastered techniques under game pressure.  With this freedom and encouragement will come confidence, confidence will breed success, and success will foster smiles, passion, and dedication to improve, as well as help build a solid technical foundation to help ensure future long-term success in the sport. 

That actually makes some sense.

We believe so.

Any other suggestions you have in order to maximize their benefit?

Glad you asked that.  Coaches have had great success when they've implemented the Didn't See It, Don't Get It idea.  Basically, instead of a coach recognizing the execution of specific Skillzys® on the field of play and awarding a player for that execution, teammates on the bench must recognize and verbally identify successfully completed Skillzys® by their fellow teammates on the field of play in order for those teammates to earn the Skillzys®. 

This idea not only helps keep team members who are off the field tuned in to what is happening on the field of play, but also allows players who are sitting to still learn from the game through focused observation.

That is a terrific idea!

Thank you.

Wow.  OK.  So what skills do your Skillzys® cover? 

We have a wide range of Skillzys® available.  Check out the links on the left-hand side of this page.  We can also customize Skillzys® if you have skills you are trying to develop within your own team, or if you use different terminology.

What?  That's neat.  So I've been working with my U14 team on what we call the 4-Back Swing.  If I don't see it on the left (which I won't because I made it up!), then I can describe it to you and you can design it for me?

Yes.

What?!?!?!  For real??? 

We can also add in your team or club logo, team name, team motto/slogan, and design the Skillzy® in your own team/club colors.

Get out!!!!!

Serious.  Check out some of our club-branded custom examples below.

That is pretty cool!  How do I get started?

Well, feel free to browse our website for existing Skillzys® that might fit your team's needs, or for ideas for custom work.  You can place orders for stock items online through the Skillzys® Store (use the shopping cart icon links), or contact our Sales Department at sales@skillzys.com. 

Thank you!

No, thank you!  We'll be in touch about the F.E.R. Method.

More About Skillzys®

Read about the reason this company is here, the US Patent-Pending Skillzys® Method™, and the benefits Skillzys® brings to youth coaching.