Power Question #30: What did you notice about the other team?

Most kids think about their team after a game. The good players also think about the other team. This question moves your child toward the second group.

Why is this a power question?

Reading the opponent is one of the most underdeveloped skills in youth soccer. Players are often so focused on what they're trying to do that they barely register what the team across the field is doing — until it's too late to adjust.

Asking "what did you notice about the other team?" trains the habit of opponent observation. What was their shape? Who was dangerous? Who was tired? How did they react when they were behind?

This is the kind of thinking that separates instinctive players from intelligent ones. The earlier it starts, the more it compounds.

The question also models a learning posture toward opponents. Many young players are taught to dislike or fear the other team. The better frame — the other team is something to study — is healthier and more useful. Wins and losses come and go. The habit of studying opponents stays.

What to do if you are uncomfortable asking the question

The discomfort here is usually about competitive feelings. Sometimes your child is annoyed at the other team — they fouled, they trash-talked, they won. Asking what they noticed feels like asking them to compliment people they're mad at.

Reframe it gently: "Was there anyone on that team you'd want to play against again?" — that softens the question from neutral observation to admiration.

If they only have negative things to say, hear it without arguing. "That was rough" is enough. Then maybe try: "What about anyone who was actually good?" — that lets them say grudging respect without losing face.

What you might learn

The answers tell you what your child's game-vision is picking up:

"Their right back was incredibly fast — we couldn't get past her." "They didn't really talk to each other." "Their center forward was always in space — like she knew where the ball would be." "They didn't quit when they were down 2-0. That was kind of impressive."

These are tactical and emotional reads. The more your child does them, the more sophisticated their own game becomes. You can't beat what you can't see.

How you can probe for more if your player is interested

"Was there anyone you'd want to learn something from?" — turns observation into desire.

"Did your team adjust to them?" — pulls the reflection into team strategy.

"Will you see them again?" — opens the door to thinking forward.

A takeaway

Players who study opponents play differently from players who don't. "What did you notice about the other team?" is the question that quietly builds that habit. Over time, your child becomes a student of the whole game, not just their part of it.