You know, when I first started playing soccer, I thought mastering skills was all about fancy footwork and scoring spectacular goals. I'd spend hours practicing rainbow flicks and bicycle kicks in my backyard, convinced these flashy moves would make me the next Cristiano Ronaldo. But after playing competitively for over a decade and coaching youth teams, I've come to realize that true mastery lies in understanding the game's fundamentals - particularly what that brilliant quote from the Letran product and Converge deputy coach highlights about spreading rebounds and scoring opportunities.

Let me tell you about my breakthrough moment. It was during a Sunday league match where our team had this incredible striker - let's call him Mark. Mark could score from practically anywhere within 25 yards, but we kept losing games despite his individual brilliance. Our coach pulled us aside and said something that changed my entire perspective: "We need to spread the rebounds and distribute Mark's scoring to other players." At first, I didn't get it. Why would we want our best scorer to pass more? But then it clicked - when defenders knew Mark would always shoot, they'd triple-team him, leaving our other attacks predictable and easy to defend.

The real magic happens when you start thinking about soccer as chess with a ball. I remember specifically working on this during training sessions. Instead of always taking shots myself during drills, I'd intentionally position myself to create rebound opportunities for teammates. We'd practice scenarios where the initial shot wasn't meant to score but to create chaos in the penalty area. The goalkeeper might save my powerful strike, but the ball would bounce to our winger who'd tap it in easily. This approach increased our team's scoring by about 40% within just two months - we went from averaging 1.2 goals per game to nearly 1.7.

What most players don't realize is that ball mastery isn't just about controlling the ball at your feet - it's about understanding spatial awareness and predictive movement. When I'm practicing alone these days, I don't just dribble through cones. I imagine defenders closing in and think about where the ball might rebound if I take a shot. I practice those second-ball scenarios relentlessly. For instance, I'll kick the ball against the wall and immediately move to control the rebound while maintaining balance and vision. This simple drill improved my game awareness tremendously.

The beautiful part about spreading scoring opportunities is that it makes your entire team more dangerous. I've noticed that teams who rely on one superstar scorer typically win about 55-60% of their matches, while teams with multiple scoring threats win closer to 75-80%. It's simple math really - when defenders have to worry about five potential scorers instead of one, their defensive structure naturally weakens. They can't just mark one player out of the game because three others will punish them.

My personal philosophy has evolved to focus on what I call "assisted mastery" - the art of making your teammates better while improving your own skills. When I work with young players now, I always emphasize that the most skilled players aren't necessarily those with the fanciest tricks, but those who understand how to create and capitalize on secondary opportunities. That moment when you intentionally take a difficult-angle shot knowing your teammate is positioned for the rebound - that's soccer intelligence at its finest. It's not about giving up glory, but about understanding that team success ultimately makes every player look better.

LIGHTING, LIGHTING, AND MORE LIGHTING
People are typically drawn to bars solely based on their atmosphere. The best way to knock your next commercial bar design out of the park is using the perfect amount and type of lighting. Use standout light fixtures as their very own statement piece, track lighting for adjustable ambiance, hanging pendant lights over tables, and ambient backlighting to display the alcohol. Bartenders need to serve and customers need to order, so make sure it’s just functional as it is attractive. 

CHOOSING YOUR BARTOP
What may seem so obvious, is often so overlooked in commercial bar design- the material of your actual bartop itself. While we realize stone and marble are as classy and elegant-looking as can be, the reality is that they just aren’t your best option for a durable and long lasting bartop. They crack, have no grip, and break way too many glasses. Opt for a high-quality wood bar instead. Oaks, maples, mahoganies, and ashes are sturdy and provide your customers with a firm grip for their glasses. 

THEME 
In a sea of millions upon millions of bars, how can you make your commercial bar design stand apart from the rest? The answer is to pick a unique, centralized theme and run with it. Whether it’s your next sit-down restaurant bar design, or remodeling the small, locally-favorite gem, you have to find out what your clientele wants. Survey the neighborhood of your establishment and find out what the demographics are there. Maybe a gritty, western bar would be a hit. Or maybe a more modern, sleek design is what’s missing in the area. Whatever theme you decide upon, hit it out of the park with the perfect lighting, wall art, music, and furniture. It’s all in the details. 

THE GUIDE TO YOUR NEXT RESTOBAR 
You’ve got the food, you’ve got the restaurant, you’ve got the customers, now all you need is a beautifully designed bar to top it all off.  Small bar designs for restaurants have a tendency to be a little thrown together and incohesive with the rest of the establishment. Stay on brand- create consistency with tying in the same color scheme, furniture, art, and overall ambiance of the pre-existing restaurant. Make sure the placement of your bar makes sense as well, have it in a place where it’s visible and easy to navigate but not in the way of servers and other guests. If the bar is going to serve food, be sure to consider the location of the kitchen to not obstruct traffic flow. Consider all of these small tips as you work through your next restaurant bar design. 

SPACE CONSTRAINT 
It’s no secret that bars have the reputation of being a little cramped, and in some cases- way too cramped. Consider all of the space constraints while designing your next commercial bar design and we can change that bad rap that bars have been holding for far too long. First and foremost, be sure to measure your bar, barstool, cabinet, and equipment height. Generally, a bar is 42” in height while a stool is 30” in height. Also be sure to allow at least 3’ of space between the bar and the alcohol for the bartender’s functionality and efficiency. Consider multiple register and drink-making stations for bartenders as well. Allowing 2’ between patrons is going to give them enough space to eat and drink, and most importantly, simply be comfortable. All of these considerations are especially helpful if it is a restaurant bar design, where the space is even more valuable.