There’s something I’d like to know from you. Almost all soccer coaches tend to ignore the soccer training tips while designing training programs for kids with the intent of just making up the numbers and going through the motions. Do you fall in the same category?
Before you design your next training programs, make sure you set some specific goals for your team. Establish what you wish to achieve from the training program and take the necessary steps to achieve your target.
Add to your training program such soccer drills that are new, innovative, and fun to perform so as to add variety. This will give the players a break from the dullness of performing repetitive drills day in and day out. Once players start enjoying their practice sessions, you’ll notice that their performance will improve consistently.
Make your players understand the value of respecting and listening to you, their coach, no matter what their age or level at which they play. Mutual appreciation creates a friendly environment for both players and the coach.
Soccer players get an edge over others when they are highly flexible. The same is classified into 3 parts.
Dynamic flexibility: Just like twisting from one side to another, it’s the player’s ability to carry out brisk movements within the full range of motion in the joint.
Static active flexibility: It is the ability to stretch a difficult muscle using only the tension within that very muscle. Holding one leg out in front of you as high as possible is an example of this. The hamstrings are stretched while the quadriceps and hip flexors hold your leg up.
Static passive: This kind of flexibility allows a player to make use of his body weight or some external force to hold a stretch. For example; you can hold your leg out in front of you and then rest it on a chair.
Let’s now move on to the next step in following soccer training tips. This calls for a need to examine and ensure that the clothes worn by kids to the field are apt for the weather.
Training for soccer should be followed by a fitness program that focuses only on those areas that need maximum help. Following are the factors that must be kept in mind when designing a training program like this.
Player’s age: Decrease in the flexibility of soft tissue with aging is directly related to the reduced range of movement as one grows older, irrespective of the gender. Still, the chances of flexibility getting decreased are very less if we remain active.
Gender: Girls show greater movement, no matter what their age.
Action: Active kids are always better at performing soccer skills and exhibiting a greater range of movement that the inactive kids.
Injury: Injuries also impede the range of motion in a joint.
Pain: Flexibility decreases as pain increases, resulting in muscle spasms. Nonetheless, flexibility in kids is not hampered by strength training unless the exercises are done correctly and in full range of motion.
Heredity: How flexible is a player’s body depends upon a player’s genetics also.
So make sure you incorporate these soccer training tips into your training programs with a view to improve their effectiveness and productivity. You can improve your coaching skills by subscribing to our youth soccer coaching community that has tons of articles, newsletters, and relevant videos.
Andre Botelho is a recognized authority in youth soccer coaching and has already helped thousands of youth coaches to dramatically improve their coaching skills. Learn how to explode your players’ skills and make training fun by downloading your free ebook at: Soccer Drills For Kids.
Tags: soccer drills, soccer skills, soccer training tips, training for soccer