Coaching High School Soccer

Does it sound familiar when I say that stretching forms an integral part of soccer training tips and is widely recommended and practiced by almost all sportspersons? Soccer is a sport which is continuously growing and developing in its intricacy.

In kid’s training for soccer, there are two types of stretching, dynamic and static stretching that are integrated.

When doing the static stretching, players draw out their muscles to a given point of resistance and hold it right there for a given amount of time. When it comes to dynamic stretching, recurring motions, rhythmic bouncing, and rebounding is what the player does. In comparison with static stretching, it is more risky and less useful.

There are some advantages of practicing stretching discussed in this article that improve a player’s ability to become an exceptional player.

Soccer Training

Stretching reduces injuries: Continuous stretching during the day and performed over a period of time may promote muscle growth that, consecutively, could reduce the risk of injury. Stretching provides a way of growing the muscle mass and strength as well.

Stretching influences flexibility: Stretching puts off the loss of flexibility. But, stretching is more beneficial in the long run when performed continuously rather than during the shorter periods of time.

Performing stretching for a few minutes before starting any playing activity is likely to enhance flexibility. But, of all the soccer training tips, the best is where stretching program is extended over a longer period of time that constantly improves the player’s range of motion.

Stretching betters’ performance: When the stretching program is planned after considering the player’s soccer specific needs, their performance improves.

Stretching can be a lot of fun: For this, you need to add variety in your soccer drills and focus a lot on performing them. Keep changing the type of warm up exercises that you perform before stretching. Try games like the tag game, ball tag, and keep away.

Contemplate on the stretching, sense and know each stretch, along with checking for stiffness in the body.

One 15-30-second stretch for each muscle group is sufficient for most players, but some kids require longer stretches and more repetitions as well.

This is because when the temperature of muscles is higher than normal, tightness decreases and extensibility increases. Those players who wish to sustain or increase their flexibility can partially attain this goal by stretching. Doing stretching when the body temperature is higher as against normal makes it more productive, safe, and sound.

For this reason, some kids are made to do stretching even after their workout also. Stretching for five minutes after practicing soccer skills prevents muscles from tightening too fast.

In general, players who do an active warm-up before stretching get an improved range of motion than kids who only stretch. So if injury prevention is your aim, stop stretching before exercise and increase the warm up time.

Some food for thought; one of the most important soccer training tips is that hurried stretching is meaningless and boring and doesn’t help your players gain flexibility, so allow them some extra time when they are feeling inflexible or stiff. Join to our youth soccer coaching community and you can get access to numerous articles, videos, and periodic newsletters.

Andre Botelho is the author of “The Expert Youth Soccer Coaching Guide” and he’s a recognized expert in the subject of youth soccer coaching. Learn  how to explode your players’ skills and make coaching sessions fun in less than 29 days! Download your free pdf guide at: Youth Soccer Drills.

If you also share similar thoughts as I do, you’d know that soccer training tips for goalkeepers have a great importance as he/she is the only player that has the freedom to touch the ball with hands and arms both.

For this reason, the soccer skills of a goalie give him an advantage over all the other players on the field. But this makes a soccer coach’s job quite challenging when it comes to coaching goalkeepers.

Depending on the method of play, soccer goalkeepers are often the first line of offence and last line of defense. They’re always ready to employ their body to stop the ball from entering the goal or to block it. They are all so set to proceed in any direction when it comes to getting the possession of the ball.

Goalkeeper’s training for soccer on different skills and techniques can be one tough job depending upon their role requirements and level of play. At the same time, his or her mental state should be kept in mind while teaching him various skills.

Soccer Training

The only player in the team who can match the vigor of a goalkeeper is the striker. Almost all goalies have essentially played as goal hungry strikers at one point or the other in their soccer careers. You’ll observe that very often, it’s the goalies and forwards that get into a direct battle on the field, no matter what the level of competition.

One of the most important soccer training tips for a goalkeeper is to stay balanced and know the center of gravity of the body. In a game setting, this will benefit by improving the goalkeeper’s activity and the inclination of the other player.

Though most goalkeepers in soccer are tall with long arms and big hands, but even if otherwise they easily compensate for the need of physical built with good vertical and lateral mobility.

It is important for a coach to realize that goalies have a great sense of worth but still need to be motivated on a regular basis. It is necessary that goalkeepers split up and perform practice soccer drills specific to their role after that have done their regular warm up exercises with the team.

Goalkeepers are the leaders of the team as both their role and their personality is quite dominating. Therefore, they need to be constantly supported by all their teammates in successfully doing their job by being in a representative capacity.

The ball can only be handled by the goalie in the 18 yard box. Anyone other that a goalie who fatefully gets to touch the ball with an arm, ends up winning the opponent a free kick. If it is a goalie’s teammate, it’s a penalty shoot from “the spot”.

So you should now concentrate on using these soccer training tips by encouraging the goalkeeper who leads the team inside the 18 yard box, and needs appreciation of remaining teammates. Join our youth soccer coaching community that has numerous relevant articles, newsletters, videos, and podcasts to help your broaden your knowledge on soccer coaching.

Andre Botelho is known online as “The Expert Youth Soccer Coach” and his free ebooks and reports have been downloaded more than 100,000 times. Learn how to skyrocket your players’ skills and make practice sessions fun in record time. Download your free ebook at: Soccer Drills.

Would you answer this simple question? Not following the soccer training tips, most soccer coaches blindly design training programs for their players just to make up the numbers and simply go through the motions. Do you fall in the same category?

Set some distinct goals for the team next time when you decide to plan a training program. Determine in advance what you wish to achieve form this program and do whatever it takes to accomplish that.

Include new, innovative, and exciting soccer drills in the training programs to introduce variety. It will break the boring routine of performing the same drills every single day. Once players start enjoying their practice sessions, you’ll notice that their performance will improve consistently.

Make your players learn to respect you and listen to you, irrespective of their age or the level at which they play. Respecting each other feelings promotes a friendly atmosphere for both the kids as well as the coach.

Soccer Training

Soccer players always have an advantage of the level of flexibility is high. There are 3 types of flexibility.

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’s the skill to stretch an intricate muscle employing the tension within that muscle. Holding one leg out in front of you as high as possible is an example of this. Doing this your hamstring is stretched and as the hip flexors and quadriceps grip your leg up.

Static passive: Ability to use your body weight or some outside force to hold a stretch is termed as static passive flexibility. For example; picture yourself holding your leg out in front of you and relaxing it on a chair.

Now let’s go to the next in line of soccer training tips. It requires you to check that kids are wearing an appropriate gear, depending on the weather conditions.

Training for soccer should be complemented by a fitness program that is designed to identify and improve upon the weak areas. Keep the following factors in mind whenever you are designing this kind of a training program.

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. However, decrease in flexibility can be significantly slowed down if we keep active.

Gender: Girls are more flexible regardless of their age.

Movement: In demonstrating soccer skills, active kids show a better range of movement that the inactive kids.

Injury: Injuries also hinder the range of motion in a joint.

Pain: As the pain increases, flexibility decreases and results in muscle spasms. But, strength training does not slow down flexibility if you do the exercises correctly and in full range of motion.

Genetics: A player’s genetics also decide the amount of flexibility that his or her body has.

So make sure you incorporate these soccer training tips into your training programs with a view to improve their effectiveness and productivity. Subscribe to our youth soccer coaching community that has tons of articles, newsletters, and related videos to improve your coaching skills.

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.