Soccer Blogging

Soccer fitness training will help your players optimize their overall strength, speed and stamina. Such training plays a very major role in soccer and is in fact an essential component when it comes to coaching soccer. Let me give you a brief insight into different types of fitness training for soccer players.

Maximal Strength Fitness Training

In one momentary contraction, there is a specific level of force that a muscle group can generate. This optimum force of a muscle group is termed as maximal strength. Maximal strength plays a very important role in the game of soccer.

It helps the players hold off opponent and steal the ball from them. However, the objective of the maximal strength fitness training should not be just to enhance the maximal strength. Instead, the training should focus on enhancing both power and speed to optimum level.

Power Training - Plyometrics

This fitness-training program for soccer is highly effective in building both strength and speed in the players. What is more, unlike most people think, it is not a very difficult training process. The training becomes much easier when both the coach and the players follow the guidelines associated with the same religiously.

Plyometrics exercises are designed in a way to stretch the muscle of the players before the contraction and this simply results in more forceful and instant contraction. For example, one easy way to do this exercise is to keep jumping off the ground without bending the knees. However, one good way to maintain the speed and flexibility of the players is simply to follow a specific weight routine.

This is the best way to enhance as well as maintain the speed and strength of the players. Last, but not the least, there are certain cautions that you must take note of while you are doing the Plyometrics exercises. For example, it is not good to use weights ? no matter how light it is - while doing this exercise.

Some Examples Of Plyometrics Exercises

The simple yet best example of Plyometrics exercises is that you should run in slow motion, jumping on alternate feet. While doing this exercise, the players should aim to achieve as much height and distance as possible at each step.

Overall, there are various ways in which soccer fitness training can be organized. However, the only thing that both the coach and the players must keep in mind is that they have to follow the guidelines religiously.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Andre Botelho is a recognized authority on the subject of soccer fitness training.
His web site, Youth Soccer Drills, provides a wealth of informative soccer articles,

resources and tips for soccer coaches, parents and players.

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Tags: soccer, soccer articles, soccer information

Soccer training tapes can be an effective mean to train the players various soccer skills, such as goal keeping. The task of a goalkeeper is fun and exciting in a different way.

However, if the team has good offensive skills, the task may sound boring because the opponent in that case gets fewer chance to attack and reach the goal. This reduces the role of the goalkeeper.

But still, the goalkeeper has the most crucial role to play in a game and when the opponent team attempts to shoot and score a goal, the goal keeper will have to do his best to prevent the goal. Overall, since the goalkeeper’s task is much different from other players, the coach needs to train him in a different way.

Pulling The Ball Tightly Into The Body

The goalkeeper is the only player who is allowed to use their hands to catch the ball. But, when they attempt catching the ball, they should pull the ball tightly into the body in order to ensure the possession of the ball. The coach must provide various training tapes to the goalkeepers.

When they will watch again and again, how to catch the ball while pulling it tightly in the body, they will be able to do it efficiently. Training tapes can play a very important role for the goalkeepers.

If you are coaching the younger players, instead of teaching them to pull the ball, you should teach them to cuddle the ball on the ground. But, while doing so, they should keep their body in front of the ball in a way that their shins, knees and feet could also help stop the ball.

The ?W? And The ?Heart? Way To Handle The Ball

?W? and ?Heart? are the terms used to define two hand positions to handle the ball in a better way. ?W? is the ideal way for the smaller hands. In this method, the goalkeeper has to place the tip of their thumbs together, with their palms toward the ball and fingers pointing upwards.

On the other hand, the ?Heart? is an ideal way for the bigger hands. In this method, the goalkeeper has to place the tips of the thumbs and the tips of the forefingers together.

In order to get a better understanding of the goalkeeping techniques, the coach must supply sufficient soccer training tapes to the goalies.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Andre Botelho is a recognized authority on the subject of soccer training tapes.
His web site, Youth Soccer Drills, provides a wealth of informative soccer articles,

resources and tips for soccer coaches, parents and players.

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Tags: soccer training, soccer articles, soccer blog

?
How To Warm Up For A Soccer MatchSubmitted By: Bernie Rosellen?

Are your stretching techniques in preparation for a soccer game right for you? There may be a better way for you to avoid injury.

There are many ways to stretch before a soccer game for the purpose of loosening the muscles to avoid pain and injury during rigorous play. There seems to be a set of stretching techniques offered by the sports medicine community to condition the body for physical exertion. But are these techniques right for everyone?

Having played and coached soccer for over thirty years now, I have witnessed all sorts of ways that amateur athletes go through stretching before a game and I have tried some myself at the urging of others. I have never continued with these stretching methods, however, because they caused a certain discomfort that seemed to hamper my game. Warming up for a game by stretching was not for me.

Most players stretch before a game, but there are some of us who forgo this practice for our own warm-up techniques. It seems to me, based on my observations over the years, that the most staunch supporters of long pre-game stretching periods were also those players who suffered from all kinds of problems with their legs and their knees and pulling muscles and getting cramps.

I have rarely had injury problems from pulled or cramping muscles, only two or three times ever. I do not stretch before a soccer game. I do realize the importance of preparing the body for this type of exercise, but I go through a ritual that has kept me virtually injury free (except those caused by opponents during play) and works more effectively for me. In fact, stretching does not have a positive effect on my performance or injury proneness. The couple of times that I have stretched actually made me less effective.

The way I have warmed-up for every single soccer game that I have ever played, and there were over seven hundred of them, was by simply dribbling the ball a little bit at an easy trot and then passing back and forth with another player and then taking hard shots into the goal. Just going through the motions of kicking the soccer ball back and forth and running and shooting, that type of thing, just nice and easy at first and then more vigorous as game time approached.

Now I am not saying that this is the right way to warm up for any kind of sport. We all have our own thoughts on what is the best way to condition for an upcoming sporting event and I have always believed that whatever works for you is the right thing for you to do. But I have noticed that those soccer players who warmed-up in the same way as I was by just slowly getting into working with the ball without any kind of stretching beforehand were also the ones with the least problems with tight muscles and cramps and that sort of thing. Nothing scientific, just my observation over three decades.

I do agree that there are benefits to light stretching to get the kinks out if you have not been active for sometime, but if you participate in some type of physical exertion on a regular basis, a heavy stretching period may not be your best option. Your body will tell you what’s right for you by trying several warm-up techniques. Just like some ways do not work for me, my methods for getting warmed-up may not be for everyone, either. The key is to just do something to get loose, both physically and mentally, before a soccer game without going overboard.

Ciao for now,

Bernie Rosellen

Soccer From The Pitch

Article Tags: soccer, stretching, techniques

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Tags: soccer information, soccer blog, soccer products

It is not enough for the players to be fast and strong, in order to have a winning edge over the opponent team. The players must possess impressive soccer skills, good instincts and the perfect field vision.

An expert coach can use a variety of techniques and methods to teach his team the necessary skills and field vision. Some of the tried and tested techniques can be listed below.

Shoot Between Cones

In this method, the coach should set up a line of cones row 3 to 5 yards apart. Put players into pairs. Now, have one player on each side of the line facing the cones each other.

Now, tell the players to strike the ball between the cones by starting close to the row of cones at first. During the practice, each pair of players needs to receive ball and pass it back through the cones.

Keep your watchful eyes open. Observe the improvements of the players. If you find that the technique and accuracy of the players is improving, you can move players further apart accordingly.

Dribble Cones and Shoot

In this method, the coach needs to set up two cone lines for a dribble weave. The size must be about 30 yards with a 2-yard goal at the end. This time, you do not need to divide your players in pairs.

Instead, divide them into two lines or teams. Now, have the players dribble through the cones. Before the next player in line starts, the players should try to score at the goal at the end.

Pass and Shoot

This is also a very effective technique to teach the soccer players impressive game skills. As per this method, the coach should set up two cones as a goal at one end of the grid.

This time, again, the team should be divided in half. Have one player to begin as goalie. Give one ball to each player and line the players in a group up behind the goal. Make another group and have them take position at fifteen feet in front of the goal.

The soccer skills learned this way is capable to make a winning team.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Andre Botelho is a recognized authority on the subject of soccer skills.
His web site, Youth Soccer Drills, provides a wealth of informative soccer articles,

resources and tips for soccer coaches, parents and players.

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Tags: soccer articles, soccer products, soccer blog

There are four different positions in the soccer field diagram. They are usually termed as Forwards, Midfielders, Defenders, and Goalie/goalkeeper. Let me give you a brief insight into the same.

Forwards

Forwards are those players who have to position themselves near the goal of their opponent team. Players at other position pass them the ball and it is their task to convert that passing of the ball into scoring a goal. Their primary task is to score goals, and that is the reason why they need to be strong enough.

They may lack certain other skills, but it is of vital importance that they should have a strong body with power and energy. Again, it is not always that they play near the opponent’s goal post only. Of course, all the players have to keep moving depending upon the circumstances.

Moreover, they may have to spend some time in the middle of the field also. When forwards play in the midst of the field, they are known as ’strikers?. When they have to play near the touchlines, they are known as ?Wings?. Overall, Forwards must be quick runners with powerful kicking skills and accuracy in shooting.

Midfielders

In general, there can be somewhere between three and six midfielders in a soccer team. They play with an objective to get control of the ball and then pass the same to the forwards so that they could score goals for the team. As the name suggests, midfielders play most of the times in the middle of the field.

The coach should work in a way to enhance the tackling abilities of the midfielders because it is this ability that helps them stealing the ball from the opponent players and pass the same to the Forwards. Midfielders must have great accuracy in passing the ball.

Defenders

In general, there can be somewhere between three and five defenders in a soccer team. Their position in the field is just near their own goalpost, as their main task is to save the goals attempted by the opponent players. That is the reason why they are termed as defenders.

What is more, it is also their task to take the ball from the goalie and pass the same to the midfielders. They have to kick the ball very far to the midfielders. Therefore, it is important for the coach to train them accordingly.

Goalie of course saves the goal for your team, and is the only player in the soccer field diagram who is allowed to use his hands.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Andre Botelho is a recognized authority on the subject of soccer field diagram.
His web site, Youth Soccer Drills, provides a wealth of informative soccer articles,

resources and tips for soccer coaches, parents and players.

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Tags: soccer products, soccer, soccer training

Juggling is one of the most important thing as a training element which is often mislooked. Juggling allows the players to use all parts of their body to gain a feel and control for the ball. These touches build confidence, skill and makes players aware of parts of their body used to control or pass the ball. With a larger range of comfort with the ball, imagination is often getting better in game play. A good juggler does not guarantee the player will be a good game player, as there is no substitute for match play. Juggling should become a daily routine that only takes a few minutes a day. Every coach should encourage and train their players to develop good juggling technique.

When juggling, coaches should stress the following points. Use all parts of the body (head, chest, thighs, and feet) and alternate feet. Don’t get caught only juggling with your dominant foot! Focus on good controlled touch to realize the full potential of juggling. If a player does not have good body control this will lead to bad touches. Be able to control the ball in different situations. So if a player has a bad touch, they should try to recover it rather than starting over. Be able to maintain good body position. Find rhythm and harmony between the player and the ball. Practice while standing still, then progress to walking slowly and then with some pressure by either time or opponents. Practice juggling about 20 minutes each day.

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Tags: soccer articles, soccer blog, soccer training

Playing soccer is easy; being good at soccer takes a bit more effort. To be competent on the sport, the only way is to practice and play.

Like basketball, soccer players that are on the game field have their own designated positions. In the game of soccer there are eleven designated soccer positions on each team in the playing field. A single soccer team on the playing field has one goalie or goalkeeper and ten outfielders to play a variety of defensive, attacking and midfield positions. Each of these soccer positions has their own role and area of operation and certain set of skills are required in each of these soccer positions.

Defensive Positions or Defenders
Defenders are the players that are behind the midfielders. The main responsibilities of players designated in these soccer positions are to provide defensive support to the goalie and prevent the opposing team from scoring. Defenders usually stay on their side of the field.
* Centerback ? the centerbacks? main responsibility is to stop the opposing team from scoring or more particularly the strikers and to get the ball out of the penalty area as much as possible.
* Sweeper ? sweepers are the adaptable type of centerbacks. They sweep the ball if the opponents manage to break through the defensive line. A sweeper must have excellent ball handling, ball control and ball passing abilities to counter any attacking moves that the opponent does.
* Fullback ? fullbacks are the players that prevent the ball from crossing or cutting back into the penalty area.

Midfielders
Midfielders are positioned midway between the strikers and defenders. Their primary responsibilities are to make sure that they have possession of the ball, take the ball from the opposing team’s defenders and pass it to the strikers. Being a midfielder is one of the most exhausting soccer positions because midfielders? duties are broad. They are either called back into defensive position or sometimes attack the opposing team along with the strikers.
* Defensive midfield ? duties of players with these soccer positions is to take the ball away from the opposing team’s attackers.
* Attacking midfield ? players with in these positions are responsible for creating scoring opportunities.

Strikers or Forward or Attackers
Players with these soccer positions are the ones nearest to the opposing team’s goal. Their main duty is to score goals. The other duty of players with these soccer positions is to set up goal for their team mates. Most well known soccer players are strikers because strikers tend to score more than any of their team mates.

22 players and 11 members per team play soccer. Positions can be variable depending on the soccer formation and strategy employed, but usually a team roster includes a goalkeeper and a couple of defenders, midfielders and attackers.

Passing the Ball
Passing the ball is very easy, though the hardest part of passing accuracy. This is the starter player’s handicap. To do a standard rolling pass, you should kick the ball with the inside of your foot (instep and toe part). Your kick should hit the lateral part of the ball for it to travel in a roll. Kicking with the inside part of the foot also allows accuracy, wherein the arch is used to provide the ball direction. Ok, try it. Kick the ball with modest force with the arch providing direction.

Intermediate Passing and Shooting
The link also featured how to do a high pass. Notice how his foot made contact with the ball. For the ball to fly, the bottom of the ball should be hit while kicking. And to provide direction, the inside part (the toe part) of your foot should be the main contact of the bottom (of the ball)
Shooting the ball is the same as passing by a high ball. Even a rolling pass is considered shooting if it is used to score a goal. So now you see the importance of passing.

Playing soccer is easy; being good at soccer takes a bit more effort. To be
competent on the sport, the only way is to practice and play. To be better, yet more practice and playing. But to be the best, again practice and play.

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Tags: soccer, soccer blog, soccer information

Copyright Junior Soccer Coach 2004

http://www.juniorsoccercoach.com

Do your players know whether to show an opponent inside or
outside when they are defending?

You may want to consider this tactic when coaching your
players. There are two schools of thought on this; One says
that your defenders should show the opponents outside
towards the touchline.

The reason for this is that if your player does get beat
then the opponent will still have to get a cross in. Also,
they should be at a more acute angle to get a shot on
target if they have been successfully pushed outside.

The alternative to this is showing the opponents inside,
towards goal. If this is to be your style of play then the
players need to be organised so that there is strength
inside. This can be a risky tactic if players are not
switched on or don’t know where to best position
themselves.

Showing them inside would be a good tactic if you where
playing with five in defence with a good sweeper.

If your team lacks some direction on this tactic, then it
will be very difficult for them to get an organised shape
and take a position which is best suited to holding up or
breaking down an attack.

Both young and older players can be coached on this.

As players get older, and become more tactically aware
& proficient in defending techniques, they will be able to
influence the build up play and therefore your defensive
line can react, and adjust, by taking the lead off the first
defender.

Build this simple tactic into some small sided games in
training and watch the beneficial results on match day!

About the author:

For more Junior Soccer help, drills, exercises and coach
development visit http://www.juniorsoccercoach.comand
join the free junior soccer tip of the week.

Or send a blank email to:

mailto:tips@juniorsoccercoach.com

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Tags: soccer blog, soccer articles, soccer products

If you are new to coaching soccer and do not know how to coach soccer, the following information will be very helpful to you, as it will help you learn how to structure your first training session for young soccer players.

Deciding About The Training Area

The first and foremost thing for you while training soccer is to decide about the area that is best for soccer training. Whether it is winter or summer, no experienced coach prefers indoor training areas. It is always good to hold soccer training sessions in outdoor areas, on grass fields ? to be precise. An outdoor area like this gives the young players a realistic area to dribble, run and play.

Preparation Is The Key

Before you start the training session for the young soccer players, make sure that you are fully prepared. All equipments and tools for soccer training are ready. Before the players come on the field, it is your task to make sure that the field is hazard-free.

This means, for example, you have to check the field if there are any broken glasses around. These are little things but can be dangerous enough to spoil a player’s day and your training session as well. Likewise, rutted or bumpy areas should also be avoided.

Getting Ready With All The Equipments

There are various equipments that you need to have during a typical soccer training session. Some of these equipments are listed below:

? Small cones, as you will require marking out various playing areas

? Colored bibs, as it can be helpful in identifying the teams

? It is good if you have a separate ball for each individual player. If you cannot manage enough number of balls, do not hesitate asking the players to bring one of their own when they come for the training session.

? A first aid kit is one the most important equipments.

? There is one thing that most new coaches do not pay heed to and they try to run the training session on their own without the help of any assistant. Well, that will be quite troublesome, so make sure that you have enough assistants to help you with the training session.

Overall, ?how to coach soccer? is not exactly about making a team that could win matches, but as a prudent coach, your objective should be to make sure that whatever you are going to train your players about, that is in their best interest. Each successful day of training session will automatically lead to the making of a winning soccer team.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Andre Botelho is a recognized authority on the subject of how to coach soccer.
His web site, Youth Soccer Drills, provides a wealth of informative soccer articles,

resources and tips for soccer coaches, parents and players.

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Tags: soccer information, soccer products, soccer blog

The key to make your training session for the young soccer players more impressive and result-oriented is to focus on making the training session fun and entertaining ? not only for the players but also for you. You can do this by utilizing various soccer coaching tips.

Careful Planning

Careful planning is the first and foremost thing that you need to focus on while you are constructing a training session for the players. It is very important for you to know beforehand what are your objectives and what exactly you want to achieve from the specific training session.

Obviously, you have to make your planning keeping in mind several things, such as the age and the capabilities of the young players. But, still there is a basic pattern that every coach should follow irrespective of the age and the capabilities of the team players.

Warm-Up

A warm-up session before you start the actual training is always good. A good warm-up session will help raise the heart rate of the young players. Their muscles will get stretched and they will be able enough to focus on the actual training session.

Have Some Fun Games In The Training Session

Whatever you want to teach them, the best way is to teach them through various fun games. This is the most effective way to teach the young players various soccer skills. One of the good strategies is to use small groups in these fun games. Divide the team into smaller groups of three or four rather than going for the seven or eight in a group.

Flexible Planning

Well, it is good that you have a plan and you know beforehand how the training session will go on, but make sure that you are not very rigid in your planning. Keep it flexible enough that you could easily make a change in the planning depending upon what you see and hear on the practice field.

Allow Some Freedom For The Players

You must allow your players some time so that they discuss several things among themselves. Allow some freedom for them not only for drinks but even for arguments.

What To Do With A Plan That Is Not Working

When you find that a particular way of planning is not working in the training session, do not stick with that.

Last, but not the least, one of the best soccer coaching tips is to be attentive to what your players want to say. The players want you to listen to their issues and concerns.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Andre Botelho is a recognized authority on the subject of soccer coaching tips.
His web site, Youth Soccer Drills, provides a wealth of informative soccer articles,

resources and tips for soccer coaches, parents and players.

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Tags: soccer articles, soccer, soccer training