| If you are a soccer parent or a youth soccer coach | | | | young soccer players need to condition this way. |
| you need to understand both the energy, muscular | | | | Here are three simple drills that you can do to help |
| and neurological (nerves) demands of the body of a | | | | with your sprints, repeated sprints and acceleration. |
| young footballer that occur throughout a football | | | | 1. Sprint distances of 10m, 20m and 30m - for every |
| match. | | | | ten meters you sprint rest one minute before you |
| In the past and even still now in the present both | | | | sprint again. You need maximum recovery to get the |
| football parents and coaches alike are sending their | | | | most out of your sprints. You can do five to ten of |
| children and players out for a twenty to thirty minute | | | | these. |
| conditioning run. In the past that may have been fine; | | | | 2. Next measure to 20 or thirty meter distance and |
| however, as soccer has evolved into a power and | | | | have your child or team sprint back and forth for |
| speed game, this type of training is outdated. Not | | | | thirty seconds and recover for thirty seconds. You |
| only is it out dated it leads to players becoming | | | | can work up to fifteen to twenty minutes three |
| slower, weaker and prone to overuse injuries. | | | | times a week. This is considered interval training. |
| Soccer is a game of short bursts of energy with | | | | 3. Next you may have your child walk for ten |
| recovery. | | | | meters, then jog for ten meters and finally sprint for |
| A steady jog keeps the player at a steady pace | | | | 10 meters. If your child or team are fourteen years |
| without stopping, starting, changing direction or | | | | of age or older you can use distances of twenty to |
| accelerating. there is absolutely no power | | | | thirty meters. This type of drills teaches change of |
| development in a steady jog. | | | | speed and acceleration. |
| Here are three key conditioning components that a | | | | These young soccer players can do these drills on a |
| soccer player needs to master to be effective on | | | | field sprinting back and forth in linear fashion. I you |
| the field: | | | | have the space set up square that is either 10m by |
| 1) sprints | | | | 10 meters or 20m -20m or 30m by 30m. This will |
| 2) repeat sprints for a specific amount time with | | | | force the players to properly slow down and change |
| recovery (intervals) | | | | direction. |
| 3) acceleration | | | | This causes the three systems in the body (energy, |
| If we break down a soccer game very closely we | | | | muscular and neurological) to work together for |
| see these actions on a consistent basis. Take for | | | | success. |
| example when an attacking team sends ball into open | | | | As you know there are many stops and starts with |
| space down the wings. A striker or an attacking | | | | change of direction in the game. Doing box drills will |
| defender need to make a sprint to get to the ball. | | | | help with specific soccer conditioning. |
| A soccer player also needs to have the ability to | | | | These drills may be done with or with out a soccer |
| defend after an attack. In this case they need to | | | | ball. It is important that your child or team avoid |
| have the energy to make the initial attacking run and | | | | distance runs for conditioning. Now that you have |
| then return at speed to defend. | | | | information it is up to you introduce this to your child |
| Finally a player needs to shift gears / pace in order | | | | or team. |
| to get by a defender. It is for these reasons that | | | | |