| Do you want to know the secret behind creating | | | | skills part of the training after the fitness your |
| great training sessions for young soccer players? Or | | | | players will be tired and they will not pickup new skills |
| for any youth sporing team for that matter. The | | | | as efficiently. If you want them to learn new skills or |
| great thing about this planning template is that it can | | | | enhance existing skills do the skills session prior to the |
| be adapted to fit any junior sporting team. There are | | | | fitness part of your session. They will learn better |
| a number of things you need to consider in planning | | | | when fresher. |
| your session, but the great thing is that you can | | | | |
| complete the planning process in less than 5 minutes | | | | Here is a common breakup for a 90 minute session |
| with this template. What are your goal/s for the | | | | Warm-up 15 minutes (5 minutes light jogging, 10 |
| session? How do you decide on what they should | | | | minutes stretch) |
| be? How are you going to break up the session? | | | | Soccer Drills 10 minutes (1st Drill) |
| How much time are you going to spend on each | | | | 10 minutes (2nd Drill) |
| element? And what resources do you need for | | | | 10 minutes (3rd Drill) |
| implementing the session? I often think it is best if | | | | Fitness 30 minutes |
| you can minimise the number of resources you need | | | | Game 10 minutes |
| for a session. That way you don’t have to cart | | | | Cool Down 5 minutes |
| heaps of stuff to training, and if you forget | | | | Change the time values and number of drills |
| something it doesn’t ruin the whole session. | | | | performed to suit your needs for each session. |
| So, how do you decide what to focus on for the | | | | What resources do you need? No good turning up to |
| session? What is your main goal? The way that I | | | | a session and finding out when setting up a drill that |
| decide this is to review last week’s game. What | | | | you don’t have sufficient equipment to execute |
| did the team do well? What areas does the team | | | | the drill. If you have the captain perform the |
| need to improve? What did individual; players do well? | | | | warm-up with the players you can set up your drills |
| And what areas do individual players need to improve | | | | while they are warming up. Or turn up 10 minutes |
| on? When you answer these questions you will have | | | | early and set up the 1st drill. When you have decided |
| a real idea of what you need to focus on. Remember | | | | on what drills you are going to perform you will then |
| that you can’t do everything in 1 session. When | | | | know what resources you need. Make a list and |
| choosing your soccer drills focus on one area that | | | | write it down and check of the list before you go to |
| was good, focus on one area that needs | | | | training. That way you know you have everything |
| improvement, and focus on one drill from the last | | | | you need when you get there. |
| training session to reinforce the learning for your | | | | So the keys for planning a great training session are |
| players. | | | | to know what your goals are, by knowing what the |
| Is there a magic formula for breaking up a session? | | | | needs of your team are, planning your session on |
| How much time should I spend doing soccer drills? | | | | paper so that you know what drills you are going to |
| How much time do I spend on fitness? How much | | | | use, how long you are going to spend on each |
| warm-up? How much time at the end for playing a | | | | elements of the session, and knowing what |
| game? The answer to these questions will first | | | | resources you need. And remember to BE FLEXIBLE. |
| depend on how long your session is. In many | | | | The great thing about a plan is that it can be |
| instances I think fitness can be incorporated into the | | | | changed on the run if you need to. But if you |
| drills part of the session. One thing that will make a | | | | don’t have a plan, the only thing you are planning |
| huge difference to the quality of the learning of your | | | | for is to fail. |
| players is the order of your session. If you do the | | | | |