GOOD SOCCER DRILL DESIGN

Soccer drills must fit the theme of your entire practice session and integrate from beginning to end of practice.

1. Start with setting an objective for your soccer practice session
2. Pick themes for the drills to fit the objective. For example, if your theme is passing, incorporate passing drills into the warm-up, technical, fitness, tactical and scrimmage parts of your session.
3. Sequence the drills so that they connect as in point (2) above.
4. Plan for equipment needed to run the soccer drill, such as cones and number of balls required. (Tip: the ideal mix for cones is 11 of colour A, 8 of colour B and six of colour C)
5. Plan for breaking players into small groups based on positions and how they will interact on the field. Example is right defender, right midfielder and right forward, or defenders as a group, etc.
6. Visualize the drill with your players in it.
7. Have the soccer drill written on a piece of paper with notes for coaching points, progression, groupings of players.

DEFINING EFFECTIVE SOCCER DRILLS

Excellent and effective soccer drills must meet the following criteria:

1. Soccer drills must support the theme of the practice session
2. Soccer drills must be targeted in complexity towards the age group and the competitive level of your team and players. They must motivate the players. Young kids need fun motivational games, older and more competitive players need more challenging exercises being motivated by accomplishment and competition.
3. Soccer drills must be easy to explain and demonstrate.
4. Soccer drills must be designed for the space and equipment available.
5. Soccer drills must be adaptable as the players go through them to add or reduce the complexity.
6. Soccer drills must always show improvement in players performance from beginning to the end of the drill.
7. Soccer drills must be relevant to game situations and players must easily understand how they can translate what they learned to a game. You can test this in the end-of-practice scrimmage.
8. Soccer drills must keep players' attention and interest and must keep players moving with a ball as much as possible.
9. Soccer drills must allow for progression of difficulty if the players catch on quickly.
10. Soccer drills must end on a successful note for the players.

Soccer free kick (3)

Chip Far Post
A read herring is when something is used to get people off track, or pull their attention to something else. This is like the chip far post. The chip to the far post when everyone thinks you’re going to strike the ball on goal directly, but instead you send the ball in like a cross. Even trying to head the ball across the goal mouth after the chip is a good idea, pulls the keeper to the far post and leaves the front of the goal exposed to your on rushing team.

Over the Wall Chip
The chip over the wall to a player (your teammate) who’s standing in the wall) – this player spins and strikes the ball. There must be enough space behind the wall though for this to work. Usually helps to overload the far post with players to drag as many players to that zone as possible – and disguise the play.

Shoe Tie
A player bends down as if they’re going to tie their shoe. Another player comes over to survey the scene so to speak, standing right next to the player tying their shoe. Another player stays behind the ball ready to shoot – but looking down at the person tying their shoe, not looking like they’re going to shoot. Player who’s tying their shoe then pokes the ball through the player’s legs who’s come over to help, the player at the top of the ball strikes the ball on goal – hopefully surprising the other team. The ball played through the legs gives the shooter more of an opening as it’s now a way from the wall.

Bricks in the Wall
This is where you post two or three players at the edge of the wall, to shield the ball from the keeper and where the ball is going. It can become a battle though, as the other team will fight to keep your players out of the wall. Teammates in the wall are also good targets. If you can pick out the head a teammate they can duck when you take the kick.

Soccer free kick (2)

Single Screen
One player stands in front of the ball and the player at the top of the ball runs up and strikes the ball. Keeper won’t see the ball until the last second. Hopefully when it’s too late to reach the ball.

Quick Kick
The quick free kick before the keeper and the wall have are set. Make sure the referee hasn’t said they’re going to blow their whistle before the kick can be taken.

Double Screen
This is where two players stand in front of the ball so the keeper can’t see who’s taking the free kick or where the ball is going until the last minute.

Split Stance
Two players line up at the ball and the keeper or the wall doesn’t know who will take the kick or how the ball will bend. Usually two players stand in front of the ball, one on the left side, ready to take the ball with their right foot. And then the other player on the right side, ready to take the kick with their left foot.

Power
The hard kick or rocket shot to force the goalie to make a save and the rest of the team charges the goal mouth looking for the keeper to drop the ball. Purely want to make sure the shot is on target.

The Trailer
The pass to another player at the top of the box. Two players on the ball, one to the side, and one directly behind the ball, and then another player sort of trailing the play. This player sneaks up about ten or so yards away even with the free kick taker, say at the top of the box, just before the kick is taken. Player on the side runs up as if they’re going to shoot, but plays a square ball to the trailing player who now has a clear shot at goal away from the wall.

Soccer free kick (1)

Simple Pass
The pass to one player who stops it with the top of his foot and then moves out of the way so the kicker can strike it. The player is screening the ball but also enables the shooter to get a better angle around the wall by passes it a few yards. May pass the ball just a yard or two but to the side of the wall so the player can hit it dead on. This is often used for an indirect free kick, where another player has to touch the ball.

Fake Shot
One or two players run over the ball as if they’re going to strike it, peeling off to the sides, as the chosen player then takes the shot. The keeper and the wall don’t know who’s going to end up taking the kick.

The Dance
Two players shield the ball and one player runs through as if they’re going to strike the ball, the fourth player then ends up taking the kick. So two players screen the ball, one player runs through them as they peel off, and the fourth player strikes the ball.

Sole Stop
Three players total are involved. One player, on the side, plays the ball to a player a few yards away, who stops the ball with the top of their foot (sole of their foot), and then the player in the center ends up striking the ball. The keeper doesn’t know if the first player is going to hit it or the player in the center.

Three Pronged
Three pronged approach. Players on the left, right and then in the center. The keeper has a hard time picking a side to lean to or anticipate diving to when he doesn’t know who’s going to take it. Picture Beckham, Giggs, and Rooney standing around the ball, one on the left, one on the right and then one at the top of the ball. Not a pleasant site for a keeper to see.

Sample Soccer (Football) Warm up

1. As players arrive, start off with a light game of keep away. (Until 15 minutes before game or practice begins)

2. All players jog around half the field and slowly pick up the pace. They then jog the ends and add in some skipping, high knees, kicking up behind and shuffling. Finish off with sprinting. (3 minutes)

3. Static stretching held for 10 seconds in each position, each position held twice. (2 minutes)

4. Soccer tennis or obstacle course. (4 minutes)

5. Second round of stretching held for 15 seconds in each position, each position held once. May incorporate dynamic stretching if appropriate. (2 minutes)

6. Three-man weaves or man in the middle. (4 minutes)

Warm up tips & tricks

From now, us start discusses about physical aspect:

• Stay warm.

If there’s a break in activity during the game or practice, do not let your muscles relax too much. Jog in place, do a few jumping jacks, and stretch to keep them pliable.

• Watch your time.

A good warm-up should take a total of 10-15 minutes, once a routine has been established. Any less is simply not enough to warm up, and any more will consume more energy that should be saved for the actual practice or game. In colder weather, however, you might need an extra 5 minutes of warming up for your body to reach a good playing temperature.

• Bring the goalkeeper into warm-ups.

Keepers need to get their touches on the ball, too, and require special considerations given their role in the game. In a possession game: Allow the keeper to use his or her hands. Often, keepers will want to and should play possession with their feet. It’s critical for the keeper to be able to use their feet when a defender or a ball is played back to them and they must use both feet to clear the ball. Set up a small goal in the center of the playing area and teams can take a shot once they reach a certain number of passes.

• Cool down.

It’s just as important to stretch after training and have a short cool down (light jog). A total of two laps around the field or four around half the field with stretching mixed in is sufficient. To some experts, stretching after training is almost even more important than stretching before. It’s an ideal time to stretch since your muscles are really loose and warm. Essentially, stretching after training helps the muscles relax, ensures normal resting muscle positioning, improves blood flow to joints and tissues, and reduces soreness and stiffness—the killer after a long, strenuous training session.

What to eat during and after a game/tournament

During a game

Water and fruits juices are recommended to recover a lot lost fluid. Water goes directly to the working muscles and quenches thirst. Eating between game is always tricky but not impossible but try stay away from chocolate, chips, meat, sandwich and etc. orange slice at half time are recommended.

After a game

Plenty of fluids (water, fruits juices) to replenish the body and a good hearty meal of whatever the player wishes (the only exception is if the team makes it to a second day of play then you repeat the above recommendations).

What to eat before a tournament?

Have a dinner/supper the day before the tournament be that of a complex carbohydrate* one. This dinner/supper will provide the muscles with glycogen which released through physical activity and helps in endurance due to a steady release of energy.

At the day of tournament, it is recommended to eat a hearty breakfast consisting of oat meals, fruits, whole wheat breads, pancakes (easy on the syrup) at least 1 ½ hours prior to the game but not to overload.

*Complex carbohydrate is brown rice, pasta, whole grains, cereals, breads made from unrefined flour, beans, peas, fresh fruits, vegetables.

What to eat before a practice game/training?

BEFORE PRACTICE GAME/TRAINING

Light snack consisting of carbohydrates (fruit,pasta) about 1 ½ hours prior to practice/game.

This will enable quick digestion, energy release to working muscle and will help in avoiding cramps.

Large/heavy meals before a practice/game will result in.

• Not being able to run at full capacity.
• Tiredness/weighed down
• Cramps and irritability
• Possible vomiting
• And not being to keep up

No chocolate bar, chips or ice cream

This will weigh down athlete and not provide a boost of energy.

If practice/game is scheduled around mealtime, only have a small snack on the way to the event. It is better to play on a slightly empty stomach and have a regular meal after the event.

Soccer Diet : TRUE or FALSE

The meal you eat the day of the game is the most important meal and will have the greatest impact on your performance during the game. True, or false? Keep reading…

In addition to following the guidelines we established in the previous sections, there are some foods (and drinks) you should definitely avoid right before a game, or before any intense physical activity.

For one thing, stay away from super-sweet and high-fat foods like they’re the plague. Whole milk, marbled meat, cheese, and anything fried will seriously jeopardize your game. So will havoc-wreaking foods like beans, pickled cucumbers, and spices. They’ll slow digestion down and could cause cramps, gas, and associated discomfort. Your body will be torn between digestion and performance. Why distract it when you don’t have to?

Also, don’t indulge right before physical activity. In fact, plan it so that your last meal is no less than three hours before a game (or even practice). If you get hungry, have a light snack, or perhaps an energy bar. Keeping your stomach close to empty is a good idea for the same reason you avoid rich foods before physical activity: energy spent digesting is energy taken away from your performance.

ANSWER: False! The most critical meal is actually the day BEFORE the game. It should be plentiful with good carbohydrates, as well as a little protein and fat. Don’t splurge on fast food just because you think it won’t affect your game tomorrow!

And don’t even think about drinking a drop of soda or even fruit juice before you put your cleats on. Keeping your body hydrated is of utmost importance, no matter what you’re doing, but any liquid that’s caffeinated, carbonated, and/or packed with high fructose corn syrup won’t give your body energy. Believe it or not, they might actually dehydrate you.

Yup, that’s right. To repeat, drinking certain kinds of liquids might actually dehydrate you. It sounds a little counterintuitive, but here’s how it works. Up to 60 percent of the body is water (the brain is composed of 70 percent water, blood is 82 percent water, and the lungs are nearly 90 percent water). Every time you sweat, you lose some of that precious water, along with electrolytes—minerals that are critical to your performance. A sugary, caffeinated and/or carbonated drink will act as a diuretic, making you lose a lot more water than you normally would. As a result, you could end up not only dehydrated, but also lacking electrolytes and putting yourself far closer to fatigue.

To avoid becoming dehydrated, don’t wait until you’re parched before you pour yourself a glass. By the time your body tells you it’s thirsty, you’re already dehydrated. So drink water throughout the day, even if your think you feel fine. Carry a bottle of water with you and take sips from it periodically. A good rule of thumb is to drink a half-cup to a whole cup of water for every 15-20 minutes of physical activity you’re anticipating. Try having 16-20 oz of water 2 hours before a game, then 12-14 oz of sports drink about 10-15 minutes before a match begins. (The warmer the weather, the more water you should drink.)

Don’t forget to continue hydrating your body during the game. You’ll be losing lots of water, making all those darting runs and game-winning goals. This is a good time to get your hands on some sports drinks like Gatorade, Powerade, Allsport, Power Surge, and others. It’s been proven that sports drinks help athletes avoid fatigue and cramps better than water does. You don’t really need them before you play, but during a game or practice, they’ll help you replenish your electrolytes (especially sodium). Have about 7-10oz of a sports drink every 15-20 minutes during your game or practice. Make sure to have 12-14 oz during half-time, even if you feel full.

Resource: www.soccer-training-info.com