These 6 Exercises Will Make Any Soccer Player Fit and Fast

Any soccer player who does these 6 exercises will increase their soccer fitness and their soccer speed in less than 21 days. It is a great pre-season soccer conditioning and soccer speed program. This soccer conditioning program will make any soccer player fast and fit very quickly.

Because soccer is such an explosive sport where players are expected to have great speed and agility too, designing a conditioning and speed program that focuses on these needs is quite important. So with that said, here are the 6 speed and conditioning exercises soccer players should be doing. Also, I have included a brief explanation of the exercise and why it is important.

These 6 exercises should be broken up into 2 groups of three. I have also included suggested groupings. One group of three exercises should be done 2 times in one week and the other group should be done one time during the week. On the following week, switch it up so that the one group of exercises that was done just once the previous week is done twice this week, and the group of exercises that was done twice the previous week is done just once this week. Keep this similar rotation for the three weeks. Monday-Wednesday-Friday or Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday training days work best.

It is also recommended for the soccer player to warm up their body and stretch themselves out sufficiently to do these exercises. Any player considering this program should consult with their doctor before embarking on it.

All of these exercises are done as fast as a player can go.

The First Group of Exercises are:

5-10-15 Yard Shuttle: This 60 yard shuttle is designed to enhance a soccer player's acceleration speed and change of direction performance. The game of soccer is a game of quick bursts of speed and quick change of direction. This shuttle will help all soccer players gain this edge. Players should do 4-6 repetitions of this exercise with a one minute rest in between.20-40-60 Yard Shuttle: This 240 yard shuttle now taxes the soccer player's fitness with short and medium distance explosiveness. This exercise will help all soccer players gain excellent conditioning. Players should do 3-4 repetitions with a 2 minutes rest in between.200 Yard Shuttle: Here a soccer player runs 100 yards, stops and runs back to their starting point. The player is working under one minute starts. That means if it takes a player 40 seconds to complete this shuttle, they have 20 seconds of recovery (rest) time before they run the next 200 yard shuttle and so forth. A player is working on building up to 10 runs in 10 minutes. This is an excellent exercise to gain a solid conditioning foundation.

The Second Group of Exercises are:

10-20-30 Yard Shuttle: This 120 yard shuttle is a beefed up version of the 5-10-15 yard shuttle. It presents training at an anaerobic level making any soccer player explosive and powerful throughout the course of the game. Players should do 4-6 repetitions of this exercise with a 90 second rest in between.30-60-90 yard Shuttle: This 360 yard shuttle not only adds great conditioning for a soccer player but is also adds mental toughness as well. This exercise is excellent for many players but especially for midfielders. Players should consider doing 2-3 repetitions of this exercise allowing for a 3 minute rest in between.300 Yard Shuttle: This shuttle is a staple in many soccer conditioning programs. Place two cones 25 yards apart. The soccer player then runs out to one cone and then runs back and repeats this (up and back) 6 times to complete the 300 yards. It is an excellent conditioning and change of direction exercise. Players should consider doing 2-3 repetitions with a 3 minute rest in between.

This program is an excellent pre-season program for any higher level soccer players (U15 and above). It will help them become very fit and very fast which will make them a valuable player to their team.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this speed and conditioning program for soccer players.

Have a great day!

Gary Christopher

[http://www.soccerandspeedcoach.com]

To get free weekly insider coaching tips delivered right to your inbox, go to my website [http://www.soccerandspeedcoach.com] and register. Every week I'll send you players and coaches reports and insights on developing soccer skills and speed skills along with some great audio interviews you can download for free.

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Soccer Shoes and Cleats For Youth

Many of us know our young soccer players' feet grow quickly. This makes outfitting the family (kiddies, teens and grown-up kids) with new soccer shoes-a bit expensive. We are not just talking once a year, but it many cases every season (Fall to Indoor to Spring to Fall).

I strongly suggest parents refuse to buy into the brand name marketing trap-our kids must have the most expensive soccer cleats available. After all, you're paying the extra costs of the big name companies to private label and market their brands. Do you really think they are manufacturing their own shoes? Come on, it's a global economy and I'm telling you they are all having their soccer shoes made by sweatshops in India and China.

In addition, parents should understand they will never get the value out of an expensive soccer shoe in a single season. Don't worry Moms and Dads; there is another alternative for your younger players. Look for alternate brands other than the big name ones!!! There are plenty of attractive, affordable soccer shoes for young players-these soccer cleats are just not mass marketed!!! And for $19-$22, you can buy brand new soccer shoes for your rapidly growing soccer player-without breaking the bank.

For the teen recreational/select and occasional adult players, consider the newest styles of soccer shoes by Vizari. These soccer cleats are designed for players at the intermediate level in adult sizes only. We also offer high-end soccer shoes for adult players. Select level players choose the "Copa Select" or "Vanguish" soccer cleats. Soccer shoes are made with soft luxurious full grain leather-for serious soccer players in adult sizes only.

Soccer enthusiasts who choose to play indoors or on synthetic surfaces also have affordable options. If you're playing indoors, it's a good idea to purchase a pair of indoor soccer shoes. Often, you can use molded cleats on the turf at many indoor facilities, but to prevent injuries and for the health of your feet; it's wise to buy a pair of flat-soled soccer shoes to use when playing indoor.

Shop carefully for your next pair of soccer shoes and soccer cleats for synthetic turf--there are more affordable prices! You know you want--or need a pair--you're just a few clicks away from having the right soccer shoes for your turf.

Check out [http://eSoccerGear.com] for more soccer coaching resources and soccer equipment for recreational soccer programs.

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Soccer Balls

If somebody asks which is the best game in the world, there will be only one answer. Soccer. The enthusiasm and the enjoyment provided by the soccer cannot be equaled with any other games in the sports field. 90 minutes is really enchanting for the players as well as the viewers. And these enjoyment and tension are with a single sphere like item, the soccer ball.

From the inception of the first soccer ball the design and the craft has changed a lot in the manufacture of soccer ball. The first soccer ball was made with a bucky ball design, with 20 white hexagonal shapes and 12 black regular hexagonal shapes. This design of 32 panels soccer has become the standard for soccer balls. The reason for selecting black and white patches is that it helps to view the rolling balls easily on a television broadcasting. The great changes occurred in 50 years nearly.

There are many varieties of soccer balls. Balls used for local tournaments and also for children's soccer. These can be made with synthetic items with single layer. Leather soccer balls are also available in market with a bit higher price. The soccer balls of different weights, there are various varieties of very light to heavy. There are many new techniques introduced in the design to make it sportier.

The soccer balls with more layers are very often now, the soccer balls with foam layer under the leather over cover was a special design made by Adidas long time ago. The balls are carefully made such that it will move fast and can spiral while moving in accordance with the kick on it. Spinning kicks makes the ball spin and move fast. The design and materials used in soccer ball construction decides its movement and effectiveness in the soccer play.

Adidas is the renowned soccer ball making company in the world. Adidas balls rules the world cup fields and also many of the world known soccer tournaments. These soccer balls are made with much attention and care. They are made of good quality materials; different panels are joined together by stitching. They use very high quality stitching threads and make the ball glossy with fine materials. Let us see one of the important soccer balls, which are used in famous tournaments like world cups.

Adidas Soccer ball Tango has been credited with the official world cup ball for the 6 world cups. The design gives an impression that there are 12 circles on its face. This is made up of pure leather. This is the most expensive soccer ball ever made. This was the official match ball of the world cup in 1978. Tango has turned out to be the most popular soccer ball design. It has a long life span.

Many other designs have come up later, with many revolutionary ideas and soccer balls seems to keep up with modern trends and technologies.

Robert Grazian is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about soccer balls [http://soccerballing.info/soccer-balls/] visit Soccer Balling [http://soccerballing.info/] for current articles and discussions.

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Affordable Soccer Balls

Selecting the right soccer ball boils down to choosing the size and construction of the ball based on the player's age and league requirements. The younger the player, the smaller the ball in most cases. Cost is also a big factor in selecting the correct soccer ball. Synthetic-leather balls are the most expensive and basic rubber-type soccer balls cost the least. Leather is no longer the favorite choice of soccer ball coverings because leather absorbs more moisture than synthetic soccer balls. A wet leather ball gets heavier over time and becomes much slower in play.

There are three basic categories of soccer balls. Match soccer balls used in professional international matches meet all Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) requirements and are imprinted with the organization's logo on the ball. They are also the most expensive type of soccer ball. In the middle range are the competition balls used in college and high school competition. Recreational and training balls fill are the least expensive.

Most soccer balls are made of blends of polyurethane (PU), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and common rubber or nylon. The best and most expensive PU balls feel like leather and are very firm, durable and water-resistant. The PVC balls are also very durable but are not as soft and responsive as the PU-blend balls. Common rubber and nylon balls can present a real value because they cost the least and last the longest. Although the rubber and nylon soccer balls lack the feel of match balls, they are fine for practice and training.

Soccer balls are all clearly marked in one of three sizes with the smaller the size number, the smaller the ball. Most all soccer balls come marked in sizes 3, 4 or 5. Size 3 soccer balls are used for beginners under 8 years old are 23-inches in circumference and weigh 12-ounces. Size 4 balls are designed for players between the ages of 8 and 12 and weigh about the same as the smaller balls at 12-ounces but are larger in circumference at just over 25-inches. Size 5 soccer balls are designed for use by all players 13 and older and are built to the international standard size for all sanctioned competition. The size 5 balls weigh about 15-ounces and have a circumference of 28-inches.

Additional factors to consider in soccer ball construction are the lining and inner bladder. The lining underneath the outer covering controls the shape and feel of the ball. The bladder contains the air inside the ball and also contributes to shape and responsiveness in play. Match soccer balls usually have four layers of a combined cotton/polyester-blend lining. Mid-range balls have two layers of cotton and two layers of polyester lining, and the least expensive balls have only two layers of polyester lining.

Soccer ball bladders come in both latex and butyl. The latex bladders are considered the best type of ball construction, but they don't hold air as long as butyl bladders and need attention to proper inflation. Butyl or butyl-blend bladders hold their air better but are harder less responsive in play. The most common bladder found in mid-priced balls will usually be a blend of 80% butyl with 20% rubber.

The number of panels on a soccer ball can influence flight characteristics and how much control the player will have in play. A 32-panel ball is the type used in international soccer competition. Major League Soccer in the United States uses an 18-panel ball, and most indoor soccer leagues use 6-panel balls. The panels on high-end soccer balls are hand-stitched with synthetic thread. Mid-priced soccer balls have the same high-quality thread but are machine stitched to reduce cost. Low-cost practice and training balls will usually have panels that are glued together.

Adidas, Nike, Voit, Puma, Brine and Diadora all make good all-around quality balls that are relatively affordable, ranging from $20 to $80. Good practice balls can be purchased for as little as $15. For most young players today, an inexpensive training ball is usually all they will need to get into soccer and start having fun.

Mike Jones is an experienced blog master and published author. He lives in Los Angeles, California. For more info please visit http://www.soccerballs.com

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Indoor Soccer Shoes - NO! They Are Not Like Sneakers!

Sneakers are not made for indoor soccer.

Indoor soccer shoes are not made with cleats on the bottom like outdoor cleats. They have rubber stubs and rubber treads to allow for fast turns and abrupt stops.

They don't weigh as much as a normal soccer cleat, and look similar to sneakers, but they are much tougher than sneakers.

Tough

This soccer footwear is made to take the beating that playing indoors will give. The rubbery sole combined with a low profile design provides good grip, and helps prevent rolling your ankles.

Sneakers, even though they are only slightly higher in profile, are just not safe to use for indoor soccer. The sole of a sneaker is different than the rubbery sole that you need to perform well on the indoor soccer pitch.

Styles

Some of these shoes have laces straight up the front just like a sneaker. However some models have an irregular lacing structure. It appears to wrap around the front of the shoe instead of going straight up.

Combining the wrap around lacing setup with the hidden lace loops available on some models, provides a cleaner contact area for striking the ball. Usually these models are a little more expensive, but worth it if you are serious about your soccer game.

Movement

Playing on an indoor surface is more tricky than playing soccer outdoors. There is less give on an indoor surface, so your Soccer Shoes are built to allow for quick lateral movement. These shoes are built to allow the soccer player maximum freedom of movement, while providing good grip.

When choosing your indoor soccer shoes don't let color or style tell you what to choose. Get the comfort and support that you need.

Wayne MacLean has over 30 years of experience in the game of soccer. As a soccer coach, soccer player, soccer referee, and all-around soccer fan, Wayne is now adding a new dimension to his love of soccer. He now writes many articles and creates soccer videos to help those that are involved in soccer, are new to soccer, or just want to know more about soccer. Check out my Indoor Soccer Shoes [http://www.soccer.information-universe.com/soccer/indoor-soccer-shoes.php] for more great soccer information for yourself or your team.

The Soccer Drill Sargeant

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The Soccer Net - The Mesh That Stops the Balls

"No more chasing the ball."

Without a soccer net, a soccer goal is just a big box. The balls won't stop. They would just make you chase them all over the place. So whether you have a local practice field or a backyard goal, a soccer net is a good investment.

Huh?

Just so you understand, the soccer net attaches to a frame that is the soccer goal. The mesh that you attach to that frame is what prevents having to chase balls all over the place during a practice or game. If the balls are going into the net.

Construction

Most soccer nets are made from polyethylene plastic or nylon cording. The diameter of the separate strands can range from 2mm to 5mm in diameter. This is the cord thickness. The holes, or openings in the mesh can range from 2.5 inches to 5 inches. The standard designs are either a honeycomb, (like the cereal), or square pattern.

Sizing

Because there are different sizes of soccer goals made for practice, pick-up, mini games, or full field games, there are different sizes of soccer nets. To ensure that you get the right size net heed the following guidelines:

Height - distance between the ground and the crossbar.
Width - distance between the 2 posts.
Top Depth - Distance from front crossbar to top corner of the frame.
Bottom Depth - distance from goal post to back crossbar on the ground.
Having these measurements accurate will help you get the right net right away. If you are unsure, always buy larger as you can double up the mesh if necessary.

What to Choose

A larger net made with a thicker cord will cost more up-front, but will last longer. If you think that this is not important, you may want to think again. A net will receive a lot of balls during a practice or during games. Each time a ball hits the net it will affect the mesh. And every game or practice is going to see some bodies getting tangled up in that mesh. It will all have its effect on how long the net will last. You can decide what is important to you. I suggest that if the player age is 12 or older you will need at least a 3mm cord.

Putting up The Net

Attachments

Most goals come equipped with clips or bars to fasten the net onto the frame.
For existing goals, clips can be bought separately and you can install them yourself.
Velcro-type strips are also available to wrap around the poles to fasten the net. But these will probably need to be replaced often.
You can use twine or rope but it is really a pain to cut and replace on a regular basis.
Some people suggest using bungee cords. I say NO! The hooks can be very dangerous if someone runs into them. I do not feel that they are safe enough.
Anchors

Many goals come with anchors or stakes to secure the mesh to the ground.
You should have an anchor system in place on all soccer goals.

Backup

As time passes and more balls and people go into the net, they get worn and eventually will tear. Therefore, it is a good idea to have an extra set of soccer nets on hand for when this happens. Being prepared is always a good idea.

Caution

You may not think it is dangerous but putting up a net can be just that. Be Careful. Watch your step and do not get your feet tangled in the mesh. One little twist the wrong way can cause a sprain or even a broken bone. I have seen it happen.

Wayne MacLean has over 30 years of experience in the game of soccer. As a soccer coach, soccer player, soccer referee, and all-around soccer fan, Wayne is now adding a new dimension to his love of soccer. He now writes many articles and creates soccer videos to help those that are involved in soccer, are new to soccer, or just want to know more about soccer. Check out my Soccer Net [http://www.soccer.information-universe.com/soccer-equipment/soccer-net.php] for more great soccer information for yourself or your team.

The Soccer Drill Sargeant

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Soccer Referee - Vital to the Beautiful Game

More important than some people think

The soccer referee is in the middle of the soccer field to enforce the laws of the game. He does this with the help of his assistant referees, and sometimes a fourth official.

As we all know, being a soccer official is no easy task. No matter what call you make somebody thinks that you are wrong. So you have to be able to take it.

Responsibilities

Besides looking good in their soccer referee uniforms, they are responsible for making sure that:

The soccer ball meets the requirements of the laws of the game.
The players' equipment meets the requirements of the laws of the game.
He keeps the official time of the match, supported by his assistants.
He records the goals and any red cards, or yellow cards that are given out.
He stops play for fouls, injuries, corner kicks, and goal kicks.
He allows play to continue when a foul is committed if he decides that the team that was fouled has advantage.
He ensures the safety of the soccer players.
Although these are the main responsibilities that he has, the soccer referee can discipline team officials on the bench if necessary. These team officials can be sent to the dressing room, or away from the field of play, if the offence is serious enough.

Injured Players

The referee will decide, based on the seriousness of the injury, when he will stop play. After speaking with the injured player he will decide if their is a need for medical help or not. He will then request the medical assistance if the player cannot leave the field on his own. He will send the player off the soccer field until the next stoppage of play, if he is fit to return. But the time to return is strictly up to the referee. If the player does not leave he can be cautioned (Yellow Card).

Positioning

The soccer referee must be in the best position to see the players and his assistants. He will run on a path that runs from one corner of the penalty area at one end of the field, to the corner of the penalty area at the other end of the field, on the opposite side of the field.

By being in good position the referee can:

See the play well
Talk to individual players if necessary.
Hear anything said between opposing players.
He must also be fit. He will run just as much as the players will. When is the last time that you saw an over-weight soccer official? Not likely!

Referee Equipment

To be a soccer official you also need the proper equipment. It is not much, but you will need these tools to do your job properly:

A good whistle so the players can hear when you stop the play.
A referee's wallet that contains your red and yellow cards, and a place to record the events of the game.
Flags for your assistant referees.
A good watch, or sometimes two, to time the game properly.
Good quality soccer footwear for whatever field you will be on. That could include soccer referee turf shoes or cleats.

Attention

The referee is not meant to be the center of attention. A good official will be able to let the game flow, stopping play only when necessary. He should be able to maintain control of the game, but let the players decide the outcome.

Being a soccer referee is challenging, but also very rewarding. You will receive respect from most, as they would never even try to do what you do.

Wayne MacLean has over 30 years of experience in the game of soccer. As a soccer coach, soccer player, soccer referee, and all-around soccer fan, Wayne is now adding a new dimension to his love of soccer. He now writes many articles and creates soccer videos to help those that are involved in soccer, are new to soccer, or just want to know more about soccer. Check out my Soccer Referee [http://www.soccer.information-universe.com/soccer-referee/soccer-referee.php] for more great soccer information for yourself or your team.

The Soccer Drill Sargeant

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Your Chance to Coach Soccer For Money

Knowing how to play soccer could be your key to success.

Teaching others, particularly youths, how to play soccer is a passion for many people worldwide. However, what many of these soccer lovers do not realise is the fact that it is possible not just to do this full time but also make a very good living from it.

Such is the appeal of soccer worldwide that the demand for people who can actually coach others how to play soccer far outstrips supply. Irrespective of whether it's England, Australia or the United States the thirst for learning how to play soccer is almost unquenchable.

Why then, if the demand is so great are there not more people teaching others how to play? There are three main reasons for this.

Knowing how to play soccer and actually teaching others how to play soccer are two totally different things. Unfortunately many people do not realise this.

These people are under the mistaken impression that to be good at showing people how to play that they had to be good at playing soccer themselves.

Because of this mistaken belief many soccer lovers are not only depriving themselves of the opportunity to coach soccer but also depriving themselves of the chance of making a very good living doing something they love.

The ability to acquire knowledge, to be organised and impart knowledge is not restricted to any particular age. Teaching in general and teaching people how to play soccer in particular is an acquired skill, a skill that can be acquired and applied using a certain methodology. Again, this is not something that a lot of people are actually aware of.

Many lovers of the beautiful game have a vague notion that they would like to be in a position to make a living from teaching others how to play, but they lack one vital tool. This tool is the key to success for any business, a business plan.

The lack of this blueprint for success, formula, call it what you may , is the common factor in why so many people fail to realise their dreams and this is as true for coaching people how to play soccer as it is for any other business.

The requirements for showing others how to play soccer.

The requirements are actually quite simple and if each one is present the opportunities are limitless. The most basic requirement is a passion for the game and a willingness to learn.

Organisational ability, whether it is your own or one of your relations is also a big plus. However the most important part if you are to be successful at coaching others how to play soccer is getting your hands on a good plan and applying it.

What should a good plan contain?

If you are considering the idea of teaching others how to play soccer your plan should contain the following;

Ideas for setting up your first coaching session.

Soccer drills.

Play great soccer Blast the ball grass roots coaching more soccer drills

Marketing and promoting your soccer coaching business.

Ideally your plan for will come from someone who has achieved success themselves in this area. The opportunities for those who have done a little preparation and planning are vast. The opportunities for those that love teaching others how to play soccer and know how to stick to a simple gameplan are limitless.

I live in London and have run my own soccer coaching business for nearly 15 years. Its not as difficult as you may think to start earning money from coaching soccer.

Knowing how to play soccer will put you on the first rung of the ladder.

If you want to learn more about how to start earning money from coaching soccer click here. Go to http://www.newsoccerbiz.com to find out more.

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Soccer Goal - Practice Anywhere, Anytime That You Want

Soccer goal options include pop up, folding, regulation, indoor, rebounders, and portable models.

Improving your soccer players skills, or helping yourself to improve your soccer game is very rewarding. If you help your players, you get the feeling of satisfaction and you see it happen under your teaching. Improving your own game will give you that excellent feeling of conquering a new skill.

Practice is a great way to do that. And by using regulation goals, or portable soccer goals, you can improve your accuracy and talents. Here are some of the different types:

Portable

Great for players, coaches, or school phys ed classes.
Easily moved from place to place.
Start a game or practice within moments.
Smaller size helps improve accuracy.
Affordable.
Comes complete with soccer nets.
Creates lots of fun.
Use indoor or outdoors.

Adjustable Goals

Last a long time.
Great for many ages and skill levels.
Can be adjusted to suit the size of the field.
Great for learning how to score.
Excellent learning tool for soccer goalkeepers.
Use indoor or outdoors.

Soccer Rebounders

Easy to transport.
Simple set up.
Train alone or with friends.
Work on giving and receiving.
Use indoor or outdoors.

Regulation Size

In-ground or movable.
Different sizes available.
With or without nets.
Square or round posts.
Having good tools for your soccer training will help you to improve your game. Just make sure you use the tools, otherwise they are just ornaments.

Although Vince Lombardi is from as different type of football, you should remember what he said. Practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.

Wayne MacLean has over 30 years of experience in the game of soccer. As a soccer coach, soccer player, soccer referee, and all-around soccer fan, Wayne is now adding a new dimension to his love of soccer. He now writes many articles and creates soccer videos to help those that are involved in soccer, are new to soccer, or just want to know more about soccer. Check out my Soccer Goal [http://www.soccer.information-universe.com/soccer-corner-flags/soccer-goal.php] for more great soccer information for yourself or your team.

The Soccer Drill Sargeant

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Weight Training For Soccer - Improve Strength and Endurance

Win the challenges for the ball with explosive power

Weight training for soccer is not about building huge muscles. It is about:

Upper Body Strength

Aids in complete explosive power.
Helps you shield the ball from the opposition.
Helps you gain position on your opposition.
Helps you throw well on throw-ins.
Helps to prevent injury.

Lower Body Strength

For powerful shots and firm passes.
Jump above others to win head balls.
Firm tackling to steal the ball.
Improved agility.
Improved speed and acceleration.
Helps to prevent injury.

Performance

To be a quality soccer player you need to be a complete athlete. No other sport requires the physical strength and lung capacity that soccer does. You have to be able to run short distances of 10 to 20 yards quickly, but you also need the endurance to last 90 minutes of a soccer match. You also need to be able to hold off the opposition and win challenges for the ball. These skills require more than just lifting heavy weights. It requires balancing your weight training for soccer to include all parts of your body.

How to Train

You cannot just go to the gym and do the normal 3 sets of 10 repetitions of all the standard exercises and get soccer fit. If you think so, you are kidding yourself. Bodybuilders do that to build size and strength. Your goal is different. Unless you want to be a huge bodybuilder, with little agility, and no flexibility. Hey, you could be a huge pylon!

Your training should include:

Weights to increase strength and power.
Circuit training. This provides cardiovascular and strength improvement. Try using movements that you would use in a soccer game.
Plyometrics - a type of exercise using explosive movements to develop muscular power. For example bounding, hopping, and jumping, for the purposes of improving performance in a specific sport.

Is That Enough?

Well of course not. With any smart soccer strength training or soccer speed training program, you need a healthy diet. You can build your strength and agility, but without the energy to go along with it just won't matter.

So work smart, eat well, and train properly. Your soccer training will develop a lean-muscled, physically fit, explosively powered soccer body.

Wayne MacLean has over 30 years of experience in the game of soccer. As a soccer coach, soccer player, soccer referee, and all-around soccer fan, Wayne is now adding a new dimension to his love of soccer. He now writes many articles and creates soccer videos to help those that are involved in soccer, are new to soccer, or just want to know more about soccer. Check out my Weight Training for Soccer [http://www.soccer.information-universe.com/weight-training-for-soccer/weight-training-for-soccer.php] page.

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A Guide to Soccer Drills

Soccer is the most widely-played sport in the world. However, learning how to play the game well requires a great deal of skill and commitment. To obtain this, most players use soccer drills in order to develop their soccer skills.

These drills are a vital part of the development of any soccer player. They offer players the chance to learn skills which they can then apply in match situations. Read on to learn all you need to know about football drills.

Basic Soccer Drills

Soccer players will first begin their training and development with some basic football drills. Usually the first skill that any soccer player needs to develop is dribbling. To help with this, two preliminary drills which are usually employed by coaches are the 'dribble across a square' and 'dribble around a cone' soccer drills. These drills not only help players to develop their dribbling skills, but also their overall dexterity and ball control, which are vital skills for any soccer player.

More Advanced Soccer Drills

After dribbling, the next stage is to learn how to turn and move with the ball and create space. Then after this comes passing, shooting and tackling.  Thee are several drills that will help the individual to become a rounded soccer player. As a soccer player becomes more advanced, they will usually take part in the following drills which are designed to improve their overall soccer ability:

Passing and Trapping Soccer Drills

One of the most vital components of any soccer player is the quality and accuracy of their passing and their ability to trap and control the ball. Some football drills which are intended to improve this include:

Passing back and forth - The most basic passing drill aims to develop the basic skills of ball control and playing a short and accurate pass. As players become more advanced, coaches may wish to progress on to passing over longer distances.

Passing relay race - This football drill involves passing and movement between players in order to develop the player's ability to pass quickly and accurately under pressure.

Crossing Soccer Drills - Soccer coaches may use aids such as cones and markers in drills designed to encourage accurate crossing ability.

Shooting Soccer Drills

To improve shooting, drills such as pass and shoot on goal and dribble through cones and shoot are used. These help players to develop the ability to shoot under pressure

Throw-in and Heading Soccer Drills

To improve throwing ability, the 'throw in and trap' football drill is commonly used. Winning headers is an important attribute of any soccer player and to help with this, aerial ability and heading can be improved with drills such as the 'throw and head' routine.

Soccer Drills for Goalkeepers

Goalkeepers also have their own football drills, designed to improve all aspects of their game, including shot stopping, coming for crosses and commanding their defence.  These drills include the Arc, side-to-side, down-up and shooting angle soccer drills.

In order to improve the goalkeeper's ability and awareness in a game situation, football drills such as '4 vs.4,' 'inside the 18 yard box' and 'the numbers game' can be used.

Accuracy and passing under pressure are 2 of the most important skills that any goalkeeper must have and there are plenty of drills which are intended to develop these skills.

Now that you know more about soccer drills, and how to play soccer, why don't you get out and practice to become a better football player?

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Whether you are a player, coach or manager, you're sure to benefit from Soccer Drills and Soccer Coaching the Everton Way.

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How to Play Soccer - Soccer Rules

Having said that, soccer rules are deceptively simple. The Laws of the Game, still heavily based on their forerunners from the 1860s, govern this sport worldwide, and although the intricacies can be complex you can learn the basics in literally minutes of watching the Beautiful Game.

It's important to note that soccer does not even have rules, but rather Laws. This officious term indicates that there is something very bookish about the game, even though the actual Laws document is just a few pages long compared to some other sports. These rules are available via FIFA for any player to read for free.

The first four of soccer's Laws of the Game relate to the mechanics. They describe the dimensions of the field (which can vary depending on whose stadium you're at), the ball (which can also vary between 27-28 inches in circumference), the players (eleven per team), and what the players can wear (soccer jerseys, soccer shorts, soccer socks, soccer boots/cleats, and mandatory shin pads.)

Laws five and six outline the powers and responsibilities of the referees and his assistants (the latter of which are not mandatory in all leagues, but are found in pro soccer the world over.) After that, how the game is started and halted (when the referee detects an infraction, or when the ball goes out of play, or when a goal is scored) are looked at in laws seven through ten.

Then comes soccer's offside rule, a Law so contentious it has its very own number: eleven. The offside rule in soccer can be hard to pick up, but the basics are this: if a player waits near an opponent's goal with fewer than two opponents between him and the goalline, and the ball is played to him, he is committing an offside offence. Practically speaking, this in 99% of cases means that if a striker has only the goalkeeper to beat when the ball is kicked towards him, he will be flagged offside. (Of course, if he receives the ball onside and then runs one-on-one with the 'keeper, he's done nothing wrong - and will probably score!)

Laws twelve right through to the final one - seventeen - explain why the game might be stopped for a foul, and what happens when this takes place (a free-kick, either direct or indirect, depending on the severity of the offence; or even a penalty kick one-on-one with the goalkeeper), and also how throw-ins, goal kicks, and corner kicks work.

The best part is that you can read these laws in an afternoon and pick up the basics that quickly. But the best way of all is to watch a soccer game with the laws in your hand and refer to them as needed. You'll be a soccer expert in no time.

There are various forms of soccer, ranging from micro soccer (3 a side) to the standard game of 11 a side. FIFA are the worldwide governing body for soccer, and it is FIFA who control the laws of the game that dictate how to play soccer from a rules perspective, so visit the FIFA site to get a copy of the rules and start learning the rules.

Nigel Reed has been involved in soccer during the 60's, 70's and 80's as a player and has been coaching youth soccer in Australia since 2000.
Learn more on How to play soccer and take advantage of the Free Soccer Drills at Nigels website.
c 2007 Coaching Youth Soccer For Success

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Who Invented Soccer? Do You Mean the Game - Or the Word?

Ready for a surprise? English are the ones who invented soccer.

Both - the game and the word (that's the surprising part).

Yes, I am not making this up. I know, you probably assumed like most people that "soccer" is an American word. I did. Until my son asked me who created the word: soccer, because his PE teacher told him it is an English word. I was sure the teacher was wrong, but I didn't want to compromise his authority and ruin my status of super soccer dad, so just in case the teacher was right, I told my son that I'd look into it. The teacher...you guessed it...was absolutely correct.

"Soccer" is an English word invented by students from Oxford. It is a derivative of the word 'association'.

How is this possible? How did it happen?

Actually it's very interesting, so let's go back in time to see how it all started.

No, not to ancient times, even though there were some forms of a 'kicking' games being played back then. I don't consider this however, as an invention, rather an origin of soccer.

Dribbling Game

In the early 1800s, a number of versions of football were being played in private schools throughout England . Soon the game was adopted by many public schools. The ball games weren't called neither football nor soccer yet, but 'dribbling game' and it was nothing like the game we all know now. Kicking the ball was the main technique to play the game, but use of hands was allowed to stop or catch the ball in the mid-air. No one was allowed to pick up the ball with their hands and run with it.

Rugby Football

It all changed when during the 'dribbling game' one of the student from a public school of Rugby grabbed the ball and ran with it over the goal line. The goal was disallowed but many people picked up on the idea and formed a new game, you guessed it, 'rugby football'.

The popularity of dribbling games and rugby spread throughout the country. New clubs and teams were formed, distinct from schools and universities.

Association Football

There was a big desire of teams to play each other, unfortunately schools and clubs had a hard time agreeing on the same rules. After many failed attempts to unify the rules of the game, in 1863 several teams and clubs came to agreement and formed the Football Association with one set of rules. Sort of a mix of 'dribbling games' and 'rugby'. The game was called 'association football'.

That's where we come to the part of who invented soccer, the word.

English students used to like to nickname and abbreviate words. Also they had the tendency to add an "er" to the end of many words. For example, instead of "breakfast" they would say - "breaker", rugby was "rugger".

The name "association football" was way too long for them, therefore they called it "assoc" which soon evolved to the name "soccer".

And so, the word "soccer" was used in England since the mid-19th century. Most people however, used more frequently the word "football", which was more descriptive of the new sport, although at that time the game of football was still far from the game we play today.

Soccer reached the world

Association football or simply football or soccer was exported by British workers, students, and soldiers all over the world, where the game and the names were adopted pretty quick. Some countries modified the rules of association football to give the beginnings of the new type of football. American football, Canadian football, Australian Rules, Rugby League just to name few, they all evolved from association football, therefore soccer.

Today word "soccer" is most commonly used in the US, Canada and Australia in order to keep a distinction from their own football games. Everywhere else people use the term "football", including those who invented soccer, the game...and the word.

If you think this was interesting and valuable to you, don't wait and check out My Youth Soccer Guide for more facts about soccer history, as well as other useful soccer information.

Adrian Gumowski is a passionate expert on soccer gained from 30 years playing, coaching kids, and developing a web site all about soccer, including soccer history at http://www.my-youth-soccer-guide.com/soccer-history.html

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How to Persuade Youth Players in the USA That Soccer is the Best Sport to Play

Soccer is the most popular sport in almost every country in the world. That is unless you live in the USA where football, baseball and basketball are more popular. As a soccer coach the problem is therefore how to get youth players interested in playing soccer rather than the other sports.

Firstly we need to look at the reasons as to why other sports are more popular than soccer in the USA. One of the main reasons is spectator appeal. Local football, baseball and basketball are televised and promoted in every major city in the US. Young athletes watch this and associate with their heroes. Another reason is the money available in the professional game is much more in the American sports than in soccer. As a result, more young sports players aspire to earn their living with a high income in the American sports.

Not that soccer is a poor mans sport. Wages for soccer players around the world are now on the increase. For example 2 of the best soccer players in the world Christiano Ronaldo and Robinho are reported to be on $200, 000 and $320,000 per week respectively. David Beckham who plays for LA Galaxy is also high up there with the top soccer player earners. Although the interest in soccer is growing in the US among young sportsmen, the sport cannot compete as yet with the publicity, advertising and hype of the American sports.

The question is how to persuade young players in the US that soccer is the best sport to enter. Here are a few good reasons:

Soccer is a sport that any player can play and be successful in. As in football where physique and size is a major factor, in basketball where it is very advantageous to be well over 6 feet tall, any player can be successful in soccer no matter what size or physique a player has. Big and strong players can find positions as defenders, midfielders or forwards. Small players can find positions as forwards and wingers and develop skills to be successful in these positions. Slower players can also find positions, especially in midfield. There is a place for everyone who has the desire.

The involvement in the game is much greater in soccer than it is for other sports. In football there are so many stoppages in the game. Some players like the kickers may only have very limited involvement in the game. In soccer, even if your team does not have the ball, everyone has to hustle back to defend. Even the forwards have to defend from the front. Defenders when not defending have to support the midfield and forwards.

Soccer is very fast paced with almost continuous involvement. Basketball is probably the most similar of the American sports to soccer, the biggest difference being the size of the court to the field.

As well as speed, strength and stamina, skill is of the utmost importance in soccer thus producing an athlete with more rounded attributes. At youth level you will often find that youth soccer players often excel in the other American sports.

A good way to get youth athletes more interested in soccer is to get them watching high-class professional games on TV. The English Premier League is probably the best to watch as it is fast paced with a high skill level. Many of the best players in the world play in this league. There are several TV stations that show these games like Fox Sports World.

Also it would be good to get prospective youth soccer players to go to a few of their local college soccer games or semi pro games if there is a team in the area,

And then there is that magical feeling of scoring a goal with the goal celebration to follow. Soccer is certainly on the increase in the USA. The game produces leaders with more all round ability than the US sports. Success in soccer can lead to worldwide acclaim as players like Brad Friedel who plays in the English premier league has shown.

The author of this article - David Epstein has been a youth soccer coach for over 27 years. David is an expert in teaching parent soccer coaches how to be a better coach and get the best from their players including giving players the know how to play in all soccer positions [http://www.parentsoccercoach.com].

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Soccer Drills

Soccer is a very popular sport that is played in different countries. Soccer is also called as football. There are people who play the game as a profession and others like to play it just for the fun of it. People of all age groups love to play this game.

The game of soccer consists of rules that are easy to follow and the requirements that it has are also nominal. The skill that is essential to play soccer is that to control the ball. Legs have a major part to play in soccer. Kicking the ball, dribbling are the major movements when playing this game. The goalkeeper has a different role to play in the game. He should possess some other skills.

There are certain courses that are available in order to build of the skills of playing soccer. This is called as soccer drills. There are various parts of soccer drills. It can be during practice sessions, when kids are playing soccer, a game by professionals etc. These are an important part of soccer.

Soccer drills can be dribbling, heading, shooting; passing the ball etc. the better the soccer drills are done there would definitely be an improvement in the game of soccer. Goal keeping, communication, ball control, aggression, spreading out, transition, warm ups are all part of the soccer drill.

When playing soccer it is advisable to take up a course in soccer drill, as they would train you the best to play soccer. Such a drill can be taken up by anybody and of any age group. Soccer is a game that does not require any big built person playing it. So it can be played by even kids of any age group. Some kids start at a very early age.

Most of the coaches would recommend a soccer drill before playing a game of soccer. This does not mean that you have to take up a soccer drill only if you are playing it professionally. You can also take it up when playing casually with your friends.

Soccer being a game which is played all over the world by many people needs to be practiced. Obtaining certain essential skills will help to succeed when playing the game. Thus, taking up certain soccer drills would be a good choice to make any person fit and improve his skills in the game of soccer. There are many people who teach soccer drills. You can choose them to develop your skills in this amazing game.

Robert Grazian is an accomplished niche website developer and author.

To learn more about soccer drills [http://mysoccersite.info/soccer-drills/] visit My Soccer Site [http://mysoccersite.info/] for current articles and discussions.

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Soccer Exercises For a Well-Conditioned Soccer Player

Soccer players require both strength and endurance.

The proper soccer exercises will give you stamina to out-perform your opposition in a 90-minute soccer game. It is a game of constant movement. But you need more than just endurance.

To become a talented soccer player there are 4 types of soccer exercises that you should perform regularly:


Endurance training - get the wind you need to last 90 minutes. You know that you hate being taken off the field before.
Sprint training - to allow you to get to the ball faster than your opponents.
Strength training for soccer - so when you must battle an opponent for the ball, you can get position, and win the ball in the air, or on the ground.
Flexibility training - to stretch and strengthen your muscles to prevent injury and encourage muscle growth.

Endurance Training

As a soccer player we hate to hear "SUBSTITUTION". So to keep this from happening, try these endurance-training tips:


Always warm up before any endurance training run.
50% training will give you 50% during a game. Keep your long distance pace as high as possible. 2 miles in 12 minutes is a good target.
Work hard enough to get out of your comfort zone. And continue to expand your comfort zone as you improve.
Give your body time to recover. If you train hard every day there will be no juice left in your tank, and your body can only take so much.

Sprint (speed) Training

There are times when we just need to work on our speed. Sure we all want to get as much time on the ball as we can, but we cannot always have the ball. Work without the ball! Although it is a good idea to practice speed drills with the ball, doing both types of soccer exercises will be of greater benefit in the long term.

Here are a few exercises to help improve your speed:


Tuck your head down and get into position for exploding after the ball or your opponent. This will give you more control over your body than if your head is flying around up there somewhere. Just keep your eyes open.
Move your arms forward and backward parallel to your body. Not across the body. This increases your momentum, and gets everything moving in the same direction.
Lead with your toes. Starting off on your heels will not give you the balance or acceleration that you need.
Get your feet hitting the ground as many times and as fast as you can. The more you do this, the faster you will become.

Strength Training

Weight training for soccer is an excellent way to improve your strength to win challenges for the ball. In the air, and on the ground. It's about improving your overall strength, not becoming muscle-bound. I suggest you visit my weight training for soccer page for more information.

Flexibility Training

To improve the flexibility of your muscles it is important to understand the following:


Warm up for 5 - 10 minutes before stretching. Light jogging will work.
Hold each stretch for 15 - 20 seconds.
2 - 3 stretches per body part.
Do not bounce. Hold the stretch in place.
Start at the bottom and work your way up. Ankles, calves, hamstrings, quads, waist and hips, arms, chest, shoulders, neck and head.
Don't hold a painful stretch. You should feel a tightness in the muscle, but not pain.
Breathe! Do not hold your breath.

If you combine those facts with these great stretching exercises you will be a step ahead of your opponents.

Always allow yourself RECOVERY TIME. Recovering from any of the soccer exercises that you perform will allow to continue to improve. This will improve your overall conditioning for the long-term.

Wayne MacLean has over 30 years of experience in the game of soccer. As a soccer coach, soccer player, soccer referee, and all-around soccer fan, Wayne is now adding a new dimension to his love of soccer. He now writes many articles and creates soccer videos to help those that are involved in soccer, are new to soccer, or just want to know more about soccer. Check out my Soccer Exercises blog for more great soccer exercises and training information.

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How to Balance Soccer-Specific Strength and Fitness Training - Fartlek and Strength Training

Conditioning is absolutely crucial for overall fitness, as well as speed of play and final half effectiveness. Fartlek is one strategy proven to be extremely effective for soccer athletes, male and female. Soccer, football as it is commonly known elsewhere in the world, is one of the oldest team based sports on the planet. It requires a person to run a bit more than the length of an American football field (approximately 110 yards) consistently for approximately 90 minutes. It also requires dexterity, suppleness, and a presence of mind to concentrate on using feet and legs as hands and arms. It is no surprise that soccer is the most popular game in the world, and it is also no surprise that strength training and conditioning for soccer is probably more focused than other sports.

Soccer-specific strength and fitness training is crucial for success at the sports highest levels, youth or adult. Soccer players require a combination of aerobic and anaerobic fitness due to the nature of the game and the fact that there is continuous movement with lots of short bursts of more intense activity.

Aerobic fitness is tied to oxygen use and anaerobic fitness is tied to work, power and strength. Soccer fitness is a combination of aerobic and anaerobic fitness with further specialization for each person's age and position. Conditioning for soccer is not one size or one program fits all sort of endeavor. It is often necessary to concentrate on mental training and motor skills when dealing with younger soccer athletes because conditioning and speed training is not easily connected or does not have an impact on those younger than the beginning teen years, except with a very small and select group of "premier" level athletes. After puberty, strength and conditioning training can and should have a major effect, however sessions should be focused and controlled, based on the age and sex of the soccer athlete. Also remember that strength and conditioning sessions develop a better player but are not a replacement for individual foot skill, vision, and teamwork. However, when training is done consistently, over a period of months, amazing results are possible.

One form of aerobic fitness training for soccer is called Fartlek, which means "speed play" in Swedish. Fartlek is a form of conditioning that puts stress on the aerobic energy system by keeping the athlete moving, without stopping for long periods of time. How this differs from a regular continuous running and/or circuit training is in the variation of speeds involved, variation that taxes the body and causing the individual to adapt to the strain. Fartlek sessions last approximately 45 minutes and use everything from walking to sprints. Fartlek deals with one of the most important things in soccer: speed of play. Soccer athletes are required to accelerate quickly, have a high maximum speed, react quickly, be able to change direction, and be able to sustain their speed. Fartlek and plyometrics (exercises that allow muscles to reach maximum force quickly) round out a aerobic workout and great amazing results during a relatively short training schedule.

Anaerobic training for soccer athletes is focused more on maintaining a lean physique that is not over muscled and inflexible. Soccer athletes are required to have high-speed and endurance, as well as be able to take the physical pain and punishment that often comes with contact. Push-ups and squats have made up much of the old-school approach to soccer strength training. Push-ups develop shoulders and the core muscles, and create a more well-rounded player. Squats develop power and speed for legs. However, while great exercises, alone they are woefully inadequate for overall development of top-caliber players.

Conditioning for soccer has varied mainly by age, rather than gender. This is incorrect and does not deal with the very specific requirements, and differences, between men and women, boys and girls. The older the soccer athlete is, the more he or she will see the benefits of strength and fitness training. However, when properly administered, sex-specific and soccer-specific strength and fitness training can have a dramatic impact on the physique and the play of youth soccer athletes. The proper conditioning program, combined with strength and fitness training will keep a player strong yet lean, increase the their oxygen intake, and increase their speed of play. The proper balance of training, aerobic, such as fartlek, and strength an fitness, such as circuit training, will also provide for greater body control and reduce the risk of injury. Sex-specific, sport-specific strength and fitness training, combined with aerobic training will enhance a player's strength, endurance, confidence, speed of play, and quality of play. Today's top athletes, amateur or professional, must find and use a balanced program of fitness to play at peak levels.

The various programs offering training for sex-specific and soccer-specific vary from comprehensive and very good, to woefully inadequate and years behind the times. The need for an overall, focused, and individually designed program of strength an fitness training cannot be overstated. I have been training athletes since the early 1980s and the difference between athletes who train properly and with weights and resistance machines, and those who do not is pronounced. If it is your desire to play at the highest levels or you know someone who has that as their goal, they must commence the proper strength and fitness program immediately!

For a complete resource, and a contact for soccer related strength and fitness training, as well as other related products, see the blog below:

http://www.UltimateSoccerTraining.com

Professor John P. J. Zajaros, Sr.

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Soccer Training Drills - Improve Every Part of Your Game

What are soccer training drills to you?"

A lot of soccer players think that they will be constantly running, running, running. But there is much more to it than that. Combining the soccer fitness part of the game, with ball control skills drills, will put your team on top.

Remember that not all players will learn at the same pace. You should assess the skill level of all of your players for each skill area, and provide them with the appropriate improvement drills.

Be Prepared

A soccer practice that is well-planned is created with a flow. A practice must have targeted goals, not just a random mixing of drills. So start with the basics, and work up to group tactics. The group portion will be much closer to a real game. This will help your players bridge the gap between the practice and game situation.

Areas to Cover

If you cannot perform the basics, you just cannot perform. There are a number of important areas to cover when drilling your soccer team. But it is always best to start with the basics.

Passing and receiving rolling balls.
Passing and receiving balls in the air.
Dribbling the ball.
Shielding the ball.
Tackling your opponents and recovering the ball.
Heading the ball.
Shooting the ball.
Don't ever forget goalkeeper training drills. If your team is solid with all the above skills, but have a poor goalkeeper, it will be a long season!

The Next Level

Once your players have conquered the basics you can move on to more advanced ball control techniques. These techniques include:

Push passes and shots.
Swerve passes, and shots with the inside or outside of the foot.
Instep drive passes and shots.
Lofted passes.
Chipping the ball.
Volleying the ball.
Attacking as a group.
Defending as a group.
Attacking as a team.
Defending as a team.
Corner kicks.
Free kicks.
Further Development

As you assess the improvement in the skills of individual players you will see joy on their faces as well as on yours. But soccer is a team game. That means that there are other things to think about. Like....

What players skills will work best at which position?
Who has the fitness level required?
Are they really team players?
What formation should we play?
Who is the leader of this team?
The answers to these questions will have you well on your way to creating a successful soccer team.

There are soccer training drills available to cover every aspect of the soccer game and help any soccer player improve their skills.

Wayne MacLean has over 30 years of experience in the game of soccer. As a soccer coach, soccer player, soccer referee, and all-around soccer fan, Wayne is now adding a new dimension to his love of soccer. He now writes many articles and creates soccer videos to help those that are involved in soccer, are new to soccer, or just want to know more about soccer. Check out my Soccer Training Drills blog for more great soccer information for yourself or your team.

The Soccer Drill Sargeant

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Free Soccer Drills - Are They Any Good?

There are a number of places to get free soccer drills, but how do you determine if they are any good? and how should these free soccer drills be incorporated into a practice session?

Whether you are using free soccer drills or you have paid for a book or online access to soccer drills, there are a number of qualities that you should look for in using any soccer drill, free or otherwise.

Is the drill appropriate for the age of the players?
Is the drill in line with the skill level of the players?
Does the drill involve as many players as possible?
Does the drill have a competitive quality?
Does the drill have any game like qualities?
Is the drill easily modified to progress it to a harder level?

All of the above are very important when choosing soccer drills to use. I know from experience that lack of preparation and the selection of a poor drill can lead to a disastrous practice session which become demoralising for you, the coach and has a detrimental effect on the players attitude, not just for the session in question, but in upcoming practices, as they will not respect what you are trying to achieve and it takes some time to get that respect back.

It is up to you, the coach to answer the questions above, as only you know how technically good your players are, and you should be able to gauge how successful a drill will be. For instance, in is of little use trying to use a drill that incorporates complex movements. on or off the ball, and first time passing for players with limited knowledge of the game and limited technical ability. Equally, having lines of players, waiting their turn to receive the ball from the coach and pass it back to the coach is of limited value for players of any standard.

After coaching youth soccer for a number of years, it has become obvious to me that the number one recipe for success is organisation. Before the very first session of the season, I have already formed a blueprint of the topics to cover for each practice session, which drills to use, and a feel for the type of small sided game that I will use to coach the topic being covered. In addition to that, I will have determined progression of soccer drills to use to ensure that players have an understanding of what they will learn for that session. To make sure that the sessions are successful, I have a repertoire of literally hundreds of soccer drills and small sided games that I use in my sessions, including a large number of free soccer drills that I have found on the internet.

Here are two good examples of free soccer drills that I have found and will illustrate the point

Free Soccer Drill number 1 - The Dribbling square

Mark out a square of approximate 15 yards by 15 yards.

Spread players out along the square so that there are equal numbers of players on each side. eg 4 players on each side of the square

The players stand facing inwards

On the coaches command, all of the players dribble the ball across the square to the opposite side of the square and back again

Free Soccer Drill number 2 - Dribble through cones

Set up 5 cones that are 2 yards apart and 5 yards from a starting cone

Place players in a line behind the starting cones

The first player dribbles to the first cone and then in and out of the cones until the last cone is reached and then returns

The player passes the ball to the next player when they reach the last cone

Which is the best drill to teach dribbling?

Well I suggest to evaluate each drill with the questions above and that should clearly show which that free soccer drill number 1 is far superior.

Why?

It is game like, because of the crowded area, players have to look for space and exploit it, which means they will learn to dribble whilst looking up

Players have to use movements that are more game like to deal with the decisions that they have to make

It can be competitive from either an individual point of view, or a team point of view by making each side of the square a team and having races.

It can be easily modified so that as an example 2 players are stationed in the middle as defenders that can kick a players ball away. The number of times they dribble across the square and back again can be changed.

I actually use free soccer drill number 1 quite a bit as part of my warm ups with players, and make it competitive and fun.

So in summary, I would suggest that as part of your education, you get as many free soccer drills as possible, but use them wisely as I have described above. It is important to evaluate the drills that you use, before you use them, to make sure that they fit in with the topics that you want to cover and can be made fun and competitive and have a large number of players involved.

Whether they are free soccer drills or not makes little difference to the effectiveness that they have when you use them. The effectiveness of all soccer drills, free or paid for comes down to you, the coach, your knowledge and understanding of the game and how you utilise the drills to get the best out of your team.

There are literally thousands of free soccer drills available, some good and some bad, you will need to evaluate them to make sure that they will give you want you want, but even if a particular drill is not so good, you may still be able to modify it so that it satisfies the questions raised above, and you could turn it into a great drill.

Nigel Reed has been involved in soccer during the 60's, 70's and 80's as a player and has been coaching youth soccer in Australia since 2000.

Learn more on How to play soccer and take advantage of the Free Soccer Drills on Nigels website

Good luck with your coaching, unless you play my team of course and remember Practice Makes Permanent

c 2009 Coaching-Youth-Soccer-For-Success

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5 Cold-Facts That Could Change Freestyle Soccer in 10 Years Time

On a cold day while walking along the streets, I stumbled a couple of kids doing silky tricks while juggling with the ball. To my amazed, they can do tricks in different combinations or what they called as combo and link among themselves. The soccer tricks intrigued me that I began practicing a few of them, well at least one of them. So then I walked along the park to watch guys playing a nice friendly game on a cold hard rainy afternoon. Some of them particularly in the midfield outmaneuver the defenders with silky skills that left the defenders puzzled. Cool soccer tricks and skills. On my way back, I watched some videos on Youtube, usually I received a link from my friend via email and immediately I watched the video link and thought, " The guy's insane to pull off those tricks!". I researched on these guys and found out that they're definitely freestylers.

Cool and silky tricks in different combinations during juggling or dribbling are what freestyle soccer is all about. A new trend and relatively new to the world of soccer. It's addictive and mouth-watering to watch that most people perceived freestyle as a hobby rather than a professional activity. Freestylers typically practice their soccer tricks and work on their combinations to showcase their skills to their friends and the world itself. Silky tricks and skills are recorded and edited to the video including slow motion and credits in order to upload to the streaming sites like Youtube. Freestylers even go one step ahead by performing in competitions and performances like advertisements and documentaries.

A couple of well-knowned freestylers like Billy Wingrove, Abbas Farid, Soufiane Touzani and Palle perform in competition and some of them even releases their very own DVD to teach the newbies in freestyle soccer. Other forms of soccer like beach soccer and five-a-side futsal have flourished in the last 10 years. So, can freestyler soccer follow the same footsteps to grow as a sport? I believe that freestyle soccer has the hidden potential that's yet to be harnessed. Unless these potential actions are taken, freestyle soccer is prone to dullness. 5 factors that could impact on the world of freestyle soccer:

1. Making it a "Big" hit

Performing irresistible silky and cool soccer tricks in front of the audience on a live performance raise freestylers' reputation and recognition worldwide. Profit-making companies play a huge role in promoting these outstanding individuals to a world stage like for instance, Nike in promoting top dog superstars such as Billy Wingrove and Abbas Farid. These freestylers often featured in Nike commercials along with soccer superstars like Ronaldinho, Edgar Davids, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Television programmes play a crucial role in promoting freestylers by broadcasting informative documentaries about their lifestyle for example, the BBC Match of the Day program featured a special section about Billy Wingrove and his lifestyle as a freestyler.

2. Engage freestyler with the club via a contract

A boring plain piece of paper that includes all the nitty gritty information on engagement between a freestyler and the club in order to validate their relationship for an agreed number of years. Freestyler's role are explained in the contract including their wages, privileges with the club like access to the club's stadium and training ground and travel with the club.

Billy Wingrove, a British freestyler, is contracted to his childhood club, Tottenham Hotspur which gives him the privileges to watch Tottenham's matches at White Hart Lane, access to their training ground and meeting top players like Aaron Lennon.

3. Train and Travel with the Club

Under a contract, freestylers have the access to the club's training ground to participate in five-a-side matches with the first team or even teach them some new soccer tricks to the players as Billy Wingrove did with Tottenham Hotspurs.

By training, freestylers have the privilege to travel with the club for away matches or continental championship like the Champions League. This allows them maximum exposure on different lifestyle and cultures on soccer and other things.

4. Coaching the Players

Freestylers have the option to coach whether on a part time basis or on a full time basis.

On a part time basis, a freestyler teaches soccer tricks to the players of the club as Billy Wingrove did with a former Tottenham player, Robbie Keane.

The fun begins in a full time basis. A freestyler coaches the players about freestyler soccer that's integrated to the club's training regime. He could influence on coaching decisions on their training regime like improving the team's ball control and also travel with the club on away matches as well as watching home matches to monitor the team's progress.

5. Half time Shows and Team Mascot

It's a rarity in the world of soccer but more common in American sports like the NBA and NFL. But, half time shows evolved in the world of soccer quite recently thus an opportunity for freestylers to shine on the soccer pitch.

Maradona first did half time shows during his days at Boca Juniors. Similarly, Billy Wingrove did the same for the Premiership pre-match entertainment and for international friendlies involving England and Wales.

Freestylers also act as a mascot for the team to welcome new signings or as a pre-match entertainment. Recently, Abbas Farid and his friend did a pre-match entertainment about freestyle with Ronaldinho. The fact that Ronaldinho stares the whole time and giving ovation to those freestylers was a hilarious moment. So, I could conclude that freestylers are related but completely different to soccer.

Conclusion

There's no doubt that a breathtaking sport embeds into freestyle soccer and the governing body, FIFA should harness to its full potential. An addictive hobby that can earn freestylers a lot of money for their uniqueness in producing exceptional combinations and awesome tricks that should be rewarded and why not. I believe that freestyle can rise to be as good as soccer if these factors or others are put into practice.

Want to control the game by improving your ball control with freestyle soccer fast? Heikal Suhaili has created the 3-Simple-Step guide "11 Days to Freestyle Soccer": http://11daystofreestylesoccer.com/recommend.

Subscribe for Tips for Freestyle Soccer: info@11daystofreestylesoccer.com

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Soccer Fitness and Conditioning - Fitness Tips For Kids Soccer

As a Personal Trainer and Soccer Coach, there are a number of important points that you should be aware of when training your kids to be fit for soccer. Your first consideration should be the age and current fitness levels of your players. It is very important to realise with your training that kids are not just little adults, and as such adult fitness and conditioning drills are largely inappropriate. Second consideration should be the types of soccer drills that you are going to use. For children, I always like to make sure that a ball is involved in all of my soccer fitness and conditioning drills. For this reason I use a lot of small sided games for training my kids, as small sided games keep them involved and moving at all times, incorporating both fitness and ballwork together.

When considering fitness drills for your kids, your first realisation should be that kids are not just small adults. Adult fitness drills are generally inappropriate for kids. For the kids that I coach I tend not worry about any kind of fitness drills at training up until about the age of eleven. Up to the age of eleven I try to coach them so that they are active throughout the whole of the training session and I find this sufficient in terms of soccer fitness After this age you should take into consideration the current fitness levels of your players when considering fitness drills. You must then decide which elements of fitness you want your players to work on and formulate your drills accordingly. The various elements include speed, agility, and endurance.

At all training sessions, my primary aim is to maximise the number of ball touches that each player gets during the session. For this reason in most instances I incorporate a ball into the fitness drills that I use with my players. If you devote a significant amount of time to fitness training then you will significantly reduce the amount of ballwork that you are able to do with your players. The best way to avoid this is to incorporate a ball into your fitness drills. Another method that I have used with older children ad with representative teams is to give players a preseason fitness routine. This ensures that your players have a base fitness level when you begin training and will mean that you can spend more training time on ballwork and skills and less on fitness and conditioning.

There are many elements of soccer fitness that players require when they play a game. Factors like speed, agility and endurance are important elements that players require on the soccer field. I find that using a variety of small sided games is an effective way of training these different elements of fitness whilst not having to make the players do fitness drills. In an ideal world the players will not even realise that they are doing fitness drills. There are many different small sided games that I use to simulate the different elements of soccer fitness I find that these are a great way to incorporate both fitness and ballwork into my soccer training sessions so that the players have fun, and learn the different elements of soccer fitness that they require to enjoy the game.

In terms of soccer fitness and conditioning your first thought should always be that kids are not just little adults. If you try to use adult fitness drills with kids they will usually lose interest very quickly and become discouraged. Use a ball as often as possible in your fitness drills in order to maximise the number of ball touches that each player receives during the training session. I find that the best way to do this is to use a variety of small sided games with players so as to teach them the different elements of soccer fitness that they require. The most important elements of soccer fitness for kids are speed, agility and endurance, and the soccer drills and small sided games that you use should focus on developing these elements in each of your players.

Are you looking for soccer coaching resources. Looking to get more out of your young soccer players. I have coached young soccer players for a number of years. Check out my website at http://www.soccerdrillsreview.com for more soccer drills and coaching info. Subscribe to my free weekly coaching newsletter and get a free copy of my 12 favourite soccer drills for coaching young soccer players at http://www.soccerdrillsreview.com

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Adidas Soccer Ball - The Most Famous of Soccer Balls

An Adidas soccer ball has dominated the pitch at the World Cup, and on most local soccer fields as well.

The soccer ball changed drastically over its lifetime. But the greatest change has been in the last 40 years. Let's go back to 1970 with...

The Adidas Telstar

First soccer ball to use the bucky ball design. 12 black pentagons, and 20 white hexagons.
This 32 panel design became the standard for soccer balls.
The black and white panels were to see the ball easier on tv.
Official match ball of the 1970 and 1974 World Cups.
Telstar = Television Star
Completely made of leather. Synthetics have not yet appeared.
Then along came the...

Adidas Tango

Little did anyone know that it would become the official World Cup ball for the next 20 years. It's triad design provided the impression that the ball had 12 circles on its face that were identical. The triad design would then be adjusted for the country that played host to the World Cup.

Official match ball of the 1978, World Cup.
Most expensive ball in history.
Most popular soccer ball design ever.
The Tango ball had a long and useful life-span. But eventually it had to change too. As most things do. The next step in the Adidas soccer ball revolution was the...

Adidas Fevernova

The colors, color usage, and the design were taken from Asian culture, as Korea - Japan prepared to host the 2002 World Cup.

Criticized openly as being too light.
Some say early round upsets were because of the ball.
Was a 3 layer design that provided more accurate and predictable flight.
First ball to have a foam layer.
The next change came when Adidas introduced the...

Adidas +Teamgeist

Adidas added the "+" for trademark reasons, as the word "teamgeist" means "team spirit" and was not allowed to be used for a trademark.

First ball to have 14 panels instead of the standard 32.
Those 14 panels were curved.
The panels were bonded together, not stitched, making it almost perfectly waterproof.
Uniformly round to improve accuracy of flight even more.
Developed by the cooperation of Adidas and the Molten Corporation.
It doesn't matter which one you prefer, Adidas can provide a high quality ball for your soccer game.

Wayne MacLean has over 30 years of experience in the game of soccer. As a soccer coach, soccer player, soccer referee, and all-around soccer fan, Wayne is now adding a new dimension to his love of soccer. He now writes many articles and creates soccer videos to help those that are involved in soccer, are new to soccer, or just want to know more about soccer. Check out my Adidas Soccer Ball [http://www.soccer.information-universe.com/adidas-soccer-ball/adidas-soccer-ball.php] for more great soccer information for yourself or your team.

The Soccer Drill Sargeant

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Lotto Indoor Soccer Shoes - Italian Inspiration and Quality

"Lotto indoor soccer shoes are created with Italian style and renowned durability!"

Lotto Sport Italia was started in 1973 by the Caberlotto family of northern Italy. Following success with tennis shoes and clothing, Lotto expanded to begin producing soccer shoes, soccer boots, and soccer clothing.

What Came First?

Lotto indoor soccer shoes were not the first soccer product to come off their production line. They started with studded boots and began sponsoring some of the great names in the game. They included:

Dino Zoff
Ruud Gullit
Zvonimir Boban
Clarence Seedorf
Cafu
Milan
Netherlands nationasquad
Napoli
Juventus
ChievoVerona
Lotto is famous worldwide for their quality, technology, and style. These characteristics have made them well known in both the amateur and professional soccer worlds. And anytime you see their logo you know it is Lotto.

Indoor Shoes

Here are some examples of Lotto indoor soccer shoes that are available for juniors, men, and women soccer players.

The Men's Mondiale from Lotto features Puntoflex and Shock Off technologies. This one is a reasonably priced quality shoe for indoor soccer.Upper: Premium Plus Water repellant upper with asymmetrical lacing.

Midsole: Rubber with a removable EVA insole. Shock Off,(low density polyurethane insert), is placed in the heel area to improve cushioning. It also protects your foot by absorbing and spreading out the forces of impact.

Outsole: Non-marking with Puntoflex (a special device that is placed across the tread in the metatarsal area). This allows for correct excellent rebound and foot flexibility.

The Women's Lotto Activa ID provides solid performance in a classic Lotto design.Upper: Water-repellent full grain leather with a reinforced toe cap.

Midsole: EVA insole. Also contains Shock Off,(low density polyurethane insert), placed in the heel area for improved cushioning. It also protects your foot by absorbing and spreading out the forces of impact.

Outsole: Non-marking with Puntoflex (a special device that is placed across the tread in the metatarsal area). This allows for correct excellent rebound and foot flexibility.

The Lotto Mondiale Junior is very similar to it's big brother the Lotto Mondiale.It features Puntoflex and Shock Off technologies,and is a reasonably priced quality shoe for youth indoor soccer players.

Upper: Premium Plus Water repellant upper with asymmetrical lacing.

Midsole: Rubber with a removable EVA insole. Shock Off,(low density polyurethane insert), is placed in the heel area to improve cushioning. It also protects your foot by absorbing and spreading out the forces of impact.

Outsole: Non-marking with Puntoflex (a special device that is placed across the tread in the metatarsal area). This allows for correct excellent rebound and foot flexibility.

It is available in youth sizes 1-7.

Whatever your indoor soccer shoe needs Lotto has a style and price point that will give you what you need.

Wayne MacLean has over 30 years of experience in the game of soccer. As a soccer coach, soccer player, soccer referee, and all-around soccer fan, Wayne is now adding a new dimension to his love of soccer. He now writes many articles and creates soccer videos to help those that are involved in soccer, are new to soccer, or just want to know more about soccer. Check out my Lotto Indoor Soccer Shoes [http://www.soccer.information-universe.com/soccer-shoes/lotto-indoor-soccer-shoes.php] for more great soccer information for yourself or your team.

The Soccer Drill Sargeant

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Soccer Fitness & Conditioning - Be Specific - What You Train is What You Get

One of the major challenges facing coaches of young soccer players in terms of soccer fitness and conditioning is that soccer is a game that requires players to have a high level of fitness in many different areas in order to play to the best of their ability. There are many fitness elements required to be an effective soccer player including endurance, speed off the mark and over distances up to 50 or 60 metres, agility, jumping, power and flexibility. So, if you only see your players for a few hours each week how do you ensure they are in a condition to play? What exercises do you choose? How do you conduct your training sessions in terms of fitness and conditioning?

One of the most recent exercise science studies that has been conducted in relation to athletic performance indicates that using sports specific exercises for fitness and conditioning can improve a performance by over 20 percent. So, obviously that makes it vital that you use exercises specific to soccer in training your young players. For players up to about the age of 12 I use small sided games to train the elements of fitness and conditioning that they require and I also build elements of fitness and conditioning into the training drills that I use at soccer training. I do this to maximise the time that I have available for training. As I have stated in many previous articles my number one goal for each training session for young soccer players is to maximise the number of touches of the ball that each players gets at soccer training. For older players I start to use some sports specific exercises, and depending on their level of ability and desire may also set them a home training program.

Soccer is a game that requires many elements of fitness including endurance, speed, agility, jumping, power and flexibility. It is possible to incorporate each of these elements into your small sided games by changing the setup of the game. If I am seeking to incorporate an endurance element I will use a larger field, and I will have less players on the field. I may also choose to reduce the breaks in between games as I will usually have multiple games running at the same time. For an agility session I will reduce the size of the field and increase the number of players on the field. For example I may have a 4 versus 4 game on a small field, whereas if I was looking to train endurance I would use a 1 versus 1 or 2 versus 2 game on a larger field. Speed off the mark can be trained by having players start outside the field so that they have to run to the ball located on the field. I would usually do this with 1 versus 1, or 2 versus 2 games. Power can be trained by making players shoot at goal from outside a certain area. In most of my small sided games I make players run the ball through the goal in order to score but when teaching power or shooting techniques I do not do this.

How you structure your session will largely be dependent on what elements of soccer fitness and conditioning you want to focus on. What does your team need to play to the best of their ability on game day? All sessions must include an effective warm-up and cool down period that players will also follow on game day. Warm-ups should start slow and build up. I usually start with a light jog with a soccer ball for each player. I then move to a faster jog involving some changes of direction. I then incorporate some jumping and short sprints. And finally I finish with some dynamic stretching. This routine should take no longer than 15 minutes. My cool down routines will usually start with some running with the pace being gradually reduced to a brisk walk, followed by 5 minutes of stretching, so that the routine takes about 10 minutes.

Your soccer fitness and conditioning sessions for your young soccer players must be specific. Different small sided games are a great way to do this for young soccer players. Each session must include a structured warm up of about 15 minutes and end with a cool down period of about 10 minutes. Warm-ups and cool downs at training and on game days are essential to minimise the risk of injury to your young soccer players. Being specific with your training for soccer fitness and conditioning is essential for maximising their performance and enjoyment come game day.

Are you looking for soccer coaching resources. Looking to get more out of your young soccer players. I have coached young soccer players for a number of years. Check out my website for more soccer drills and soccer coaching info Subscribe to my free weekly coaching newsletter and get a free copy of my 12 favourite soccer drills for coaching young soccer players at Soccer Drills Review

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