The Insider to Soccer

A regulation soccer game is always played with two teams, and played in ninety minutes which are divided into two forty-five minute halves. The goal of soccer is to propel the soccer ball forward, and into the opponent’s goal without using the hands. In a regulated game of FIFA (federation international football association) soccer there are eleven players from each team on the playing field at once. There is a goal keeper who plays in the goal, and is able to use their hands to defend the goal; fullbacks who play on the field, and cannot use their hands to defend the goal; halfbacks who play both defense and offence; and strikers who attack the opponent’s goal. Like in any other sports there are rules. If a player is fouled inside of the opponent’s eighteen, or better known as the bigger box surrounding the goal they receive a penalty kick.

A penalty kick is where a player shoots against the goalie from a short distance away, and tries to score without the goalie blocking the shot. If a player is fouled outside of the opponent’s eighteen they are just awarded a free kick. A free kick can either be direct meaning they can shoot, or indirect meaning another teammate has to touch the ball before a shot is taken. If a player has committed a foul they can receive one of three things: nothing, yellow card, and a red card. If nothing happens a player may not be in trouble. When a player is given a yellow card that means they have been warned, and next time they will be thrown out of the game. A red card means that a player must leave the game, and may by certain league rules not play for the next couple of games.

Basic Drills

Drills are an important factor of a strong fundamental player. Listed below are three important drills working on fundamentals which are essential in a game. Remember always start slow, and than gradually work up the speed.

1. Dribbling Drill.
   1. Set up a series of five cones in a line three to four feet apart
   2. Start by weaving in and out of the cones without the ball
   3. After you get a feel for the drill slowly weave in and out of the cones with a ball.
      1. This drill works well on ball control
2. Trapping Drill.
   1. Start out next to a concrete or sturdy wall with a soccer ball
   2. Kick the soccer ball against the wall with different strengths
   3. Trap the ball with your feet, chest, and thigh when the ball bounces back
   4. Kick the ball from short and longer distances.
      1. If a wall is not available try this
      2. Throw a ball up high in the air
      3. Trap the ball with your feet, thigh, and chest.
         1. Baby the ball into your foot, thigh, and chest. Do not let it bounce off!
3. Shooting Drill.
   1. Go to a soccer field or anywhere soccer nets are available to use
   2. Hang an old tire up in the top right and top left corners of the net
   3. Set your ball from different places outside of the eighteen box (larger box surrounding the goal), and shoot the ball for the inside of the tire.
      1. When shooting a soccer ball focus on:
         1. Non shooting foot place a couple inches next to the ball
         2. Shooting leg should be knee over toe.
            1. Knee over toe mean to have your knee simply over you toe when contact with the ball is made
            2. This prevents high shot balls
      2. The top right, and left corners are the best places to place a shot in a game

Advanced Drills

After practicing some basic drills and having an understanding of the game; incorporate more advanced drill into a practice. Here are two advanced drills to help with game situations.

1. Power and Finesse.
   1. Start by having a group of players form two lines outside the eighteen box.
      1. One five feet to the left of the half circle, and the other five feet right of the half circle
   2. The players will be taking two shots.
      1. One at the eighteen box
      2. One at the six box
   3. If a player makes one of the two shots they go to the end of their line
   4. If a player makes both shots they challenge another player from the other team, and that player must make both shot or they are out
   5. If a player misses both they are out of the drill
   6. Have two passers on either side of the goal with a pile of balls
   7. The passers make two passes per player.
      1. One at the eighteen box, and one at the six box.
         1. This drill will stress using both feet for a power, and finesse shot
         2. Finesse shots should be soft, accurate, and well placed
         3. Power shots should be hard, accurate, and well placed
2. Juggling
   1. Start with a soccer ball in hand, and drop it to your feet
   2. With both feet try to keep it from touching the ground as long as possible
   3. In order to do accomplish this lightly kick the ball upwards.
      1. Slant your foot to the sky, and make contact with the laces of your foot
      2. Keep the ball below the waist
      3. Kick the ball with a light upward snap of the foot.
         1. This drill will focus on soft touches resulting in better ball control

Physical Conditioning

Soccer is a very physically demanding sport. In a game a player on average runs five constant miles. A player also has tremendous amounts of stress on their hips, abdomens, thighs, calves, shins, ankles, toes, chests, and everywhere a soccer ball touches. In order to be ready for all of this physical activity a player must condition in the off season.

1. Run.
   1. A player must run daily for long distances in the off season to keep in shape. Not only will the player have great stamina, but the player will have that crucial fist step in over time.
   2. Not only is a player responsible for long distance running, but also short distance running. A player’s fast twitch muscles are a valuable must have in a soccer game. If a player had slow fast twitch muscles they would be beaten every time. Grab a jump rope, sprint with a speed chute, or do daily plyometric workouts to keep the edge.
2. Strength.
   1. Being able to pound a sixty mile an hour soccer ball at the goalie consistently takes strength stamina. Not only do soccer players need good leg strength, but even greater strength stamina. Shoot soccer balls daily, run with ankle weights, shoot with ankle weights, lunges, and do anything that helps with leg strength.
   2. Strong ball kicking abilities do not only come from the legs. A player’s hips, back, and abdomens, are just as important. When kicking a ball almost all of a player’s momentum and strength comes from twisting the hips. If a player has weak abdomens than the probably have weak hips.
3. Extra Step.
   1. Like stated before a player must have supreme stamina to have the edge. But what most athletes do not realize is the importance of an extra half step in over time. This step may seem useless, but when a player has an edge… greatness fallows.

Mental conditioning

In every sport confidence is the key to success. Without confidence a player would mess up something they have practiced hours on end. Like Thomas Jefferson said,
“We confide in out strength without boasting of it; we respect that of others, without fearing it.” An athlete not only needs the skill, talent, and strength, but the confidence to say “I can.” This may sound cheesy, but before every athletic even the nerves are always running. No athlete would be normal if they were not nervous before a game. Here are a couple of tips to keep the hardest edge over an opponent… confidence.

1. Preparing for a game.
   1. Before every game when a player is nervous a simple visualizing technique helps become more confident. While arriving at a game, changing for any game, warming up for any game, and the split second before the start of any games visualize your success. Play through your head what you want to accomplish during the game, and how you are going to accomplish that feat. Just keep playing this over, and over even while playing in the game.
   2. Breathing in through your nose, and out through your mouth helps regulate the oxygen you receive. When the body is nervous more blood is rushing through the body, which needs more oxygen. Regulating this means you can slow the rate of your blood flow.
   3. Tensing your whole body up and relaxing from head to toe helps keep the nerves down
2. Every professional athlete is nervous before a game. Even all of the greats that have played professional sports have been nervous. Everybody is human, and nervousness is a natural feeling. The will to become confident is not natural. Once mastered an athlete will become one of the few to have the edge.

Coaching a youth practice

Coaching a youth practice can be fun, but at the same time one of the worst experiences of a person life. A coach’s goal for the team should be: discipline, love of the game, and good sportsmanship. If any of these are missing than the coach has failed. When a coach first meets their team an important rule is to get to know your players. Know their names, strengths, and weaknesses. On the opposite the players should get to know the coach just as well. Here are a few principles to help keep the three cores of a true athlete in the practice.

1. First, explain that the referees are always correct. Never argue with a referee, and most importantly show respect towards the referee.
2. Second, explain that respect towards the other team, and coach is vital to being known as a great team. Not just a good team.
3. Third, hold the values of team play, and not favoritism

Next is a couple ways on how to run a successful yet fun youth practice.

1. Make the practice fun, but also practicing the fundamentals of soccer
2. Incorporate team building drills, and exercises
3. Never single a player out for doing something wrong. Make an example of what went wrong at the next practice so no one remembers who made the mistake.
4. Remember you are a coach, and not the team’s parents. If a player can not make a practice set a good example, and understand that players circumstances.
5. If players’ gains up on another player make sure that everyone understands this is not acceptable. Discipline the players according to the crime committed.
6. Always have medical supplies on hand, especially if certain players have certain conditions. The coach is the responsible one, and needs to take charge in a medical emergency.

Coaching a youth game

When coaching a youth soccer game it is vitally important to realize that the players are young. Do not punish any player for making a mistake big or small, and do not even point the mistake out. When a soccer player is young there is a 100 percent chance of mistakes. Some adults do not realize that young children actually learn from their mistakes naturally. From birth they taught themselves through trial, and error to walk. Now look they can do it perfectly. Just give your team time to realize what they did wrong. If you had coached them properly in practice, and showed them the right way to kick a ball instead of the wrong way. They will realize that through trial, and error than soon enough they will be kicking perfectly. All a coach can do during a game is encourage, substitute, medical, and encourage. Try not to point out what was done wrong by a certain player in a game, but in your next practice point that fault out to the team. Everybody needs encouragement, and if the players see their coach get into the game… they will. Just remember the difference between a good coach, and a great coach is how they handle mistakes. Even if your team is not a winning team focusing on the three cores of a true athlete will make them one. Once a team of eleven becomes one than the sky is the limit. This all happens with the starting foundation a coach starts for their players. When a player starts grumbling on the bench, it is time to constructively criticize them. Tell them that everything starts with heart, love of the game, and good sportsmanship. If a player never gives up on their team, their team will never give up on them.