Modern Soccer Parent 101: Individual Training

Most clubs take a “break” during some point of the calendar year.  The reasons for this break may include field permits, rest and recuperation of players, vacations, the training cycle or some other reason.  I am often asked by parents what should “we” do during the break with regard to individual training for soccer and frankly the answer is it depends.  It depends on your child specifically as there is no “right” answer.  Some kids desperately need the break as they have soccer fatigue, physical fatigue, or even mental fatigue, so the break is quite welcome.  Other kids need it so that they can “miss” the game and continue to really enjoy it.  And then there is a set of players that really don’t want the break at all, they are all looking for guest opportunities and/or want to train with parents, friends or siblings; they just want to play!

So you need to determine what the right answer for your player is and don’t be swayed by trying to keep up with someone who is not on the same program.  It is way worse to burn a kid out than to “not progress” as fast as someone else.  The right answer on what you should be doing with your player during a break, is dependent on your player.  If you end up looking for some individual training for soccer, think about the following basic drills to keep them sharp.  All training should be done in as a game-like situation as possible, so wear cleats, shin guards, and soccer socks.  Below are some individual training sessions you could consider doing on a break or if you are just away from the team while they are still training.

Cone Work

There is so much you can do with a few cones when it comes to individual training for soccer.  Players should focus on technique, followed by improving the speed through the drill and then ultimately advancing to more difficult drills.  The variations of the cone work is unlimited.  Variations include both feet, a single foot, inside of the foot and outside of the foot.  You can include various speeds and even some obstacles.  Here are some examples of specific drills:

1. Figure Eight – the figure eight is like it sounds, two cones make the end of the line and the player dribbles around them making different turns at each end.  The turns can be any sort, such as the outside of the foot, inside of the foot, you can put a move in at the end as well, like a scissor, or a roll or a cruyff.  Practicing turns is very important in soccer.  Straight line movement will generally not be successful once a player is past AYSO, unless they are a truly gifted athlete or playing at a level well below their ability.

2. Slalom – like it sounds this is just dribbling around cones like a Slalom skier.   You can add a shot at the end of this as well.

3. La Croqueta  – my all time favorite is the La Croqueta, if kids at a young age can master this move, they will create a baseline level of foot skills that can carry them very far. The move involves both fee and a change of direction, mastery of this at the lower levels or young ages of soccer can have devastating impacts for your team to keep possession and score goals.  Check this video as it is a great instructional guide.  https://www.soccercoachingpro.com/la-croqueta/ 

There are lots of other cone drills out there (the set of cones below typically comes with about 10 great drills on a little card).

Equipment Needed

Cones

Cleats

Water

Wall Passes

Additional Equipment Needed

Passing Wall (if you can’t find a wall)

Individual Juggling

Juggling sounds easy, and with enough practice it is.  Focus on juggling with feet and not knees.  The return on the time investment will be much greater, while it is fun to get your “total” number up by using your knees, player development will happen much faster with the feet.  If you are having a hard time controlling the ball with just your feet, then you can let it bounce once between each juggle.

Additional Equipment Needed

Juggling Trainer

The Long Pass

The Long pass is a key skill in soccer.  Don’t start working the long pass until the player is fully warmed up.  Giving the maximum exertion without a proper warm up may lead to injury.  You can start with just trying to get some distance and then trying to become more accurate.  Passing accuracy is key, but if the leg strength is not there, the accuracy won’t matter.  

Start by focusing on the player’s footwork and body positioning. Teach them to take a few steps back from the ball, with their non-kicking foot placed beside the ball and pointing in the direction they want to pass. The player’s body should be slightly leaning back to generate power. Instruct the player to swing their kicking leg through with their laces or instep, making solid contact with the middle or lower half of the ball. Encourage them to keep their ankle locked and firm for a clean strike. Emphasize the importance of accuracy and aim.

Set up targets or markers on the field to help the player focus on accuracy. Start with shorter distances and gradually increase the distance as they become more comfortable. Encourage the player to visualize their target and aim for it with each pass. Provide ample opportunities for the player to practice the long pass. Encourage repetition to build muscle memory and consistency. 

Offer constructive feedback and corrections throughout the session, focusing on areas where the player can improve.  There are a lot of different techniques, you can check this article out as it does a great job explaining them.  https://www.soccer-training-methods.com/soccer-passing.html 

Individual Training for Strength, Fitness, Speed and Agility

You can’t really go wrong here if you are out of the house and running around.  But if you are looking for a specific training program, the following makes for a good hour at the park. It’s important to focus on exercises that are age-appropriate, engaging, and promote overall fitness development. Here are some ideas for soccer fitness training sessions:

  1. Warm-up (5-10 minutes):
    1. Jogging: Start with light jogging to raise the heart rate.
    2. Dynamic stretches: Perform exercises like high knees, butt kicks, leg swings, and arm circles to warm up the muscles.
  2. Agility and coordination (10-15 minutes):
    1. Cone drills: Set up cones in various patterns and have the player weave in and out of them, working on agility and quick changes of direction.
    2. Ladder drills: Use an agility ladder or draw one on the ground and have the player perform ladder exercises such as lateral runs, high knees, and quick feet drills.
  3. Speed and endurance (10-15 minutes):
    1. Interval sprints: Set up two cones a short distance apart. Have the player sprint from one cone to the other and then walk or jog back. Repeat this for a set duration or number of repetitions.
    2. Shuttle runs: Mark out a longer distance with cones, and have the player sprint back and forth between the cones, focusing on speed and endurance.
  4. Strength and power (10-15 minutes):
    1. Bodyweight exercises: Include exercises like squats, lunges, push-ups, planks, and burpees to develop strength and power. Perform them in a circuit format for a specified number of repetitions or time intervals.
    2. Medicine ball exercises: Incorporate exercises like medicine ball slams, overhead throws, and chest passes to improve upper body strength and power.
  5. Cool-down and stretching (5-10 minutes):
    1. Light jogging and slow-paced movements gradually decrease heart rate.
    2. Static stretches: Include stretches for major muscle groups, such as hamstrings, quadriceps, calves, and shoulders. 

Remember to emphasize proper technique and provide adequate rest breaks between exercises. It’s also important to tailor the intensity and duration of the sessions based on the fitness levels and capabilities of the individual player.

Additional Equipment Needed

Running shoes

Ab Mat

Ladder

Medicine Ball 

Parachute

Penalties

You can’t go wrong taking penalty kicks.  Walk off ten yards and set the mark.  Practice proper technique as learning to be accurate with the penalty is more important than power at a young age. Penalties are one of the very few individual events in soccer, and that individual training for soccer penalty kicks is something that players really should spend time on their own doing.

5 Shot Speed and Reaction and 3 Balls in the Air

Check out these two fun games to round out a session.  The 5 shot speed and reaction requires 5 balls and a cone.  Players must shoot all 5 balls, but each shot comes after they have been in a prone position behind the ball.  You can add a degree of difficulty by making a sixth shot from the penalty mark and also creating a smaller target in the goal.

Three in the air is just making 3 shots hit the back of the net in the air.  Select your distance based on the skill and ability of the player.

There is always more to do, but this should keep your player busy for a bit.

In Conclusion – individual training for soccer is a key component of development of the whole soccer player. The team is mainly focused on the “team concepts” leaving the player to manage their individual training to become that total soccer player.

Lastly – we are doing a fundraiser in San Clemente to put in a set of nice 7 v 7 / 9 v 9 goals at Jim Johnson.  We are trying to raise about $3,500 by the first week of August.  No cost to you, but if you click on the amazon link below or any of the items in this post, with an empty cart, when you shop you will be providing a few pennies toward those new goals for the kids as MDT is providing 100% of all profits made from the Amazon link between now and the start of August toward this new set of goals.

Please check out our entire Modern Soccer Parent section of the website here.

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