Posts tagged: soccer advice

Are You A Soccer Coach?

By -, October 27, 2009 1:01 pm

What soccer coaches should understand is that while coaching, they should not expect every player to be the same in terms of endurance, skills and stamina. This holds true for physical abilities as well. Each player is different in terms of both mental as well as emotional staying power.

It is very important for a soccer coach to make himself familiar with this part of the game. By observing each and every player, he should be able to motivate them and therefore, help them reach their potential and play to the best of their abilities.

While coaching soccer, coaches should first try to figure out the level of competitiveness that exists in every player. They should understand that not every player is looking to win the game. Most players just want to have fun and enjoy their new friends.

Unfortunately, the coach may also find a player or two who is not interested in the game at all. They joined either out of sheer boredom or because their parents forced them to. Naturally, these players will not care whether the team wins or loses and coaching them will be difficult as compared to those who are in it to win it.

Different players also have varying levels of aggressiveness. Some players will not get intimidated by others and will try their best to win the game no matter how bleak the situation may seem. Other players may be the complete opposite and will find it difficult to fight as well as the rest.

While coaching soccer, you should focus on these players during training drills and create situations that will teach aggressiveness. Some players are merely unaware of certain rules and stay away from the ball because they think they will get a red or yellow card. This is why it is important to print out a list of rules and make sure that the players go through them every week. To ensure that they have done their homework, quiz them and be patient with them.

It goes without saying that it is not easy to carry out these measures and make use of each and every player’s strength and weakness. However, this is the only way to ensure teamwork and allow the players to excel in the sport. Soccer coaches should know how to keep calm and solve internal and external conflicts. They should have the ability to keep their players calm at all times. They should also have the ability to get the best out of players that are shy and timid.

A soccer coach should create such an environment which is competitive and fun at the same time. An important part of coaching soccer is to help the players understand that failure is not a bad thing and that they will only learn from it. Teamwork should always be high on the agenda and the basics of the game explained thoroughly.

 

Do You Know Soccer’s Little Secret?

By -, October 9, 2009 11:13 am

Soccer, also known as football in some parts of the world is one of the most demanding sports in the world. Don’t let the beauty of the game fool you.

A player is required to jog, sprint, twist, turn, jump and at times run backwards. The leg muscles must be conditioned for 90 minutes of soccer.

Fitness and physical conditioning play a big part in your overall soccer performance. Think about nutrition? Do you think nutrition is directly proportional to your performance?

Nutrition is a significant aspect of soccer. Without proper nutrition, the body cannot achieve peak performance and the body will take longer to recover. Do you know the benefits of good soccer nutrition?

Soccer nutrition must be able to supply the body with enough energy to compete for ninety minutes. Carbohydrates are the best source of energy. All other foods such as fats and proteins require too much ingestion, making them less efficient and not available during peak energy usage.

Carbohydrates should be the key ingredients in any soccer diet. Carbohydrates get converted to glucose, fructose and galactose, which are simple sugars that the body can quickly absorb for energy.

The benefit comes from the conversion of glycogen to glucose which is a quick source of energy. Glycogen is stored in muscles and in the liver and is a quick source of energy when the body requires it. Having adequate stores of glycogen in your muscles is a big advantage. Glycogen is like petrol is to a car. The more petrol you have, the greater distance you can travel.

Most professionals load up on carbohydrates before a match to replenish their glycogen levels. Carbohydrates exists in two forms, simple and complex.

Simple carbohydrates are the sugars you find in fruit, lollies and energy drinks. Complex carbohydrates can be found in potatoes, pasta, bread and cereals. Complex carbohydrates are broken down slowly and can be kept in the muscles and stored in the liver for later use. Carbohydrates are the ingredients of every champion.

Upon completion of a match, its a good idea to replenish your depleted glycogen levels by eating a well balanced diet of carbohydrates. This will increase your recovery time and prepare your muscles for the next training session.

Any soccer diet would be incomplete without carbohydrates. Make sure to eat enough carbohydrates to maintain your glycogen levels and to give you every chance of performing at your peak.

Soccer Drills and Fun

By -, October 2, 2009 9:32 pm

Coaching youth players can be the most frustrating experience or it can be bliss. When young players misbehave chances are your soccer drills are too easy or possibly a little too advanced.

In order for your team to train and listen, the drills need to be physically demanding and keep all the players involved. The drills need to be short and performed at a pace that involves the whole group.

If you notice your team misbehaving the drills might be too easy and it’s a good indication that the players are bored. On the other hand, if the drills are too advanced, the players will surrender and start to play up. As a coach you must remember that young kids attention spans are very short and they need to be stimulated to keep them from misbehaving.

Soccer drills are a great way to combat this problem during training. Drills allow you to develop one or two aspects of the game at once. For example, simple passing drills allow the players to practice passing the ball and receiving the ball while having fun. Drills that are organized properly are camouflaged as fun. They will mistake it for having fun.

Watching soccer drills is also a great way to monitor your players. Analysing the drills and players performance is a great way to identify player’s strengths and weaknesses.

The most important aspect of soccer drills is teaching the players certain skills. Demonstrate the drill with a live example. If you can’t complete the drill, how do you expect your players to complete them?

Also the training ground should be set up before the kids arrive. You want your training sessions to flow from one exercise to another. Never allow your players to wait for you because this gives them every opportunity to misbehave.

Last but not least, encourage all players while performing the drills. Praise good actions while correcting mistakes or bad form with friendly advice and demonstrations.

Training that revolves around soccer drills are the most rewarding for the players. What better way to teach your players the basics of the soccer? Incorporate fun into the drills and you never know you might unearth tomorrow’s superstar.

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