Pre-season is a period of preparation that takes place before the start of the regular season.

It follows an off-season, when players and club officials will have had some time away from the game to rest and rejuvenate.

Pre-season usually consists of a number of training sessions to get players fit and working with a ball again. It can also involve meetings, social events, warm-up matches and lots of planning for the season ahead.

It should be a time of excitement, as players, coaches and others involved with the club come back together after a period apart.

Ultimately, pre-season should be used to achieve a number of key things...

Ensuring everyone is comfortable

After some time away, it is only natural that there will be a range of emotions present when people return to a soccer environment.

Players may be excited about getting on the field again or nervous about how much they perceive they have forgotten. They may be looking forward to seeing team-mates again, or apprehensive about what friendship dynamics might be like.

"You might feel a bit out of practice, having not coached for a little while..."

Things may have happened in their lives during their time away that they are having to contend with.

If you work with young players, you should be aware that they may have grown in height or that their bodies may have changed significantly and they may still be getting used to that.

If there are new players joining the team, there may be a whole different set of emotions there. 

And of course, it isn’t just the players who have to process a return to action. Parents may have emotions attached to sending their child back to soccer; and, as a coach, you might feel a bit out of practice, having not coached for a little while. 

Use pre-season as a time to welcome all of those emotions and give everyone the space to work through them in a safe, fun, caring environment.

Building relationships

If your players have gone from seeing each other a few times a week to not seeing each other at all for a while, it is natural that there will be a lot of catching up to do during pre-season.

They will likely want to share what they have been up to during their time off and hear about how others are doing.

They may also be figuring out where their relationships are; they might be shy and nervous about seeing people again. Any new players will likely be looking to forge new connections and friendships. 

As a coach, you need to allow space and time for your players to build and consolidate relationships. 

This can be done through dedicated time for chatting and catching up, during breaks for example, or through team-building activities.

Your relationship with your players is also incredibly important. Pre-season is a time for you to find out how each of your players are and gauge how they might be feeling about returning to soccer and the season ahead. 

Make time for individual conversations with each of your players. This will put you in the best position to help them going forward.