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Pre-season

Welcome to the pre-season hub, the place where you'll find everything you need to plan, execute, and enjoy your team's pre-season.

Whether you want guidance on what pre-season should look like (on and off the pitch), core practices to use, a done-for-you plan, tips for preparing for match play, or general advice to help you get back to coaching, we've got it all. Explore all of our pre-season content below!

Want a handy PDF guide to download? Subscribers can get that here.

Think something's missing? Let us know by dropping us a line: editor@soccercoachweekly.net

Pre-season planning

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Pre-season checklist

Pre-season checklist

This handy guide will help to ensure everything is ready when players are back. Download and print the PDF to tick items off as you go!

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Building your team's pre-season schedule

Building your team's pre-season schedule

What to include, on and off the pitch, to prepare players for the new campaign.

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What to include in your pre-season sessions

What to include in your pre-season sessions

John Allpress, a former Tottenham Hotspur and Football Association player development coach, explores the elements that make up a ...

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The five pillars of an effective pre-season

The five pillars of an effective pre-season

From getting to know new players and re-establishing old bonds to sorting out logistics and getting everyone on the same page, we discuss a ...

Core practices

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The RAMP warm-up

The RAMP warm-up

Prepare your players for training, reduce injury risk and support them mentally and physically as well. By strength and conditioning coach ...

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The passing box

The passing box

Pass and move unopposed to get a feel for the ball and work on improving technique.

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Combat 2v2

Combat 2v2

Players are challenged to attack quickly, and be compact when defending, in this activity.

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End-to-end and back

End-to-end and back

Put a string of passes together in this activity, with the focus on connectivity and receiving.

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Repetition circuit

Repetition circuit

Two areas, side-by-side, allows for dynamic 1v2 action to develop a wide range of skills.

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Connecting

Connecting

A practice encouraging players to indicate how and where they want the ball passed to them.

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Tricolour

Tricolour

Score points by using combination passes, encouraging communication and movement.

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Active cool down

Active cool down

Get players back to their baseline state, post-session.

Four-week plan

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Week 1: Kicking off pre-season

Week 1: Kicking off pre-season

Here’s the first in our series of pre-season training plans that will ensure your players are in the best possible shape – mentally and ...

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Week 3: Assessing your players

Week 3: Assessing your players

Pre-season training is in full swing. You’ve recapped the basics of passing, possession and fitness, but now you want to delve down into ...

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Week 2: Developing skills

Week 2: Developing skills

The second training session is, in theory, where the hard work really begins. So having eased yourself and your players back into the swing ...

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Week 4: Stepping up

Week 4: Stepping up

The last pre-season training session is all about stepping up and brushing up. You’re looking for the final pieces of the jigsaw to fit ...

Preparing for match play

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Prepare your team for the move to 11-a-side

Prepare your team for the move to 11-a-side

Bigger goals, a bigger pitch, more players and space... there is a fair amount for youngsters to adapt to in the full-sized format of the ...

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Prepare your team for the move to 7-a-side

Prepare your team for the move to 7-a-side

Larger goals, more decision-making, positional principles to learn... Carl Wild provides a guide for coaches whose teams are taking the ...

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Prepare your team for the move to 9-a-side

Prepare your team for the move to 9-a-side

Young players and their coaches face challenges in stepping up from seven-a-side. Carl Wild discusses how to navigate them and what ...

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Prepare your team for their first game

Prepare your team for their first game

Tips to get your young players ready to play their inaugural match.

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Webinar: Prepare your players for the jump to 11-a-side

Webinar: Prepare your players for the jump to 11-a-side

Join Carl Wild as he shares how you can support your players as they transition from 9-a-side to 11-a-side

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Webinar: Prepare your players for the jump to 7-a-side

Webinar: Prepare your players for the jump to 7-a-side

Join Carl Wild as he shares how you can support your players as they transition from 4- or 5-a-side to 7-a-side

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Webinar: Prepare your players for the jump to 9-a-side

Webinar: Prepare your players for the jump to 9-a-side

Join Carl Wild as he shares how you can support your players as they transition from 7-a-side to 9-a-side

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Webinar: Prepare your players for their first matches

Webinar: Prepare your players for their first matches

Join Carl Wild as he talks you through what your players can expect from their first fixtures, and how you can support them

Pre-season advice

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Pre-season: FAQs

Pre-season: FAQs

We answer your frequently asked questions around preparing for a new campaign.

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Webinar: Pre-season: All you need to know

Webinar: Pre-season: All you need to know

Join John and Aaron Allpress as they explore how to get the most out of pre-season with your team, incorporating, physical, mental and game ...

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How to use games and matches in training

How to use games and matches in training

A quick guide to small-sided games and group practices - including benefits, limitations and how to get the most out of them.

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New season checklist

New season checklist

As pre-season takes place, preparations for the upcoming campaign should be ramping up. This guide will help ensure you have got everything ...

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Why values are vital

Why values are vital

Setting principles for your team can help unite everyone around one cause. But, as Steph Fairbairn notes, the best outcomes are achieved ...

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6 ways to help your new players fit in

6 ways to help your new players fit in

Bringing a newcomer into a tight-knit squad isn’t always easy. Here, Hannah Duncan provides tips on how you can make any new additions feel ...

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6 ways to get your keeper sharp in pre-season

6 ways to get your keeper sharp in pre-season

Former Newcastle United head goalkeeping coach Simon Smith offers advice on how to re-establish your goalkeeper’s sharpness during pre-...

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4 pre-season tips for grassroots coaches

4 pre-season tips for grassroots coaches

Integrating new arrivals and getting players match fit are among the challenges facing coaches before each campaign. Nathan Cookson ...

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