The benefits of a dynamic workout to your team to get them ready to play a match cannot be ignored. Young players have to give their muscles a range of dynamic and progressive movements to prepare them for the game. If they don’t you’ll be risking them getting a injury when the game starts.
Warm ups with a ball should be the thing you do just before the game starts but you can do other types of games when the players first get to a game or to training. Bib pull away is a good way to start and you don’t need to spend any time explaining the game – it is always great to get under way with a brisk run around.
Once you’ve got them running around let them have a drink when you can quickly explain the next warm up that will gear them up for the session you are coaching or the match they are taking part in. If you’re planning a session on pressing or you want them to press in a match Centre Circle Sorcery is one of the best ways to do this with plenty of pressing and tackling and movement off the ball. While Pass and Sprint is good for a possession based game.
You can get brains into gear on a cold morning by using Chase the Cones it makes players think about how they can complete the session before their best friends do.
This is an excellent warm-up that gets players into the groove for pressing, tackling, and movement off the ball, great for match days or before training for a five minute warm up. MORE
Great way to warm up before a match or training session. Similar to a Rondo but with more physical movement for days when it is cold or you have a practice based on fitness. MORE
In this set up players are racing against each other in a fun game that you can use at training or on match days. Great one to get the players alert and ready for anything MORE
A number of things caught my attention this week. One of them was a podcast that included an ex-player talking about playing in key games when the crowd was so loud the players had trouble communicating on the pitch, meaning they often got confused when making runs and supporting play. The team had to use a crude form of sign language to help them cope with the problem. MORE
The idea of the session is to work towards possession with a purpose which includes understanding how to exploit space. So players begin by learing dribbling decisions then passing decisions MORE
Promotion and relegation bring problems. How are you going to fare in a division above that contains teams that will give your youngsters a thrashing? On the other hand being relegated could mean going to a league in which your team wins every week. Here are my tips for surviving the end of season shake up MORE
Soccer tournaments test both your coaching ability and your player management skills so you must go into them prepared. Here are six sessions, a combination of activities and advice, that will help you. Tournament matches come thick and fast and you want players to be fit and ready. Try small-sided games such as Score one touch,... MORE
