Soccer Tryout

If you also share similar thoughts as I do, you’d know that soccer training tips for goalkeepers have a great importance as he/she is the only player that has the freedom to touch the ball with hands and arms both.

And so, soccer skills that a goalie possesses give him an edge over other remaining players. But this makes a soccer coach’s job quite challenging when it comes to coaching goalkeepers.

Based on the method of play in soccer, goalkeepers are the first line of offense and last line of defense. They will not hesitate in putting their bodies in harms way to stop or block a shot into the goal. They are ready to dive in any direction to catch hold of the ball.

Goalkeeper’s training for soccer on different skills and techniques can be one tough job depending upon their role requirements and level of play. This also requires you to take into consideration his mental state and train him on various skills accordingly.

Soccer Training

A striker in the team is the only player who has the potential to stand in comparison with the goalkeeper. In reality, many goalkeepers have already been great strikers at some point in their careers. You’ll observe that very often, it’s the goalies and forwards that get into a direct battle on the field, no matter what the level of competition.

Of all the soccer training tips, the one essential for the goalie to follow is that he should stay balanced and be aware of the center of gravity of the body. This will benefit a game setting by enhancing the activity of a goalkeeper and the promptness of other players.

Even though most of the goalkeepers are tall, have long arms, and big hands, but even if it isn’t so, they can compensate for it with good vertical and lateral mobility.

It is necessary of the coaches to recognize that goalkeepers need constant motivation no matter how good is there sense of self-worth. After the goalkeepers have done their routine warm up rounds with the team, they should then focus on performing soccer drills meant for their specific role in the team.

Goalkeepers are the leaders of the team as both their role and their personality is quite dominating. When goalkeepers are supported by their teammates and are put in a demonstrative capacity, they are able to achieve the desired results.

The ball can only be handled by the goalie in the 18 yard box. If the ball is touched by any player’s arm other than the goalkeeper, the opposing party gets a free kick. It’s a penalty shoot from “the spot” in case of a goalkeepers’ team member.

Your next step? To take what you’ve just learned and apply the above soccer training tips as goalkeepers are definitely leaders in the 18 yard box, and should get due respect from their team. For more such training tips and coaching skills, subscribe to our youth soccer coaching community and get access to thousands of videos.

Andre Botelho is known online as “The Expert Youth Soccer Coach” and his free ebooks and reports have been downloaded more than 100,000 times. Learn how to skyrocket your players’ skills and make practice sessions fun in record time. Download your free ebook at: Soccer Drills.

Does it sound familiar when I say that stretching forms an integral part of soccer training tips and is widely recommended and practiced by almost all sportspersons? As a sport, soccer is growing and developing incessantly in its superiority.

In kid’s training for soccer, there are two types of stretching, dynamic and static stretching that are integrated.

Static stretching requires the kids to extend their muscles as far as they can and hold for a given duration of time. Dynamic stretching involves rhythmic bouncing, rebounding and recurring motions. It is generally considered as more dangerous and less effective than static stretching.

There are some advantages of practicing stretching discussed in this article that improve a player’s ability to become an exceptional player.

Soccer Training

Stretching reduces injuries: When players do stretching every day and keep doing it for a long time, it promotes their muscle growth that reduces the risk of injury. Stretching also provides an effective way of enhancing the muscle size and strength.

Stretching affects flexibility: Stretching does prevent loss of flexibility. But, stretching is more beneficial in the long run when performed continuously rather than during the shorter periods of time.

Stretching for some minutes prior to any occasion is liable to improve flexibility. When it comes to soccer training tips, the best bet is to distribute a stretching program over a predetermined length of time to continuously increase the range of motion.

Stretching perks up performance: When stretching program is designed specifically to suit soccer needs of the players, their performance improves.

Make sure that the kids enjoy stretching: Make stretching fun for the kids by including a variety of soccer drills into your session. Keep altering the warm up exercises that you do before stretching. Try games like the tag game, ball tag, and keep away.

Focus mentally on stretching exercises, feel and recognize each stretch, whilst checking for body soreness.

One 15-30-second stretch for each muscle group is sufficient for most players, but some kids require longer stretches and more repetitions as well.

The reason for this is that when the temperature of muscles is higher than normal, stiffness decreases and extensibility increases. Kids who hope to retain or boost their flexibility can somewhat reach this goal by stretching. When their body temperature is higher as against normal, it makes it safer and more productive to stretch.

This is the reason why some coaches make kids stretch even after a workout. After practicing soccer skills, if kids are made to do some stretching for 5-7 minutes, it’ll prevent their muscles from tightening too fast.

Generally, players who exercise an active warm-up prior to stretching get a better range of motion than those who only stretch. So if injury prevention is your aim, stop stretching before exercise and increase the warm up time.

When feeling stiff or inflexible, the most important soccer training tips is to allow kids to warm up sufficiently, as doing stretches would not help them become flexible, and will become boring and futile. You can get more such tips and tactics by subscribing to our youth soccer coaching community that has several relevant articles, videos, and periodic newsletters.

Andre Botelho is the author of “The Expert Youth Soccer Coaching Guide” and he’s a recognized expert in the subject of youth soccer coaching. Learn  how to explode your players’ skills and make coaching sessions fun in less than 29 days! Download your free pdf guide at: Youth Soccer Drills.

Would you answer this simple question? Almost all soccer coaches tend to ignore the soccer training tips while designing training programs for kids with the intent of just making up the numbers and going through the motions. Do you fall in the same category?

Before you design your next training programs, make sure you set some specific goals for your team. Establish what you wish to achieve from the training program and take the necessary steps to achieve your target.

Introduce new, fun, and innovative soccer drills in your training sessions to add variety. It will break the boring routine of performing the same drills every single day. You’ll see a noticeable improvement in your team’s performance once they start enjoying the training sessions.

Notwithstanding their age and the level at which they play, your players must learn to respect you and listen to you. Valuing each other’s opinions and feelings creates a healthy environment for both players and the coach.

Soccer Training

Soccer players always have an advantage of the level of flexibility is high. The same is classified into 3 parts.

Dynamic flexibility: It refers to a player’s capability to perform fast movements within the full range of motion in the joint, like twisting from side to side.

Static active flexibility: The ability to stretch a tough muscle by using the tension within that muscle is termed as static active flexibility. Let’s take an example; holding one leg in front of you and keeping it as high as you can. When you do this, your hamstrings are stretched whilst the quadriceps and hip flexors hold your leg up.

Static passive: Ability to use your body weight or some outside force to hold a stretch is termed as static passive flexibility. For example; you can hold your leg out in front of you and then rest it on a chair.

Now let’s go to the next in line of soccer training tips. This needs your attention with respect to kid’s sports gear and make sure that their attire is well suited to the weather.

Training for soccer should be followed by a fitness program that focuses only on those areas that need maximum help. When designing this training program, keep the following factors in mind.

Age of the player: With age, there is a decrease in the flexibility of soft tissues in the body that is directly related to the reduced range of movement, no matter what the gender. Still, the chances of flexibility getting decreased are very less if we remain active.

Gender: Girls exhibit a greater range of movement, independent of their age.

Activity: When it comes to displaying soccer skills, active individuals demonstrate a greater range of movement than inactive individuals.

Injury: Injuries also get in the way the range of motion in a joint.

Pain: There is a decrease in flexibility as pain increases that result in muscle spasms. However, strength training does not hamper flexibility unless you don’t do the exercises correctly and not in full range of motion.

Genetics: A player’s genetics also have an effect on the amount of flexibility that his or her body possesses.

So make sure you incorporate these soccer training tips into your training programs with a view to improve their effectiveness and productivity. You can improve your coaching skills by subscribing to our youth soccer coaching community that has tons of articles, newsletters, and relevant videos.

Andre Botelho is a recognized authority in youth soccer coaching and has already helped thousands of youth coaches to dramatically improve their coaching skills. Learn  how to explode your players’ skills and make training fun by downloading your free ebook at: Soccer Drills For Kids.