Information On Preseason College Soccer Training

By Andrea Davidson


The difference between being ready for the opening game of the college soccer season and being unfit is like the difference between night and day. One of the most important aspects of any college soccer training program is preseason. If a trainer prepares thoroughly for the opening game then that could be the difference between being able to last 90 minutes, and wilting before the end of the game.

The better trainers will have planned the sessions in advance. Usually you'll start your fitness regime around five to six weeks before the first game. At the very begging things will probably be taken quite slowly, with light jogging and light warm-ups in the first week. Stretching is usually a big factor because many players are quite stiff at the start of preseason.

Working the legs is crucial because players use them so much throughout a game. The arms are important too. Exercises for these muscle groups include stationery ones and moving exercises. Stationery involves stretching and moving exercises involve circular motions of the arms and legs.

A lot of the emphasis is on match fitness. Running is therefore very important because it allows you to build up stamina. Cardio and aerobic exercises are usually increased gradually, the players running longer distances as they build up more stamina. Cross country runs are fairly popular, as these not only make players fitter, they build up camaraderie.

As the season draws near you should be focusing less on long distance running and more on short sprints and working with the ball. For the latter players are usually grouped in pairs or as five-a-side teams and have to work in tight spaces with the ball, touching it a maximum of once or twice before having to pass to a team member.

It's important that each player practices shooting and free kicks. Often this takes place right at the end of a session and it gives the goalkeeper valuable practice at stopping the ball. When warming down after these sessions it's absolutely essential that it's done gently, so that muscles are not torn or overworked. A warm down isn't supposed to be intense.

The idea is to make sure that the early part of preseason involves light work. Taking things easy is important because some players will return to training unfit, and they'll need more time to build up their fitness. To make sure that boredom does not set in, it's a good idea to incorporate some fun into practice. If not, players will find it demotivating and might not try hard.

As the season gets underway you may find that your preseason college soccer training regime has not quite gotten them fit for matches. This is not unusual. The only way for players to get fit for matches is to play competitive matches. Oftentimes it takes around two to three games for them to get fully fit for the actual game. Preseason should training help them get there quicker.




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