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.

By planning the whole program in advance the trainer can get to work as soon as players arrive. Ideally, they'll have started the program around five or weeks before the season begins. This gives plenty of time to build up fitness and get into shape for the upcoming games. At the start things will be quite slow, with light warming up and light running, so as not to exert the players too much at the start. Stretching is key too as it makes the muscles supple as less prone to injury.

As soccer players use their legs most of the time these muscle groups need to be thoroughly worked out by doing moving and static exercises. The moving exercises usually involve standing on the spot and moving the legs and arms in circular patterns. This stretches the legs and arms, loosening the muscles. Static exercise is usually less intense and involves a great deal of stretching.

Getting fit to play matches means you have to be able to run a lot. This builds up stamina, which means you'll last the whole game. This is one reason why long-distance cross country runs are quite popular. They increase cardiovascular fitness and, because the players are kept together in a group, it promotes comradeship among them.

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 does not matter if you're a defender or a midfielder, every player should practice shooting. Normally this takes place when the session is nearly over, plus it gives goalkeepers the opportunity to practice stopping shots. After this comes a gentle warm down. This is a time to take things easy, so as not to strain the muscles the players have worked.

When starting out in preseason it is best to start on light work, because the players that return will probably not be very fit. It takes a while to build up stamina and this is done partly by a injecting a sense of fun into the sessions. Players can become bored very easily, therefore they often need motivating during fitness work.

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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