The Importance of Practicing Several Positions
Most soccer players have a favorite soccer position. Working on the skills needed most for this position is smart. However, it is also smart to spend some time practicing the skills that go with other positions. For example, if you are a forward, do some practice with the skills that goalies and defenders need. Being versatile gives you a lot of advantages. When you are on the field, you will be more cognizant of what is happening around you. You will be familiar with the thought processes going on with both teammates and opposition, which makes you better able to predict their actions and either help or prevent them. You can help your team operate more smoothly. You will also have an easier time defeating members of the opposite team. Also, your coach will value having a team member that can play more than one position.
Practicing Doubles
One great strategy for soccer practice is doubling up. In other words, use two soccer balls instead of one. These exercises are especially great for passing, scoring, and trapping. Having two balls during practice makes having one ball during a game less challenging. Players will not be as stressed out or worried, but will also be used to planning ahead as they play. Doubling up during practice can also increase endurance, as players will have to work twice as hard in order to accomplish the same drills. As a coach, you have to decide which players should play with two balls instead of one, as some of your players will need to master the basics with one ball first.
Developing a Personal Soccer Training Program
By developing a training program for yourself that allows you to build up skills you are weak on and polish areas where you are proficient, you can become a valuable soccer player. Form your plan around the time you have available to train independently. Though it is important to be ambitious and set high goals for yourself, do not devise a plan that you will not be able to stick to. Above all else, be consistent about when and how long you practice. Next, think about your strengths and weaknesses when it comes to physical fitness and soccer abilities. Decide which areas you should focus on, whether they be speed, accuracy, agility, or strength. Then proportion your time accordingly. For example, if you are a really accurate, warm up with a few accuracy exercises, and then move on to building strength and speed. If you need some help devising your plan, check with parents, coaches, or even friends.
The Value of Repetition in Soccer Practice
Soccer practice is all about repetition. It is both typical and smart for a player to repeat a drill about twenty times or more before beginning another drill. All of these drills will also likely be repeated from practice to practice and from season to season. Many of these drills are fundamental, including passing a ball from one player to another, dribbling, and shooting. Though this may be frustrating, players should know that repetition leads to perfection. The point is not to do something over and over again, the point is to get better and better at a certain skill. Repetitive practice is a good way to perfect a skill that a player previously did not possess or was performing incorrectly. Players that go through drills day in and day out will not have to think about what they are doing when it comes to execution on the field. It becomes more of a reflex than a thought process.
