CASL Coaches Connection

Hi Coaches,

Something that is important to me that I want to pass along to you are ideas for improving the manner in which you prepare your players for the session.  The old way in which players used to warm up involved running laps around fields or grouping players into a circle and performing static stretching.  This is no longer the preferred method to prepare players for training.  The best way to prepare players, both mentally and physically is something called dynamic technical warm ups (DTW).  A good DTW incorporated stretching and warming up of muscles, while also providing players with touches on the the soccer ball to better prepare players for your training sessions.  These warm ups should only last 10-15 minutes maximum, while also providing players opportunities to get 100+ touches on the soccer ball.

For younger players, I would almost exclusively use a rectangular or square grid, with each player having the ball at their feet.  Have each player start dribbling the ball, with commands from the coach dictating the movements and warm up stretches for the players.  I want young players to "kill the ball" upon my whistle, which is basically them stopping the ball by placing their foot on the ball.  After they do this a few times, I build on what I want them to do, always having them "kill the ball" first. Use any of the following, varying between sessions.  Below are some examples, but be creative.

• Have players run 2 circles around the ball
• Have players pick up the ball, hold it out horizontally with their arms, then pull their thighs up to the ball
• Have them pick the ball up, hold it out horizontally with their arms, then kick their feet so their laces touch the ball.
• Have them pick up the ball, hold it behind them, and have them kick up their feet to the ball.
• Perform 6 stepover moves on the ball on the ground
• Have them perform 6 scissor moves on the ball on the ground
• Have them touch each knee, separately to the ball
• Have them touch their bottom to the ball
• Have them touch their head to the ball

Once you get the players to do some dynamic stretching activities, focus a few minutes on the topic you plan to teach that day.

• If dribbling is the topic, incorporate dribbling moves or turns
• If passing is the topic, get players passing between them with specific parts of the feet

Please make an effort to learn and incorporate dynamic technical warm ups into your training sessions.  If you are out of ideas or want some, please let me know.  When I get out to watch sessions, there are very few coaches utilizing these types of warm ups, so I want to do what I can to educate you on better methods to prepare players for training.

Thanks for all that you do.

Bryan Farnsworth
Director of Recreation