I have mentioned in previous posts the importance I put on pre-season training, and my endeavours in the last couple of weeks or so of the summer, finding appropriate training facilities for those players available in the off-season to train and prepare for the new season. It basically gives us all, coaches included, a head-start, and begins the process of preparing us all both mentally and physically for the coming campaign.
This is also true for the short breaks over the Xmas and New Year’s period. The players are all off school or college or similar institutions, and after even a few days are looking for something to do. I have headed this post “soccer parenting” as I think that this is more of a parent management thing rather than a soccer coaching process, (as I am both!) and take this opportunity to involve my children in fun, soccer-related activities over the holiday break. This serves a number of purposes:
It keeps them involved with some physical exercise, it allows them to “keep up” their touch and feel of the football (the first thing that seems to get lost when not playing the soccer over a certain period) which then also allows them to maintain this momentum into the next regular training sessions.
It doesn’t have to be complicated. Simple things that almost any parent (or soccer parent!) can do, like just passing the soccer ball around in the local park (but somewhat specific, like long and short passing, or ball control) or even having a game like soccer tennis (a great way to get your child’s anticipation, quickness of feet and ball control practiced) on a disused tennis court. If you can rustle up more players (always available as even though it’s the holidays, children will always want a fun game of soccer) even better, then a match situation can be developed.
Either way, the importance is for the player’s, the younger ones especially, to continue to be involved in something they love like soccer over an enforced break, with the added bonus of a parent’s input can only be a positive process for all.
Tags: kids soccer, soccer, soccer coaching, soccer coaching youth, soccer parents, Soccer training, youth soccer
