At Sac United, we strive to maintain our reputation for playing attacking, attractive soccer. This is at the heart of everything that we do and believe to be successful, all our players have to have the ability to dominate the 1v1 situation.
Success in 1v1 situations comes from a combination of four aspects of soccer: Physical Ability, Technical Skill, Tactical Awareness, & Mental Strength.
Through dedication, perseverance and time spent on your own these aspects can be molded into that of a top player.
Play & Watch soccer to gain tactical awareness. Spend backyard time so your dribble moves get sharp. Find a wall and smash 100 shots with right and 100 with your left then hit the grass and do some sprints. Compete at everything.
Practicing at home, on your own, builds the Mental strength you'll need to get to the top and stay there because you will confident in in every 1v1 situation.
One Club! One Love!
Showing posts with label prep. Show all posts
Showing posts with label prep. Show all posts
What it takes: Sac United Player Template
TOURNAMENT NUTRITION SUGGESTIONS
SNACKS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING GAMES – WITHIN 30 MINUTES AFTER THE EVENT
- Chocolate milk (except those players that are lactose intolerant or specific vegetarians),
- Water,
- Sports Drink – Do not try a new sports drink at a tournament,
- Peanut butter and honey sandwich – half sandwich on whole wheat bread,
- Clif Bar / and or Energy Bits,
- Cinnamon Raisin, Blueberry or Plain Bagels,
- GOLEAN by Kashi Granola Cereal,
- Yogurt,
- Fresh Fruit: Bananas, oranges, grapes and apples,
- Cheese and Crackers
RESTAURANT FOOD SUGGESTIONS
Sub Shop: Ask for the low fat subs – ham, chicken or turkey,
Grilled Chicken
Bean Burrito, low fat chips
Pasta: with red sauces, instead of white (alfredo sauce)
Smoothies
WHY CHOCOLATE MILK
Chocolate milk has an optimal ratio of carbohydrates to protein to help refuel tired muscles.
You are an athlete eat well consistently for peak performance.
After the game you are preparing your body for the next game.
Recovery Strategies
The process of regeneration from a competitive match is the first step towards the
preparation for the next match.
During tournaments, these parameters will play a vital role in determining your performance
potential. The importance of adequately preparing yourself for games cannot be overstated.
The following aspect of your preparation will be crucial in relation to how successful we will
be:
- Recovery session – After the game to assist you to return to a normal physical state
- Stretching, icing sessions (for any knocks)
- Pool sessions – properties of water help promote recovery (10‐15 minutes of movement
- and not swimming laps or laying out in the sun)
- Fluid intake – before and after each game
- Food – Used immediately following games – fist 30 minutes most important
Following a game:
First 10 mins after a game – recovery of energy
- Drink & eat carbohydrates and protein
- Stretch while warm
- Light dynamic movements for 5‐10 mins – cool down with Team
10 minutes after game – recover physically
- Ice bath
- Shower
- Continue hydrating
Within the first hour after the game – continue to recover
- Pool Recovery (if available) ‐ moving through water for 10‐15 minutes
- Drink plenty of fluid
- Have additional Carbohydrate foods
- Use relaxing music or techniques to unwind
In the evening – continue to unwind
- Hot shower
- Continue to hydrate
- Stretch
10 minutes before bed – switch off
I. Use relaxing skills – visualize, music
II. Get out of bed if you cannot sleep (In your room)
Next day – Self monitor ‐ recovery response
I. Color of urine (pee test) should be clear!
II. Additional stretching, and rehydration
Spring Evals
Players & Parents,
Be watching your emails for your player evaluation.
I will be completing and sending them out for you to view/print-out from the web. I will also have a conference with each player at practice during the next two weeks.
Before you can view it, you must fill out a self-evaluation for my records.
Remember these evaluations are to be kept between the coaching staff and each player and their parents. Evaluations are to help with your individual development & personal goal-setting. They are not to be shared with other players.
Before there was Ronaldo, there was...
Ronaldo. He was the first of a new wave of soccer player who played with both skill and above everything speed. There's something to get you pumped up for tomorrows.
And he still is. Check it out after the jump...
How cool is that?
Focus & Discipline
From The Vision of a Champion:
In order to excel at the highest possible level you need to be focused and disciplined. That's because the competitive soccer world is so stressful. For example, athletics demands tremendous fitness... Can you drive yourself to get fit, and, after you are bent over in exhaustion from sprinting, can you spend an hour slamming a ball against the wall, or playing one v. one against your friends? Can you drive yourself with self-discipline when others are not there? No one is going to be constantly pushing you, insisting that you get fit or hone your skills. When it truly counts, you're on your own. Your margin of success is based on your inner drive. This focus and self-discipline is also a great element of your character.
Now let's get fired up.
The Art of the Cross
Crossing is sometimes a forgotten skill of attacking soccer in the United States.
An accurate cross can bypass the entire defense and create an easy scoring opportunity.
Here are the techniques of the many different types of crosses:
The Driven Cross:
- Non kicking foot to the side of the ball
- Use the instep
- Contact through the middle of the ball // below the ball for more height
- Cut across the ball
- Head down and steady
- Eyes on the ball
Cut Back Cross:
- Non kicking foot to the side of the ball
- Use the instep
- Contact through the middle of the ball
- Rotate your hips on making contact with the ball
- Head down and steady
- Eyes on the ball
The Inswinging or Outswinging Cross:
- Non kicking foot to the side of AND behind the ball
- Use knuckle of the big toe to make contact with the outside of the ball
- Follow through with toe in the air
- Head down and steady
- Eyes on the ball
Here is a video to help all you visual learners put that into motion.
If your goal is to be a better crosser or a better winger, this is your best tool.
Summer Reading
With summer rapidly approaching, I thought I'd put together a list of soccer reading for the players and the parents.
Recommended Reading List:
Parents:
- 101 Ways To Be A Terrific Sports Parent by Dr. Joel Fish
- The Sports Parenting Edge by Rick Wolff
- Brilliant Orange, The Neurotic Genius of Dutch Football by David Winner
- The Coaching Philosophies of Louis Van Gaal and The Ajax Coaches by Henny Komeklink and Tjeu Seeverens
Players:
- Playing Out of Your Mind, Developing Mental Toughness by Dr. Alan Goldberg
- The Vision of A Champion by Anson Dorrance
- The Champion Within, Developing Women Soccer Players by Lauren Gregg
10 Types of Speed
If one of your soccer goals involves speed (i.e. - being a more explosive dribbler, improving passing range, improve services from the outside, being more competitive winning 50/50's ) or you just want to be faster, THIS is a great article about the different types of speed from World Class Coaching.
Make sure to check out Part 2 - Neuromuscular or Physical Speed for stuff you can do at home to become faster.
Here is a quick rundown:
- Anticipation (understanding the game, preparing mentally, being ready, preparedness, pre-calculation of trajectory, speed, force…)
- Recognition (seeing a situation develop and knowing what to do, decision making speed, sensing changes in touch, sight and sound (tactile, visual and auditory indicators), cued by recognizing sequences or preparatory movements)
- Reaction (response time, neuromuscular, motor reaction sequencing, sensing time and decision time, improved by repetition of various neuromuscular skill work, efficiency in execution of specific motor patterns, “time between stimulus and response”, specific reaction times…)
- Acceleration (factor of strength, power, starting explosive strength, resistance to fatigue, genetic factors, mechanics of movement…)
- Deceleration (strength, understanding of movement, positioning, center of gravity, body control…)
- Transition (the point in which you transition from deceleration to acceleration – agility, core strength, proprioception, plyometric, neuromuscular efficiency in generating explosive force, stretch shortening cycle…)
- Speed Endurance – Max Speed (genetic factors, ability to relax, combination of V=S(L) x S(F), running economy and energy expenditure, also seen as a combination of horizontal thrust and vertical oscillation of the athletes center of gravity, rarely comes into play in team sports…)
- Speed Against an Opponent (combination of the 4 physical (neuromuscular) speed characteristics with the 3 mental (cognitive) characteristics, seeing changes in an opponent’s position, and reacting subconsciously to those, then possessing the physical ability to adjust or alter your speed to get the advantage…)
- Speed with a Ball/Bat/Racket (combination of the 4 physical speed characteristics and technical ball handling ability or skill, requires many repetitions to fine tune the precise motor skills, timing, tracking, trajectories,…)
- Speed with the Ball, Against and Opponent (This is the ultimate goal, it requires an broad understanding of the game and its limits, rules, and expectations: it also requires an awareness of your opponent (tactile, visual, auditory, etc), then the repetitions of skill
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