Play Together, Stay Together, Win Together

Trip to get ice-cream after a team run

Team chemistry is crucial to any soccer team, starting with little teams of 6 year-olds. At that age any kid will just pass to their friends (if they are not just running straight for the goal), rather than looking for the kid that's open. It is not necessarily like that once you get older, but having a connected team does wonders. When things go wrong during a game it is important that teammates care about one another and refrain from blaming or negativity. In addition, when teammates are close it creates this mutual fight. Players will put out their best effort for each other, and will fight for one another on the field. Trust is also key; players who do not trust their teammates may not pass to each other as often or provide support to their teammates. With trust and care for the other members, communication will flourish on the field and there will be an extra sense of determination and fight. Not to mention players will enjoy the game more if they are playing alongside their friends. The bond with a teammate is a special friendship that can last forever.

Team lunch after a soccer practice

So what are some team bonding ideas? Well there are certainly simple things, such as going out to lunch or dinner. Our team in the past has gone out to lunch after a morning practice, which is fun and easy. Other simple ideas are team dinners. Having a team dinner the night before a game gets everyone motivated for the game ahead, as well as being another opportunity for bonding. And if we are going to do lunches and dinners, why not breakfasts? Going on a morning hike or run followed by breakfasts combines fitness and friendship developing. Some final, more simple ideas are getting ice cream, hikes, pool party, campfire, movie night, gift-exchange (during the holidays), barbeque, or a potluck after a game. 

Trip as a team to the coast

Then there are some other activities that certainly require more planning, but are an excellent chance for team bonding. My high school team went camping for two days which was an awesome experience. We were all together for an extended period of time and could focus on nothing but being together. Team sleepovers are the more simplified version of this, that serves the same purpose. My team has also gone to the beach, where beach-soccer is a popular activity. Other fun ideas include an out-of-town trip, boating, amusement parks, concerts, etc.. Basically anything fun in your area is an opportunity for bonding. I hope that some of these ideas inspire you to focus a little bit more on team bonding with your own team, whether or not it is a soccer team. It makes the community closer and the sport a little bit more fun, while at the same time working to improve your team's performance.

The Fate of the Match

We all love watching them, but when it's your turn the stress nearly paralyzes. Everyone watching as you walk across the field. Everyone listening as the referee blows the whistle. Everyone cheering or everyone sighing when the shot is performed. Without a doubt pks (penalty kicks) can be a crazy, horrifying, exciting experience. You can never be certain when they will come about, so it is best to be prepared.


Tip #1:
Relax. Your shot alone is not actually the complete reason for a win or loss. The teams have already had over 90 minutes worth of opportunities, and this is just one more. Tune out anyone who might be blocking your focus and just concentrate. Pretend you are at practice...just do not give in to panic.

Tip #2:
Remember to always situate the ball before you shoot it. The referee may have unintentionally placed it in a small hole, which can completely mess up your shot. Place the ball, with your hands, on a raised portion of the group before you take your shot.

Tip #3: After placing the ball down, back up and get ready to shoot, but DO NOT LOOK AT THE KEEPER!! Without a doubt the keeper will be starring you down, trying to see in your eyes which way you are going to shoot. It makes it SO much more hard for the keeper to save the shot if they do not know which direction you are going, and not looking at them will cause that. This idea of not looking might worry you, but try it out for practice and you'll see it's not too bad. You will be able to see the goal frame out of the corner of your eyes, and if needed you can raise your head right as you shoot. That way you can see properly when the time is right and not give the keeper time to analyze your eyes.


Tip #4: Aim simply. Do not try to shoot a rocket of a shot, or anything crazy. Just pick a corner and go with enough power, but nothing too intense. Focus on getting on frame first and foremost, but particularly in your chosen corner. Aiming for the back pole on the side of the goal frame is always a good idea. Sometimes you will get lucky and shoot it right down the middle and have it go in, but this is not something you should count on. The best thing to do is to pick a side and shoot without letting the goalie know which side you are going towards.

Tip #5: Do what you know you can do. Have some confidence! If you were chosen to take a pk there must be a reason, and you must be a pretty good shooter. This is your moment!

Condition Like a Pro and Your Opponents Will Know

Pretty much anyone can guess that soccer players need to have good endurance, but what else do they need? Athletes tend to neglect the necessary conditioning that goes into the intense sport of soccer. In this post I will brief you on some basic training areas to focus on in order to improve your performance and overall physical condition in playing this sport.

Endurance:

Without a doubt, running is a key factor in soccer. However, there are several subgroups to the umbrella that is running.

• Jogging
• Sprinting
• Change of Direction
• Acceleration

Soccer teams often focus on just jogging, or running at a consistent speed for a long period of time. This can work well to build up one's endurance, but how often are you just running at a constant pace throughout the game? Most of the time soccer involves quick sprints, runs. Therefore, interval training, hill running, and speed training, are all pivotal exercise routines. Weaving quickly through cones can help improve your quickness, and interval training and running in hills will improve your speed in terms of sprints and endurance. 

Strength:

This type of fùtbol does not require straight-on tackling like in American football, yet developing your strength can have many positive effects such as:

• Increased energy levels
• Injury resistance
• Faster recoveries
• Improved agility and balance
• Greater explosiveness

Lower body and core workouts should be emphasized in workouts, but cross-training with other muscles is recommended. Quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, glutes, and your abdominal muscles are good focus areas. Body-weight exercises including push-ups, squats, lunges, etc. are all strong choices. 

Power:

A powerful player has both speed and strength. To become a more powerful athlete, high-intensity workouts and circuits should be performed. This includes jump-squats, plyometric drills, and interval training. Doing circuits with exercises like mountain climbers, sprints, and things that get your heart rate going, will get you in ideal condition in no time.

Flexibility:

Flexibility is another disregarded necessity for soccer, but it is very important considering the amount of injuries that take place in the game. Many soccer players do some static stretching right before a game, but this can actually be harmful. Dynamic stretching done routinely, followed by static stretching, will reduce chances of injury. 

Nutrition:

This last section is crucial, but has lots to it. Having a healthy diet is a key contributing factor to being physically fit. I won't go too in depth here, but will just highlight a few things you can be conscientious about in terms of your diet.

• Drink LOTS of water!
• No alcohol or smoking
• Avoid sugary foods
• Consume starchy carbs after exercising or the night before a big game, but reduced otherwise
• Load up on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and protein

Hopefully this gave you a strong outline of what you should do to get in your ideal condition for soccer. It can be quite the commitment, but if you ease into it, your body will thank you, and your opponents will not!

Clothing Must-Haves for Stormy Games

Recently it has been raining a TON where I live, and that means two things - first of all, everyone get's super hopeful that school will be cancelled, and second, it means CRAZY soccer practices/games. Without the right gear, these times on the pitch can be pretty painful. However, over the years I have learned the correct things to bring for both rainy and freezing games, so here are a few tips to get you through these games enjoying yourself.

Probably the most basic thing to wear to in one of these situations is Under Armour. This is basically a tight-fitting shirt that goes under one's jersey. The most common colors are white and black, and they are really a soccer players go-to for cold and wet games. Don't think that you can get off with a normal, cotton long-sleeved shirt, because those will soak up rain/sweat and weigh you down. Unfortunately Under Armour does not totally repel the water, and it can weigh you down, but definitely not as much as cotton. I have yet to find a completely repellent undershirt, but for now Under Armour works well.

My second go-to, for games that require more warmth than just Under Armour, I use a thick, ear-covering headband. This is worn along the hairline, not touching the ponytail. I prefer this to a normal beanie, as beanies tend to fall off in games or can be difficult to wear with a ponytail. I find that it provides the same amount of warmth, and fits very nicely. The headband I use is from Nike, but they can be found at stores such as Walmart too.

A very helpful article of clothing that I do not take advantage of enough, is gloves. The hands tend to get very cold during games, and having gloves can be very comfortable. In addition, I recommend putting hand warmers inside the gloves to create more warmth.



Under Armour leggings are for VERY extreme conditions, and I rarely have the need for them. But for those playing in the snow or in freezing temperatures, these are great. Players are not allowed to wear sweats during a game, so these can be worn under the shorts and socks for the same effect.

While sweats and jackets cannot actually be worn during a game, I strongly recommend wearing them during warm-up and whenever on the bench.

Those are my must-haves for all rainy and freezing games, and hopeful they help you out with your next game! If you have your own ideas, feel free to comment them below!