About Marney Egan Expertise I can answer almost any question about the game of soccer (drills to practice, what to do in different situations, calls made by the referee, gear to use, fitness, etc.). I was a goalie in HS and college so I am able to answer more specific questions about this position. I can also provide insight on the college game (recruitment process, what to expect, etc.).
PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR AGE AND EXPERIENCE WITH THE GAME SO I CAN PROVIDE AN ANSWER CATERING TO YOUR AGE AND ABILITY. THANKS!!
Experience I have been playing soccer for 20 years (10 years as a goalie) and played at a D-I college. My father played professionally and has been a personal coach for my siblings and me through our careers (we have all played in college). I am currently coaching a U-13 Girls club soccer team and have also coached at several college camps during the summer including one hosted by the US Naval Academy.
Organizations Coach for Allegheny Force Football Club.
Education/Credentials Degree from Bucknell University; attended numerous soccer camps over the years including ones hosted by Notre Dame (Women's D-I National Champs) and Messiah College (Women's D-III National Champs).
Awards and Honors Patriot League Academic Honor Roll; Captain of high school soccer team.
Question Hello my name is Temin and I'm currently a outside fullback(normally on the right side) for my school varsity soccer team. But my coach has just notified me that my mindset of being panicked while playing the game is compromising the system we play and is considering switching me with a JV player. I want to overcome this problem because my panicking has caused me to give the ball away several times away. I have played the game for three years so far and to tell the truth prior to soccer I had no sports experience and was fairly overweight.
Another question I have is about my fitness. As I have stated before I started playing three years ago and have come quite a ways in terms of fitness, however, compared to other players who started playing at 6-7 years of age I know I am clearly disadvantaged. Thus my main concern is trying to improve my speed in terms of 20 m dash and also agility.
Answer The most common reason that I know of why players panic when they have the ball is because they are not comfortable enough having it at their feet. They want to pass it as soon as they can and then they panic more because they are trying to look up to find someone but are really spending too much time looking down to make sure they are protecting the ball. They, therefore, either have it stolen from them or, in trying to get rid of the ball, end up passing it to an opposing player instead of a teammate. One way to help you feel more comfortable with the ball at your feet is doing Coervers. Coervers are a great way to work on ball control and your touch and they're something that you can do by yourself. I've listed a few of the basic ones below.
TIC-TOCK (BOXING)
Using the inside front edges of the feet, knock the ball back and forth rapidly between the feet, so that the ball is in constant motion and the ball is redirected with every touch. Basically, the ball is being "boxed" from one side to the other, then back again.
TOE TOUCHES
Lightly tap the top of the ball using the front sole of the foot, alternating taps with either foot. Try to keep the ball from moving by tapping gently from the top. When the ball can be kept still, try "Around the World" by taking slightly larger steps as you come down from each tap so that you manage to circle the ball.
INSIDE ROLL
Roll the ball towards the inside of your body, using the sole of one foot. Continue this for several meters then repeat, going in the opposite direction with the other foot.
OUTSIDE ROLL
Roll the ball towards the outside of your body, using the sole of one foot. Continue for several meters then repeat going in the opposite direction with the other foot.
PULL BACK/PUSH FORWARD
Using the sole of your shoe pull the ball towards you, then using the same foot give it a gentle tap forward. Do the same with the other foot. Continue alternating feet and use a skipping-type step to develop a rhythm.
MEXICAN HAT DANCE
Using the sole of one foot roll the ball from the center of your body to just outside then give the ball a tap towards the other foot using the inside of your foot. Repeat with your other foot knocking the ball back toward the center of your body and the foot you started with.
Juggling is something else that you can do by yourself or with a friend that will help you work on your touch and will make you feel more comfortable with the ball.
As for your fitness, it's OK to want to focus on sprinting but you should make sure that you keep some variety with your runs (even when I was a sprinter and hurdler in high school we would run several miles doing long runs and fartleks in order to train for races that were only 100 meters long). I’ve included several runs that will improve your overall fitness as well as your sprints. You should try to run 5 to 6 times a week and change the focus of the runs each time. One day do an intense sprint workout. The next day do a long, slow run (30 to 45 minutes) to stretch out your legs and recover. The following day do a fartlek, which is a combination of different speeds (this is one of the best runs for soccer players since it is basically the type of running one does during a game). The day after you could do a timed run. I suggest keeping enough variation so that you aren’t doing the same type of run more than twice a week or consecutively. In order to improve your sprinting, the fartleks and the sprint workouts will be most beneficial. However, you still need to have those long, slow runs at least once a week to let your legs rest and recover. Below are a few of the runs I have done during my own soccer career:
Timed Runs:
COOPERS TEST - See how far you can run in 12 minutes (for a 15-16 year old male 2300 - 2499 meters is considered Average, 2500 - 2800 meters is Good, and 2800+ meters is Very Good; for a 17-20 year old male 2500 - 2699 meters is Average, 2700 - 3000 meters is Good, and 3000+ is Very Good)
Fartleks: Vary the distances or times of each speed.
STRAIGHTAWAYS AND TURNS - Jog the turns and sprint the straightaways on the track.
LADDERS - Jog 10 seconds, sprint 10 seconds, then jog 20s, sprint 20s, jog 30s, sprint 30s, continue up the ladder increasing by 10 seconds until jog 60s, sprint 60s, then start back down the ladder jog 60s, sprint 60s, jog 50s, sprint 50s, etc. The whole thing will take you 14 minutes to complete. Try to do it twice. You can use distance or time when doing ladders.
Sprints:
FOOTBALL FIELD SPRINT - On a football field, start at the endzone and sprint to the 10 yard line and back, take a 30 second break then sprint to the 20 and back, take another 30 second break then sprint to the 30 and back. Increase the distance by 10 yards each time until completing two full field sprints.
HILLS - Easy enough to figure out. If you can find a decent sized hill sprint up and walk/jog back down, rest for 30 seconds then do it again.
BEEP TEST - Try doing it once or twice every month (it is a great way to see how your fitness has improved over the summer). You can also use it as a regular sprint workout if you wish. The following is the link on how to set up and the instructions as well as the download for the actual test (http://www.defence.gov.au/army/HQ8BDE/jobs/Fitness.htm)
To maintain or even improve your speed and agility I suggest you get a speed/agility ladder. You can find them at different sporting goods stores or at Eurosport's website. Below is a website that has some visual aids for some basic speed ladder drills: http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/ladder-agility-drills.html
Good luck with your training and I hope that you are able to keep your position. If you have any other questions or if I was unclear about anything I wrote please write back!!
