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Post by Futsal Gawdess on Dec 17, 2018 7:14:17 GMT -5
Outside of those going to tourneys like Disney, most folks are taking a break from practices, games, training, etc. What are your plans for your young budding soccer stars this off-season? Will they be involved with private training for soccer, skills & agility, speed training, conditioning or a 2 week delve into Fortnite and binge eating? If possible, share with the class what you will be doing, have done, what works and what doesn't based off of your experiences.
For me, training to fix and hone in on fundamentals that the team coaches have not stressed. In addition, there will be some work on conditioning and for the other kid, weekly futsal games.
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Post by soccerfan30 on Dec 17, 2018 8:25:09 GMT -5
TOCA sessions for most of the players over the winter and indoor soccer. As much as I encourage a mental break they want to keep working.
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Post by Strikermom on Dec 17, 2018 9:50:44 GMT -5
Conditioning an weight training on her own for senior year high school season, and part time job. Senior year is expensive!! We got the college thing done, so relaxing on that front.
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Post by sportsdad on Dec 17, 2018 9:59:15 GMT -5
Small group training, some team practices, strength and conditioning.
Are there any groups that form to play pick up games at local (Alpharetta/Roswell/Forsyth) fields? Age group U12-U15s?
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Post by soccerloafer on Dec 17, 2018 10:40:47 GMT -5
Go do something different - basketball is a good substitute - movement off the ball, passing patterns, decent fitness. Indoor with friends. Heck, go mountain biking or do boot camp classes.
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Post by Soccerhouse on Dec 17, 2018 11:01:52 GMT -5
I'm a big fan of taking time off and resting the body. playing other sports, hoops, swimming maybe some futsal etc.
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Post by girlsoccer on Dec 17, 2018 11:12:22 GMT -5
Taking time off from soccer and concentrating on basketball 🏀
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Post by Strikermom on Dec 17, 2018 11:16:56 GMT -5
Oh, just found out she is doing indoor Spanish League on Sundays...who knew!! Her team are the defending champs from last year.
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Post by oraclesfriend on Dec 17, 2018 11:48:52 GMT -5
Older one: optional team practices, TOCA, private training, speed and agility, works on her own footwork drills and striking and speed of play and will run for conditioning
Younger one: futsal, small group training, speed and agility, works on her own with footwork drills, and basketball
May do a few 3v3 each of them.
To answer FG's question...I feel that futsal, 3v3's, and footwork drills on her own are what helped my older one the most in the past. Futsal really helps the footwork. 3v3 helps with first touch and passing accuracy as well as soccer IQ and speed of play. Working footwork drills on her own helped more than anything she has ever done...it is just harder to stay motivated because she likes variety.
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Post by fridge on Dec 17, 2018 11:53:52 GMT -5
My kids will not look at a soccer ball, will not smell a soccer ball, and will not see a soccer ball! Soccer has turned into a virtually 12 month sport. There is a 2 or 3 week window between nationals and team camp in the summer and this winter hiatus. I have seen so many talented kids quit at 14-17 bc they hate soccer and there are many more who play it without passion bc it "never ends." The goal is for the kids to want to play soccer and giving them time off refreshes them and makes them yearn to play. I force my kids to rest (if they want to work out or run great--but no soccer!) In sum, I think it is better for the psychologically to take the time off than the nominal improvement they may get from training for the next couple of weeks.
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Post by oraclesfriend on Dec 17, 2018 12:28:29 GMT -5
My kids will not look at a soccer ball, will not smell a soccer ball, and will not see a soccer ball! Soccer has turned into a virtually 12 month sport. There is a 2 or 3 week window between nationals and team camp in the summer and this winter hiatus. I have seen so many talented kids quit at 14-17 bc they hate soccer and there are many more who play it without passion bc it "never ends." The goal is for the kids to want to play soccer and giving them time off refreshes them and makes them yearn to play. I force my kids to rest (if they want to work out or run great--but no soccer!) In sum, I think it is better for the psychologically to take the time off than the nominal improvement they may get from training for the next couple of weeks. So do you hide their balls? I think it is great that you can do that. The different leagues and ages are set up differently so you are right that for some kids there is not much of a break during summer...particularly for the ones on NL teams, DA and ECNL teams. That coupled with Georgia's VERY EARLY return to school and thus soccer practice makes for a short summer for some. However, there are many teams that stop at State Cup time and have about 7 weeks off in the summer. Academy teams also generally have 2 months off in the winter. So I think it depends on the age and other interests of the child and the family. I would rather have the break in the summer when we travel and the kids go be kids at camp. Since we have such a short winter "break" from soccer coupled with 2 weeks off from school where they will be bored if they do not play soccer, I let them play. It is different anyways to play futsal and 3v3 with no coaching. They can be creative and have fun without fear of censure.
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Post by soccerparent02 on Dec 17, 2018 13:37:48 GMT -5
Most importantly let the players decide. It should be up to them either way! Parents should stay out of the decision.
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Post by Keeperkeeper on Dec 17, 2018 15:15:07 GMT -5
Our kids will be in futsal (training and games). The older kids will continue training with their teams. They will also be in the park playing pickup when the weather allows. Mine don’t mind the year round soccer playing, but, I think it’s because they are always involved in a number of other activities outside of soccer (eg, orchestra/band, volunteer work). The great thing about the off-season is that it is only semi-structured. So, even if they have practice in the evening, they will go rollerskating or swimming in the morning when we are out of school.
Futsal and pickup games have been the most helpful to my kids. Futsal builds technical skill, and the way they train, it (along with the pickup games) improves their creativity. For my daughter, playing with older boys (and now grown men) in pickup games has always been helpful.
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Post by rifle on Dec 17, 2018 20:22:43 GMT -5
Small group training, some team practices, strength and conditioning. Are there any groups that form to play pick up games at local (Alpharetta/Roswell/Forsyth) fields? Age group U12-U15s? There are pickup games constantly at Lower Waller park field or the Futsal court in Roswell. Show up and play. It’s awesome. Young, old. Doesn’t matter.
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Post by 4theloveofsoccer on Dec 17, 2018 20:39:49 GMT -5
My kids have done indoor, futsal, to speed and agility training during the down time of soccer seasons. I let them choose on what they want to do. Any 3v3 or small sided tournaments are good as well.
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Post by soccerdaddy on Dec 17, 2018 20:52:26 GMT -5
Finally, 2 weeks of rest as of today. Practice starts back on January 2nd. Indoor every Sunday all year long. 4 more NPL games in January. He wants to pass on High School because he is training with DA for the spring. He’s just a Freshman so, maybe High School soccer next year? He made the decision not me.
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Post by newposter on Dec 17, 2018 21:26:13 GMT -5
Keep an ear open about DA. It's not in a good spot now that the MLS DAs are playing in their own league.
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Post by soccerdaddy on Dec 17, 2018 22:07:57 GMT -5
Keep an ear open about DA. It's not in a good spot now that the MLS DAs are playing in their own league. Good point but I have some questions. Is this just for U19? Does anyone know about the other age groups? I know in showcases they want to put the MLS clubs against each other but secluded entirely makes a lot of unecessary travel. USMNT will most likely always pull players from DA teams and it seems like they assume the MLS academies have the best ones picked out already. They hold scrimmages at the MLS facilities with local club players who are the cream of those clubs so I don’t see that going away. Last time I looked U15 AU is in 6th place. LA Galaxy and Portland Timbers U15 are both in 9th. DC United in 5th. This tells me that there is plenty of DA competition for the younger high school age. So yes U19 I can see that.working for that age. DA is still the highest competitive league for Boys Soccer. Unfortunately, it costs just as much as the other leagues. ECNL/NPL/NL and soon to be SCCL, especially if they keep expanding. So my Son’s goal is to make the starting line up in the Spring for U15 DA.
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Post by Keeper on Dec 18, 2018 1:26:04 GMT -5
Just curious, when does everyone start back for the Spring? Club only Hs all starts the same and most do the same but just curious when everyone starts back for Academy, Athena/Classic, NPL, SCCL, ECNL and DA.
Curious since the latest poll of coaches was a high majority wanted to start the season earlier then first weekend of March.
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Post by soccergurl on Dec 18, 2018 8:51:11 GMT -5
TOCA sessions for most of the players over the winter and indoor soccer. As much as I encourage a mental break they want to keep working. Could you share the costs for Toca thanks.
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Post by Strikermom on Dec 18, 2018 8:51:31 GMT -5
We have an ECNL make up game January 9, and there is the Florida ECNL event in early January.
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Post by Futsal Gawdess on Dec 18, 2018 8:54:27 GMT -5
Just curious, when does everyone start back for the Spring? Club only Hs all starts the same and most do the same but just curious when everyone starts back for Academy, Athena/Classic, NPL, SCCL, ECNL and DA. Curious since the latest poll of coaches was a high majority wanted to start the season earlier then first weekend of March. AU DA U15s+ January 7th AU DA U12/13/14 January 14th UFA Norcross Academy - February 4th ECNL - Late December, after Christmas because of their showcases in January/February
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Post by soccerfan30 on Dec 18, 2018 9:16:23 GMT -5
TOCA sessions for most of the players over the winter and indoor soccer. As much as I encourage a mental break they want to keep working. Could you share the costs for Toca thanks. Call the Marietta location- they typically have NTH, CF, Roswell and AU kids come in and train weekly. 678-403-2632
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Post by sportsdad on Dec 18, 2018 16:23:54 GMT -5
Small group training, some team practices, strength and conditioning. Are there any groups that form to play pick up games at local (Alpharetta/Roswell/Forsyth) fields? Age group U12-U15s? There are pickup games constantly at Lower Waller park field or the Futsal court in Roswell. Show up and play. It’s awesome. Young, old. Doesn’t matter. Great info. Are there days/times that most games are usually going on? And what age groups (basically, what is too young)?
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Post by rifle on Dec 18, 2018 21:08:25 GMT -5
I’d say around age 12-13. You’ll find people there most days after school, and on weekends when there is daylight. I’ve seen a lot of older teens and early twenties.
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