The formula to reach the next level is simple. But simple isn’t easy.
Year-round self-improvement. Daily. Day after day. For years.
A few hours per week of work on your own. Consistent. Daily.
20-60 minutes per day. Every day.
* This training is in addition to your team practice. *
You’re working when others are not – this where the next-level separation begins.
Team practice is for…
- Playing as a team
- Learning the nuances of soccer and team strategy
- Developing your field vision and passing
Your personal development needs to happen on your own. This is up to you as the player. No one else can motivate you.
Where to focus your time and attention?
Every player starts with the same suggested training. The basics work. Hard work is the trick. Not special drills.
Off the field training…
- Juggling, dribbling, first-touch, shooting, sprinting, strength.
A few overall thoughts to keep in mind…
- Good listening – to coach and teammates.
- A lot of communication on the field. Always talking w/ each other.
- Positive message, positive tone of voice.
- Positive self-talk when mistakes happen.
- A lot of runs. Keep moving on the field.
- Find space.
- Find passing lanes.
- Go to the ball.
- Be the 1st to the ball.
- Don’t shy away from contact.
Big picture…
- The biggest efforts you NEED to make NOW are…
- Mindset – determine that you will get to the next level. Make the mental commitment to do what you need to do. Set high expectations for yourself. Don’t let yourself down!
2. Off-the-field training – you WILL NOT reach the next level if you don’t put the work in on your own. GUARANTEED.
Year-Round Personal Development
- Consistency: Practice multiple times per week on your own – preferably every day
- Ball Control:
- Juggle 10 mins – this is the key to ball control and improving the first-touch
- Choose 5-10 dribbling moves to practice – plenty of videos on YouTube; useful in 1-1 scenarios, but more important for improved ball control
- Passing: Wall passes. Find a wall and pass – plenty of videos on YouTube
- Speed & Conditioning:
- Sprints & agility drills for 15 min sessions – crucial for speed and change of directions, plenty of videos on YouTube
- Long-distance runs 1-2 times per week – 1-3 miles timed so you can improve; crucial for endurance – you should be able to run a full 90-minute game
- Conditioning & Strength:
- Push-ups and crunches AND/OR leg lifts 3x per week – easy ex. is deck of cards – red push, black sit for the number on the card; face cards = 10, Ace = 11
- Pull-ups (need pull-up bar) and dips (may be able to us corner of deck railing or corner of kitchen counter)
- Advanced – get in a weight room. We’ll discuss more later
Put in the work. You’ll be happy you did.
Side Note: This isn’t just Coach Adam’s formula for success. This is proven time and again with EVERY top athlete.
Two examples from the best athletes in their sports…