Winter training - what do you do?
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Anonymous
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For U9 aspiring beyond rec - what would you recommend for off season training?
DS above average technical skill, average rec player. Loves soccer, full effort and takes instruction very well - just not able to reach that exceptional level. Played indoor last two years, and really we did not see much value. No practices, and games on a gym floor and pace of game not really translatable to outdoor. Camps? Private training? Just time off and hope we get lucky for a bloom of technical skills to meet field vision? Not sure of best approach - he wants to try out for travel because he love structured training and formal practices that rec does not offer; but the reality is he just not have the shock and awe to impress coaches at try outs still. Appreciate any tips or suggestions. |
Anonymous
Travel club winter camps, they are likely to take non club players and the training will be high quality. Futsal is good for touches on the ball even if the pace doesn’t translate. |
Anonymous
Futsal is not good for players that don't have good tech skills, I'd go the first route of club winter training. Where are you at? |
Anonymous
| I would get your son in a basketball league. They probably practice one day a week and a game on Saturday. I find it to be a great compliment. Lots of cutting, change of direction, fitness, jogging, sprinting, etc. I would also do some sort of soccer clinic that ran one day a week. Lots of those around. I like futsal so I would do futsal if you can train one day a week and one game on the weekend. As additional fun, do some parkour or something like that too. Plus, remember that your son should be working on soccer skills at home (footskills, juggling, ball and a wall, etc.) |
Anonymous
That makes no sense. The whole point of training is improve skills, and the best way to improve technical skills if through futsal. |
Anonymous
Just playing devil's advocate here but...futsal is very fast. It's very unforgiving and SO exposes (nowhere to hide on the court) those kids with poor touch, poor dribbling skills, and poor footskills...poor technical skills. It's very difficult for them. So keep that in mind. So I agree the best way to improve is to TRAIN but not just through futsal games. It's like throwing a kid who can't swim into the deep end. Good luck though. |
Anonymous
I made the comment about futsal for lower level players. This isn't a ding on Futsal and if the player has good control of the ball it can be a great way to increase speed and learn creativity. On the flip side, if you child isn't strong with footskills you will loose control the fall often with the smaller and intense game with a very fast moving ball with no boundaries. It only takes me seconds to spot the strong vs weak futsal teams and the OP said it was an above avg recreational player which leads me to believe that a technical program is probably more appropriate. Futsal gives you touches on the ball but it's not training, most teams don't even practice futsal. They just use it as a way to keep touches on the ball. |
Anonymous
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I agree with the basketball suggestion. It's a great sport for learning how to play off the ball--how to get open in places where you can do damage; how to follow shots; how to support teammates on defense. Most Ulittle players, even the really strong ones, spend a lot of time standing around and watching when their teammates have the ball; players who consistently make positive moves to dangerous space add a lot of value and stand out in scrimmages.
Also agree with juggling at home and club clinics. Futsal only if it's fun and DC doesn't get discouraged easily (the PP who noted that players without strong touch/dribbling get *punished* in futsal is absolutely correct). |
Anonymous
| I'm also looking for a winter soccer clinic for my son, U13. Does anyone have more ideas? Thanks |
Anonymous
It depends on where you live. In NOVA, you have HP Elite and Golden Boot to name a few. |
Anonymous
| Any good winter training in/near Rockville for girls? |
Anonymous
| You should find a futsal program. DD is in the DA and has played futsal every winter since U9. DC will enjoy it. |
Anonymous
| We did a summer camp with Coerver and loved the focus on footwork. I've seen some advertising for winter skills clinics, but the location doesn't work for us so I didn't save details. |
Anonymous
| Sergio's House of Futsal. You can play up by 5 age groups. If you are good enough, you are old enough. SHOF has placed mutiple players on the Catalonian national Futsal team, so they have an established track record. Ptactices are 1 hour every 3 weeks in a custom designed crumb rubber free asphalt indoor Futsal court at 33333 industrial Rd in springfield, VA right next to the self storage building. Walk around back to the loading dock and you can't miss it. Cash only, please. |
Anonymous
Most of these are too far for kids that live close-in. There really aren’t any options for kids close to DC. |