Layout of the Weeks

Intro Week: I AM MiddiesSoccer / Zero Point Day

Weeks 1–2: 11v11–8v8 / Extensive Endurance Training

Weeks 3–4: 7v7–5v5 / Intensive Endurance Training

Weeks 5–6: 4v4–1v1 / Extensive Endurance Training

Session Types

Football Technical → Execution: Position — Moment — Direction — Speed

Football Tactical → Game Insight — Decision Making (Lots…

Notes:

Execution (Monday)

— develop defensive vocabulary; field during the activity was too small; will need to make grid bigger for decision making (tactical) days.

Tactical (Tuesday / Wednesday)

— larger space was super helpful for the boys; players are recognizing that they don’t have to run so much and can still be effective;

Conditioning (Thursday)

— 2 games of 13:00 with 2:00 rest; effort good but room for improvement; must improve transitional moments individually and as a team.

Recovery (Friday)

— recognized that the boys seemed tired mentally/physically, so really wanted to run a very easy recovery session; did a very thorough warm-up and then played a game of kickball. So good for the team socially, mentally, and physically.

Planning on making some changes for next week by taking out one of the tactical days and adding in a weight room session. The change of venue and another opportunity for the boys to connect outside the turf will be super beneficial!

Next Week …

Monday: Lifting Session

Tuesday…

Monday — torrential rain so cancelled this morning’s session.

Tuesday — Technical focus (9v9 on smaller pitch): stress team communication; individual position, moment, direction, speed.

Observations: communication is an issue; understanding communication such as “man on” = pass ball back (one touch) then look to play a forward pass (principle of play).

Wednesday — Tactical focus(9v9 on smaller pitch): scenarios, question (what options are available? what if this happens, then what? etc.)

Observations:backline must look to play vertical (very robotic at times and play laterally without…

Recap of this past week.

Wednesday: Team Meeting — set non-negotiable list; stress little things/expectations for summer sessions.

Thursday: Zero Point Day — Objective: How long can we play at high level before the effort and quality of play drops (soccer fitness)?

We played (11v11) 10:00 games with 2:00 rest…

I had a conversation yesterday with Tyler Wickham (@twickham06), assistant mens soccer coach at Notre Dame College, and he made a remark to a comment I made about “monitoring player training load”.

Tyler said “increased load leads to increased stress”.

But it’s what he said next that really caught my…

Hey this is Kieron, Coaches Corner Chats, and today I am talking MiddiesSoccer…FAMILY and specifically in this episode, “Don’t Be A Silo Coach!”

What I mean by this is, don’t get so locked in to your program (I’m talking at the HS level here). The reason why I am bringing…

Super excited to be working to make a dream of mine possibly come true! Middletown Ohio has been hit hard by economic struggles in the past decade plus.

As the head coach of boys varsity soccer team, I have seen how socioeconomics can hamper players and the opportunities afforded to…

Thank you to Russell Lewis @cincysc, Brian Shrum @shrummy11, Courey Feerer, Colton Bly @coltonbly, Anthony Carson @carson003, and Cory Reinard @creinard8 for joining the Coaches Corner Chat #2!

Developing Leadership

Russell Lewis, Director of Coaching at Cincinnati Soccer Club — developing a Captains google doc for his club — the premise being…