Sheer physical strength and muscle size is no indicator of soccer ability. The fully rounded player requires a wide range of different physical attributes that become more and more important as players progress from Little League to elite youth level.

Given that outfield players are expected to be continually on the move (98 per cent of running is done off the ball) stamina and cardiovascular fitness are increasingly important as players get older. However, being able to run for 90 minutes is not enough.

Soccer demands dynamic running in repeated short bursts. Dribbling and beating opponents requires flexibility, heading involves jumping ability, tackling and shielding the ball needs upper body strength etc...

A well thought out conditioning programme should include drills that cover all physical demands placed on the player. It doesn't have to be boring! There is plenty of scope for team games with and without the ball.

Different age groups have different conditioning demands. At levels up to under-10 very little or none is required. This is a period to develop basic skills.

At the intermediate level from ages 10-12, conditioning can be introduced, but only lightly. Too much strain on rapidly changing bodies can be harmful and injury inducing.

Most of what follows below is designed for ages 12 and over when game play becomes increasingly intensive and physically demanding.

First things first - maintaining a healthy body for sport:

Although there is widespread current concern about obesity among young people, a lesser known fact is that many who take part in competitive sport on a regular basis fail to adequately replenish their bodies with the necessary nutrients, especially when they reach their teens.

If this is allowed to continue over an extended length of time the cumulative effects can lead to long-term health and injury problems.

Girls:  With so many external pressures on girls, particularly teenage girls, to look slim, a reluctance to eat sufficient amounts of the right foods to re-fuel their bodies after exercise is particularly acute.

Sustained lack of calorie intake can lead to problems such as disrupted menstruation, osteoporosis and ultimately psychological difficulties with food leading to anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

What they should be eating:

• There is no one food, but the diet must be balanced and reflect the amount of calories typically burnt. This includes not just 'healthy' foods such as vegetables and fruit, but those containing fat, carbohydrates and proteins such as meat, fish, pasta, wheat products etc....
• A young female athlete should take in between 1200-1500mg of calcium per day to ensure healthy bone development. This can be found in sufficient helpings of dairy products such as cheese, yoghurt and milk

Boys: Although eating disorders are usually associated with female athletes, they are no means confined to them. While boys may also be concerned about suppressing weight, a recent study by the Ohio State University Sports Medicine Center revealed that one per cent of college athletes studied suffer from 'Adonis Complex', basically a feeling that their bodies are insufficiently muscular.

This can lead to an eating disorder now identified as 'muscle dysmorphia'. It manifests itself in unbalanced diet, binge-eating and at the severe end of the scale, performance-enhancing supplement and steroid abuse. The condition is particularly prevalent in sports that require upper body strength, including soccer.

• Again, a balanced diet is essential. Those trying to build muscle will often pursue a high protein (eggs, meat, brown rice, wholemeal pasta, fruit etc) at the exclusion of fatty foods such as red meats and dairy products

What coaches can do:

• Be aware of the warning signs of malnutrition and eating disorders
• Make it clear by your approach that you are always available to talk in confidence
• If concerned, approach the player discreetly on a one to one basis
• Do not ask friends or team-mates. Making an athlete with a problem feel they are the subject of discussion makes matters worse
• Do some research into potential support options ? doctors, counselling, physiologists etc...

Warming up and down

A comprehensive programme for warming up muscles becomes increasingly important during progression through the age groups.

• Ages under 10 - It is generally accepted by experts that stretches are unnecessary. Jogging, arm swings and hip twists are sufficient
• Ages 10-12 - Light stretches of the calf, groin, hamstring, quadriceps and stomach and upper body should be combined with varied running. Ten minutes should be sufficient, followed by ball work
• Ages 13 and over

Example routine:

1. A light jog to get the heart rate up

2. Static stretches:

• Calf - Planting one leg straight, extend the other in front and push down with the hands on the knee
• Groin - Stand with feet apart, bend one knee while facing forwards to stretch the opposite groin
• Hamstring - Cross the legs and gradually push hands down to the toes
• Quadriceps - Stand on one foot, grab the other foot with your hand and bend the leg back until  the foot touches the bottom
• Stomach/Upper body - Standing straight put hands on hips, and swing clockwise at hips in a circular motion. Repeat anticlockwise. Put arms straight above head, and bring hands together in a large arc, moving hands down to the left foot and then over head to right foot
• Back - Hands together and legs apart, bend at waist and stretch hands out in front, without trying to touch the ground. Bring arms behind back, keeping them together, and stretch backward
• Leg swings - swing legs across body as high as possible

3. Jog again but introduce short sprints, jumps, Brazilian running (bringing the knees up as high as possible), touching the floor, running backwards, sideways and touching the ground

4. Ball work - shooting practice, competitive passing drills i.e. piggy in the middle, ball tag etc...

5. Make sure the goalkeeper gets plenty of opportunity to handle the ball. Position on goal line, facing the net. On shout of 'turn' throw ball at various heights and to the sides

Finally, remember that the warm-up is an invaluable time to prepare your players mentally as well as physically for the game ahead.

Warm down:

Following concerted physical activity, lactic acids and other toxins are released that can cause stiffness and muscle pain. Slowing the body down gradually mitigates this. Again, the level of the warm down depends on age, with it most important for over-12 age groups.

Example routine:

• Light jogging
• Side stepping while jogging
• Lift knees up and then outwards
• Kick forwards with studs up
• On back pull knees into chest and roll backwards, then one knee into chest and roll to either side
• Kneeling, extend one leg outwards bent at the knee and push down

Speed

The importance of speed to the soccer player is not the same as it is to a sprinter. Every player on the pitch needs to be able to sprint in short bursts and be quick off the mark. Running at speed is rarely done in a straight line. Players need the ability to change direction in full flow and stop, start and turn in rapid succession.

 

Example drills:

• Acceleration - Set two cones 10 metres apart. Starting jogging then sprint to cone on instruction
• Quick feet. Run up steps - vary by starting touching every step then extend to striding to every other step.
• The ladder - Get players to run through with feet landing between each gap. Repeat sideways and extend by stepping out and then in like hopscotch
• Quick start - Running up hills encourages the feet to move quickly at the start and the power to accelerate

Balance and co-ordination

During the course of a game, soccer players are required to adjust the angle and shape of their body within a split second, for instance, to volley a ball or selling an opponent a dummy by dipping the body from side to side while running.

Example drills:

• Standing on one leg, get someone to throw ten balls for you to head back. Progress by having them move round to the side and twisting the head to return the ball
• Jump steps - jump forwards from a standing start onto one foot and hold for a count of two, then return to starting position. Progress by tossing balls for the player to volley back while on one leg
• Turn round catch - Get the player to kick the ball directly above him. The challenge is to turn 360 degrees and either trap the falling ball or flick back up and repeat

Strength and power training

In soccer this is not about muscle bulk but enabling dynamic movement and endurance. Strength and power can manifest themselves in anything from the ability to sprint in the final minutes, shield the ball from and opponent, keep balance under pressure, not get knocked off the ball or leap above an the opposition to win a header.

Lifting weights, centred on building leg and abdominal strength, is part and parcel of elite soccer player?s routine. However, circuit training with weights is generally only suitable for post-pubescent age groups.

Plyometric exercises, developed by Yuri Verkhoshanski, a former coach to the Soviet track and field team, are increasingly used among the older age groups

Example drills:

• Stand beside a ball or cone and leap over it from one side to the other, jumping as high as possible. Do not spread feet and jump again immediately on landing
• Bound as far as possible then stop. Hop and then bound again.
• Jump forward and backward over an obstacle, i.e. hurdle or cone, with feet together.

Training on and off season

It is now possible to play league soccer virtually year round, but according to Craig Devine, former athletic trainer with Columbus Crew in Major League Soccer a break of at least a couple from competitive match play is essential.

He says: "Soccer players striving for continued improvement in their play may feel compelled to play constantly. This focus on play does not allow the athlete to develop a proper training cycle to recover from injuries, prevent injuries and improve physical and technical weaknesses to develop as a player."

Off Season:

Although not quite time off, this is a period for low intensity fitness training.

• Keep fit and have fun by participating in other non-contact sports, i.e. tennis, cycling, swimming
• For junior players, 13 and over, work on strength with weight and circuit training
• Less exercise means fewer calories burnt so adjust diet accordingly

Preseason:

The period when players return to training prior to the competitive season is a vital one for the coach. Not everyone will have kept themselves in peak condition, so assess each player?s fitness and motivation levels and tailor programmes accordingly. This is an opportunity to fine-tune fitness, skills and tactics. Try and avoid too many full contact games and build-up gradually. There is nothing worse than losing a player to injury before the season even starts.

Example drills:

• Interval sprint training. High intensity sprinting, slalom and zigzag running. Alternate with static and non-static stretching
• Using the penalty area, player sprints along goal-line. At corner receives a ball to volley or head, then sidesteps to next corner, runs backwards to next and then sprints to original position
• Passing games without tackles. Split into two sides. First side to put together seven consecutive passes gets a point

Injury prevention and recovery

In the US, some 200,000 youngsters medical attention for soccer injuries every year. The vast majority are to players of 12 and over and it may come as some surprise that proportionally girls are more susceptible than boys, although the latter are more likely to be hospitalised.

Female players are particularly susceptible to ankle and knee problems with the risk increasing among the higher age groups. For instance, The American Society of Orthopaedic Surgeons recently published findings that showed female soccer players are four times more likely to suffer anterior cruciate knee ligament damage (ACL) than their male counterparts.

Many injuries are due to accident and simply unavoidable. However, with the right training regime, coaches can not only help players avoid injury but aid in the most appropriate and speedy means of recovery.

Examples:

Prevention

Under 12 - Most injuries are the result of poorly-timed tackles, accidental collisions and bad playing surfaces. However, factors such as stitches and feelings of illness and fatigue through exertion and over-training are also factors to consider.

The basics:

• Make sure all players have the right equipment, appropriate cleats, shin guards etc....
• Concentrate on ball work. Do not put too much emphasis on intensive conditioning
• Make sure there is plenty of liquid available before, during and after exercise, especially in hot conditions
• Always have a fully comprehensive medical available

Under-15 - By this stage the sport has become more competitive and physical. At the same time players? bodies are growing rapidly. As in senior soccer, the most common injuries occur to the ankles, followed by the knees and muscle strains

• Avoid over-repetitive exercises

• Focus on ankle and knee strengthening (particularly important for female players) - A proper warm up is vital and use balance and agility exercises to strengthen joints

Home exercise:

Working on supple joints and limbs does not have to be confined to the training pitch. Simple exercises can be done at home. Equipment like balance balls and spin discs are not only fun but can be used while watching TV or playing in the yard.

Overuse injuries:

As a general rule children should not train for more than 20 hours a week. However, those engaged in elite competition, especially as they move into the senior ranks, can come under pressure to increase that load.

Too sudden an increase puts huge strain on young joints and bones that are still growing and often results in stress injury. Most sports medicine practitioners agree that if extra training is necessary it should follow the 'ten per cent' rule. i.e. a 20 minute drill should be initially increased to 22 minutes and so on.

Signs of overtraining:

• Strain injuries
• Fatigue, irritability and lack of motivation
• Deteriorating results and lack of focus on goals

Recovery

• Never rush a player back. They may want to play, but first ensure that the child?s doctor and parents are happy for the child to resume playing
• Ankles - As soon as the injury occurs apply ice or artificial ice pack, and then wrap in bandage for compression/support. Graduate to supporting full body load over several days. Start exercising gradually early i.e. drawing letters of the alphabet with toes
• Knees - There are a myriad of potential knee problems associated with playing soccer. The most severe ligament or cartilage damage demands specialist treatment.

For lesser injuries, exercises aid rehabilitation, i.e. Bottom lifts - Lift the bottom until there is a straight line from knee to shoulders. Pause and lower slowly, As strength increases, bend the knees less and less until you can perform the movement with straight legs.