Off-Season Soccer Training for High School Girls

During a high school soccer season, much of the training and practicing that goes on focuses on specific drills around offense, defense and how to play against a certain opponent. In the off-season, soccer players can focus more on the fundamentals of the game, as well as developing their strength and stamina. There are a number of different drills and exercises that high school girls can undertake during the off-season to make themselves better players during the regular season.

  1. Strength Training

    • Strength training, completed two or three times per week in the off-season, should focus mostly on light weights with a high number of repetitions and sets. Leg strength training is especially important, such as leg lifts and leg presses. Exercises that strengthen the glutes and quads, as well as the back muscles, are beneficial to soccer players, as well. Flutter kicks with weights strapped to the player's ankles help develop the glute muscles. Calf raises target the quadriceps and the hamstring muscles, while back extensions and dumbbell rows can strengthen the back.

    Cardiovascular Workouts

    • Vigorous cardiovascular exercise can help increase the player's stamina, which is key as some players may play the entire 90 minutes in a given game. The best cardiovascular exercises include running, including uphill climbs, swimming, bicycling, jumping rope and elliptical training. Cardiovascular exercise should be conducted two to three times per week on days when strength training is not being tasked.

    Agility Training

    • Off-season agility training can improve a soccer player's reaction time on the field and develop better balance, body control, overall speed and coordination. One drill that can be conducted with several players at the same time is a "follow-the-leader" type drill, where a coach or a player starts out on the field and makes several moves, such as zig and zags or quick sprints, and the next player in line has to perform the same moves, as does the next player and the next. Sidestep drills, which help improve lateral movement, and shuttle drills, which require a lot of stops and starts, translate well to the soccer field, as well.

    Ball-Handling Drills

    • Ball-handling drills should be practiced as often as possible, both during the season and afterward. They can be worked on individually, with a single teammate or the entire team. Focus on passing drills, both with the feet and head, as well as being able to control the ball in traffic. Set up a series of cones on the field, similar to a driving obstacle course, and have the players try to maintain control of the ball with their feet between the cones. Practice keep-away drills where two teammates pass the ball back and forth while a third teammate stays between them while trying to take the ball away.