UNC Summer Skill/Conditioning

University of North Carolina Women Soccer’s Summer Skill/Conditioning Program

Ball Control and Agility:

1. 1 minute: Change speeds while dribbling the ball with quick touches, changing direction and speed. Do this in a confined space where many changes and touches are necessary.

2. 1 minute: Head juggling

3. 1 minute: Throw ball up, jump and while you are in the air direct the ball with your head to settle it to your feet, and move off quickly, repeat.

4. 1 minute: Thigh juggling

5. 1 minute: Throw ball up, jump, and while you are in the air trap the ball with your chest, settle the ball to your feet, and move off quickly, repeat

6. 1 minute: Foot juggling with no spin on the ball.

7. 2 minutes: Starting in a sitting position, throw the ball up, get up and stop the ball before it hits the ground, settle it to your feet and move off quickly, repeat using head chest, each thigh, each foot in order to trap the ball.

Technical Speed, Pure Speed and Endurance:

1. Dribble in a figure “8”, use just the inside of your feet for 6 figure 8’s, then use outside of both feet for 6 more. The markers you dribble around should be 15 yards apart. As you dribble around one marker, accelerate to the other as if you were beating an opponent. As you round the marker use quick touches to improve technical speed.

2. Rest by walking for 30 seconds

3. Set a marker about 25 yards form a starting point: 1. Sprint dribble to marker, 2 sprint backwards to starting point, 3. Sprint to ball, and 4. Collect all and sprint dribble back to starting point.

4. Rest by walking 30 seconds.

5. Set ball on the ground to your left and set a marker out to our right about 10 yards. Move 10 times from side to side, shuffle your feet without crossing legs. Move as quickly as you can staying on your toes.

6. Rest by walking for 30 seconds.

7. To ten-yard marker and back: two leg explosive jumps. To marker and back: single leg explosive hopping. Left foot first, then right, out and back.

8. Rest by walking 30 seconds

9. Karioka (lateral running criss-crossing legs) to ten yard marker and back. Move 10 times from side to side as quickly as possible. Face the same direction for all 10 times

10. Rest by walking for 30 seconds.

11. From the starting point: 1. Pass the ball to the 25 yard marker, 2. Sprint to the ball, 3. Collect the ball and accelerate to starting line. Do this 3 times.

Strength and Flexibility

1. 60 jumps

2. 15 figures “8’s”: Standing position with legs spread and knees straight, roll the ball with your hands in a figure 8 pattern around your legs.

3. 60 jumps

4. 15 roll arounds: Sitting position with legs extended, roll the ball with your hands around the soles of your feet and then back around your back.

5. 60 jumps Throw the ball up in the air, jump, and catch the ball, and throw it back up before you hit the ground. Remember to hang in the air.

6. 30 situps: Touch the ball on the ground over your head and back up and touch your toes.

7. 60 touch and jumps: Start in a standing position with the ball in your hands, touch ball on the ground by bending at the knees so thighs are parallel to the ground and then vigorously extend jumping high with ball over your head. Don’t just bend over and touch the ground, get your rear end as low as possible

8. 30 pushups

Shooting and heading

For this section of the exercise, a soccer kick wall, the side of a gymnasium, a tennis wall, a racquetball court, etc. will be necessary.

1. Technique work: Get 5-7 yards from the wall and kick the ball at the wall making sure the foot is pointed, knee is over the ball, center of your foot is striking the center of the ball, and that all the power is derived from a quick snapping motion of the lower leg. (2 minutes)

2. First time shooting with power: Back off 20 yards and kick the ball at the wall. Strike the ball as hard as you can regardless of the bounce, height, and speed that the ball comes to you. Pick a spot on the wall to shoot at each time and keep the ball low. (6 minutes)

3. Trapping and shooting: again at 20 yards, strike the ball with power, and as it comes off the wall, trap it cleanly and quickly fire another shot at the wall. The point of the drill is to develop a sound clean trap and quick hard shot. (6 minutes)

4. From one to two yards away head juggling against the wall.(1 minute)

5. Back off between 5 and 7 yards, throw the ball up against the wall and as it comes off head with power getting your entire body into the heading motion (2 minutes)

6. Get within 5 yards of the wall, toss the ball against the wall to force you to jump to head the ball back at the wall. Catch the ball after you have headed it each time. Make sure your toss forces you to the peak of your jump. Remember your technique and head with power. (3 minutes)

This entire fitness program should take 45 minutes to an hour. It is important that you go through the entire program without pause other than at planned rest intervals.

Ideally a short 4 a side game would be a fine way to finish your training. If you are alone this will be impossible, and I would suggest working on a weak aspect of your game. Also never underestimate playing 1 v 1. There is nothing better and even a short series of 1 v 1 contests against anyone you are with will be very helpful. Three 4 minute 1 v 1 games with rest in between would be excellent. If your opponent is superior make your goal small and her goal large. If you are superior do the same in reverse or play 1 v 2. Playing males is why most women on the U.S. Olympic team are as good as they are 1 v 1. Playing 1 v 2 is why Mia Hamm became so good.