Starting with the “Small Ball”

“The ‘Magic Pill’ to finding your touch…”

With a clear and focused mind ready to start training and jump back into the rhythms of pre-preseason and pre-season, I decided to use the “small-ball” as the main equipment to sharpen up my touch.  Many of you might have experience, worked with or seen people training with this “small-ball.” And if you haven’t tried it yet, and you are serious about training, developing and improving your touch, you certainly need to have this be apart of your training. 

So, what is this magical method? Quite frankly, there’s nothing extraodinary about it.   Simply put, you training with a ball significantly smaller than the current size ball you compete with.  It can be a different size and a different weight or even a different material that effects the bounce or speed. 

How to?  and  Why we do it?

Very simply, you perform all the same technical skills as you would practice with a normal ball, except with this different ball.  This includes all technical skills from your feet all the way to your head: dribbling, passing/receiving, shooting, heading.  Areas that small-ball training is particularly effective in is passing and receiving out of the air. This includes volleys, half-volleys, and work with the thigh, chest, and head. You can use anything from a skills ball (size 1.5  or 2), tennis ball, foam hand ball, or sponge ball be creative and make it challenging.  I choose to use a rubber bounce ball that is smaller than a size 3 or a rubber size 2 ball that is weighted a bit heavier.  This way the size, weight, and the type of bounce is altered. But remember when you get efficient and good with that this small-ball, be sure to change one of these attributes, so that you can maintain a challenging training method.

When training with a ball of different size, weight and bounce, you are subjected to a different kind of stimulus and therefore a different type of training.  Your senses and perception of the ball are effectively heightened and you become more sharp.  Concentrating on a smaller object will make your touch more efficient and more accurate.

So, if your looking to sharpen your touch and increase your accuracy try a small ball. And remember be sure to tell us how your working with it.  Cheers!

Pressure of Preparation for Preseason: Essential Components of Getting to the Next Level

So, a few months ago I really started playing with the idea of moving to another country and playing professional soccer for a season or two.  I began doing some research and started looking into clubs, levels, locations, seasons and time-frame for the near future. But as I began to explore my contacts and do my research on this new chapter in my life, my father asked me one question that would smack reality in my face (which he has done very effectively throughout my development). He said “Even if we got everything set in place… flight, living, clubs and trials…will you be ready to leave tomorrow?” 

Hello! The fact of the matter, and what he was hitting directly on the head was that I had just came back from a long trip to South Africa, having not played or trained for 3 months.  Although, I felt confident and optimistic, the truth was, I was not ready.  It’s funny how a player’s mentality can shift as they get older and more experienced.  I remember growing up, preparing or season after season, team after team, try-out after try-out, and being very successful at each step of the way.  And a big part of that was the pressure of preparation. I realize something strikingly similar about the feeling I had growing up each time I took playing to another level.  Every time the pressure of preparation seemed to decrease a little.  It was like getting use to taking tests, or feeling more and more confident and comfortable with preparing for something bigger.   It was like preparing was a task you got better at and the better you got the easier, more efficient and more concise it became. Now, although I feel very confident and efficient with getting into playing shape, this feeling can not by any means replace actually doing IT.

Things to be aware of.

Now, although confidences and comfort in preparation can be a good thing, it should not and cannot replace the work and effort of preparation.  There are 3 Pre’s in “pre-season” or “pre-tryout” that are absolutely crucial for success at any level. 

The first ”Pre” is the Pressure. There needs to be an initial urge, motivation, inspiration for training and getting ready.  There needs to be a balanced and healthy level of pressure for success and failure that is the fuel for training.  Because without the desire to succeed along with the aversion of failure, it is impossible to push to the next level. 

The second “Pre” is the Preparation.  There needs to be an effective and productive preparation that will train you in all aspects needed to get ready for the demands of the game.  This involves “controlling the controllables.” Enhancing, training and preparing individual skill, technique, tactics, mental sharpness, nutrition, and lifestyle.

The third “Pre” is the simple Prefix.  This is the simple meaning of “prior to,” “in advance of,” and “before.” This is a very easy concept, yet the one hardest to maintain. This takes discipline, consistency and planning.   It is vital that time is allotted and maintained before hand so that you can maximize potential.

Together these three very important Pre’s can set the tone for success. The first two, pressure and preparation, sets the foundation for getting ready and the third, sets the tone and time frame for success.  For anyone thinking about, or starting to get ready for preseason or any tryouts, here’s a bit of advise: “Control what you can, and do it with proper timing all in advance…Start early and be consistent.”

Stay tuned for Posts and Articles on My Training Schedule/Program. And Please…Share your current, past or future experiences about the Pressure of Preparation for Preseasons or tryouts, at any level. Cheers!