Total Soccer Fitness and Training is dedicated to teaching 'The Beautiful Game' to players, coaches, parents, leagues, clubs, and teams.



Tactical Drills

The Tactical Phase in any practice session plan should include more than just a 2-team scrimmage. Here you will find games -- from small-sided (3v3, 5v5, etc.) to large group (6v3+3, etc.) -- and match-specific exercises to fit any tactical theme.

Technical Drills

As the saying goes, there are no tactics without techniques. Included here are drills that hone all the technical fundamentals -- juggling, dribbling, striking the ball/finishing, defending and goalkeeping. Also included are warmup drills to use at the beginning of each session.

Session Plans

Every training session should have a plan with a specific theme, be it technical, tactical or fitness. Here you will find session plans that emphasize such concepts as "Possession", "Striking the Ball", and "Speed of Play".

Speed, Agility, Quickness Drills

Speed, Agility and Quickness is a major part of all our sessions. In this section you will find drills that work all three concepts both with and without the soccer ball. Also included are warmup routines and a dynamic stretching routine.

“READY. SET. GO!”
One of the most important concepts taught at Total Soccer Fitness & Training is Proper Running Mechanics. In our individual and small group training sessions we time our players in various sprints, such as a 10-Yard Sprint and a 10x4 Shuttle. Our young soccer player is about to run a 10-yard sprint. Notice the following Proper Running Mechanics:

  • Heels are off the ground
  • A slight lean to the body
  • Right arm and left leg are back and ready to explode off the start
  • Left arm is in a good position – a 90-degree angle
  • Both hands are open and loose, not clenched in a fist

Published Articles

"Performance Conditioning" is an outstanding newsletter that has specific issues devoted to many sports, including, of course, soccer. TSFT Owner & Director Tom DeNigris, a former professional sports writer, has written several articles for the soccer edition. He highly recommends subscribing to the newsletter. View their website at www.performance conditioning.com.

Training Videos


"QUICK FEET" -- one of the many drills we use to teach quick feet is demonstrated here by one of our high school players. Watch how she high-steps quickly through the 14 hurdles.


ATTACKING CONCEPTS: The Art of Scoring Goals

by Tom DeNigris 3. March 2010 08:33

Every youth soccer coach, no matter the age or skill level of his or her team, practices the skill of scoring goals, or as it is in the soccer vernacular, finishing. Kids love this part of a session.

Followingare some notes on finishing/scoring goals.

1.Take the word “shooting” out of practice sessions; instead, call it “finishing”practice; practice scoring goals; practice putting the onion back in the bag(sorry, that’s an old school saying!)

2.Approximately one-third of all goals scored come off crosses; balls sent intothe center of the goal area from the wing:
• the bestor most effective crosses from the area stretching from the edge of thesix-yard box (extend the line of the six-yard box out toward each sideline) tojust outside the penalty area (extend the line of the 18-yard box out towardeach sideline);
• the bestor most effective crosses land in the middle of the 18-yard box, near thepenalty spot or between the penalty spot of the top of the six-yard box;
       • the farpost is a more potential scoring target than the near post.

3.The key to scoring is creating scoring opportunities. These opportunities arisefrom:
       • creativeruns by the players not in possession of the ball;
       •attack-minded dribbling – the player in possession of the ball taking on adefender in a 1v1 situation;
       •maintaining width in the attack;
       • havingback support in the attack;
       • droppasses.

4.The worst shot is the one not taken!

5.Follow all shots, looking for rebounds or misplays by the defenders orgoalkeeper.

6.On close, angled shots think: “High to the Near Post. Low to the Far Post!”
 
COACHINGPOINT: A major problem in youth soccer is players dribbling too much when inpossession of the ball inside the opponent’s 18-yard box. This is especiallytrue of young girls who have a higher fear of failure than boys. Coach playersto strike the ball toward goal with their first touch.

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