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.


Goodbye to a Good Guy

by Tom DeNigris 17. July 2008 07:38

Claudio Reyna, one of the best players ever to don the USA kit, has hung up his boots. At the ripe young age of 34, Reyna has decided it is time to move on; chronic injuries causing him to miss too many matches for his current club, the New York Red Bulls.

From this fan of US Soccer and soccer as a whole, I say Farewell.

I’ve been reading some stories about Reyna, most of which were tributes to his stellar career. He deserves such notice. What surprised me, though were the responses and blogs from fans around the country calling him overrated.

Sure, we’ll all remember his mistake that led to Ghana’s first goal in the World Cup. But I’m pretty sure if we looked at all the games ever played by all the greats, including Pele, Der Kaiser, and such, we’d find mistakes being made.

Indeed, Reyna should be remembered for being the first American to make a name for himself overseas. Many have tried playing in Europe. Some have even succeeded — Brian McBride, Tim Howard, Kasey Keller, Brad Friedel. But none have ever become the star that Reyna became playing for Rangers in Scotland. I have a Scottish friend — and Ranger fanatic — who said that Reyna is practically a god in Rangerdome. Ranger fans loved his style; a style that some American fans seem to think is not good.

Reyna played elegant soccer. He was a beautiful player to watch. His technical ability was among the best this country has ever produced. In fact, other than Tab Ramos, there is no American born player better than Reyna, technically speaking.

The shame, of course, was his last two years. Signing with the Red Bulls seemed perfect for both parties. The Red Bulls were committed to improving and Reyna was a good fit — a Jersey boy coming back home to finish out his wonderful career.

Alas, Reyna never played to his potential in the MLS. He was just an average player, due, no doubt, to his injuries. When he played well, he was one of the top 1 or 2  players on the pitch. When he didn’t, he was just another MLS player.

Don’t know what lies ahead for Reyna. He’s still young. Perhaps coaching is in his plans. He certainly was a smart player and he would command respect from younger players.

Whatever his plans are, one thing is for sure: he can begin writing his speech for when he is inducted into the Soccer Hall of Fame.

And in my opinion, under his name it should read: "The Best American Player".

He was.

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Total Soccer Fitness and Training
4 Pheasant Drive
Colts Neck, NJ 07722
totalsoccerft@earthlink.net