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.


Great Advice From a Great Movie

by Tom DeNigris 3. August 2011 05:31

So the other day I am watching one of my all-time favorite movies -- Hoosiers. Yeah, I know, it's a movie about basketball. Still, it is a film I can watch over and over again (and I do!).

So I am watching it once again and enjoying it once again when I hear Coach Norman Dale (Gene Hackman in another fine performance) shout to his players, "Focus on the fundamentals" and I think, what a great piece of advice. Not only for high school basketball players but to coaches...all coaches.

Especially youth soccer coaches.

We worry too much about teaching tactical concepts ... "move off the ball" ... "frame the goal" ... "play wide" ... "keep compact" ... and so on and so on. When in fact, we should be stressing "dribbling the ball" ... "passing the ball to feet" ... "striking the ball properly" ... and so on and so on.

I watch Hoosiers, a film based on a true story about a true "David" high school basketball team knocking off a true "Goliath" team in the basketball-crazy state of Indiana, and think how great it would be if youth soccer coaches (coaches of players 10 years old and younger) concentrated on basic techniques for much of their practice sessions. We would then be able to see more Landon Donovans and Mia Hamms, American players with confidence on the ball, instead of what we too often see from American players -- power, strength, speed with little technical ability.

How wonderful would it be if coaches let the creative players, the ball hogs of the world, just be creative.

New U.S. Men's National Team coach Jurgen Klinsmann has stated that he will be reaching down into the youth soccer leagues to talk to youth soccer coaches. He seems genuine in his desire to change the culture of our soccer system just enough to make improvements. That's a good sign of things to come.

The U.S. Soccer Federation not too long ago named former National Team Captain Claudio Reyna the Youth Soccer Technical Director. A great move. Actually, the best move those knuckleheads who run soccer in this country have made in many, many years (if not ever!).

Reyna put together a technical plan for youth coaches to follow. Reyna was a creative player. He believes in teaching ball control first.

Focus on the fundamentals, said Coach Dale.

Focus on the fundamentals, says Reyna.

Good enough for me. 

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