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.


High School vs. Club Soccer Revisited

by Tom DeNigris 21. August 2010 13:46

About a year I posted a blog in regards to what I think is an ugly battle taking place. Still. And that is High School Soccer vs. Club Soccer.

Since then, this battle seems to have gotten uglier.

Seems that club coaches don't think too highly of high school coaches and vice versa. Who's in the right? Well, neither. Let's take a look at the battlefield.

First, it should be noted that when we speak of club coaches we are referring to those men and women who lead the more elite travel teams; that is, academy and high level players. And these coaches would prefer that their players not enter onto the high school pitch. Parents, who pay quite a lot for their son or daughter to compete on these academy or upper level teams, tend to lean more towards the club coach in these matters. And for a good reason. Many of these quality players are looking to play at the collegiate level and college coaches recruit from the college showcase tournaments moreso than from a high school tournament or match. So it is beneficial to the player to concentrate or give more effort at the club level than high school.

High school coaches need these quality players as well, obviously, because they make the high school program more successful.

It is going to get to the point where the academies and high level teams urge their players not to play high school soccer; perhaps, even to the point where they restrict their players from playing high school as part of their requirements to play.

Let's hope not.

Said it before and will say it again: there are no winners in this battle. Only losers. The Players, mostly. Coaches need to find a happy medium. Coaches need to work together. 

Then, and only then, will a winner emerge. Several winners, in fact. The biggest being teenage soccer players. 

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