CDH Raiders Soccer Scoop
July 21
Preseason 2017 Information!
As July rolls into August, I wanted to touch base about the schedules and workings of preseason!
Fitness!
In the Raiders soccer program, we believe that fitness is one of the factors of success that is most under our control. Too often fitness is viewed as a form of punishment.
This is exactly opposite to what we believe fitness should be: a measurement of the pride and effort each player puts into their craft.
We test fitness in preseason because we want players to measure where they start from in the season, so they can take pride in where they finish it. It's true: no one has won a soccer game simply by running a record-breaking 300 yard sprint. In soccer though, especially, high fitness levels and the grit needed to attain them, give players that edge-- that run or tackle or shot-- in the final minutes of the game. We test fitness so that we can prepare ourselves to give our best until the final whistle.
Here are the tests we will be running during our first days of varsity tryouts:
- 300 yard Assessment -- (3 300s, 50 yard turns) -- 2.5 minute rest in between each set.
Liverpool Fitness Test (Groups of 3 - 2:1 rest ratio)
--- Ladder -- 5, 10, 15, 20 yard shuttle (1 time)
--- 20 yard sprint (2 times)
--- Half-field run (2 times)
--- Full-field run (1 time)
--- Ladder -- 5, 10, 15, 20 yard shuttle (1 time)
I do not recommend you spend all of your training time on "passing" fitness tests. If you've been working this summer and continue to work in the next few weeks, fitness and fitness tests will take care of themselves. Instead, it is much better to spend as much of your team or individual training time as possible playing or incorporating soccer fitness. I've added links to resources that include ideas for both technical work and fitness. Have fun with it! :)
Tryout Criteria!
Field Player Evaluation Criteria
Goalkeeper Evaluation Criteria
You can also find these Raiders CDH Girls homepage
We are excited for the upcoming season! Please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns!