Recommendations for the OPDL

March 2014

Understand the role of the coach in fitness development for youth athletes

Understand the fitness priorities for elite U13 soccer players

Understand how to design a training program for elite U13 soccer players

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Understand the role of the coach in fitness development for youth athletes

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Coaches must be present and actively involved in all their team’s fitness training sessions run by the Fitness Coach

Help the Fitness Coach with set-up and organization of the session

Monitor the training, and help to motivate the players and ensure a high training intensity

In the absence of the Fitness Coach, coaches must have the proper knowledge and ability to run warm-ups and energy system training with the ball as part of their own training sessions

Always be conscious of the intensity and work-to-rest ratios of all the on-field work you do

Watch the players, and assess their performance

from a physical standpoint

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Understand the fitness priorities for elite U13 soccer players

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Chronological Age

Avera

ge A

ge o

f Peak H

eig

ht

Velo

cit

y

Girls

Boys

U11 U13 U15 U17

U13 Girls: Optimal window for speed development

U15 Girls: Optimal window for muscular strength

development

U13 Boys: Optimal window for aerobic endurance

development

U15 Boys: Optimal window for

speed and power development

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Girls:

Hamstring strength exercises, with emphasis on the back of the leg, to decrease/even out the Q:H strength ratio

Single-leg strength training to improve/correct muscle imbalances

Video Example: 1-leg Romanian dead lift

Boys:

Multi-joint strength training exercises (example: squats, push-ups), with emphasis on developing good movement mechanics

Video Example: squats/squat holds

Fitness Priorities for U13 Players

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Fitness Priorities for U13 Players

Girls:

Emphasis on flexibility training, to improve joint suppleness, and agility training, to improve strength and stability when changing direction

Video Example: cutting and pivoting

Boys:

Emphasis on running stride training, to improve efficiency and running economy, prior to the growth spurt

Video Example: running stride training

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Fitness Priorities for U13 Players

Girls:

U13 girls age group represents the optimal window for developing speed; there should be more of a focus on speed development. Workouts should contain several (up to 30) short sprints, with a work-to-rest ratio of 1:5 to 1:10

Video Example: speed training with the ball

Boys:

U13 boys age group has not yet reached their window of opportunity for speed development, thus the focus should be more on speed endurance training, rather than speed training. Use a 30-second, high intensity work period, with 2 ½ to 3 minutes of rest in between

Video example: speed endurance training with the ball

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Fitness Priorities for U13 Players

Girls:

Speed is the focus, but endurance is still important. Repeated sprint training is a great and efficient way to achieve improvements in running speed and aerobic endurance at the same time. Workouts should contain several (10-20) short sprints, with a work-to-rest ratio of 1:3 to 1:5

Video Example: repeated sprint training with the ball

Boys:

U13 boys age group represents the optimal window for developing aerobic endurance. Workouts should comprise high intensity aerobic intervals, with work-to-rest ratios of 1:1to 1:3

Video Example: aerobic high intensity interval training with the ball

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Fitness Priorities for U13 Players

Girls and Boys:

Nutrition for soccer players should focus on the following areas:

◦ Pre-training and pre-competition meals and meal timing

◦ Post-training and post-competition meals (timing, and optimizing recovery)

◦ Hydration and replenishment of electrolytes

◦ Carbohydrate consumption pre-, during, and post-training and competition (to ensure adequate energy supply)

◦ Protein consumption to ensure optimal muscle recovery and development

◦ Fruits and vegetables to ensure adequate amounts of essential vitamins and minerals

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Fitness Priorities for U13 Players in France

The France Football Federation (FFF) has 2 youth development models:

1. Youth Academy model: youth academies run through the country’s professional clubs

1. The National Institute of Football (INF) located at Clairefontaine

Both programs house, educate, and train the best players from across the country

Physical training in France’s youth academies and at the INF is done almost exclusively with the ball

There is a large emphasis placed on teaching and correcting movements, including running, cutting/pivoting, multi-directional movements, and of course all technical abilities with the ball

(with both feet)

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Understand how to design a training program for elite U13 soccer players

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1. Athlete Assessment, Monitoring and Continuous Improvement

2. Functional, Sport-Specific Training

3. Science-Based Training

4. Customization and Periodization of Training

5. Athlete / Coach Education and Awareness

6. Enjoyment

Six Principles of Designing Soccer Fitness Programs

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Key Concepts:

Athletes should be assessed using the most current sport-specific testing protocols

For the U13 age category, fitness assessments should be done at the end of the season (October/November of 2014)

Determination of individual players’ age of peak height velocity (PHV) should be done, in order to ensure parity in comparisons between players’ fitness assessment scores

Intensity of training sessions should be constantly monitored

Initially, at U13, the Fitness Coach and Coach should monitor the intensity of training and games subjectively

Introduce the concept of players’ self monitoring and reporting using rating of perceived exertion (RPE) at the U14 age category and up

Athletes should periodically re-tested with the ultimate goal of continuous athletic improvement

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Key Concepts:

Training programs are designed to be functional to the sport of soccer

This means training the specific energy systems, muscles, movement patterns and directions that are required for optimal on-field performance

In addition, we must incorporate the ball for soccer-specific physical work in order to help develop athletes’ technical and tactical abilities

Video Example: small-sided conditioned game.

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Key Concepts:

Ensure to use the latest and most up-to-date research from the world’s leading sports science research institutions and studies

Only tell athletes to do things which have been scientifically proven to generate results

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Key Concepts:

Fitness programs must be customized to the individual based on the results of their fitness assessments

Training programs must also be periodized according to the athlete’s team training and game schedule in order to facilitate peak/optimal development at the optimal time for each individual athlete

In General, training should follow this model:

Progress from general (without the ball) to specific (with the ball) exercises

Progress from aerobic (endurance) to anaerobic (speed) training

Progress from low/moderate intensity, to high intensity (for example – defending and/or counter attacking game)

Progress from high volume, to low volume

Progress from double-leg, to single-leg, strength training

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Key Concepts:

Education is an important tool to help engage young athletes and instill the importance of training in their overall development

Continuous education on the part of the coach will help ensure that programs evolve over time to incorporate the latest and most effective research

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Key Concepts:

Fitness programs must be designed with the enjoyment of the athlete in mind

Combine a professional approach with the right mix of competition and games

If athletes enjoy the training process they will want to continue and come back for more

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Fitness Program Design for U13 Players in Spain

In Spain, youth development stems from the youth academy of FC Barcelona, called “La Masia”

In the past 15 years, several of the top La Liga professional clubs have seen the success of FC Barcelona, and have looked to replicate it within their own youth academies

As is the case in France, the Spanish philosophy of youth development, including physical development, is centred around doing fitness training with the ball

Teams in Spain are all encouraged to keep as much possession of the ball as possible, and to press quickly and aggressively when they lose possession, so the combination of development of a strong aerobic base with speed in transition, along with strong technical ability, is the focus

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http://www.soccerfitness.ca/