Coaches define stamina, also known as endurance, as a player's ability to exert the body through a soccer game lasting 90 minutes or more. Endurance training combines aerobic drills, which increase the ability of the body to use oxygen during jogging, and anaerobic drills, which help the heart and muscles to operate briefly without oxygen while sprinting. Endurance training with the ball is easier to bear and more fun for your players, according to Gerhard Frank in "Soccer Training Programs."
Step 1
Place several cones 25 yards from the athletes' starting line, says Debra LaPrath in "Coaching Girls' Soccer Successfully." Have the players sprint to the cones and back six times to create a 300-yard shuttle. After they recover fully, direct them to repeat the sprint. Adjust the time allowed to complete the shuttle, change the set number or vary the recovery time in line with the team's fitness level.
Step 2
Set out a grid of nine cones 5 yards apart in a single line, one set for each four players, say Ken Sherry and Anthony John Harris in "Fitness Training for Soccer." Have the first player sprint down the cones and collect a ball, and return dribbling through the cones at speed. The next player runs from the opposite side to collect the ball. Each player should run at least five times.
Step 3
Mark an area measuring 12 by 25 yards. Divide players into groups of five, with two players on offense, two on defense and a fifth always on the side with possession. Have the defenders try to steal the ball and gain possession from the attackers for two-minute drill. Rotate the floating player, because she will be getting the biggest workout of all.
Step 4
Have the players run two miles at 50 to 60 percent of maximum effort to increase cardio-respiratory endurance, according to the former soccer pros at the Expert Football site. Direct them to run a mile at 60 to 80 percent intensity, preferably on a sandy or upwardly sloping surface to improve muscle endurance. And call for them to dribble continuously with the ball for 20 minutes or more to work on aerobic and anaerobic fitness as well as technique.
Tips and Warnings
- Encourage your players to eat healthy foods and sleep at least eight hours a night to have more energy and increase their stamina level, says former pro player Mirsad Hasic on the Soccer Training Guide site. Set up training with a day off each week to give players' muscles a chance to recover from endurance training, which he notes is not fun but needs to be done to be game-fit for matches.
Things You'll Need
- Cones
References
- "Soccer Training Programs"; Gerhard Frank; 2009
- "Coaching Girls' Soccer Successfully"; Debra LaPrath; 2009
- "Fitness Training for Soccer"; Ken Sherry, Anthony John Harris; 2003
- Expert Football: Aerobic Endurance
- Soccer Training Guide: How to Increase Your Soccer Stamina
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