Self-Training is indispensable to player development. No one said it better than the great Johann Cruyff when asked about his pathway to the pros,
I trained about 4 hours a week at Ajax as a boy,
but I played 4 hours on the street everyday.
Where do you think I learned to play football?
If you are fortunate to have a high-level pickup game in your area then head out and play as much as you can. Otherwise, here are some terrific, dynamic, train-at-home resources for players of all levels and ages. Just 15 minutes-a-day, four-days-a-week will show dramatic results.​​
Step 1 : Improving Your Athleticism ​​
Step 2 : Improving Your Footwork with Demonstration & Follow-Along Videos​​
Step 3 : JUGGLING!​​
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Juggling is both an advanced skill and extremely effective at developing your technique. It improves touch, passing weight, mental focus, agility and so much more, and it's a lot of fun. In fact, it's such an effective training tool you could skip everything else and just work on your juggling until you master it.
Start with one bounce juggling on a hard surface -- a driveway or garage is ideal -- and work your way up. 10 minutes of practice a day is all you need to advance quickly.
And no self-training program is complete without Wall Ball. It can be played alone or with friends. And a good wall can be found in just about every community. Here are a few in the Rondout Valley:
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Ulster County Community College in Stone Ridge, near the tennis courts
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Marbletown Elementary School in Stone Ridge, by the swings on the back side of the school
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Block Park in Kingston, in the Strand neighborhood
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If you know of other great walls in our community, please email us and we'll add them to the list.
MUST READ for the parents
Tom Byer is an internationally-acclaimed youth soccer guru. He played professionally in Japan and has spent the last 30+ years developing an original approach to youth development. And what he discovered and shares with the world is so simple and elegant and also so powerful we think everyone needs to hear it. Start with the La Finca SSAH Top 10 and then check out the full resources for Tom's program in the SSaH link here. It's all FREE.