A lot has changed over the last few weeks. Restrictions on movement and social gatherings have created a new reality in which soccer training sessions have been cancelled with no clear restart date in sight. For many players (and parents), keeping busy and having a sense of purpose during this time is important for both physical and mental health.
While there are certain challenges on a daily basis to adjust to this temporary “new normal”, there is also an opportunity for personal development and growth. In the soccer context, players can spend time working on parts of their game – skills, fitness, physical abilities – that may get lost during the team-oriented practice sessions and with the other demands of life.
205 Sports has created a forum specifically to provide material and guidance in support of “remote” training. The workout forum will provide regular workout plans and ideas – for players of various ages and abilities – as a means of continuing its mission of player development. Although based on the principles of the UC Premier curriculum, the sessions can be applied to any athlete that wants to train remotely.
Source material
Putting together a remote training forum would not be possible without the extensive content available on the Internet. These are some key individuals whose expertise is recognized throughout the coaching community.
| Name | Web site | YouTube channel | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Beast Mode Soccer (BMS) | https://beastmodesoccer.com/ | Link | @BeastModeSoccer |
 | Erica Suter | https://ericasuter.com/ | Link | @fitsoccerqueen |
| MyPersonalFootballCoach | https://mypersonalfootballcoach.com/ | Link | @MyFootballCoach |
| Tom Byer | https://tomsan.com/en/ | Link | @tomsan106 |
| Yael Averbuch | https://www.yaelaverbuch.com/ | Link | @Yael_Averbuch | |
| Tommy Thompson | https://www.sjearthquakes.com/ | Link | @tomthom11 |
| Michael Cunningham | https://www.7mlctraining.com/ | Link |
We’ll update this list as new material is added.
Equipment
In order to do remote training, some basic equipment is required. However, there are a lot of ways to train and modifications for some activities will be suggested. Instead of cones, a player could use soup cans, rolled up towels, or whatever might be at hand.
Here are some of the basics:
| Item | Alternatives | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Soccer ball | Foam ball, beach ball, tennis ball | A soccer ball is pretty much necessary to do remote training. Having some balls of other sizes can help |
| Cones | Cans, rolled up towels, pillows | Pretty much any small object that doesn't move will work |
| Dumbbells | Cans, bottles of water, resistance band | Having something that can be used as resistance is helpful |
| "Kick wall" | Bench, old table laid on its side | Something that the player can kick a ball against - NOT a garage door |
| Towel and smooth surface | Helpful for doing some mobility work | |
| Wooden box | Stairs, old couch | Something that can be used to step up and down |
| 5 foot PVC pipe | Broom handle | Helpful for shoulder mobility, balance activities |
| Space | Less space | Best case would be open space - a backyard or park area - otherwise, garage or indoors |
Format
Each training session will have three parts: activation, physical training, and skills training. Players can decide how much of each activity to perform and can modify based on ability and age.
Feedback
Feedback on the remote training sessions is welcome. This is all a work in progress.
Contact me at sas@205sports.org