GUIDELINES FOR CONSTRUCTING A YEARLY TRAINING PROGRAM

The following is a set of general guidelines that coaches should consider when constructing their training
program:

1. Determine the dates and the length of the competitive period. This may vary considerably among
   leagues. For example, the in-season for Canadian University Varsity teams lasts for
   approximately 3 months whereas the competition period for the English Premier League extends
   for 8 months.


2. Identify the dates and length of time that will be used for the off and pre-seasons based on when
   the competitive period(s) are scheduled. For each phase, list the general conditioning objectives
   that you aim to accomplish (see sections above).


3. Determine how many training sessions per week you will be able to schedule during each phase
   of the season.


4. Set specific goals based on fitness assessments conducted at the start of the off-season. All
   components of conditioning have to be incorporated into your plan. However, one or more
   components may be particularly week and the training programs needs to be modified to improve
   these areas. As mentioned in Chapter 1, it is also a good idea to do fitness assessments prior to the
   pre-season phase and during the competition period to determine the effectiveness of your
   program and what component, if any, needs adjusting.


5. Recovery should be a main priority, especially during the competitive season. As such, schedule
   activities that need more recovery time (strength and plyometric workouts) early in the week
   (assuming games are on the weekend). Training sessions closer to game days should be lower in
   volume.


6. Ensure you monitor how your players progress through each phase, as well as for the signs of
   overtraining. For players who play for more than one team, the coach should request the training
   regimen from the other team and adjust the volume and frequency for that athlete accordingly.


7. Make exercises age-appropriate and add variety to your training sessions. This is especially
   important for preventing mental fatigue and boredom. This book provides a number of exercises
   (with variations) for all components of fitness that will help facilitate this objective.

Note: These are just general guidelines and the coach must develop a plan based on the needs of the
players, the time commitments of both players and coaches, as well as the scheduling of games
throughout the competitive season.