SPEEDTRAINING IN YOUTH ATHLETES

It is important that young soccer players incorporate speed exercises into their training; as, although
development occurs mostly in the adolescent and post-puberty phases, improvements can be made as
early as 5 years of age. Indeed, the pre-puberty stage is an important phase for neuromuscular
adaptation- the nervous system will become more efficient at controlling the muscles.

For the younger age groups, speed work can be incorporated into skill and technique training, but it
should come mostly in the form of games. Relays involving sprinting then dribbling is a good example.
The distance of each sprint should be less than 30 yards and should be done primarily in a straight line.
The rest time between sprints should be at least 60 seconds. Performing one set of two different exercise
(5 to 8 repetitions/set), after warm-up, should suffice. Coaches should also spend some time in the warm
up doing form drills and teaching young players proper technique. Having a structured or periodization
program is not recommended for these players, but speed exercises should be included in practice at least
once a week.

An exercise that I frequently use to develop speed in the younger age groups is 1 v 1 to a big goal after a
foot race (Figure 4.13). In this exercise, two players start at the right and left goal posts. The coach will
then play a ball 15 to 20 yards in front of goal. As soon as the ball is played, the two players race to the
ball (Figure 4.13a). Whoever gets to the ball first is the attacker, and attempts to take the other player on
to try and score (Figure 4.13b).

Figure 4.13a Figure 4.13b

This exercise emphasizes speed, 1 v 1 skills, and finishing ability. You can also vary the exercise by
having the players start lying down or facing away from the field.

As players progress to the adolescent stage (12 to 14 year olds), exercises involving maximum speed can
be increased to 40 or 50 yards. These players should have a year or season-long program set out for them,
and should follow the basic guidelines described in the section on speed program design. Importantly,