With youth leagues on pause and college spring seasons cancelled due to COVID-19’s spread, soccer players find themselves at home having to get creative to stay in shape. But without usual access to training facilities, how exactly does one do that?
To answer that very question, we caught up with Mike Staropoli, founder of Goal Physiotherapy and Sports Performance in Westport, Conn. They focus on rehabilitation and strength and conditioning for soccer players, with past clients including U.S. youth national team goalkeeper Eliot Jones (New Britain, Conn.) and Yale sophomore forward Emily Yin (Westport, Conn.).
Outside of our Q&A here, Goal has also started a YouTube channel with over three dozen videos with exercises soccer players can do at home. Be sure to check it out.
While space and equipment might be limited during these unchartered times, there’s plenty you can do at home to stay in soccer shape. This interview has been edited for clarity.