Soccer players, parents and coaches are all pining for the game they love and the camaraderie of team interaction during this period of self-isolation and social distancing.
The new reality is incredibly challenging for everyone. For physical and mental health, plus preserving soccer-specific skills, it’s important that players train for their return to the pitch, whenever that happens.
What can you do, on your own, in these uniquely challenging times?
Blake Decker, academy director for Saint Louis FC of the United Soccer League, has some ideas. As the professional club’s point person on player development, they’ve had to quickly devise strategies for the lockdown to ensure their youth players don’t lose a beat.
“We took the initial word to shut down seriously,” Decker said. “One of the main challenges was keeping in touch with our guys. We’ve designed a set-up whereby staff have a few touchpoints with players each week and at least one touchpoint with each individual player one-on-one.”