You or your child have developed a passion for soccer. You (or your child) want to be the best soccer player you can be. Maybe you are on a soccer team but you want more. You are wondering if private soccer training and making diet changes could help you improve your playing.
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As a dietitian and soccer mom, I can tell you that private soccer training and diet can help improve your soccer performance by leaps and bounds.
In the next sections, we will discuss how both private soccer training and diet can impact your soccer playing performance.
Private Soccer Training
The 10,000 rule is a well-known training rule. This rule states that the most successful soccer players put in 10,000 hours. Ten thousand hours averages out to about 20 hours a week for 10 years.
A travel soccer player in the United States usually has around 3 to 4 practices per week. Those practices last about 1 to 2 hours. They will also often have 1 to 2 games per weekend. Based on these numbers, a travel soccer player will practice at a minimum of 4 and a half hours to a max of 11 hours per week if they don’t do anything extra.
These numbers don’t meet the 10,000 rule. In fact, it may be hard to meet that rule and focus on other important areas of life like school and homework.
Still, if you want to get closer to this number, you do have a couple of options:
Practice on Your Own
Practicing on your own is the cheapest and most convenient option. You can fit ball skill drills into your schedule whenever you have spare time…and it’s free!
Start Private Soccer Training
Private soccer training has its own set of benefits. You have guidance from a professional so you get more bang for the buck so to speak. The private soccer trainer knows the exercises that will produce the best results.
Some people also do better and work harder when they have a coach pushing them, motivating them, and encouraging them. When training on your own, it is easier to get bored and just go through the motions instead of pushing yourself.
Finding a good trainer is also extremely important. My son currently does private soccer training with Optimist Training. If you live in Rock Hill, South Carolina, Fort Mill, South Carolina, or the surrounding area, I recommend checking out Optimist Training. The trainer, Billy, is a member of the United States Soccer Federation. He played NCAA division 1 soccer and has coached for 30 years. He also happens to have a passionate personality and is great at inspiring and motivating kids.
Practice on your Own and Do Private Soccer Training
This is also a great option because you get the best of both worlds. With this option, you might mostly practice on your own and do private soccer training for a short period of time or for maybe only one day a month. If you choose this option, the trainer can give you homework to do on your own. This is a more budget-friendly way to get help through private soccer training.
Practice with Friends
Practice doesn’t feel like practice when you do it with friends. Get a few friends together and play a pick-up game of soccer. Remember to make time for fun!
The Best Diet for Soccer Players
Training will only take you so far. Nutrition plays a huge role in promoting optimal soccer performance.
Did you know that in one study, athletes who changed their diet saw improvements in their speed in as little as four days? This is just one example of how food can influence athletic performance.
For a complete soccer nutrition guide, I recommend reading my book, Nutrition for the Youth Soccer.
Nutrition for Youth Soccer will show you how nutrition can help you transform on the soccer field. You will also find out what foods you need to eat before a game for optimal athletic performance, learn what foods will help you make quick game-changing decisions on the pitch, and learn what foods to eat through the week to promote peak fitness and endurance.
