As we practice social distancing in line with government guidelines, we want to help everyone keep their kids active and fit, both for their current health and for future game-readiness. For some of our players who are now distance learning, these soccer-related workouts may also help fulfill daily gym/PE requirements.

Below are some resources to help your players stay fit, practice ball skills, and continue having fun through soccer. Searching online will yield many other options to fit your children’s needs and circumstances. We do caution that parents keep an eye on their children’s searches, as of course tech companies’ algorithms can lead to kids viewing endless videos rather than getting up and exercising!

Some of the following workouts may require parental supervision. Some can be done at home, while others require a wall, grassy area, pool, or space to run. Of course, many require a ball! We remind everyone NOT to go to The Cage, Turf City for workouts, as the entire venue is closed to use. However, public parks, park connectors, and other open spaces are all available. Parents serve as kids’ primary role models, so we encourage the entire family to get active!

Encourage your kids to set themselves some goals for improving their skills. Possible goals might be:

• complete a certain number of one-touch passes with a partner
• improve your left-foot skills (or right-foot, for our lefties)
• juggle to a certain number, or with feet or thighs only, or with only one foot/leg
• run farther, or faster, or both
• learn or improve your throw-ins
• learn basic goalie skills to be a more versatile player
• shoot at and hit a target multiple times in a row

While ANZA Soccer teams should not physically practice together at this time, we encourage teams, via team chats, to share players’ goals, create team challenges, or just connect with each other socially. 

With best wishes for continued health and fitness,

ANZA Soccer Committee

Links to stay active and improve soccer skills

Ball Skills

• 11 minute wall workout 
• Passing, shooting, and juggling using a wall 
• 10 ways to train using a wall (or two) 

Throw-ins

• Beginners–how to do proper throw-ins (do with a partner or against a wall)
• Intermediate/advanced–throw and receive longer throw-ins (best done with a partner)

Goalie skills

• Practice on grass, with cones/markers
• Practice with a wall/barrier

Cardio fitness for soccer players

• Cardio blast–10 minute workout with ball
• Speed and cardio POOL workout for soccer players (use a light ball for the headers!)
• Walking/jogging–do this every day and gradually increase time/distance/speed to build endurance. Kids might enjoy keeping a log to show their progress!
• Running–use this sample interval-training (Fartlek) workout to build endurance and speed

Muscle fitness for soccer players

• Lots of short exercises to keep muscle groups match-strong