First time player needs LOTS of advice!

[Nolan]

I'm 25 and am about to play in an indoor league.

THis will be my 1st time to play (other than intramurals in college) since i was 7 yrs. old.

I've been a soccer fan for just over a year now, so I really don't know all that I need to to play in a league. I have about a month to learn everything.

What I need to know is:

Equipment: what are the best kinds of shin guards and indoor shoes to get.

Training: Sprints or long distance? Crunches, pushups? What drills should i practice with the ball?

Soccer is my favorite sport to watch now, by far!
And I hope that I have as much fun playing as I do watching it.

Any responses will be greatly appreciated.

Edit: well, i guess it's actually my 3rd time to play, but 1st as a fan, and 1st time to take it seriously.

[socccer7]

first and foremost in order to play competitive futbol you will need to be fit. work on your footwork with a brazilian juggling ball or a tennis ball and you will find a normal soccer ball very easy to play with. First, concentrate on fitness though. Even if you have inferior touch, with your fitness you can pester superior teams and play them well. Good Luck!!!!!!

[snsj4]

Originally posted by socccer7
first and foremost in order to play competitive futbol you will need to be fit. work on your footwork with a brazilian juggling ball or a tennis ball and you will find a normal soccer ball very easy to play with. First, concentrate on fitness though. Even if you have inferior touch, with your fitness you can pester superior teams and play them well. Good Luck!!!!!!

were can I get the futbolito(Brazilian juggling ball)?

[spejic]

I'd geat heavy duty shin guards to start, and I would go to a soccer store to get the shoes. Each person has a best brand, as brands can have wide differences in width, comfort, weight and so on.

It's usually better to start as an outside defender. You get a better view of what's going on on the field and learn about how to position yourself. It's also where athletism can more easily make up for lack of skill. Do what other people tell you to do. Mostly you learn from playing, so just play. You will quickly see what things you need to work on.

[vakeeper22]

If you do long distance, go at a fast pace. Going slow for an hour won't help you very much.

[mojo_records]

pick up the book called 'high performance soccer'
it is a great book writin by some guy that used to play for the usa national team, i forgot his name tho. but i would pick it up if i were u, it will tell u differnt drills to do depending on wut aspect of ur game u want to work on. its just good.

[sonix5]

it might help to know what position you want to play but for fitness you should run long distance like a mile then do intervals like suicides or ladders or full field sprits whatever you wuld like to call them. and i would recomend working on the basics first dont try and get ahed of yourself and try to do more advanced things, and you should work on both feet beacuse since you are new by the time you get to a higher level you will be ahed of alot of people that can only use there dominate foot.