Is johns Hopkins a D1 team or less. I seem to remember it is a D2 or D-3 team. Also it was very hard to get a full financial aid package from them. Soccer related? What does that mean run only when you have the ball? You still have to run when you don't have the ball. To do that the player has to push themselves to do it.
This sort of soccer specific running would incorporate game speed, short-sided games in a small area, using either full size goals with gk's or small goals (or no goals in the case of possession type games) always with a ball involved. A favorite of mine and one the players love is to play 7 v 7 or 8 v 8 possession game in half a field. Players can use as many touches as they like but only score a "point" for each one touch pass. First team to reach 50 "points" wins. Plenty of running in this game.
He's talking about the coach not having his player put on their track shoe and do sprints or miles to get their fitness levels up. Their fitness level can be increased by doing soccer related activities that involve the soccer ball on the field.
nicklaino A even better activity of increasing fitness playing a 6-goal game that is 30-40 yards in width and 30-40 in length, with 3 goals on each side in a 4v4 or 4v4+1(neutral). This activity improves the fitness level because of the amount of short and sharp movement and long movement required and the quick transitions from O to D and from switching the attack from one side of the field to the other. And having to defend that switch also.
One sign of fitness is amount of sweating, especially in younger kids. A lot of sweat = lack of fitness, for the same level of effort. Any player between 10 and 15 who is sweating like a guilty con under a lamp is not fit, period. And NFN, running does help fitness. But you have to understand that serious soccer players should be doing mostly soccer training, maybe 10 hours per week by age 12, and then some speed, agility, quickness (SAQ) training *without the ball* as well. Too much paranoia about practicing without the ball. Yeah, I guess if you are only doing 4 hours of exercise per week, it should all be soccer-related, but that is way too little for a serious player.
Well, you did ask my thoughts. Borderline child abuse? Training to get the child "fit" is now considered borderline child abuse? Someone call the police because my husband is at the gym with my daughter!