Growing up, I was involved in many different sports and
soccer was one of the biggest ones. In second grade I made the switch from
soccer to football and kind of regretted it. That’s why I chose the book “Soccer
Strategies,” by Ace McCloud. I have an athletic background so my footwork is
good, but that’s only the basics that’s needed to become a successful soccer
player. I’m not trying to be the next Cristiano Ronaldo, but being able to
impress my family and friends who are soccer lovers would be pretty cool. The book
“Soccer Strategies,” claims to have “The Top 100 Best Ways to Improve Your
Soccer Game.” Having this on the cover really caught my eye and it seemed to be
exactly what I needed.
The
first strategy the book lists is the endurance of the player. Page 13 tells us
that it is highly recommended that players have an activity outside of soccer
that keeps them in shape and conditioned (McCloud 13). Luckily for me, I play
basketball at Kentridge. Coach Jamison doesn’t take conditioning lightly, and
has us run for very long periods of time. This is a bonus for me because my
endurance and stamina will most likely be higher than someone else that didn’t
play a sport in the off season.
Ace
McCloud also offers helpful YouTube links that give a visual representation of
great workouts that can be done to improve your endurance. One example of Ace’s
helpful tips also comes from page 13, when he says “Here is a good YouTube
video from MOVE-MENT you can check out called: Run Faster in one week! DO
THIS!!!” (McCloud 13). I’ve only been doing these workouts for a few days
but I’m already starting to see some results. I’ve become quicker on feet and
have started coming in first during conditioning at basketball practice.
So far,
this book has taught me many things that are needed to become a better soccer
player. It covers everything from what you eat, your mentality, physical
abilities, and drills that will help you become better with dribbling and
shooting.
What do you guys do to stay in shape and maintain endurance? Is soccer one of the most popular sports at Kentridge? Slide your opinion in my comments👍
McCloud, Ace. Soccer Stategies. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.
