Types of Youth Soccer Camps

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For all soccer players wishing to develop their skills properly it is important to attend soccer camps. Camps vary depending on the different age and skill level a young soccer athlete is at in his/her life and should be chosen accordingly. It is important to remember that all youth athletic camps are a business and created to make a profit; with this being said, parents and athletes need to be very aware of their skill level in addition to what they want in exchange for paying for a camp. Wisely chosen soccer camps are based on these factors and will help the athlete get the most out of their experience. Most soccer camps that are worth attending will have a good reputation because of their professionalism as a business in that they are successful in their methods. The following are types of soccer camps for soccer players of various age ranges:

DAY CAMPS – Beginner to Intermediate

These types of camps are typically run for beginner soccer players to develop the most fundamental skills. The fact that they take place during the day helps most beginner soccer players, who are typically very young, adjust to the early games that will likely take place throughout their future career should they choose to travel. Additionally, they help young athletes who are not used to being away from home improve their skill level while still providing a fun environment to enjoy the basics of the game.

COMMUNITY CAMPS – Beginner to Intermediate

These camps are similar to day camps but typically cheaper as they are offered by many local soccer clubs in an attempt to promote youth soccer in the United States. Again, these are excellent for beginner players who want to learn the fundamentals of the game while still competing on a beginner’s level.

RESIDENTIAL/OVERNIGHT CAMPS – Intermediate to Advanced

Camps like these are typically for older, more advanced, and more knowledgeable soccer players. Athletes spend the night, are provided meals, and accommodated lodging at these camps. They can last from a weekend or a few days to up to three weeks at a time. Some advanced camps typically only involve travel players on premier, select, and Olympic Development Program teams. These types of camps are for the most committed and dedicated of soccer players who wish to take their skills to the next level. The athletes in these advanced camps are instructed on advanced skills and strategic intricacies of the game. There are some camps that even offer sports psychology training, nutrition advice, strength training, and college soccer camp connections.

SKILL SPECIFIC/POSITION CAMPS – Beginner to Advanced

Specialized camps like this are recognized as enjoyable and beneficial for almost all levels of soccer players but are typically very expensive. Camps geared towards beginners help them decipher what position is best for them based on their current skill set, which can be problematic for an athlete too young as he/she has not fully physically developed yet. However, they are still recommended because they provide specific skill sets not always taught in other beginner camps. As for intermediate/advanced athletes, these camps provide an opportunity for specifically targeted skills  to be improved based on a position the athlete has already established.

COLLEGE CAMPS – Advanced to Elite

Camps that take place on college campuses are typically run by coaches and players of the college team and are excellent opportunities for the most skilled athletes to display their talent. Most even offer the typical college experience in addition to the college level soccer demands on the field. A camp like this will strategically offer athletes help in areas beyond soccer like NCAA education (scholarships as well as rules/regulations), SAT/ACT prep, and admissions advice.

Keeping in mind an athlete’s skill set and age is vitally important to getting the best value out of any of these camps. Additionally, ones skill set will be most improved by competing with athletes that are on a similar talent level as they are. Attending soccer camps is crucial for youth development but parents and athletes must make sure that the proper camp is chosen. Recognizing that the types of soccer camps are not the only area of concern for athletes interested in improving their skill and attending camps, I will soon post more on how to choose a soccer camp.

REFERENCES

http://www.howtodothings.com/sports-recreation/how-to-choose-a-good-youth-soccer-camp

http://www.my-youth-soccer-guide.com/types-of-soccer-camps.html

Related articles

• Youth Soccer Drills & Skills : How to Make a Pass in Soccer (soccer-training-drills-blog.com)
• Soccer Dribbling Drills – How to be better at Soccer – The Soccer Essentials (soccer-training-drills-blog.com)
• At Home Soccer Skills and Drills: Exercise #7 – Advanced Drag Backs (soccer-training-drills-blog.com)
• Adult beginner soccer training/camps in the U.S.? (ask.metafilter.com)

Camp Spotlight: Ohio Wesleyan

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Related articles

• How to Prepare for a Soccer Camp (exactsports.com)
• Discovering the Value Of Camps (exactsports.com)
• How to Pick a College Soccer Camp (exactsports.com)

How to Prepare for a Soccer Camp

Now that you have learned about the value of a soccer camp and how to pick one, it’s time to explore how to prepare for one. EXACT has worked with coaches and players all over the nation, and we know that in order to get the most out of your camp experience you need to be prepared.  In this article, we will talk about what you can do before, during, and after the camp to maximize your experience and performance.

Not only is it important that you bring all the necessary items, but it is also important that you are physically and mentally ready for the camp. Whether it is a day camp or an overnight camp, you will often be training for several hours, multiple times a day. Those training sessions will, without a doubt, be both physically and mentally draining. Because of this, it is important to take care of your body before and during the camp.

Before the camp, make sure you eat properly and consume as much water as you can. Being properly hydrated and well rested will ensure that you start the camp with the energy that you need. You may also want to set aside some time to practice imagery and goal setting. What is it that you want out of this camp? What do you want to accomplish? Asking yourself these questions can help you focus on your goals and achieve them during the camp.

It is also important to prepare all of your equipment and belongings well beforehand. You don’t want to be stressed and rushing around to find your cleats 2 hours before the camp. Make a list of everything you need and prepare your bags the night before. It is usually a good idea to bring extra cleats and socks (in case it rains), multiple water bottles, snacks (for in between sessions), a soccer ball, and a writing utensil and paper (for meetings with coaches/trainers).

During the camp, be sure to stay as hydrated as possible. Soccer camps – especially those in the summer months – can dehydrate a player quickly (Mamula 2004, Walker et al 2004). Drinking water before, during, and after training sessions will not only prevent dehydration, but will also increase your endurance, decision-making skills and recovery time. Eating healthy snacks and meals as well as getting adequate rest will keep you in top physical condition throughout the camp.

Being hydrated and eating right are important elements of your performance, but don’t forget to include your mental training. Throughout the camp you should periodically review your goals and reevaluate or revise them as necessary. For example, if before the camp you set out to juggle the ball 20 times on your head, but just can’t seem to get there, you may need to bring your goal down to 10 head juggles, or try a different approach. Remember, the coaches and trainers are there to help you reach your goals. If you’re having trouble with a certain technique or drill, be sure to ask an instructor for clarification – this will help you get the most out your camp experience.

After the camp, continue to hydrate properly and eat healthy to help your body recover. Write down any comments or suggestions the coaches gave you during the camp. This will give you something to refer to when making new goals or trying a new skill. If you attended a recruiting camp, be sure to follow up with a thank you email or phone call to the coach. A soccer camp is a great opportunity to learn from exceptional coaches and improve your game. Following these simple tips will help you stay on top of your game and be better prepared for your next soccer camp!

References:

• Mamula, P.W. (2004) Dehydration risk during summer youth sports camps. Physician and Sportsmedicine. 32(7): 435
• Walker, S.M., Casa, D.J. FACSM; Levreault, M.L., Psathas, E., Sparrow, S.L., Decher, N.R. (2004) Children participating in summer soccer camps are chronically dehydrated. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 36(5):180-181

How to Pick a College Soccer Camp

FAU Assistant Coach Tom Newell teaching campers at EXACT Miami NPDC

The value of a college soccer camp is undeniable (see EXACT’s article Discovering the Value of Camps), but picking a college soccer camp can often seem confusing and complicated. There are many factors that can affect your camp experience, so where do you start? Fortunately, this comprehensive guide will take the stress out of picking the right college soccer camp for you!

There are many things to consider when looking for a college soccer camp. Things like duration, cost, coaches, and size can all vary depending on the college or the company hosting the camp. Depending on what you’re looking to get out of a college soccer camp, some camps are better than others. Typically, there are three main reasons players choose to attend a college soccer camp: 1. To improve their game, 2. To be evaluated, and 3. To be “discovered” by a college coach.

Players who want to improve their game should look for camps that offer intensive technical training and lots of one-on-one time with coaches. Look for soccer camps that specialize in specific positions as well. For instance, a goalkeeper will likely improve much more over a 3-day goalkeeper camp than a camp designed for field players. If your main interest is developing as a player, remember that time spent with quality coaches and competing against high-level players is invaluable.

If being evaluated by a college coach is the most important thing to you, make sure you attend a soccer camp early in your high school years. This gives you the chance to improve aspects of your game that may be weaker, and will help you evaluate potential college choices depending on your level. A camp that offers a low ratio of players to coaches, as well as a one-on-one meeting with a coach will be beneficial.

For players who want to be recruited and scouted at a college camp, it is important that they attend the camps of universities that they want to play at or with coaches they want to play for. In this situation, choosing a camp with a high number of players is not to your advantage, but is sometimes unavoidable. To help yourself stand out, make sure you contact the coach before the camp as well as introduce yourself at the camp. Be sure that the coach will be the one training you (often times colleges put on camps that are primarily run by the players). If you get a chance to talk with the coach in private, be sure to express your interest in the school and explain what makes you stand out from other players. After the camp, follow up with an email – this will keep your name fresh in the coach’s mind.

While most camps offer a mixture of these things, EXACT National Player Development Camps offer all of the above – a chance to work with top quality coaches from some of the most reputable and successful colleges in the U.S., mental training and evaluation, one-on-one meetings with coaches, 5:1 player to coach ratio, position-specific training, and a question and answer session with coaches. And while these are not recruiting camps, our unique approach ensures that players improve both mentally and technically while being able to meet, ask questions, and develop relationships with college coaches.

Remember, before picking a college soccer camp, make sure it is offering what you want. A college soccer camp is a great investment, but it can be a waste of time and money if it doesn’t meet your needs. Looking over a camp website or brochure will help you understand what is being offered and how it compares to other camps. Hopefully this guide will help you in your search to find the best college soccer camp for you!

For more information on training and camp opportunities with the NCAA/NAIA, as well as access to EXACT development tools, consider enrolling in the collegiate soccer contact database.

How to Master the Penalty Kick – Strategies for Shooters

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In the second installment of How to Master the Penalty Kick, we will discuss how shooters can prepare for and score a penalty kick. As mentioned in the previous article, penalty kicks are high-pressure situations and often have an impact on the outcome of the game. With the right instruction and practice, a player can become an expert penalty kick shooter no matter what pressure they’re under.

Mental toughness and coping is something we talk a lot about at EXACT. The ability to block out distractions and deal with pressure is invaluable to a penalty kick shooter. Since the goal area is 8 yards (7.32 meters) wide and 8 feet (2.44 meters) high, a penalty kick should be a fairly easy task for a shooter. And yet, almost 25% of penalty kicks in top male professional leagues are missed (McGarry & Franks 2000). What accounts for such a large percentage of missed shots? Many sport psychologists would agree that it is the psychological pressure and anxiety that the shooter experiences. Players that know how to cope with this pressure and remain confident are without a doubt better penalty kick shooters.

When top penalty kick shooters step up to the ball, I can assure you they are not thinking about the ball missing the net. They are visualizing where they want to put the ball while remaining calm. Practice these visualization techniques often – not just before the penalty kick. Always imagine yourself confidently walking up to the ball and hitting it away from the goalkeeper. Envision every detail about the kick – how you line up to kick it, how your foot feels when it hits the ball, and where the ball hits the net as it goes in. Using visualization techniques such as this will help you stay composed before the shot.

Along with the mental techniques, there is a large amount of research on the actual placement of the kick and what strategies to use. Research suggests that late alterations of kick direction increase errors and reduce accuracy (Van Der Kamp 2006). This means that changing your mind at the last second increases the chances of your shot being stopped. Unless the goalkeeper is standing considerably off-center (see How to Master the Penalty Kick Part I), don’t deviate from your original plan. A study by researchers at the University of Exeter (UK) also found that when anxious, a player will tend to fixate on threats – the goalkeeper, in this case – and shoot it right at them (Wilson et al 2009). “Research shows that the optimum strategy for penalty takers to use is to pick a spot and shoot to it, ignoring the goalkeeper in the process,” says the study’s author.

In addition to psychological pressure and shooting technique, you also have to be mindful that a goalkeeper will often try to read your body language to get a better idea of where you’re shooting. There are a couple of “tricks” that many elite players use to deceive the goalkeeper during a penalty shot. First, a goalkeeper will watch how you line up to kick the ball. Usually, a player who kicks with their right foot and lines up diagonally-left of the ball will shoot it across their body (left side of the net), and the opposite is true for a left footed kicker. To take this advantage away from the goalkeeper, try lining up directly behind the ball. It will take practice to get the power and accuracy, but will put the goalkeeper at a disadvantage. Goalkeepers will also look at your eye contact with the goal. Try to take short, brief looks at the goal – a long stare will help the goalkeeper guess where you are going as well as distract you. Even if the goalkeeper reads your body language and guesses right, most coaches and researchers agree that a well hit shot to the top and bottom corners are almost impossible for a goalkeeper to stop.

Using these tips and strategies will help you tremendously during a penalty kick, but in the end, practice is the most important thing. If you want to increase your success rate, take time everyday to practice your kick as well as your visualization skills. Practicing your mental skills and shooting techniques will help you become more confident and versatile when the game is on the line.

References:

• McGarry, T., & Franks, I.M. (2000) On winning the penalty shoot-out in soccer. Journal of Sports Sciences. 18(6):401–409.
• Van Der Kamp, J. (2006). A field simulation study of the effectiveness of penalty kick strategies in soccer: Late alteration of kick direction increase errors and reduce accuracy. Journal of Sports Sciences. 24:467–477
• Wilson, M.R., Wood, G., & Vine, S.J. (2009) Anxiety, attentional control, and performance impairment in penalty kicks. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology. 31:761-775