Soccer coaching tips to improve reaction times
One of the ways to improve the reaction times of young soccer (football) players is to play a training match in which you stop the game every five minutes and get the players to look around them and see what is going on.
Boost players' reaction times
A quick reaction is often due to a player having already visualised and worked out how to deal with a situation. In which case, it is always worth painting pictures during your soccer coaching drill sessions.
With very young players you can ask them simple questions such as, ‘Who knows what the score is?
Other questions you can ask your players are:
- Where are you on the pitch?
- What is the opposition doing or likely to do?
- Are we winning or losing?
- Who knows how much time is left in the game?
- Where is the ball coming from? Open play, goal kick, throw in?
Ask your young soccer (football) players to comment on how they might deal with each situation.
In this way players become more aware of what is going on and therefore learn to react to the situations in a match quicker.
Click here for more small-sided soccer games to help develop your players' skills by ordering a copy of 64 Small-Sided Soccer Games by Michael Beale, Chelsea FC academy coach.
Click here for a soccer drill to speed up your players' reaction times.
Soccer coaching tips
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