Youth Soccer: From Science to Performance

by Thomas Reilly, Dave Richardson, Gareth Stratton, A. Mark Williams

Overview

As the adult game has increased in popularity, youth soccer has also seen significant expansion in recent years. The popularity of the youth game is set to continue. Young boy and girl players wish to emulate professional soccer stars and the professional game, often with long-term financial rewards in mind, is increasingly keen to develop young talent.

Applied sports science is now a well-established feature of the adult game but the sports science that supports modern football does not translate directly into the youth game. The coaches of young players need specific information about children. Themes explored in this text include:

• growth of physiological systems
• development of motor and perceptive skills
• paediatric environmental physiology
• prevention of injury
• diet and nutrition
• youth fitness and skills training
• effective teaching and coaching of juniors
• the role of football academies.

Youth Soccer: From Science to Performance blends current child-focused sports science theory with youth-specific coaching practice to help create soccer development strategies for children. It promotes knowledge and understanding in all these areas and will further professional expertise amongst coaches who wish to develop the all year round potential of youth soccer players and train the stars of the future.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780415286626
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	09/16/2004
Pages:	232
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)

About the Author

Thomas Reilly, Dave Richardson, Gareth Stratton, A. Mark Williams

Table of Contents

1. An Introduction to the science of youth soccer 2. The growth of the physiological systems 3. Environmental factors in youth soccer 4. Injury in youth soccer players 5. The young female soccer player 6. Developing fitness in the young soccer player 7. Nutrition for young soccer players 8. Acquiring soccer skills: Effective practice and instruction 9. Perceptual and cognitive expertise: Developing game intelligence 10. The science of pedagogy and youth soccer coaching 11. Psychosocial considerations of elite youth player development 12. The role of the football academy.

Editorial Reviews

'...an excellent resource for coaches and students and I see a real need for it in today's game. It does a great job of combining science with real-life coaching examples - for young soccer players.' - David Weir, Everton Football Club

'...it would be impossible to find a more respected group of authors for a text of this nature...'
- Rick Fenoglio, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, Manchester Metropolitan University, and former Director of Strength and Conditioning, Bisham Abbey.

'If clubs and especially the coaches and all other individuals involved in youth soccer adapt the principles outlined in Youth Soccer: From Science to Performance, the team would not only have technically gifted, but also physically and emotionally equipped well rounded home grown players. I certainly recommend the book, and if in doubt, just start reading the introduction and you'll probably find it hard to put the book down.' - Lars B. Dahlin, Idrottsforum.org

'I certainly recommend the book, and if in doubt, just start reading the introduction and you'll probably find it hard to put the book down.' - Lars B. Dahlin, Idrottsforum.org

From the Publisher