Opening day!

[BigG]

Well, it is finally here! Good luck to all the teams. Thought we'd put a thread for comments on opening day! How did the first day of try outs go?

 

Off to school for time trials!

[dins8]

Our schedule:

 

Timed 2 mile: Kids must make it under 12 minutes--I am worried that some will not make it.

Small-sided games: I think it is the best way to determine the players' abilities because they get maximum touches on the ball.

 

We have very little drills on the first two days of tryouts because I like to see how well kids can think/play without heavy instruction.

 

Worries: Our numbers are down. We only have 41 trying out in comparison to the 50-60 in the past. I guess this makes the cutting process easier.

 

Good luck to all on the first day!

[anonymous12]

Our schedule:

 

Timed 2 mile: Kids must make it under 12 minutes--I am worried that some will not make it.

Small-sided games: I think it is the best way to determine the players' abilities because they get maximum touches on the ball.

 

We have very little drills on the first two days of tryouts because I like to see how well kids can think/play without heavy instruction.

 

Worries: Our numbers are down. We only have 41 trying out in comparison to the 50-60 in the past. I guess this makes the cutting process easier.

 

Good luck to all on the first day!

 

 

 

What school are these tryouts for?

[zizoufan]

Our schedule:

 

Timed 2 mile: Kids must make it under 12 minutes--I am worried that some will not make it.

 

 

 

I will bet that most of your 41 players will not be able to run 2 miles in under 12 minutes. I would be surprised if half can run one mile in under 6 minutes.

[MVM]

I will bet that most of your 41 players will not be able to run 2 miles in under 12 minutes. I would be surprised if half can run one mile in under 6 minutes.

 

You know your right and that goes for most squads.....but it's a great way to cull the herd. /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" />

[Welshdragon]

Our schedule:

 

Timed 2 mile: Kids must make it under 12 minutes--I am worried that some will not make it.

Small-sided games: I think it is the best way to determine the players' abilities because they get maximum touches on the ball.

 

 

What happens to the players who dont make the 2 mile run time.

[Coniglio]

Opening day consisted of a lot of painful warmups I'd rather not do again and a one hour session of dodging traffic.

[dins8]

I will bet that most of your 41 players will not be able to run 2 miles in under 12 minutes. I would be surprised if half can run one mile in under 6 minutes.

 

 

In all my years coaching, I have never had a varsity player not make a six minute mile--I used this as my fitness test for years. This was my first year going w/ 2 miles under twelve, and--you are right--I had quite a few not make it.

 

Welsh--to answer your question, I am not sure what I will do for the players who didn't make it. Like I said, I have never had a varsity player not make his time w/ the mile under 6, so this is a bit of a curve ball. Maybe I was aiming too high. I think Big G also uses the 2 under 12, right?

[BigG]

In all my years coaching, I have never had a varsity player not make a six minute mile--I used this as my fitness test for years. This was my first year going w/ 2 miles under twelve, and--you are right--I had quite a few not make it.

 

Welsh--to answer your question, I am not sure what I will do for the players who didn't make it. Like I said, I have never had a varsity player not make his time w/ the mile under 6, so this is a bit of a curve ball. Maybe I was aiming too high. I think Big G also uses the 2 under 12, right?

 

I did last season... I had 5 make a 12 minute 2 mile and then 6 minute 1 mile. The others finished around 12:30 to 12:45. This year, I decided to go to 13 minute 2 mile and then a 15 minute break from the time the last player finishes. Then, they must complete a 6 minute 1 mile. They are allowed 3 attempts. If they do not make the times, they are still able to make the team, but they are required to attend "fitness sessions" (outside of regular practice) and then attempt the runs again. They cannot start until they complete the sessions.

 

I know this might seem harsh, but I don't want to waste the first month of my practice getting the boys in shape, when they can do this on their own in the off season. 90% of my boys made it, and the ones that didn't are willing to go that extra mile to get in the shape that I need them to be in. With the kind of schedule we play, we have no time to goof off. We have Farragut in a week. Then McCallie and Bearden. We end our preseason with Knox West. It is going to be tough, but I want to play the best to prepare for season.

 

Our keepers must run an 8 minute mile, but then complete some core work outs and side sprints (simulating crossing the goal mouths).

 

It has worked for me. It might not work for every program.

[soccerrules25]

In all my years coaching, I have never had a varsity player not make a six minute mile--I used this as my fitness test for years. This was my first year going w/ 2 miles under twelve, and--you are right--I had quite a few not make it.

 

Welsh--to answer your question, I am not sure what I will do for the players who didn't make it. Like I said, I have never had a varsity player not make his time w/ the mile under 6, so this is a bit of a curve ball. Maybe I was aiming too high. I think Big G also uses the 2 under 12, right?

 

 

 

Wow! Are you guys trying to run kids off. Wonder what the timed runs are for Baseball, Basketball, and Football. I thought this was Soccer not Cross Country.

 

What if a kid is Powerful and explosive, but just not a good long distance runner? Would you really not want him on your team.

 

I can see one six minute mile, but 2 miles in 12 minutes seems very tough.

 

Just food for thought.

[BigG]

Wow! Are you guys trying to run kids off. Wonder what the timed runs are for Baseball, Basketball, and Football. I thought this was Soccer not Cross Country.

 

What if a kid is Powerful and explosive, but just not a good long distance runner? Would you really not want him on your team.

 

I can see one six minute mile, but 2 miles in 12 minutes seems very tough.

 

Just food for thought.

 

All the sports you mentioned aren't high on 80 minutes of constant running (with sprints interspersed).

 

The reason I tried the 12 minute 2 mile was that I had to do that both in high school and in college (as a soccer player) and I wanted to see if my boys could do it too. I found that several can, some came close, but others couldn't. I talked to our track coach and several conditioning coaches, and asked what a good time was for me to expect these boys to come into season. They said that for 2 miles, a 13:00 to 13:30 is good, then a 15 minute break, followed by a 6:00 mile. They said that as the distance decreases, the pace should increase.

 

It is said that an average soccer player sprints 5 miles in a 90 minute game. I want my players capable of playing a full 80 minutes without needing a sub.

 

And running is one of the easiest ways to see who is willing to go the extra mile (yes, pun intended). Cuts are hard enough, but running is totally objective (and not subjective).

 

Dins... I came up with the "fitness sessions" as a result of the same quandry you are facing right now... what to do with the guys who don't make the time, but are good soccer players. It also "rewards" those players who worked hard all off season, because if they make the time, they are "one and done". By requiring the fitness practices, the players who didn't make the times will still be able to make the team (and save a great player) but also get in the shape that you were wanting them to be in in the first place. Those players who say, "forget it"? Well, that isn't the kind of player that I want to work with anyway (though absolutely no player has said that to me in the past 15 years of my coaching).

 

Soccerrules, this actually is cross country, just with a ball at your feet! /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" />

[Coniglio]

Hehe. Oh whats wrong with your team G? I dropped a 15:30 for 3 all at once! /biggrin.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" /> /biggrin.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" /> /tongue.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":P" border="0" alt="tongue.gif" />