Long gone are the days when college soccer players spend all summer lifting weights and running but don’t see a soccer ball. Now, it’s expected that players are staying sharp technically, whether through playing on a team, in pickup games, or by training with the ball on their own.
While many college programs have always offered detailed strength training programs and specific fitness standards during the offseason, many now also provide guidance in terms of what technical skills players should work on, both general and/or position-specific.
Over the past few years, more than 120 college programs have been offering access to the Techne app for their players to stay sharp in the offseason. From highly-competitive Division I schools to small Division III programs, we work with coaches and players who value meaningful improvement and ongoing development.
Quality Time With The Ball
“At the level of the ACC and Division I soccer our players are expected to use 4-6 hours a week with the ball on a weekly basis. This is in addition to any summer training or games they may have with their respective WPSL teams, etc.,” says Randy Waldrum, head coach of the University of Pittsburgh women’s soccer team. “Some of this 4-6 hours of expectation may be with the app, and some is working on pieces of their game that they need to improve upon. Most of our players are playing in the summer and training with their summer team, so this 4-6 would be in addition to that.”
There are many college coaches who set more minimal standards for training, but across the board, coaches cite consistency and quality as key. Technical work, when attended to consistently, doesn’t need to be hugely time or energy-consuming for busy student athletes. Coach Vanessa Martinez Lagunas of the University of Manitoba expects her players to spend at least 30 minutes weekly using Techne as their guide.
Similarly, UT Dallas coach Kanute Drugan expects his players to invest a minimum of 30 minutes per week with the Techne app. After they concluded this most recent season undefeated in their conference, Drugan explains, “This 30-minute investment is on their own time. We directed the girls to focus on academics but encouraged them to maintain Techne as much as possible.”
Creating Ideas
Many top college players are already very adept at training on their own and have training routines they’ve followed for years. For these players, Techne can be used to keep that training fresh and add variety to their technical work. The app is also methodical, as well as an easy way to keep track of their training. Waldrum has his players spend 15 minutes on their technique, guided by the app, before training sessions. Helping players to get into quality training habits by consistently doing extra technical work has a significant cumulative effect come time for the season.
Martinez Lagunas expects her players to complete a full technical session every week. Variety and creativity are key for players training alone. The Techne app provides guided progressions that take the thought and stress out of players needing to plan these sessions.
Return From Injury
“We also have our injured players making their way back to full training using this app. I’ve found it to be a good tool for re-integrating them into training,” notes Waldrum. Before players are cleared for contact, there is a lot of work they can do on their own with the ball, which can help with the rehabilitation process, both mentally and physically. Many athletic trainers steer players towards Techne skill progressions to do on the side of the field during team training before they’re able to re-join. This can also be done throughout the offseason, so when players return to full contact they are technically sharp.
For players aspiring to play at the college level and beyond, attending to all areas of their game in addition to what they do with their teams is vital. Players can try a free week of the Techne app, which serves as a guide to make their time spent effective and fun.
Through our College Subscription and other group plans, we make Techne access affordable for academic institutions and clubs all over the world!
