US Sports Wrestling: 5 Wrestling Drills That You Can Do at Home and 57kg Luke Lilledahl vs Liam Cronin 2025 US Open Final

 Politically incorrect? Guilty! Now Streaming On US Sports Radio.

• By Owen Reilly

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Without a partner or mat, improving your wrestling skills can seem almost impossible. However, because of the various skills needed to succeed in wrestling, many different drills can be done at home without the need for a practice partner or a mat.

These drills, although done alone, must be done with intent and intensity to achieve the greatest improvement in your skills. In this blog, we review 5 drills that can be done alone, at home, and with minimal equipment.

5. Stance and Motion Drill

The Stance and Motion Drill can be done anywhere, any place, and anytime. The drill involves getting into a proper wrestling stance and mirroring movements you would perform in a match. While doing this, you can also incorporate shots and sprawls to increase endurance and develop more than just your stance. This drill also allows you to work on your level-changing ability and feints. Completing several rounds of moving in your stance for 2-5 minutes with roughly 20-30 seconds of rest in between each round is a great way to prepare for and simulate matches.

4. Spin-Drills

Spin drills emulate the movements necessary to score a go-behind after a strong sprawl or snap down. To complete the drill, sprawl on a yoga ball or something similar and use your legs to continuously spin yourself around the object in a circular motion. Continue to keep your weight on the ball or object when spinning to properly simulate the go-behind. Not only does this drill improve your ability to chase the back in a front head-lock or sprawl position, but it will also greatly develop your endurance and leg strength. 30 to 90-second rounds (depending on your endurance and experience level) with 10 to 15 seconds of rest in between provides both a good workout and allows you to optimize your ‘go-behind movement.’

3. Hip-Heist Drills

These drills work the move that it is named after; the ‘hip-heist.’ To complete this drill, a wall or stationary, flat surface is required. Ideally, this would also be done on grass or carpet, but it can be done on harder surfaces if you are willing to endure a few scrapes. To perform the drill, get into a knee slide position and press your back up against a flat, sturdy surface. This mimics the pressure that an opponent will give you in a match. Once you are in this position, kick your folded knee out and flip your hits so that you are facing the wall. This drill will greatly refine your ability to escape the opponent from the bottom position while also serving as endurance training.

2. Stand-Up Drills

Stand-up drills allow you to work on your stand-ups from the bottom at home and without a partner. This can be done using a wall to emulate the pressure that an opponent may give or you can do this completely unassisted to work through the movements of a stand-up. To complete the drill, start in a bottom wrestling position and work to a knee slide position. Once you are here stand up and simulate fighting grips that an opponent may use to mat-return you. Finish the stand-up through and turn to face your imaginary opponent. Repeat this move several times and your stand-up ability will greatly improve. This move also works to increase your endurance through repetition. 

1. Bridging Drills

Bridging, either with your neck or back, can be done from nearly any location with solid ground. Doing so imitates bridging out of a position where you are in danger of being pinned and subsequently losing the match. The drill is a simple one that consists of lying flat on your back and using your neck to lift your shoulders, back, and legs off of the ground. You should have three points of contact with the ground (your neck and two feet) with much of your weight resting on your neck. Doing so greatly increases your neck strength and flexibility. This drill is a great one to do at home and betters one of the most crucial aspects of someone's wrestling game; defense while on your back. 

As stated earlier, these drills should be done intensely as you do not have a practice partner to push you. If done correctly, these drills allow you to become a better wrestler with minimal equipment at home. Utilizing these drills will give you an edge in matches and allow you to outwork those who are only wrestlers in the wrestling room. Click the link below to check out more beginner, intermediate, and advanced wrestling drills that can exponentially increase your abilities. 

Tiger Style Wrestling Drills.

                        

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The Rock Almighty: The growing wrangle between humanity and ideology. And Thermonuclear Spiritual Warfare Is On!

 The Rock Almighty Shaker Of Heaven And Earth. Now Streaming On US Sports Radio

 

• Author Ekua Botchwey

These two phenomena, humanity and ideology, clearly form our world, with one holding or being the matrix of the other. Truly, humanity is the origin of all ideologies. The ideas and systems that form the premise of every aspect of our lives as humans, our culture, beliefs, politics, society, economy, religion, and more. Where would therefore all our ideas and systems be without the human race?

In our 21st century, humanity is faced with challenging crises affecting every nation of the world, due to its own progeny, that is, the many ideologies we form from different regions of the globe. The human race, our qualities and characteristics as people (the state of being or showing compassion, love, kindness, or sympathy towards others, animals, or even the environment we live in), are being eroded every smallest unit of time by different ideas and systems that have been or are being developed by ourselves.

Ideology is the blueprint for making or unmaking a human race. Humanity, therefore, immured by various emerging ideologies that are crippling the freedom of human life and its existence, should be looked at and this such cancer removed before we lose ourselves and the generations to come. It manifests into shades, good and bad. Upon these two shades are what our basic existence as humans is run, the embodiment of our beliefs, principles, and attitudes that define or are attributed to persons or a particular group of persons seen to them as the right course to existence as far as we are humans. I am talking about ideologies like communism, environmentalism, black lives matter, artificial intelligence, islamophobia, feminism, liberalism, fascism, conservatism, white supremacy, anti-semitism, dictatorship, democracy, jihadism, racism, Zionism, nationalism, sexism, and more.

What makes an ideology good or bad?

The coups in the West African region, the Israel-Hamas war, the many assassination attempts on some presidents of some countries, and the mass immigration crisis that is swallowing Europe, the US, and the UK are some of the dilemmas the world is being faced with.

If an ideology lacks the moral capability and the essence to support the existence of human life, race, culture, and where it originates from, then we can clearly admit that it is a bad ideology. Interestingly, ideology in our recent times has found itself in many internal wrangles. For example, communism against democracy has deprived people's rights and resources to stand for the right course and even brought divisions amongst nations, who are supposed to have one vision of protecting our world and the human race.

Where is the wrangle between humanity and ideology?

The many ideologies formed all over the world, borne in conflicts, wars, racism, governance, gender inequality, religion, social justice, terrorism, genocide, international relations, criminology, and more, are prevailing evidence of how humanity is struggling to thrive in our time. The many different opinions held or practiced by some groups have eroded our common sense and responsibility to humanity. The need to come to an agreement to create policies, make investments, and unite the world against anything that has the potential to destroy humanity should be our focus. The wrangle now is that the supremacy of our ideas and principles we form to guide us as people and inhabitants of this planet has overridden our basic essence as humans. There is no love, empathy, or kindness for one another or the world. This is due to our individual selfishness and the hype given to the different ideologies we hold. For example, racism does not care about one's right to be treated equally, the fear of Jews and Arabs to live peacefully due to religious ideologies, the lack of concern for investing in climate change issues, and the need for global conflict resolution other than sponsoring wars. These are a few proofs of how humanity has been left struggling.

What do we do?

The United Nations’ summit of the future, September 2024, focused on the ways to sustain the human race and everything associated with it. The leaders of the world therefore need to come together to champion policies and systems that support the total safety of human life. Countermeasures should be established to systematically eradicate various ideologies that do not support our basic right to life and a safe future.

The world seems to be absentminded about how influential an ideology is, which has the possibility of gradually drowning humanity. Let's all wake up and stop this cancer before it leaves our world divided with conflicts.

I stand for the protection of the human race; love, peace, kindness, and empathy shown to all manner of persons, where humanity wins over ideology.

Ekua is a Public Servant and obtained her Master of Science in Business Consulting and Enterprise Risk Management from KNUST

All kids deserve a chance to play #YouthSports – 
regardless of their ability. Help expand inclusive programs as part of 
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US Sports Volleyball: Volleyball Passing Drills to Win More Matches and Finals Game 2 - Trentino vs. Lube | Superlega 2025

 Lebron Out? NBA Playoffs Worth Watching? Now Streaming On US Sports Radio!

• By Jackson Chlebowy

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Passing wins games. Whether you're a coach designing a volleyball practice plan, a player working on consistency, or a parent helping your child develop core volleyball skills, strong passing is the foundation for success on the volleyball court.

In this article, Coach Charlene Johnson Tungaloa from Drills and Kills shares foundational volleyball passing drills from her course ‘Indoor Volleyball Essentials’ for players of all levels. These expert-curated drills will help your athletes improve their form, footwork, and passing accuracy over time.

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Why Passing Matters in Volleyball

In volleyball, the first contact after a serve sets the tone for the entire rally. An accurate pass allows your setter to control the offense, whether you're coaching club athletes in California or running volleyball drills for middle school students in Ohio. 

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Key Volleyball Passing Fundamentals

1. Face the Server

Every pass begins with body positioning. Make sure your shoulders and hips are square to the server. This puts you in the best position to read the ball and react quickly.

2. Platform to Target

Your platform, formed by your forearms, should control the direction of the ball. While your body faces the server, your arms must angle the pass toward your setter or center target.

3. Stay Low and Ready

Keep your hips low and feet shoulder-width apart. A stable lower body helps you absorb the ball’s momentum and control your pass. This stance is essential for all levels, from beginners to advanced players.

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Volleyball Passing Drills

1. Basic Passing Drill: Straight-On Serve

This foundational drill is great for warm-ups and introductory training. It’s also frequently used in volleyball drills for middle school athletes learning proper positioning.

Start in a balanced, ready stance

- Keep your body low

- Receive a straight serve or toss

- Use your platform to direct the ball straight to the target

This drill reinforces the habit of minimal movement and clean platform angles—critical components of every solid volleyball pass.

2. Off-Center Passing Drill

Learning how to pass balls to your left or right is an important next step.

- For a ball to your left, get your right arm down first, then bring your hands together

- For a ball to your right, lead with your left arm

- Do not swing your arms—just angle and control

3. The Russian Passing Drill

The Russian Passing Drill is a high-tempo, movement-focused drill used to improve backcourt footwork, reaction speed, and platform control under pressure. It’s excellent for older players and can be adapted for advanced middle school and high school teams.

Here’s how it works:

- One player starts in a ready position

- A partner or coach tosses balls deep and to the sides of the passer

- The passer must shuffle back quickly, staying low, keeping shoulders forward, and passing the ball under control

- The tosser increases difficulty as the passer improves

- Focus is on quick feet, body control, and consistent platform angles

This drill builds intensity and grit while reinforcing the technical foundation taught in simpler passing drills. Include it later in practice sessions once players are warmed up and technically sharp. You can find more fundamental drills and skills from Coach Megan Brown in her course 'Drills for 7th Grade Through Varsity'.

4. Directional Passing Drill

To simulate game-like conditions, have players practice passing from different areas of the court.

- On the left-back side: body faces the server, platform angles right

- On the right-back side: body still faces the server, platform angles left

This drill helps players develop directional awareness and build consistency regardless of court position.

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Strength and Stability for Passing

Strength is a key part of passing. Strong legs and a stable core help players stay low, resist fatigue, and maintain control throughout long matches.

Consider adding these exercises to your volleyball practice plan:

- Wall sits

- Bodyweight squats

- Lateral lunges

- Quick shuffle footwork drills

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Coaching Tips for Teaching Passing

Whether you're working with beginners or elite players, keep your coaching cues simple and repeatable:

- Face the server

- Angle the platform to the setter

- Stay low and centered

- Avoid excess movement or arm swinging

These coaching points can be used across every level of your volleyball practice plan.

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Where to Use These Drills

These volleyball passing drills are flexible and can be adapted to different training environments:

Indoors with a partner or coach

- At home, using a wall

- Outdoors on grass or a driveway

- In structured practices or clinics

Whether you're developing youth athletes or competitive club players, consistency is key—reps build results.

Want to help kids stick with sports? Prioritize fun and
 #PhysicalActivity over competition in #YouthSports programs. Learn more
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US Sports Softball: How to Create Runs on the Softball Basepaths and #1 Oklahoma vs #7 Florida Highlights

Going, Going, Gone! And More Excitement From The College World Series And More! Now Streaming On US Sports Radio

• By Grant Young

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Because the bases in softball are 60 feet away from each other, there’s a common misconception that softball baserunning isn’t as important a part of the game as hitting, fielding, or pitching. 

Yet, any coach who believes that’s true is doing themselves a disservice when it comes to maximizing their own team’s potential. 

A softball team’s ability to run the bases well can spell the difference between winning and losing. And because softball is a game of inches, learning how to teach and practice the fine details of baserunning (such as being able to slide effectively, crafting ways to score from third base, and communication between coaches and baserunners (and between baserunners and other baserunners)) could steal your team some wins throughout the course of a season; especially in the postseason, when the margin between teams is often minuscule.

And Wade Womack knows this better than just about anyone else. 

Coach Womack has been a head coach of various high school women’s softball programs for over two decades and has been running the Dripping Springs High School’s softball program in Dripping Springs, Texas, for over 10 years alone. Coach Womack has guided two teams to the State Tournament at Medina Valley and won the State Championship in 2007. 

This past 2024 softball season, Coach Womack’s Dripping Springs team won the 6A District 26 Championship. Head coach Wade Womack was named the district’s Coach of the Year. 

Coach Womack believes that the secret to his sustained success has been the advantage his teams have over opponents on the basepaths. He imparted a few of his best baserunning lessons and insights in his ‘Creating Havoc on the Basebaths & Other Philosophies’ course from the Texas High School Coaches Association. This course is a gold mine for any softball coach who wants to turn their team’s baserunning into a lethal winning weapon.

15 Ways a Runner Can Score From Third

While Coach Womack noted that there are probably some ways a runner can score on third that he missed, the fact that there are 15 is pretty astounding. In fact, we’ll note that Coach Womack missed a balk, so there are at least 16 ways a runner can score from third.

But Coach Womack’s 15 ways are: base hit (including single, double, and a triple), sacrifice fly, passed ball, wild pitch, obstruction, suicide squeeze, safety squeeze, fielder’s choice, straight steal of home, delayed steal of home, error off a batted ball, catcher overthrows pitcher after the pitch, catcher throws ball away on attempted pickoff, 1st and 3rd base strategies/set plays, and bases loaded walk/hit by pitch. 

And the reason Coach Womack brings these up are to highlight the importance of getting runners over to third base. Especially for a team that is more focused on creating contact and playing small ball as opposed to driving the ball out of the yard, a main focus of yours should be getting runners over to third base at all costs. 

Especially in the game’s lower levels, where mistakes among fielders and pitchers are more common, getting a runner to third base is nearly as good as scoring them outright. 

4 Bag Fly Ball Base Running and Communication Drill

In his course, Coach Womack details a drill that he likes to use to instill proper base running techniques and outfield communication among his players. He calls it the 4 bag fly ball base running and communication drill.

It begins with players starting at all four bases. From there, the drill starts with the runner at home running out a ground ball to first then turning inside after hitting the bag, in order to assess whether one of the middle infielders is being lazy and allowing an opportunity to steal second. 

After that, the runner who started on first will simulate a fly ball getting hit, where they get halfway to second base and watch to see whether or not the ball is caught. 

After that rep, the runners at second will practice tagging up and heading to third. When the ball is hit or thrown into the outfield, the runner will watch the ball with their drive foot always pointing to the next bag. As soon as the ball is caught, the runner should tag up and go for third. 

And the runner at third base will tag up and advance in the same way when it’s their turn. 

In addition, Coach Womack notes that while doing this drill, he’s hitting the fly balls between outfielders in two positions (ideally center and right field), and having them practice communication with one another.

Sliding

Coach Womack notes that learning how to slide properly is not only a crucial part of being a good team on the base paths, but it’s also integral to keeping your players safe.

One of Coach Womack’s rules is that players are not to slide head first into home plate under any circumstance. He also notes that coaches should be instructing players to slide to the outside of every bag, in order to best avoid the tag during a throw.

The one exception to this is if the runner is sliding into second base and the second baseman is coming toward the bag to cover. In this situation, the runner will likely want to slide toward the inside of second base in order to be as far away from that tag as possible. 

Another reason to slide to the outside of home plate is because, even if the catcher is obstructing the bag, that call rarely gets made (especially at the high school level). 

Incorporating these tools from Coach Womack is a great way to improve your team’s baserunning and begun running your way to wins.

US Sports Golf: Two Main Principles For Improving Your Golf Short Game and Analyzing 81-team field for 2025 NCAA Division I men’s golf regionals

The Coolest Sports, Talk, Music, and Fun. Nothing Like It. Now Streaming On US Sports Radio!

• By Grant Young

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The short game in golf can be the most challenging aspect of the sport for many players. While hitting long drives off the tee may seem impressive, it's the finesse and precision required for chipping and putting that can truly make or break a golfer's game. Mastering the short game demands a great deal of skill, touch, and concentration. 

Unlike the full swing, which allows for some margin of error, the short game requires a high level of consistency and control. Ultimately, success in golf often comes down to proficiency in the short game, and those who can excel in this area are likely to see significant improvements in their overall performance on the course.

And when done well, the short game can be golf’s most satisfying aspect. Successfully executing a delicate chip shot to get the ball close to the pin or sinking a long putt can bring about a sense of achievement that is hard to replicate in other aspects of the game. The short game also offers opportunities for creativity, as players can employ various techniques and strategies to navigate around hazards and onto the green. 

Additionally, the short game often plays a crucial role in determining a player's overall score, making every successful chip, pitch, or putt feel like a significant accomplishment.

All of which is to say that it’s worthwhile to try and improve your short game. And online golfing coach legend Gary Wiren is here to help you do so. 

Coach Wiren is a member of six Golf Halls of Fame, including the PGA Hall of Fame and the World Golf Teachers Hall of Fame, and has honorary memberships or distinguished service recognition from Sweden, Italy, New Zealand, and Japan. Wiren was a collegiate conference champion, won the South Florida Seniors PGA title, and the South Florida long-driving championship, played in the USGA Senior Open and the PGA Senior Championship and has won the World Hickory Championship. 

Coach Wiren’s ‘Great Golf Drills Vol. 2 - The Short Game featuring Dr. Gary Wiren’ course will teach you which shots to play in different situations, how to develop the touch necessary for a great short game, and will help you to learn the correct principles of practicing the short game and dramatically lower your scoring average.

Dialing For Distance

The first (and most crucial) point when deciding which clubs to use when attempting to land a shot on the green is knowing how far away you are from the hole. 

The best way to do this is with experience. The more you’re out on the golf course, the better you’ll be at gauging distance. But if you’re relatively new to golf, a great way to know is by using the yardage markers placed along the length of the hole. Better yet, if you have access to a yardage book for a template for the gold course you’re at, this can be an incredibly useful tool. 

Once you calculate an estimated range from your ball to the hole, you’ll want to have a good understanding of how far back you want to take your swing. For example, if you’re ten yards away from the hole, you’ll want to swing so that your club head goes about parallel to your knee during your backswing. If you’re about 20 yards away, your backswing will be around parallel to your hip. A 35-yard chip shot will make your backswing go about to your bicep, and so on. 

Again, repetition is paramount when it comes to deciding which club to use. This is where getting reps in on the driving range is vital because you can test shots and distances with each club to see which best suits you at each distance. It would also be wise to keep a notebook, telling you which clubs you like at certain distances. 

The Right Direction in Chipping

One drill that Coach Wiren loves to utilize when helping students with their chipping direction is placing a club on the ground next to their ball that can help them line their shot up, so they can see where the club of their swing goes through to the target. 

After doing this for enough repetitions, students should be able to envision that imaginary club on the ground while they’re playing, which will be useful in lining up a straight shot. 

Coach Wiren suggests that, when it comes to knowing where the ball should be positioned between your legs when taking a shot, what you can do is stick a tee in the tops of your club’s grip, place it in front of your sternum, and look downwards. The tee should be about ½ inch in front of where you see the ball on the ground beneath it. If that’s where it is, your ball is in the correct position. 

Principles For Putting

Coach Wiren explains how there are main principles for putting success:

1. Stroke Mechanics 

This is essentially learning to swing the putter smoothly, like a pendulum swing. This can be learned in a week.

2. Reading the green

Learning how to accurately read a green can take a lifetime, but some tips Coach Wiren is to imagine that every putt is a straight putt in your mind. In other words, if the green has a slope, you should be still executing a straight putt that accounts for the slope and any other factors that will affect how the ball travels. 

He also goes on to note that reading the green is also about pace, which means gauging how hard to hit the ball. While this will take time and experience, imagining a straight line in your head can improve how well you’re able to read the green.

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US Sports Ice Hockey: Strength and Conditioning for Ice Hockey: Building the Complete Athlete and NHL Playoff Highlights Oilers vs. Kings Gm 5

 Playoff Fever. Now Streaming On US Sports Radio!

• By Jackson Chlebowy

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Ice Hockey is one of the most demanding sports in the world. It requires players to be explosive yet controlled, powerful yet mobile, and intensely focused while under pressure. Not only do you need to have all of these skills to be a good player, but you need to know how to utilize them at high intensity shift after shift.

While developing skating, shooting, and game senses will ultimately elevate your game, it's the off-ice training that gives players that extra edge over their competitors and allows them to reach their full playing potential. This is why it is crucial to start putting serious thought into how you train your body for the hockey season.

A thoughtfully designed strength and conditioning program tailored toward hockey-specific skills and muscle movements can make the difference between playing top-line minutes and riding the pine. Not only will a hockey workout program improve your performance, but it will also better prepare your body for competition and reduce injury risk.

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Why Off-Ice Training Is Essential for Hockey Players

All of the core hockey skills, like skating, shooting, and battling for pucks require a mix of strength, endurance, and balance. Because hockey is uniquely played on ice, it's not just about being athletic, it's about applying your physical skills in a way that transfers to the ice.

A strong off-ice hockey training program should cover all of the following core groups:

- Explosive lower-body power for acceleration and strong strides

- Core strength and stability for balance, body control, and shot power

- Upper-body and grip strength for puck battles and physical play

- Conditioning that mimics game demands—Short, high-intensity bursts to mimic a 30-60 second shift.

- Mobility and recovery strategies to prevent injuries and enhance longevity

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Components of Hockey Strength Training

1. Lower Body Power and Skating Efficiency

Strong glutes, quads, and hamstrings are essential to producing a long and powerful stride. Compound lifts like squats and deadlifts are great ways to improve muscle strength. Combine traditional lifts with explosive movements like box jumps, short sprints, and lateral bounds to help build up explosiveness that translates directly to skating.

Recommended Lower Body Exercises 

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2. Core Training

No, we’re not training our core to look good for the ladies this offseason. Your core helps stabilize your spine during hits and battles to stay balanced and helps generate torque for your shot.  The best training programs utilize anti-rotational, anti-extension, and dynamic core exercises like single-leg deadlifts, pallof press, and planks (and plank variations).

Recommended Core Exercises

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3. Upper Body Strength 

Strong shoulders and good grip strength are crucial for those high-contact moments when you’re battling for pucks or fighting off a defender. Being able to bench 300 lbs is impractical for hockey, but being able to effectively push, pull, and stabilize yourself under pressure is essential. If you put effort into getting functionally stronger in these areas, you're bound to win more puck battles and be impossible to dispossess. Use compound and rotational lifts to replicate game movements in your training. 

Recommended Upper Body Exercises 

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4. Energy System Conditioning

Hockey is an anaerobic sport. A normal hockey shift is between 30-60 seconds, so being able to exert maximum effort with minimal rest over the course of a game is essential. The best conditioning exercises mimic a short hockey shift — short sprints, and explosive efforts followed by a short recovery period.

Recommended Conditioning Exercises

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5. Mobility, Injury Prevention, and Longevity

Injury prevention used to be an afterthought in most training programs; now it's one of the most focused-on aspects of training. Your body takes a lot of wear and tear over the course of the season. Your hips, groin, shoulders, and spine/back are constantly at risk of injury. That is why a good training program must include specific mobility and flexibility work. Training in flexibility will not only make you a better athlete, but it will also reduce your risk of injury (especially after putting on all that muscle with your new training plan). Fewer injuries mean you’ll be able to play the game we all love that much longer.

Recommended Mobility Exercises

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The Evolving Landscape of Hockey Performance

What’s exciting about hockey strength and conditioning today is how collaborative and science-driven it has become. College and pro-level performance coaches are spilling their industry secrets and strategies for player development and injury prevention. 

Events like the Strength on Ice Summit have become go-to resources for coaches, players, and trainers alike, offering insights into how the best of the best across the NCAA, NHL, and private sector are developing elite athletes. Topics range from contact preparation to goalie-specific durability work, and from gym-to-ice transfer methods to hip function in skating mechanics.

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Final Thoughts

Building a strong hockey player is more than lifting heavy weights and running fast sprints, it's about intentionally training your hockey muscles for movement-specific functions that occur naturally on the ice. The best hockey players make themselves durable, explosive, and consistent through intentional training and thoughtful practice planning. 

Strength and conditioning best practices continue to evolve every day, so you must stay up to date on the latest from experts in the field. Whether you’re training in a pro facility, a high school weight room, or your at-home gym, your approach should reflect the demands of the game.

Want to help kids find sports they love? Sign up to be a
 coach or volunteer in a local youth sports program. Learn more ways to 
support youth sports in the National Youth Sports Strategy: https://bit.ly/2lIHPUc

US Sports Soccer: How to Structure Practice Sessions: A Complete Guide for Youth Soccer Coaches and San Jose Earthquakes vs. Sporting Kansas City Highlights 8-Goal Madness!

 Torpedo Bats (and the player who wield them) Continue To Dominate MLB. Now Streaming On US Sports Radio.

• By Chaz

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Great practices don’t happen by accident—they’re the result of thoughtful planning, clear objectives, and an understanding of how players develop over time.

As a youth soccer coach, your job is to create an environment where players can improve technically, grow in confidence, and have fun. Structuring your training sessions with a proven framework ensures you're meeting your players where they are developmentally and helping them build up their skills progressively.

Why Practice Structure Matters

The best youth soccer sessions follow a logical progression—from learning a technique, to applying it under pressure, to executing it in a game-like setting. This structure mirrors how players naturally learn and adapt. When practice is organized with intention, players are more engaged, better prepared for game situations, and ultimately, more successful.

The 3-Part Practice Framework

Let’s break down a typical session into three phases: Beginning (Individual Technique), Middle (Small-Sided Pressure), and End (Game Conditions). This model gives you the flexibility to focus on different skills while creating consistency and flow in your coaching style.

1. Beginning: Teach the Fundamentals (Individual Work)

This is where players are introduced to the technical focus of the session—whether it’s passing, dribbling, shooting, or defending. There should be no defensive pressure, allowing players to gain confidence and proper technique at their own pace.

Introduce the concept or skill with a clear demo.

Have players perform the skill individually.

Set individual targets (e.g., 10 successful passes with both feet).

Progress to performing the technique at game speed.

By the end of this phase, every player should understand what the skill looks like and feel comfortable executing it in a controlled environment.

2. Middle: Introduce Pressure (Game-Related Skills)

Now it’s time to challenge players by adding a layer of passive or active pressure. Think 1v1, 2v2, or 3v3 scenarios where players must apply the skill in a competitive setting. This builds decision-making and reinforces the technique in more realistic conditions.

Start with passive pressure (defenders give light resistance).

Gradually increase to full pressure (defenders try to win the ball).

Encourage creativity, quick decision-making, and spatial awareness.

Rotate roles so every player experiences offense and defense.

This phase transitions the skill from isolated practice to situational awareness and reaction—critical for real-game success.

3. End: Simulate Game Conditions

The final portion of practice should look and feel like the actual game. Use small-sided games (e.g., 4v4, 5v5) with coaching conditions that reinforce your technical focus. This allows players to apply what they’ve learned in an open environment.

Use short-sided or odd-numbered games to increase touches and decisions.

Add specific rules to emphasize your focus skill (e.g., 2-touch max, must complete 3 passes before shooting).

Encourage communication and team play.

Give players feedback, but let the game teach too.

Game-like drills bring intensity, excitement, and real pressure to your session. This is also the phase where fun and competition can truly shine.

Free Practice Session Planning Template

Use this simple template to prepare every session with confidence and structure:

Warm-Up (10 mins) Objective: Get players moving, increase heart rate, light technical work Examples: Dynamic stretches, dribbling relays, rondo keep-away

Beginning Phase (15–20 mins) Objective: Introduce technical focus in isolation Examples: Passing pairs, cone dribbles, shooting on open net

Middle Phase (20 mins) Objective: Apply technique under pressure Examples: 1v1 challenges, 2v2 games, transition drills

End Phase (20 mins) Objective: Simulate game conditions with constraints Examples: 4v4 games, small-sided scrimmages with touch/pass rules

Cool Down & Recap (5 mins) Objective: Stretch, reflect, give feedback Examples: Static stretching, quick Q&A, positive reinforcement

Final Thoughts

There’s no single “right” way to coach—but having a clear, structured approach to every practice will elevate your players’ development and make your job as a coach more rewarding. Build your sessions around a purpose, adapt to your group’s needs, and never forget to keep it fun.

Remember: when players are learning and enjoying the game, everyone wins.

Further Learning

For coaches working with players ages 10 and up, Nick Harrison offers a valuable course on CoachTube that expands on the ideas shared here. It covers session planning, skill development, and age-specific coaching strategies.

Explore the course here: Coaching Youth Soccer: Ages 10 and Up and Up

Thanks to Nick Harrison for sharing his insights and helping coaches continue to grow.

Want to help kids stick with sports? Prioritize fun and
 #PhysicalActivity over competition in #YouthSports programs. Learn more
 in @HealthGov’s National Youth Sports Strategy: https://bit.ly/2lQ85f6

US Sports Track and Field: Two Points of Focus When Coaching and Training Hurdles and Karsten Warholm Sets 300m Hurdles WORLD RECORD 2025 Diamond League

 

Seamhedz To Gridiron Greats Now Streaming On US Sports Radio!

 

• By Grant Young

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Pinpointing and diagnosing mechanical issues in athletes can be particularly challenging for hurdle training due to several factors: 

1. Complexity of Technique: Hurdling requires a unique blend of speed, timing, and coordination, with the need to clear hurdles efficiently while maintaining forward motion. This complexity means that even small mechanical errors can have a cascading effect on an athlete's performance. Coaches must be adept at identifying these subtle errors, which can be tough given the fast-paced nature of the event. 

2. Variability Among Athletes: Each athlete presents a unique set of physical attributes, including height, stride length, and strength. These differences can influence hurdle technique, making it difficult for coaches to apply a one-size-fits-all approach. What may work for one athlete could lead to problems for another, complicating the identification of issues. 

3. Perceptual Challenges: Athletes often perceive their own performance differently than coaches observe it. An athlete may feel they are executing a technique correctly, while a coach may see noticeable flaws. This disconnect can lead to miscommunication, making it harder for coaches to accurately diagnose and correct mechanical issues. 

4. Subtlety of Errors: Many mechanical issues manifest in subtle ways that aren’t immediately obvious. For instance, slight misalignments in foot placement or body angles may not be detected without close observation or video analysis. Coaches need to be thorough in their assessments and often require advanced technology to catch these nuances. 

Because of these many factors, it’s important that coaches know what to look for when assessing mechanical mishaps their athletes may be dealing with during their hurdles. This is why we’ve pulled two points of focus when training hurdles from two elite hurdles coaches that you can keep an eye on next time you’re trying to decipher why your athletes aren’t setting their personal bests. 

Kenny Anderson - Training Focus

Kenny Anderson enters his fifth season as the Director of Track & Field/Cross Country at Central Methodist in 2024-25.

The 2022-23 season was a stellar year for Anderson and the Eagles, as 13 school records and one conference record were broken. The CMU Women won their second-straight Heart Indoor Conference Championship, which included five individual conference titles. As a result, Anderson was named both the Heart Conference and the USTFCCCA South Central Region Women’s Indoor Coach of the Year. Altogether, the Eagles garnered nine NAIA All-American selections, the most at a single national meet in program history.

In his ‘Difference in Focus between 100 Hurdles & 110 Hurdles’ clinic, Coach Anderson addresses a few points of emphasis when it comes to training your hurdle athletes.

One of his most crucial points in the clinic is that all training exercises and drills should be focused on producing the fastest time possible. Since that’s always the goal when competing, it should also always be the goal when competing. 

Going off of this, training and drills should emphasize the rhythm of hurdles. According to Coach Anderson, rhythm for a hurdler is the type of speed that allows hurdlers to use their techniques to the maximum. 

When emphasizing rhythm in drills, Coach Anderson likes to use seven, nine, or 12 hurdles, because he thinks that’s the sweet spot to establishing rhythm without doing too much to tire your athletes out. 

Patience is imperative when it comes to training hurdle athletes. If you’re executing perfect practice plans, utilizing drills that emphasize rhythm, and diagnosing all of your athlete’s mechanical flaws as soon as they occur, it would still be illogical to assume you’ll see tangible changes from your athletes’ times before six weeks. Coach Anderson says that usually, around six to seven weeks, he begins to see changes in his athletes’ times from the start of the season. 

Jamie West -  Common Technical Issue #1 - Take Off Spot

Jamie West has been a track and field coach for 15+ years. Coach West hurdled at Davis High School and went on to hurdle at D1 Weber State University. Coach West was a 2-time state champion in the 100m hurdles. 

Jamie West has enjoyed coaching hurdlers from all over the State of Utah as well as some hurdlers nationally and internationally. 

In her ‘Hurdle Drills, Technique, and Corrections’ clinic, Coach West discusses the most common technical issue she sees during the take-off phase and addresses how a coach can fix it.

To her, the most common technical issue at this phase is the athlete taking off too close to the hurdle. Some other common ones are if the hurdler isn’t aligned when they’re coming into their leap, with a third one being the athlete either not planting or dropping their hips when they enter the take off. 

When the athlete is jumping too close to the hurdle, the body will likely compensate by pulling backward, the body’s momentum will go upward, and the lead leg might have to be shifted somewhere off-center. All of these will slow the runner down considerably. 

Coach West also wants to make sure coaches are entering their take off on their heel, planting firmly, rather than on the ball of their foot. This is because all of that momentum that’s going into the ground with the heel is going to propel the athlete when they commence their take off.

 Sports help kids build confidence and grow into 
healthy, active adults. Learn how organizations, communities, and 
policymakers can use @HealthGov’s National #YouthSports Strategy to 
support youth sports: https://bit.ly/2lQ85f6