Speed and Agility

An essential element of successful football performance is to accelerate, change direction quickly and deceive the opposition; performing these movements while dribbling requires considerable effort and control. This requires both speed and agility.

In football, the ability to accelerate, decelerate and rapid movements in all directions is more important than simply running fast.

To analyse these key aspects, we need to consider the components of speed and agility separately.

These are:
[list class=”circle green”]

• Speed – force required to facilitate acceleration, deceleration and change direction
• Agility – ability to explosively brake, change direction and accelerate again

[/list]
Speed and agility training is an integral part of training for all top players. It is required to perform the following movements:
[list class=”circle green”]

• Dribbling
• Evading tackles
• Chasing the opposition
• Change direction quickly
• Start and stop effectively
• React to situations
• Retreating to referees and assistant referee commands
• Avoiding injury

[/list]
There is a great deal of TECHNIQUE required in order to be able to run at speed (with and without the ball) and be able to change direction (with and without the ball). The Tecnico Coaching programme will ensure that young players are able to improve their game related speed and agility through fun practices and detailed sessions and coaching points.