NSCA Coach 11.3 is an exercise research article providing strength coaches, considerations to design effective sports performance programs for collegiate soccer.

In the first of a two part series, this article will briefly highlight the main components of a needs analysis and apply it to the context of soccer.

This article discusses the influence of lower-body power on soccer performance in collegiate female soccer players. It also covers testing for muscular power qualities, different training modalities to use, and sample training programs as examples.

In the second of this two part series, this article will discuss program design with an emphasis on integrating lower limb plyometric training into soccer training to enhance power actions, as well as, consider high school athletes’ biological characteristics and long-term athletic development (LTAD).

This article aims to explain why integrating multiple tests such as Anaerobic Speed Reserve (ASR), Intermittent Fitness Test (IFT), and Maximum Aerobic Speed (MAS) can provide a comprehensive evaluation of soccer players’ fitness levels and help to design effective training programs tailored to their individual needs.

This article will examine the physical demands of soccer players and discuss why repeated sprint ability (RSA) is considered highly important in the performance of these athletes.

One common thread that provides an advantage for all soccer players at any position is to be faster than the opponent. Incorporate these drills into your next speed session.

In this article, personal trainers and strength and conditioning coaches will learn how Football Club of Mumbaikars has worked to maintain and even improved the fitness profile of its athletes using this online training protocol, and provide a template for how to apply this protocol to the general population.

The following article is an example training program that was built based on personal experience and research for an in-season soccer athlete.

Hear an international perspective on the strength and conditioning field from Marcus Svensson, a Swedish National, who currently works in professional soccer with the Al Arabi Sports Club in the Qatar Stars League. This episode shares insights about access to NSCA resources from outside of North America, training strategies for soccer, and the importance of developing adaptability among strength and conditioning coaches. Tune in to expand your professional horizons as part of a global strength and conditioning community. You can also email Marcus at johanmarcussvensson@gmail.com | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs