Stretching is an important habit that all athletes should get into at practices and games. Here are some typical times you should be routinely stretching:
- Before a practice/game - another good reason to be early rather than late.
- During a practice/game - between drills or at halftime/bench time.
- After a practice/game - very important to immediately stretch those over worked muscles instead of bolting for the parking lot.
John DiBlasio (a local physical therapist) put on a "stretching clinic" for the Mountain U14G team last Spring (2008). Shown below is John's 9 stretches for the teenage female soccer player - remember, hold each stretch for 30 seconds.............................. Please click John's handout (below) and build these stretches into your soccer routine.
Video
Here's more stretching exercises from "The Stretching Institute".
Note
I prefer incorporating a soccer ball with stretching. It's an additional step to making the ball and you as one. I will show you how to do this during practice.
As in everything in life, just don't overdo it. Get the picture?
Coach Houseman