Home Challenges
These are certainly unprecedented times, but this ongoing Covid-19 situation shouldn't deter any players from getting their touches on the ball and continue to get better. Over the past week, our Coaches and our Staff have been receiving several emails asking us for some ideas about how players can continue to get touches on the ball while being away from the team. We went ahead and created a page for our players to provide them with some ideas on how they can continue to get better, whether they are stuck at the house or if they have access to a local school!
Think you have what it takes to do all of them? Prove it!
Email us using the link below and send us your clips! Show us what you're doing away from the field to help develop your game!
Here are a couple things you can do in the comfort of your own home!
Juggling Challenges
Getting touches on the ball is great, but how is your control? Here are a few juggling challenges we've put together for everyone!
Challenge 1 - Using a regular soccer ball, how many juggles can you get before the ball hits the ground?
Challenge 2 - Using a size 1 Skills ball, how many juggles can you get before the ball hits the ground?
Challenge 3 - Using a Tennis Ball, how many juggles can you get before the ball hits the ground?
Challenge 4 - Using a regular soccer ball, skills ball, or tennis ball, how many juggles can you get using only 1 part of your body? (See high/low juggling in the video below)
Ground Work
Once you've mastered your juggling, take the ball to the floor and continue to develop your touch with the ball at your feet!
Timed Exercises: How many can you do in 1 minute?
Toe Taps
Boxes
Toe Drags
See video below for ground work examples!
Juggling & Ground Work Examples
Ross Smith - Wall Ball Challenge
Check out this video from Ross Smith and the Portland Timbers! Here are several awesome activities that you can do around the house to continue getting your touches on the ball! #RCTID
Ross Smith Soccer Tennis Challenge
If there's a disagreement during your quarantine, Ross Smith has the perfect challenge for everyone in your household! See the video below to see how it works!
Ross Smith Strikers Challenge
Show us your striking skills by watching Ross Smith's Strikers Challenge video! Send us a clip of your best strikes and don't forget to tag us!
PTFC Sebastian Blanco at Home!
Watch the video below to see how Sebastian Blanco continues to stay soccer-ready while he is at home! All you need is a ball, attitude, and imagination!
PTFC at home with Larrys Mabiala
Check out this activity with Larrys Mabiala from the Portland Timbers! All you need is a wall and a ball! Careful not to break anything around the house!
PTFC at home with Rocky Rodriguez Pt 2
Rocky has uploaded a second At Home clip that she wants you to try! Give it a shot!
PTFC at home with Steve Clark
Goalkeepers, are you looking for something new to try at home? Check out Steve Clark's video below!
PTFC at home with Simone Charley
Check out Simone's at home exercises! Can you do it better? Prove it by sending us your clips!
PTFC At Home With Celeste Boureille
Want to improve your game at home like Celeste Boureille? All you need is a tennis ball! Watch the clip below and find out how you can improve!
Cardio Circuit
Here is an excellent cardio circuit that players can do indoors! Follow the instructions below for an excellent 10 minute cardio workout! All you need is a soccer ball and two cones.
1 Minute - Toe Touches on top the ball as fast as you can
30 Seconds - Rest
1 Minute - Inside the foot touches on the ball as fast as you can
30 Seconds - Rest
1 Minute - Place two cones (or small objects) 5 yards apart. Dribble your ball as fast as you can in a figure 8 motion around each cone.
30 Seconds - Rest
REPEAT THIS CIRCUIT TWICE
Last Minute - Hold a 1 minute plank
If you have any variations of this circuit, send us some suggestions!
Learn a Skill, Send a Skill Challenge
Here's how the challenge works:
Step 1: Learn the Skill you were challenged to do, and Film it! Skills people can challenge others with can range from juggling challenges, ground skill moves, or even some flick-ups! Be creative! If you need some examples, use the links below:
100 Ways to Beat Your Defender
100 Flick Ups
Once you're done filming it, POST IT and tag OPF @opfutsal or Eastside @eastsidetimbers
Step 2: Challenge your friends, family, teammates, and coaches with a skill of your choice! Master your skill of choice, post it, and tag the people you'd like to challenge! Don't forget to tag @opfutsal or @eastsidetimbers
See the video below on how the challenge works from the OPF Director Zane Fernandez!
Learn a Skill, Send a Skill Video
If you have not been challenged to a skill, feel free to kick things off and nominate 2 people of your choice!
PTFC at home with Marissa Everett
Want another juggling variation? Check our Marissa Everett's walkthrough on another creative juggling exercise to keep your technique sharp!
PTFC at home with Goalkeeper Bella Bixby
Calling all goalkeepers! Want some things that you can work on at home? Check out this video from Thorns FC Goalkeeper Bella Bixby!
PTFC at home with Rocky Rodriguez
This at home exercise is easy! All you need are two shoes and one soccer ball! How many figure-8 variations can you think of? Show us!!!
PTFC at home with Yimmi Chara
Check out what Timbers new signing Yimmi Chara is doing during quarantine! How many wall juggles can you do?
PTFC at home with Andres Flores
Check out some great ground work you can do at the house from Andres Flores on the Portland Timbers!
Ross Smith W Challenge
Check out this awesome cardio workout from Ross Smith! How quickly can you complete the W Challenge?
Ross Smith Header Challenge!
Want to work on your headers at home? Follow the link HERE to find Ross's brand new Header Challenge!
PTFC At Home With Andy Polo
Watch the video clip below and see how Andy is improving his game at home! Don't forget to send us your clips!
Here are a few things you can do at the house or at your local field!
Plus-Sign Dribbling
This is an excellent dribbling exercise for all players! Check out these two videos below on how to set it up and how to do the pattern! All you need is 5 small cones/objects and one soccer ball!
Setup
-Place the middle cone down in some decent space
-Walk out 4 cones/small objects about 2-4 yards away from the middle cone
-The further away from the middle you place your cone, the more challenging it will be
Dribbling Pattern
Select a "Home Cone." Once you've selected a home cone, you will complete 4 rounds of the dribbling pattern above, each time ending at your designated home cone.
Round 1 - Right foot only
Round 2 - Left foot only
Round 3 - Inside the foot only with both feet
Round 4 - Outside the foot only with both feet
Think you can do it fastest?
Level 1: Complete it in 1 minute, 15 seconds
Level 2: Complete in Under 1 minute
Level 3: Complete in under 50 seconds
Can you do it without touching any the cones? Have any other variations we should try? Send us your clips HERE!
Staircase Challenge
Our 02G Red Team are calling everyone out! As a team, they did 800 flights of stairs! Can your team beat that? Prove it!!!
Skill Move Dribbling
If you have access to a local field or a park, grab a ball and some cones and develop your skills with the ball at your feet!
-Place 4 small squares 8-15 yards apart
-Dribble through each square going as fast as you can moving clockwise, and then counter-clockwise
-In each square, execute a skill move!
Level 1 Moves - Body Feint, Scissor
Level 2 Moves - Reverse Scissor/Run Over
Level 3 Move - Maradona
Level 4 - Can you think of a more challenging move? Send us a clip of you doing the exercise! Here are some ideas:
Have a field to yourself? Give these challenges a shot!
The Striking Gauntlet
Want to work on your striking abilities? This is exercise is perfect for you!
Players are working on their striking ability and using proper technique and accuracy.
Level 1 - Score a goal from every ball location
Level 2 - Hit the back of the net with out the ball bouncing for the first 4 shots, and score a regular goal from the 50 yard line.
Level 3 - Hit the crossbar from every location
Crossbar Challenge
Hitting the crossbar is one thing, but can you do it consistently? The more soccer balls you have for this challenge, the better. For this exercise, we will be using 6.
Level 1 - Hit the Crossbar 1 out of 6 attempts
Level 2 - Hit the Crossbar 2 out of 6 attempts
Level 3 - Hit the Crossbar 3 out of 6 attempts
Level 4 - Hit the Crossbar 4 out of 6 attempts
Level 5 - Hit the Crossbar 5 out of 6 attempts
Level 6 - Hit the Crossbar 6 out of 6 attempts
Master - Hit 3 straight with your strong foot, then hit 3 straight with your weak foot.
Horseshoe
Have a sibling or a parent who wants to get out and participate? Here's a fun exercise you can do with your partner.
-Create two grids 25-50 yards apart. Alternatively, you can use one small cone instead of two grids
-Each player stands inside their grid (or near the small cone if you use that instead)
-Serve balls to each other in the air and on the ground
-Receive the ball with a quality first touch and keep your ball as close to your body as possible. Keep your first touch inside the small grid, or if you're using a cone instead, how close can you get your first touch to the cone?
Not only are players working on their first touch and controlling balls out of the air, but they are also working on their striking abilities.
Don't Forget to Send Us Your Clips!
Send us your content by sending us an email below. Want to challenge the coaching staff? Have any skills you want to showcase? Have any challenges we forgot to add?
