Any football coaches

[Give it to Ron]

Does anyone else run a football team on here?

We suddenly are experiencing a run of the same injury (3) groin ligaments 'popping' - all towards middle/end of sessions

when the lads are well warmed up.

All occurences are doing different drills, shooting, crossing and one just taking a penalty.

Lads are all 14/15.

[Huffton]

14/15 year old boys? Groin injury? Are any of them experiencing eyesight problems?

[JonnyLove]

Warming the muscles is not always the correct solution. It is actually better to stretch as part of the warm up and at the end of each session. For example. so 20 minutes, break down with a quick stretch, then start the next part with stretches then repeat.

 

The normal cause for groin issues is normally due to a quick contraction and extension of the muscle (eg swing of the leg). If the muscle is properly stretched it should be able to cope with the movement better.

[Raging Bull]

Make sure they warm up properly by light jogging for say 10/15 mins before stretching. Hamstrings for example must not be stretched before strenuous exercise. If you stretch first the hamstring will stay at about 80/90 % of the stretched length which will cause problems (ie the leg over extending more than it normally would when running) because they're cold, often refered injury too.

 

Hope I've explained it okay.

[Give it to Ron]

Make sure they warm up properly by light jogging for say 10/15 mins before stretching. Hamstrings for example must not be stretched before strenuous exercise. If you stretch first the hamstring will stay at about 80/90 % of the stretched length which will cause problems (ie the leg over extending more than it normally would when running) because they're cold, often refered injury too.

 

Hope I've explained it okay.

 

Thanks yes you have - the thing is I do quite a bit of this and am puzzled why now...I split sessions into warm up, jogging, stretch, stamina, drill, technique and then finally small sided games and this has just started to happen.

 

Huffton do I need sponsorship from Andrex and Specsavers?

[Raging Bull]

This could be clasping at straws but at 14/15 they'll be going through a big growth spurt, bones and muscles growing etc causing weaknesses if training hard, just like Adkins wanting to protect AOC saying he has a fragile skeleton etc so as not to push him too hard too young.

 

Also Ron how many times a week do you train them? If it's twice I would split it down into stamina & drills on the first then 5 aside etc on the second

[Give it to Ron]

This could be clasping at straws but at 14/15 they'll be going through a big growth spurt, bones and muscles growing etc causing weaknesses if training hard, just like Adkins wanting to protect AOC saying he has a fragile skeleton etc so as not to push him too hard too young.

 

Also Ron how many times a week do you train them? If it's twice I would split it down into stamina & drills on the first then 5 aside etc on the second

 

We only train once a week because a few also play for other teams and train with them, with school games as well we try not to overtrain and play them.

I did a bit of research on the injury and it appears it is 15-40 year olds so just at the start of their age range.

Thanks all will try a few suggestions as well with stretching and more muscle strengthening.

[Raging Bull]

We only train once a week because a few also play for other teams and train with them, with school games as well we try not to overtrain and play them.

I did a bit of research on the injury and it appears it is 15-40 year olds so just at the start of their age range.

Thanks all will try a few suggestions as well with stretching and more muscle strengthening.

 

Over training is a big problem at that age, I know this because at 22 the cartilage in my hip broke down due to playing or training 5/6 times a week from the age of 10 to 16.

[suewhistle]

Girls football doesn't seem to suffer that particular problem; seems to be more bad backs, knees and ankles from our hip/knee structures, so perhaps it's a male growing/muscular-skeleto thing. Your sessions sound like ours basically but how are they trained in the sessions you don't control?

 

Last week we had 5 sessions (including 2 friendlies) and this week we'll have 3 plus our first game, but we always warm up well and gradually before stretching and the intensity of the sessions varies. I took a swipe at an inviting ball early monday night and got told off by one of the other players! I suppose at fiftycough I should know better..

[Monk]

It is a combination of things such as playing surfaces, age and so on.

At work and with my under 10s and 12s we spend 15 minutes stationary stretching. Boys at that age half heartedly stretch. Encourage square, dips, over the gates, exaggerated kicks. Nice and slow. Hope that helps.

[Kingsland Red]

I am the manager of Winchester Castle U18s, Hants County Youth League.

I have previously run a team from U8 to U18.

Mid teen players seem to suffer all sorts of non-impact injuries. All you can do as a coach is a proper warm up (and warm down afterwards) and do the drills etc before having a game at the end, when injuries are more likely to occur.

Once warmed up do not keep them standing around at any time and make sure access to water / energy drinks is always available.