Coaching Soccer - Five Baseline Field Tests to Do in Preseason to Determine Soccer Fitness Levels 

The purpose of this article is to give you five ways to evaluate your teams' fitness levels. All these test may be done either on an outdoor or indoor soccer field. These tests let you know their fitness levels and which area of fitness they need to focus in the preseason. As a coach you know how important soccer fitness is in developing players and taking them to the next level.

Today soccer is more of a speed and power game and by doing these tests you will discover your soccer players' strengths and weaknesses. No longer are you sending your players out for a thirty to forty minute "conditioning" run /jog.

Regardless if you coach high school, rep or provincial/state soccer these are basic tests you may apply to your players.

Here are the five tests for your soccer players:

1) Standing Long Jump: This simple test is a good indicator of power. All you need to do is mark a line on a field or go to the sideline of a soccer field and use the marking their. Your players simply try to jump as far as they can. Give them each 2-3 attempts

2) 10 Metre Sprint: This test evaluates your soccer players' acceleration and quickness.

3) 40 Metre Sprint: This test gives you an idea of your players speed potential. Most soccer players reach full speed between 40 -60 metres.

4) T - Agility Run: This test gives an idea how well your soccer players are can stop and change direction.

You need four cones for this drill. Put one cone down then measure 5 metres from that cone. Put the next cone down at the 10 meter mark. Now place a cone on each side of the second cone 5 metres apart.

The Drill: Sprint forwards five metres. Once you reach that cone put one cone hand on it then shuffle five yards to the right and touch that cone. Then side shuffle left 10 metres to the furthest cone and touch it as well. Then shuffle ten metres to the right and touch the cone in the middle. Finally sprint backwards for five metres.

5a) Beep Test: The beep test is an overall good fitness test for your player.
To perform this test you will need either the CD or Tape for the timed intervals of the test and cones outlining a twenty meter distance

How it Works: Players start on a beep and run/jog twenty meters and wait until the next beep. The time between beeps is less as the test progresses.

Players continue until they no longer reach the twenty meter mark before the beep.

"Apparently" David Beckham in his prime could complete the entire beep test for all 23 levels. Best conditioned athletes on average reach above the 14th level and below the 16th level. I have personally observed a 19 old year old male soccer player reach level 14.

5b) Timed 300 Metre Shuttle: This a good test to include or use in place of the beep test.

Mark a distance of either 25 or 50 meters. If the distance is 25 metres the players need to shuttle back and forth six times or three times if the distance is 50 metres. This is a very demanding test. I suggest that you leave this test to the very end and only test it once.

Generally when you do any testing you do your power and speed tests before conditioning tests. For example on one day you could do the standing long jump, 10M, 40 and beep test and two days later do the T-agility test followed by the 300meter shuttle run.

In coaching soccer I believe it is important to know what your player’s fitness levels are to help you with playing time, off season conditioning and in season training.

Good luck with your soccer team.