Pre-Season

​

​

If the season started in 2 weeks how would you do?

In the end of season review questionnaire only three players thought they had been fit enough through the season. Two of them were right and one of them doesn't play for us any more. There was at your own admission work to be done.

There was also a feeling that this team can do something next season. That it is good enough. The first objective of the team is that it is enjoyable and fun and that it's a team where you play with your mates. Beyond that it is in your hands. Last season we scored 34 goals in all competitions. The season before 100. However you convince yourselves that you played well last season too often you didn't.

The solution is so easy though. It's about your fitness. You have technical ability, you understand the game but you cannot get there late in games, you cannot keep the tempo going long enough to get what you deserve. Something as simple as fitness is letting your technical abilities down.

This season we have new players and across all positions competition for places. If you cannot do it in games then do not worry as there will be another player in the squad who can. He'll be in your position. Except it's not your position anymore. You now have to fight to get it back.

We have an excellent squad be the best you can be and the team will take care of itself. This is the final season in the Cheltenham Youth League, don't go out with a whimper.

Training starts on Wednesday 05/07 at Leckhampton School from 1830-2000hrs where we will be training with the the reserves and veterans. We will do our own thing and then probably join up with them at the end. This will be posted weekly on Facebook for you to respond with your attendance so we know who's coming and that the session is worthwhile. 

We will also do a Monday evening session with details to follow.

Lewis returns

LRFC Cougars are pleased to announce that for the season 2017/18 Lewis Carter is returning. 

Lewis comes back to the team following a year of egg chasing. Rugby might be the noble game but football is the beautiful one. 

Interviewed just after confirming his return he wasn't heard to say, "I realise now the cougars are everything to me, I just want to play football. It's great because it's a ball and you use your foot." When challenged that surely it's feet Lewis scoffed that he only has one.

Lewis didn't continue "the chance to be coached by Simon again is just too good to pass on. I know he's not on YouTube but I've seen some great cave paintings in hatherley with his best tackles and headers. I need to learn from the Baresi of Hatherley."

It seemed a good time to say goodbye and wish him well. Clearly the sun had got to his head. Or had it?

Drills

The 4-Minute Drill (Aerobic)

WHAT TO DO: 

Use cones to measure out a distance of 100m (the approximate length of a full-sized football pitch), with cones placed at regular 10m intervals. Run up and down the full 100m line as hard as you can for four minutes, and measure the total distance you cover. Rest for two minutes then repeat the exercise. Now work out your average distance per set by dividing your combined distance over the two sets in half, and check your times against the chart below. 

HOW YOU RATE: 

Sunday League footballer = 1000m 

Good amateur footballer = 1100m 

Championship footballer = 1200m 

Premier League footballer = 1300m+ 

Horrible 100s (Anaerobic immediate / Phosphocreatine)

WHAT TO DO: 

Measure out a distance of 100m (the approximate length of a full-sized football pitch) and sprint the distance as fast as you can. Repeat this 6-8 times in a set, with 40 secs rest in between each repetition. Measure your time for each rep, then add the times together and divide by however many reps you completed in order to work out your average time per 100m. If you choose to do a second set, allow 2-3 mins of recovery first. 

HOW YOU RATE: 

Sunday League footballer = 18 sec/100m 

Good amateur footballer = 16 sec/100m 

Championship footballer = 14 sec/100m 

Premier League footballer = 12 sec/100m 

Napalm Shuttle (Anaerobic short-term / Lactate)

WHAT TO DO: 

Set up a 25m shuttle-run course with cones every 5m. Perform shuttle runs (run to the first cone and back, then run to the second cone and back etc) for 30 secs and record the total distance covered. Repeat the shuttle run six times with 30 secs recovery in between each set. Divide the total distance covered by the number of sets performed to work out your average distance covered. 

HOW YOU RATE: 

Sunday League footballer = 90m 

Good amateur footballer = 100m 

Championship footballer = 110m 

Premier League footballer = 125m