Our Methodology
Legion FC Chicago’s players are trained as well as developed in every aspect of the game and they are able to see and experience the latest innovations from Spain, Germany, England, Holland, Brazil and other countries with football traditions. These trends are adapted in a way that makes them suitable with the way soccer is played here in the USA, but only in a way that makes them effective.
All the players here at Legion receive the best training based on modern methods, developed by the methodologists of the club.
The main focus is technical development. The methods are designed in a way that allows the young players to develop to their fullest potential. We at Legion highly encourage players to fall in love with the game so that they are hungry to train even outside training as at times team training might not be enough for players that aspire to reach their fullest possible potential.
We constantly push players to be extremely focused in training and games and hold discipline to a high importance.
At the core of our development model within the club is technical excellence. Our coaching staff will use the training principles below to develop a complete player.
Train with the ball
The first key training principle to be explained is pretty simple. Core to our development model within the club is technical excellence. Young players will only improve this aspect of their game if they are allowed to use the ball. Therefore every training exercise (apart from the warm-up & cool down) requires the players to manipulate the ball in various ways.
Integrated Training
Technical, tactical, athletic & cognitive development are combined and present in all training exercises. Depending on the objective of the session the coach can make adjustments to create a Dominant Principle.
Dominant Principle
A training exercise can be structured to enhance the demands on a specific element. For example a passing drill in one session can focus solely on technical development through the coaches communication & coaching points. In the next session, the coach can add defenders into the exercise which adds a decision making element, shifting the focus solely from technical to include tactical development.
Specificity
All training practices & sessions should be specific to the club’s style of play. Whether this is a 7 v 7 game or a functional practice, aspects of the style of play and behaviour of the
players should mirror that of a ‘real game’. This is vital for the development of young players as they must be allowed to perform the same actions that are demanded of them in games.
Repetition
In order to create good habits the players must repeat certain skills & techniques (for this it is also vital that the coaching points are correct). The repetition doesn’t take the form of just repeating the same training drills all the time, instead a variety of exercises can be used to develop the one skill.
HOW WE IMPLEMENT THIS METHODOLOGY
The annual curriculum is broken down into sessions so that each session has a set of goals in all or some of the key areas.
While the curriculum is defined and supervised by the Technical Director, the coach has the central role to perform the exercises conducive of the defined goals.
TEAM TRAINING SESSIONS METHODOLOGY
Players engaged in our team training sessions will be taught under a curriculum based on the same principles of the methodology applied to technification players. However, more focus will be placed on:
Tactic: understanding and executing the game systems, i.e. what position plays each player in the field; transitions, how the team moves up from defence to attack and vice versa;
Strategy, previously agreed coordinated team actions
Technique is taught having in mind competitive/match situations
Physical activities are mostly carried out with the ball so that the time is optimised
