It is very challenging for coaches to develop players with high level of motor coordination due to the fact that our modern society does not promote physical activity in general. Spontaneous outdoor tag games and creative plays, which for many years were the main form of entertainment for young children, are being replaced by video games and digital media. In order to compensate for this, neuromuscular coordination training should be considered as an important component of the training process, especially in the early stages of a soccer player's development. Coordination along with speed, strength, endurance and flexibility comprises the physical area of training and is usually defined as interaction of the central nervous system with the skeletal muscles during a given movement. The main objective of this type of training is to be able to move efficiently while using as few muscles, and as little tension as possible. What do we actually want to accomplish when we work on coordination?

 

We want to improve the movement in the following key areas:

 

1. REACTION

which is the ability to perform movement with an appropriate speed in response to different signals ( acoustic, optic, kinesthetic or proprioceptive). A goalkeeper's reaction to a close distance shot is an example of this type of movement.

 

2. BALANCE

which is the ability to maintain or restore particular 1 static or dynamic position of the body. A player's ability to dribble the ball in the presence of a pressuring opponent is a good example of this.

 

3. SPATIAL ORIENTATION

which is the ability to appropriately position one's body in relation to a certain point of reference, like ball or an opponent. The example of this would be a player's ability to dribble the ball into the space between two opponents.

 

4. RHYTHM SENSING

which is the ability to reproduce a particular rhythm of movement or appropriately adjust it in response to the changing conditions. A good example of this would be a player's adjustment of the running rhythm in order to be able to successfully challenge his opponent.

 

5. ADAPTATION AND ADJUSTMENT

which is the ability to successfully adjust to unexpected situations in the most efficient way. An example of this can be a player's creative movement improvisation while dribbling with the ball in a 1v1 situation.

 

6. COMBINING MOVEMENTS

which is the ability to combine partial movements into one fluid movement. A player trapping the ball with his chest and shooting on goal using volley technique is a good example of this.

 

7. DIFFERENTIATION

which is the ability to perform a particular movement using appropriate strength at the right moment. A player's accurate passing is a good example of this.

 

I will provide several examples of drills that aim to improve motor coordination in the second part of this article.