WINTER TRAINING 2025

In FC Storm’s formative years parents began to request training opportunities in the winter to improve their players ball skills.  Initial training was optional; some teams participated, others did not, and the Che club used a variety trainers.  Though player and team experiences varied, coaches did notice real improvement in skill development during the winter.

Out of this early hodge podge approach to winter training has emerged a structured, club-wide plan built around the FC Storm training curriculum that focuses on the growth of individual player’s technical skills.  While team development is important, our off season training focuses on what makes individual players successful to better enable them to contribute to and support team play. FC Storm believes the individual player’s technical ability is the foundation for successful possession based soccer.  With a more organized and focus approach, our coaches are seeing marked improvement in individual skill that contributes to better team play.

Here’s a brief look at the focus of winter training by age groups:

U9 – U10 | Ball Mastery; Composure and Application

This is the most important stage of learning and it sets the foundation for success at every level of play. Our U9 and U10 players will be participating in technical skills training at indoor facilities at X-Factor and TOCA.  The focus of ball mastery is the individual players ability to feel comfortable using the ball with different surfaces of their feet. Ball mastery is the foundation for successful team play at the next age and stage. Missing these early foundational skills can be detrimental to individual player and team development.

U11 – U12 | Possession; Maintaining the Ball

U11-U12 will be breaking down the individual technical skills that make possession play successful. Teams will be building into small group transition and rondos. Review of the ball mastery moves from U9-U10 to make sure we are “mastering” the skills needed to play possession based soccer. High Focus areas are passing and receiving, possession and finishing

U13 – U14 | Possession; Creating Opportunities

Players at this age and stage may have entered FC Storm prior to the ball mastery curriculum. Players will review the foundational ball mastery skills to ensure that we have the technical skills to play a possession based game, along with the application of these skills into possession based small sided games. Focus on playing in tight spaces, body positioning/awareness, and training intensity.

U15 – U19 | Possession with a Purpose

Continued review of the ball mastery curriculum and individual technical skills needed to play possession based soccer under pressure. Passing and receiving in tight spaces, combination play, non-directional games and high intensity training. Higher focus areas may be specific to each team at this stage, but include possession, passing and receiving, finishing, and the physical requirements needed to play the game.

Jessica Buringrud
VP Coaching, Training & Personnel