Preseason is a scary time, and having gone through preseason five times, I can truthfully say that every time I was just as anxious. Throughout the summer it is crucial to be preparing yourself for the upcoming season to have the opportunity to play and limit injuries. Here are a few things you can be doing in order to be prepared for preseason.

RUN 

If fitness is something that comes naturally to you, I am jealous, but even if it does, you still need to be running and pushing yourself to the max fitness-wise. Almost all programs will have an incoming fitness test that will either be your baseline fitness level or you will be striving to hit a level to pass. If you are not in peak shape and cannot hit the standards your coach is asking, you will have a hard time getting on the field. Over the summer, don't rely on just long jogs to fulfill your fitness. Instead, look at your summer packet and do the sprinting workouts which usually mirror your fitness test. 

Related: 2 of the Most Common Soccer Fitness Tests (and 5 Tips to Help You Crush Them)

PLAY SOCCER 

One of the biggest mistakes incoming athletes make is that since their club soccer career is over that they no longer play soccer in the offseason. A lot of incoming freshmen want to enjoy their last summer home with all of their friends and while that is understandable it is crucial to continue playing throughout the summer. There is a noticeable difference in players who played consistently over the summer and those who did not. You can only get game fitness from playing soccer, while you can be in the best running shape of your life, you will need to also have in-game fitness. 

LIFT

Make sure you are continuing to lift weights throughout the summer season. Lifting will not only help with explosiveness but also help with injury prevention. Your weight lifting coach will typically give you workouts with what you should be doing and I highly recommend following that or doing variations of it. If you're not given lifting workouts, ask for them!

Related: Comparing the Top 5 Weightlifting Shoes

DON'T STRESS

My last tip which I wish I could've given myself more was to not stress. If you are doing everything you can, there is not much else that can be asked of you. At the end of the day, it's important how you perform on the field and if you are controlling all that you can then you're doing enough. Don't lose sight of why you wanted to play college soccer and why you love the sport as much as you do. 

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* Originally published on July 14, 2022, by Andrea Leitner