Rain, all weather fields.

easoccer

Established Member
Aug 27, 2015
862
There has been a lot of rain lately. I have had to cancel several practices. Usually that one practifce per week, on our second day, which we get an "All weather" field.

I'm at the point where the kids are begging for practice.

What do you do in this situation? Tuff it out in the rain, trying to get your drills to work amongst the huge puddles, do fitness the whole evening, or Netflix and chill?

Man, I feel guilty, but the grounds are just not in any shape to play.
 

easoccer

Established Member
Aug 27, 2015
862
We have turf one day, gravel the other, so we do get at least 1 practice per week.

I'm just wondering what other coaches do. Cancel or figure out a way to do it in the rain regardless.
 

Soccer-dad-NV

Member
Oct 14, 2015
46
It's alway's nice to go indoors when the weather is bad and fields are closed or unplayable. Hard to do on short notice unless you plan ahead. It is a nice change sometimes. There are lots of things you can do. Sometimes it's nice to throw in different games or sports to keep things fresh.

That being said this is the West Coast and and a little rain won't hurt you. It's a different stoy when
A weather warning is in the forecast though.
 

rich

Active Member
Aug 20, 2015
291
I won't cancel practice unless I'm afraid the smaller kids might float / blow away. That said, I'm lucky enough to train on turf twice / week. I figure if we gotta play in it, we're gonna practice in it. I wouldn't go inside with anything other than younger kids, unless I could get a high school sized gym, and then maybe do a futsal session. Anyone got a few extra bucks floating around to build some Indoor pitches??
 

easoccer

Established Member
Aug 27, 2015
862
No one is saying that the kids nor myself are unwilling to play in the rain. If you have 2 turf field practice a week then great. I would never cancel a practice if that were my situation.


What I am asking is WHAT DO YOU DO, when you have a GRAVEL field, and it is pouring rain, full of puddles, and you want to practice? I'm looking for some ideas.
 

rich

Active Member
Aug 20, 2015
291
Sorry, not meaning to imply you didn't want to train in the rain.

Four years ago, we had one turf, one gravel practice. If it rained, we trained anyway. Of course, that was U17/18.

Could you get a community center or high school sized gym? If so, I'd go inside and play futsal.
 

easoccer

Established Member
Aug 27, 2015
862
Our club has just a single turf field. The city doesnt provide any extras for them. I have asked. Being Div 3, we are just not a priority either.

I'm thinking of fitness, or flag football , maybe even just shooting, because the ball just simply will not roll in the puddles.
 

rich

Active Member
Aug 20, 2015
291
Handball? Finish with heading? Throw, head, catch games?

Stuff to keep the ball out of the muck as much as possible, yet still teach passing lanes, space, attacking space...etc etc?

With one turf field, yeah, it's tough. How many teams your age get jammed on it at one time?
 

easoccer

Established Member
Aug 27, 2015
862
GAC is quite small so they actually get quarters. Which is good. But only one spot under Div 2.
 

rich

Active Member
Aug 20, 2015
291
Yeah, not so ideal. So happy we have the 2nd turf in Ladner now at Dugald.
 

Holland

New Member
Nov 16, 2015
1
My view is a little different than most on the All-Weather pitch especially at the younger ages. I would get on the gravel as often as possible. We did one indoor session and one gravel session from U6 - U10 then added turf.

Sure at first the sessions are not as easy and don't run smooth, the ball bounces, ball skips, the kids miss everything until they learn... I have to watch the ball, I have to take small steps to keep control, I can't reach on my first touch, the ball needs to be close to my body when dribbling and your players only become better from it as their muscles become conditioned to react to little details. From the cold frozen days on the rock hard gravel to the wet muddy days I believe the time on those gravel pitches helped more developing skilled dribblers and player than the time on the turf.

Would love to do a study on this theory but in my mind I will just thinking about the most skilled dribblers and players in the world and then take a look at the pitches they played on over and over. Highly doubt it was in bubbles, on turf, playing on perfect grass they are the ones who can feel the ball skip jump and bounce all around from learning the game playing on adverse conditions.
 

4_the_kids

Active Member
Oct 20, 2015
312
My view is a little different than most on the All-Weather pitch especially at the younger ages. I would get on the gravel as often as possible. We did one indoor session and one gravel session from U6 - U10 then added turf.

Sure at first the sessions are not as easy and don't run smooth, the ball bounces, ball skips, the kids miss everything until they learn... I have to watch the ball, I have to take small steps to keep control, I can't reach on my first touch, the ball needs to be close to my body when dribbling and your players only become better from it as their muscles become conditioned to react to little details. From the cold frozen days on the rock hard gravel to the wet muddy days I believe the time on those gravel pitches helped more developing skilled dribblers and player than the time on the turf.

Would love to do a study on this theory but in my mind I will just thinking about the most skilled dribblers and players in the world and then take a look at the pitches they played on over and over. Highly doubt it was in bubbles, on turf, playing on perfect grass they are the ones who can feel the ball skip jump and bounce all around from learning the game playing on adverse conditions.

Its funny isn't it, 30 years the privilege was a game on grass, we played almost exclusively on all weather. gravel fields for both practice and games. I think they were better maintained then than today. As for gravel equaling better dribblers, I was reading an article from the UK suggesting cobblestone roadways and pathways are the best surfaces to teaching ball mastery, which would support your theory. I know my kids have played almost exclusively on turf, and struggle to adapt to even grass pitches , ball moves slower, bounces different etc..
 

easoccer

Established Member
Aug 27, 2015
862
But do you have a suggestions for a practice plan during a downpour?

Funny thing, Monday night we had turf. It was soo cold. Pouring rain. Kids begged me not to cancel. (I wasnt going to). There was more than half a field available as the other 2 u15 teams werent there.....
 

4_the_kids

Active Member
Oct 20, 2015
312
But do you have a suggestions for a practice plan during a downpour?

Funny thing, Monday night we had turf. It was soo cold. Pouring rain. Kids begged me not to cancel. (I wasnt going to). There was more than half a field available as the other 2 u15 teams weren't there.....

I was there too Monday Night, it was hard keeping my U12's focused that's for sure. Lots of fast paced stuff where we keep people moving, the less standing around the better. 3v3, 4v4 , 5v5 possession games are great that. In that weather its more just keeping the boys active more than anything , very little instruction will be accomplished, I used the shelter for what little instruction I had..
 

rich

Active Member
Aug 20, 2015
291
I was there too Monday Night, it was hard keeping my U12's focused that's for sure. Lots of fast paced stuff where we keep people moving, the less standing around the better. 3v3, 4v4 , 5v5 possession games are great that. In that weather its more just keeping the boys active more than anything , very little instruction will be accomplished, I used the shelter for what little instruction I had..

This. Fast paced, lots of movement. None of the 3 forbidden L-words (lines, laps, lectures) :p
3v3 or 4v4 tournaments, something like that.
 

WTF

Active Member
Sep 3, 2015
191
Its difficult to train properly in the winter due to the bad weather and crowded turf fields with 8 -10 teams sharing the fields @ NAP
 

easoccer

Established Member
Aug 27, 2015
862
Its difficult to train properly in the winter due to the bad weather and crowded turf fields with 8 -10 teams sharing the fields @ NAP

True. Also, Just when I get dry Thursdays the gravel field is rick hard and slippery. Kind of dangerous. Ugh.
 
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