Fall and early winter is a time to utilize the last good weather we have and keep players training outside on larger fields. The Fairbanks area teams play their fall high school season outside, while the rest of us think about signing up for indoor leagues.

My advice to coaches is to keep our players training and playing outdoors as long as possible. Believe it or not, it is easy to play with 6 inches of snow on the ground! After a group of player's scrimmages on the snow, you end up with a nice, flat playing surface. This surface is probably better than a lot of the "grass" fields some of you play on during the summer!

When playing on a snow-covered field becomes a bad idea, the critical time is waiting for the snowplow. When the plow cuts through the snow, it leaves a berm, and a solid berm makes a great kicking wall. I've done a lot of running with a soccer ball at my feet while hitting the ball off the berm. I'm touching the ball and getting my run in at the same time. When I have to unwind, a run with the ball using the berm as my teammate is always something I look forward to doing.

Another suggestion - look for parking lots. I once used the Bartlett High School lot to help train Matt Froehle, our local professional soccer player. It was -5, but the ground was perfect for kicking the ball around. Matt took the extra step and that is one reason why he is the professional player he is today. Can't find a gym? Find a parking lot!

If any of you see Tim Valesko around, ask him about the amount of time that he has spent playing soccer in outdoor hockey rinks in the middle of the winter. Hockey rinks have a nice flat surface with lights! Can't get much better than that.

I hope to see more people braving the weather with their soccer balls this winter!

FUNdamental Readers:
Do you have any further suggestions on 'how to train' in the winter months?