United Soccer Academy Blog - Soccer Education Specialists: soccer ...

Contributed by Tom Lake.
Area Manager, USA Sport Group.

There are many benefits of SAQ for children in soccer. Many people haven?t heard of SAQ, let alone know what it stands for. However Speed, Agility and Quickness (or SAQ for short) is a multi-purpose training format which can be used to increase a child?s ability across the board. It is used in professional sports daily, yet is seen as an unknown quantity in terms of youth soccer and recreation. Here are a few instances where SAQ can help a child?s development:

Fitness: Break the stigma of exercise being boring with fun drills designed to discretely train and improve performance.

Agility: Multi-directional movement needs for all sports, from recreational to travel levels and beyond.

Co-ordination: Linking body parts to work in tandem, e.g. hand/eye.

Improved Neuromuscular System: Quicker response times and fast twitch muscle fibers, giving the child ?body awareness? of what belongs to them.

Efficient Movements: Removing ?awkward? movements and replacing with cohesive movements, reducing potential injuries and postural deformities.

Decision-Making: Used in all aspects of life, and crucial to learn at an early age so the child can be introduced to consequences and benefits of decisions.

This is taken from my SAQ International Diploma, a worldwide qualification for which I completed a 100+ page book designed to improve mobility and co-ordination in 1st-2nd grade soccer players. For more information or assistance with this, please leave a comment and I will be more than happy to help.

The United Soccer Academy run SAQ camps throughout the summer for players aged 5-14 and of all ability levels.? Click here for further information.

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