Budgeting Your Free Time
Now that summer is finally here, it is time to think about how you are going to budget all this newly acquired free time. There are many options: basking in the sun at the beach or the local swimming pool; the annual family vacation, etc. etc. 
With this new freedom, I encourage you to take full advantage of what the summer has to offer. The summer months offer you plenty of opportunity to grow as a player and I encourage you to work hard for your club at practice and to try and train outdoors while the weather permits. Be serious about your diet—fresh foods flourish during the summer months and have the most to offer in terms of vitamins and minerals—especially important for those of you who are working hard on your endurance by breaking your body down with tough workouts. But beyond practice there is another form of training that is perfect for the summer months: by yourself, take a ball, or many, to your local soccer pitch. Set up a net if you have to, and start doing whatever it is you want with the soccer ball.
Consistent practice and tournament schedules over the course of the summer can sometimes drain players of energy and enthusiasm, but going out on your own time to the field and doing exactly what you want to do is a great way to have fun and relax with the sport that you love. Take your shirt off and strap an ipod to your arm, put on your favorite music and have a good time. Work on trying to bend the ball from a place kick, or combine juggling with dribbling and a final shot at the end—whatever your heart desires. If you find you enjoy training this way, invest in a group of 5-7 inexpensive balls and a small set of cones so your options increase; you can set up five spot kicks outside of the penalty area or work on corner kicks from side to side, or set up cones to dribble through or areas to juggle into before having a shot on goal.
