Starting in next issue (Issue #7) Vern will develop a series that relates to the difficult area of just what should the community coach work on for fitness training. How can it be incorporated into one or two practices a week? And what is appropriate for the different age levels.

The first article will be an overview of

• Fitness for Soccer. What is soccer fitness? Why it is important? How to incorporate it into your practices without adding additional time.
• The series will cover all the components of soccer fitness:
  • Speed Development
    1. Straight Ahead
    2. Lateral Speed & Agility
    3. Speed with the ball
  • Fitness training Specific to Soccer
  • Strength & Power Training
  • Flexibility Training
  • Recovery/Regeneration
  • How to Plan.

Meet Vern Gambetta

Vern heads his own consulting firm, Gambetta Sports Training Systems. He was the conditioning consultant for the US Men’s 1998 World Cup Soccer team. In 1996-1997 he was conditioning coach for the Tampa Bay Mutiny Major League Soccer team. He was Director of Conditioning for the Chicago White Sox Minor League Program from 1987 to 1996. Vern is recognized internationally as an expert in training and conditioning and has worked with world-class athletes and teams in a variety of sports. He is a popular speaker and writer on conditioning topics, having lectured and given seminars and clinics throughout the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia and Europe.

Experience that matters

Vern’s coaching experience spans 30 years at all levels of competition. He has coached both cross-country and track and field. At Santa Barbara High School he coached boys’ and girls’ track teams to a combined record of 81 wins and 12 losses. From 1977-1982, he headed the women’s track and cross-country program at the University of California, Berkeley. His cross-country teams won three Region 8 titles and finished in the top ten at Nationals four consecutive years.

Vern served as the first director of the TAC Coaching Education Program, an innovative program designed to upgrade the standard of track and field coaching in the US. Vern also served on the advisory editorial board of the I.A.A.F. technical journal, New Studies In Athletics. He was the editor of the TAC technical journal, Track Technique, from 1980 through 1988. He edited the TAC Coaching Manual and has authored five books; he also served on the faculty of the National Coaching Institute in Canada.

Vern received his BA from Fresno State University in 1968 and his teaching credential with a coaching minor from UCSB in 1969. In 1973-74, Vern attended Stanford University and obtained his MA in Education with an emphasis in physical education.

Visit Vern’s website at www.gambetta.com

Editor’s Note: Vern: Delighted to have you on board. Our team is getting stronger Issue-by-Issue.