Planning A Pre-Season For Success

Pre-season is one of the most critical phases in a team’s annual cycle — yet it’s often rushed, under-planned, or overloaded with outdated fitness drills.

For grassroots and amateur coaches, where time and contact hours with players are limited, planning a smart and structured pre-season can be the difference between starting the season flying or chasing match sharpness for weeks.

Whether you're working with under-12s or open-age squads, a well-thought-out pre-season sets physical foundations, reintroduces tactical principles, and builds momentum and belief.

Why Pre-Season Matters

A good pre-season should do more than just get players fit — it should:

• Reduce the risk of injury by preparing players progressively
• Reinforce your playing style and tactical model
• Rebuild team cohesion after a break
• Provide targeted physical development (speed, stamina, strength)
• Establish good training habits and standards

Ultimately, it’s about making sure your players are physically robust, technically confident, and mentally sharp when the competitive season begins.

Ten Top Tips for Planning an Effective Pre-Season

Here are ten key tips for coaches who want to deliver a purposeful and player-focused pre-season:

1. Begin with the end in mind
Plan backwards from your first league fixture. Think "What does your team need to be able to do by then?"

2. Train how you play
Design sessions that replicate your game model - use an integrated approach that blends physical, tactical and technical elements.

3. Don’t spike the load
Avoid overloading players too early. Build volume and intensity progressively to reduce injury risk.

4. Use ‘extensive before intensive’
Start with larger-sided games (e.g., 10v10) to build stamina, then progress toward smaller, higher-intensity games (e.g., 3v3).

5. Introduce speed gradually
Include drills to expose players to high-speed running early, but safely. Sprinting after a six-week layoff must be reintroduced with care.

6. Work across the four corners
Great pre-seasons develop more than fitness - target social, psychological, and technical elements too.

7. Adapt for amateur settings
If your squad only trains twice a week, use game-based conditioning and consider simple, time-efficient home workouts.

8. Monitor how players respond
Use simple RPE (rate of perceived exertion) ratings or check-ins to assess fatigue and avoid overtraining.

9. Don’t forget your goalkeepers
Goalkeepers also need to sprint, jump, land, and change direction, so build physical preparation into their technical work.

10. Make it enjoyable
Variety, competition, and game-relevance increase buy-in and effort. Keep the football at the heart of your sessions.

Ready to Plan Smarter?

We’ve created a FREE downloadable guide to help grassroots coaches design their own pre-season plans.

Inside the guide, you’ll find:

• Drill diagrams for change of direction and sprint work
• Principles of endurance, overload, and integration
• Advice for amateur, youth, and female players

Whether coaching a grassroots youth or adult team, this guide will support you in creating a pre-season that prepares your players physically, tactically, and mentally.

Click here for to get the download...