Building Strong Foundations: Why Strength, Power, Plyometric and Sprint Training Matters in Preseason for Youth Footballers

Preseason training provides youth footballers with an opportunity to improve physical performance and reduce injury risks before the competitive season begins. While many parents and coaches emphasise technical skills and match play, evidence increasingly supports the value of structured physical conditioning—particularly strength, power, plyometric, and sprint training—in developing well-rounded, resilient athletes.

The purpose of this article is to explain why these forms of training are essential to youth footballers, and how they can be safely implemented.

1. Strength Training: Building the Foundations

Why it matters:

Strength is the foundation of almost every movement in football—from holding off opponents to powerful strikes and quick changes of direction. Developing muscular strength during preseason has been shown to improve speed, agility, and jumping ability in youth athletes (Behm et al., 2017; Silva et al., 2015).

What the research says:

A 7-week strength training program improved strength, sprinting, and change-of-direction speed in young footballers aged 13–16 (Arazi & Asadi, 2011). Strength gains in youngsters are primarily due to better coordination and control of the nervous system rather than muscle size, making it especially effective in younger age groups (Behm et al., 2017).

Is it safe?

Yes—when supervised and appropriately designed. Modern research confirms that strength training is safe for children and adolescents when coached properly, with no evidence of growth plate damage (Faigenbaum et al., 2009).

2. Power Training: Turning Strength into Speed

Why it matters:

While strength is about how much force the muscles can produce, power is about how quickly that force can be applied. In football, this translates to quick sprints, explosive jumps, and dynamic tackles.

What the research says:

Programs combining strength and power training, like lifting weights followed by jumping or sprinting exercises, are especially effective. One study showed that young footballers improved their sprint performance, agility, and vertical jump height through this type of training (Ramirez-Campillo et al., 2021).

3. Plyometric Training: Improving Explosiveness and Coordination

Why it matters:

Plyometric exercises—such as jumping, bounding, and hopping—train the muscles to produce quick and powerful movements. These movements mimic football actions like jumping for a header or changing direction quickly.

What the research says:

A 10-week plyometric training program improved sprint speed, jumping ability, and balance in adolescent footballers (Petushek et al., 2021). A large review of over 40 studies found that 4–12 weeks of plyometric training significantly enhanced football-specific skills like kicking speed and sprint performance (Asadi et al., 2016).

Best practice:

Benefits are seen when players perform around 100 jumps per week, split over 2 sessions. Exercises should progress in difficulty and be closely supervised for good technique.

4. Sprint Training: Developing Speed and Acceleration

Why it matters:

Sprint performance—especially the ability to accelerate quickly—is one of the strongest predictors of football success. While strength and power support sprinting, sprinting itself must be practiced to improve speed.

What the research says:

Short sprints, especially when combined with resistance (such as sleds or bands), improve acceleration and reduce injury risk (Harrison et al., 2015). Adding plyometric training to sprint drills also enhances performance, particularly in distances under 20 metres (Comfort et al., 2014).

5. Combining Approaches: The Most Effective Strategy

Research increasingly supports combining strength, power, plyometric, and sprint training rather than isolating them. For example, Hammami et al. (2022) showed that a 10-week preseason program combining plyometrics and sprint training in U19 players significantly improved sprinting, jumping, agility, and balance.

Another study found that U14 players who completed combined strength and plyometric training twice per week improved sprinting, jumping, and kicking performance without negatively affecting aerobic fitness (Faude et al., 2013).

Conclusion: A Smarter Preseason Sets the Stage

For youth footballers, preseason isn’t just a time to regain fitness—it’s a unique opportunity to develop the physical qualities that support long-term performance and injury prevention. The combination of strength, power, plyometric, and sprint training—when implemented properly—can provide a huge advantage going into the competitive season.

As a parent, you want your child to perform at their best while staying injury-free. Preseason is the perfect time to build a strong, resilient individual. I offer personalised coaching designed to boost your child's performance on the field and confidence in the gym

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With a structured preseason program that’s scientifically supported, I focus on:

• Building Strength: Building a solid foundation of strength key for developing other athletic qualities.

• Power Training: Turning strength into speed for explosive performance.

• Plyometrics: Enhancing explosiveness and coordination for game-changing plays.

• Sprint Training: Developing acceleration and top speed to leave opponents behind.

  
  

Let's create a training plan tailored to your child's needs—contact me to get started!

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References

• Behm, D.G., et al. (2017). Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology, 42(3), 245–255.

• Faigenbaum, A.D., et al. (2009). Pediatrics, 123(3), e765–e772.

• Arazi, H., & Asadi, A. (2011). Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 25(4), 1055–1061.

• Ramirez-Campillo, R., et al. (2021). Applied Sciences, 11(4), 1451.

• Asadi, A., et al. (2016). Sports Medicine, 46(8), 1139–1163.

• Petushek, E.J., et al. (2021). Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 714016.

• Faude, O., et al. (2013). British Journal of Sports Medicine, 47(13), 923–931.

• Harrison, A.J., et al. (2015). Strength and Conditioning Journal, 37(3), 32–39.

• Hammami, R., et al. (2022). Applied Sciences, 12(5), 2470.

• Comfort, P., et al. (2014). Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 28(3), 829–840.