Staying Healthy In Bad Weather

Soccer is a sport played in all weather conditions. While professionals and competitive players are more trained to cope with inclement conditions, younger players often suffer. Here are some practical tips to deal with two extreme conditions.

Cold And Wet Weather

It is very important to keep the body as dry as possible, particularly for situations when players don't move enough during practice/game to generate body heat. This is almost always true for goalkeepers. Put on a thin pair of socks. Over each sock, put a plastic bag. Blow in the bag first to make sure it has no holes. Then put your uniform socks over top. This should keep your feet dry. Put on a thin shirt. Over the shirt put a very thin rain jacket. Over the rain jacket put your uniform. Play with the hood on if possible. If not, dry your hair as often as you can during the game. Bring a bag with a change of clothes for after the game. Put the bag inside a plastic bag so the fresh clothes stay dry.

Hot And Humid Conditions

First and foremost, keep your body hydrated with lots of water or pure fruit juice. At halftime or after the game, replenish your electrolytes with a sports drink or by eating a salty snack with lots of water. Don't overdo the sports drinks, plain water is preferable. Put ice cubes in your water bottle and avoid sharing it with others. Have one or several water bottles near the sideline so you have access during breaks in the game. Put on sunscreen, the sports variety that doesn't run into your eyes with the sweat. When off the field, wear a hat. Players on the bench must be in the shade, either under a tree or under a tent/umbrella. If you feel dizzy or faint, get medical attention immediately. Never jump into cold water when overheated, cool down a bit first and enter the water slowly.

Faking Injuries & Diving

Now that the 2006 world cup is over, you have probably read all sorts of analyses on how the game has changed over the years. I want to talk about the world cup final, the 1966 final between England and Germany.

I watched a tape of that game just prior to watching the 2006 final. What a difference! Remember, no substitutes were allowed in 1966. I didn't see one dive. I didn't see one fake injury. The game was faster than the 2006 game. Players were running more. there was continuous action. The 120 minutes just flew by. Oh yes, there were tough tackles, from behind into the legs - the ones that warrant red cards today. More importantly, the ones that have players go down and roll around now for minutes in "agony". Stretchers come out.

Back in 1966, the player tackling pulled up the tackled player to get the game going. The "injured" player at most limped a bit and kept on playing. Oh, and if the team didn't want to restart play quickly? The referee grabbed the ball, tossed it or ran it to the nearest player and got them going. Today, I believe a 90 minute game actually has 56 minutes of playing time. In 1966 it must have had 80 minutes of playing time, so who is fitter?

How do we get back to this type of free flowing soccer?

Every player who stays down for more than 10 seconds needs to be taken off the field for a mandatory 10 minute medical assessment. Or the player may be substituted.

Every "dive" should be reviewed on video after the game, just like fouls can be reviewed today. If a dive has been established, the player gets suspended for 1 game.

You think we'd get back to 1966 finals??