What are the best fuel foods for soccer players? What training regimen will best prepare young soccer players and improve their resistance to injuries? This comprehensive guide to health and fitness for soccer players offers expert advice for soccer teams at all levels. With decades of combined experience treating and training elite soccer players, exercise physiologist Donald Kirkendall and orthopedic specialist William E. Garrett Jr. present complex issues in an easy-to-understand format. The book addresses the physical and mental demands of the game, including the differences between boys' and girls' games and the differences in the levels of play in youth, college, and professional leagues; nutrition fundamentals, including food, drink, and vitamin supplements; physiology and training methods, with an emphasis on the basic elements of flexibility, speed, strength, and conditioning; and injury treatment and prevention.For players looking to step up their game, for parents who want to keep their kids healthy, and for coaches seeking the advice of the pros, this guide is an indispensable reference to keep handy on the sidelines.This comprehensive guide to health and fitness for soccer players offers expert advice for soccer teams at all levels. With decades of combined experience treating and training elite soccer players, Donald Kirkendall and William E. Garrett Jr. present complex issues in an easy-to-understand format. They discuss training practices, physical problems soccer players often encounter, and ways to treat and prevent injury. For players looking to step up their game, for parents who want to keep their kids healthy, and for coaches seeking the advice of the pros, this guide is an indispensable reference to keep handy on the sidelines.Topics covered include: * Important differences between boys' and girls' games* Best foods and fluids for maximum performance* Basic training concepts* Speed training tips* Training considerations specific to female athletes* Muscle soreness* Treatment of head, knee, leg, ankle, foot, and other injuries* When to return to play after an injury