Boston College Soccer

BC women’s head coach Alison Foley, athletic trainer Donna Bennett, and strength and conditioning coach Nick ­Asermelly consistently keep their team in the NCAA Division I top 10. “Soccer is a great workout,” Asermelly says, “because it encompasses so many aspects of physical training. No other sport combines creative and quick thinking with the multitude of body parts engaged—it’s cardiovascular, aerobic and anaerobic, polymeric, and muscle toning all in one.”

Hop Scotch

Agility drills improve balance and reaction time to obstacles at high speeds.

“Soccer delivers a better body, without the boredom of training the individual muscle groups.”

Gear Up

Forgo expensive, high-end cleats, which offer little support, and invest in something comfortable. Wearing new cleats in the shower will help mold them to your feet—just stuff them full of newspaper afterward to dry.

Off the Field

“Your body will become what you teach it to be,” Asermelly says. So vary daily sessions of full-field soccer with low-impact activities that don’t involve pounding—yoga, for example, or biking and swimming. Spinning develops quads and glutes. TRX classes, body blades, and stability balls stimulate and develop the core—crucial for preventing injury. Stave off ACL and MCL tears with regular resistance-training and walking.

START HERE

Boston Ski & Sports Club Leagues $85–$120 per season, bssc.com.

With a variety of team sizes and levels of play, BSSC’s indoor and outdoor soccer leagues offer year-round coed and single-sex options.

Check out “Home Team Workouts” to find out how other college teams in Boston get fit.