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SHOOTING
The most
important skill in soccer is shooting. You have to shoot to score goals, and
you need to score goals to win. It's important to shoot accurately to
improve your chances of scoring.
The
best places to aim are the corners, and wherever the goalie "isn't"
standing. Kicking with power is just as important as accuracy. Even if you
kick accurately, a ball with no power is easy for the goalie to stop. If you
can kick hard, but are not accurate, the ball will not go in the goal, or
will be right at the goalie, which is also easier for him to stop.
To be a
good shooter, you need both power and accuracy. The best way to learn
kicking with power and accuracy is to start with a still ball. Gradually try
doing it with a ball rolling slightly away from you.
Finally, practice dribbling and shooting at the same time. A good way to
practice accuracy is to shoot against a wall.
Place a
mark on the wall, either with chalk, or masking tape. Make sure it is large
enough for you to see from a distance. Place the ball about ten feet away
from the wall and kick at the target you made. Try this every day, about
twenty kicks with each foot, until you can hit the target almost every time.
As your
accuracy improves, move to fifteen feet away, then twenty, and twenty five.
Also it's important to learn how to kick a bouncing ball. Try throwing the
ball at the target so that it bounces back to you and practice shooting the
bouncing ball. Practice these skills, and you will soon become a great
shooter!
The Instep Drive or Shoot
An
instep shoot is a hard, low kick. It is called an instep drive because you
kick the ball with the instep part of your foot, or the part of the foot
that the shoelaces cover. The instep is the hardest part of your foot. The
idea of the instep drive is to kick the ball hard and low, straight to the
target.
To do
this, your instep must make contact with the center of the ball. If you hit
it below the center, the ball will rise.
If you
hit the ball on the side, it will curve and go the wrong way.
Place
your other foot along side of the ball, about six inches away, with the toes
pointing to where you want to kick it. Bend your knee slightly and push
forward so that it is over the foot, and in line with the ball. Lean forward
over the ball when you kick it to keep the ball low. Keep your head in front
of the ball, and the knee of your kicking leg directly over the ball as you
kick it.
You
should first practice this skill with a still ball. Back up about four or
five steps from the ball and run up to it to kick.
Kick
your leg with a smooth swing, and don't forget to follow through in line
with the path of the ball. If you keep your arms spread apart, it will help
with balance. If you have trouble running straight toward the ball, try
approaching it from a slight angle. As you arrive at the ball, place your
non-kicking foot about 6 inches away from it, pointing your toes in the
direction you want to kick the ball. Point your kicking foot down and
slightly outwards. When the knee of your kicking foot is over the ball, kick
it with your instep.
When a
player wants to kick a ball with optimum power, the instep drive is the
technique that is most often used. On the center top of the foot, towards
the inside is a hard bone. This is the primary contact point for the instep
drive. Because of the proximity on this point to the shoe laces, some refer
to this as the "laces" kick which may be a good reference point for young
players, even though the contact point may be just inside of the laces.
If a
player wants to keep the ball low, toe of the foot must be pointed at a
downward angle when contact is made. The upper leg (thigh) must be the prime
muscle group moving the lower leg through the ball on this kick.
Some of
the key technical points for the instep drive are: support foot beside the
ball and pointed at the target kicking foot pointed down and locked
throughout the shot and follow through body weight is moving forward and
through the shot, landing on the kicking foot
PASSING
Passing
a Soccer Ball Passing is one of the most important skills in soccer. It is a
team skill as well as an individual skill. Before you can make a good pass,
you need to know where you want the ball to go, and why. You also need to
learn where to go to receive a pass.
Receiving a Pass:
When
another member of your team has the ball, it's important to move to a
position where he can pass it to you. You don't want to be behind a player
from the other team, or it will be intercepted. You also don't want to be
too close to the person with the ball, because the pass will really not help
much. It will be easy for one player from the other team to guard both of
you. Try to stay open, and not behind your own teammate. Stay even with
them, so the pass can be made slightly ahead of you.
Inside The Foot Pass:
The
easiest and most accurate pass is the "inside the foot" pass. Put the foot
you aren't kicking with by the side of the ball. Kick the ball with the
large flat part of the inside of your other foot. Be sure to raise it off
the ground a little, so you are kicking the side of the ball, not the
bottom, and don't forget to follow through with your foot straight ahead
until your foot will not go any higher. To practice this kick, put a target
on the wall and practice hitting it from about five feet away, and when that
becomes too easy, try moving back to ten feet, and then fifteen feet.
Practice this drill with both a still ball and a moving ball. Have a friend
roll the ball to you from a different angle and try to hit the target. Have
someone roll the ball from behind you so you have to chase the ball and then
hit it to the target. Try dribbling and passing the ball into the target.
Have someone throw the ball into the air, trap it and then pass it to the
target. Also, practice dribbling with another player and passing it to the
target.
Passing With The Outside:
Place
the foot you are not kicking with by the side of the ball, with the inside
part facing the direction in which you wish to kick. Kick the ball with the
outside edge of your other foot, right below your little toe. Be sure your
foot is pointing slightly down, with your ankle stiff. Raise your foot off
the ground so it is even with the center of the ball. Swing with the lower
part of your leg, the part below your knee. Both of these passes are passes
for accuracy, not power, so don't worry if you can't kick the ball very far.
TRAPPING
Trapping soccer balls is one of the most important parts of playing soccer.
Once you have it down, you can take hard passes, block shots, dribble better
and SCORE MORE.
Study
these Skills, and feel free to print this page and study it more. Learn how
to Trap the ball with the...
Sole of the Foot Trap
This
trap is good for controlling rolling balls. To make this trap the ball is
stopped between the bottom of your foot and the ground. To do this, face the
path of the ball, and crouch your body slightly. Be sure to keep the weight
of your body on the non-trapping leg. Place your trapping leg about a foot
in front of you and bend it a little. Point your toe up, with your heel
raised about four inches off the ground. Holding your arms out to the side
may also help you keep your balance. On a rolling ball, as the ball rolls to
you, get ready to trap it. As soon as the sole of your foot makes contact
with the ball, shift your weight slightly so you are wedging the ball
between the sole of your foot and the ground. Don't put your foot directly
on top of the ball, you may fall over it.
Inside of the Foot Trap
To make
an inside of the foot trap, turn your body towards the ball. Face the inside
of your trapping foot towards the ball. Raise your trapping leg, and bend
your knee slightly. Lift your foot so it is even with the center of the
ball. Let the ball hit the inside of your foot between your toes and your
ankle, then immediately move your leg back, not up. This will cushion the
ball so it doesn't bounce away from you. Most balls can be stopped with just
a light touch. They should bounce about twelve inches in front of you so you
are in position to make your next move. Now you are ready to dribble, pass
or shoot. This trap can be used on a rolling ball, or a ball that is in the
air. Remember to get your foot even with the ball. If your foot is too high,
the ball will roll under it. If it is too low, the ball may bounce over it.
Outside of the Foot Trap
The
outside of the foot trap can be used to trap ground balls and bouncing
balls. Use the outside of your foot, between your little toe and ankle to
make this trap. To trap a ground ball, line up to where the ball is rolling
and raise your trapping foot off the ground, keeping it slightly ahead of
your other foot. Make sure the side of your little toe is facing the ball.
As the ball rolls to you, watch it all the way to your foot. Let the ball
make contact with your foot, and get ready for your next move. To trap a
bouncing ball, trap it right after it bounces. Place your non-trapping foot
on the ground with the inside of it facing the ball. Lift your trapping foot
up and slightly ahead of the other foot. As soon as the ball bounces, swing
your leg across your body, and hit the ball with the outside of your foot.
The ball should land slightly to the side of you, and now you are ready for
your next move.
Chest Trap
The
chest trap is used to control high kicked or bouncing balls. There are two
kinds of chest traps. For both ways, use the middle of your chest just above
your stomach. For high balls: Have your feet even with each other and about
shoulder width apart. Bend your knees, and lean back slightly from your
waist up. As the ball comes toward you, lean back even more and spread your
arms wide. This will help stretch your chest out more, helps with balance,
and helps prevent touching the ball with your hands. When the ball comes,
let it bounce off your chest and drop in front of you. Now you are ready for
your next move. For bouncing balls: For this trap, place your feet even with
each other, about shoulder width apart. Lean your body forward slightly,
from the waist up. When the ball comes toward you, lean forward a little
more and put your chest into the ball. The ball will fall right in front of
you so you can make your next move. To practice chest traps, have someone
toss the ball to you from about five feet away. Try not to close your eyes.
As you get good at this, have them throw the ball from farther back. Then
have them throw a little harder, then still a little harder. Pretty soon you
will be able to chest trap a ball that has been kicked. A problem habit you
may run into is putting your hands in the way of the ball when it comes to
you. To overcome this habit, try putting a small rock in each hand to remind
you not to move your hands in front of the ball.
Thigh Trap
The
thigh trap is used to trap falling balls in the air. To make a thigh trap,
use the flat part of your upper leg, above your knee. When the ball comes,
face it and raise your trapping leg toward the ball. How high you raise your
leg depends on how fast the ball is coming. However, never lift your leg
higher than your waist. Your knee should be bent so your lower leg is
pointing down. As the ball hits your thigh, drop your leg back to cushion
it. The ball should bounce slightly up, and drop right in front of you.
Head Trap
The
head trap is used to control a falling ball around head height. Sometimes
there is no one near you to head a ball to, so you need to keep control of
it yourself. You use your forehead to make this kind of trap. You want to be
sure to keep the angle of your head adjusted so the ball hits the middle of
your forehead. The steeper the drop, the farther back you need to tilt your
head. Bend your knees slightly, and keep one foot slightly in back of the
other, about shoulder width apart. Keep your eyes on the ball, all the way
to your forehead. As the ball hits, bend your front knee, which will lower
your whole body. This will cushion the ball, causing it to bounce just a
little, and fall right in front of you. This is a difficult skill to learn.
Start by throwing the ball into the air yourself, and trapping it. Then get
a friend to throw it to you so you get practice trapping it at different
angles. Also, practice running to where the ball will drop, plant yourself,
and trap it. This is probably the most difficult trap to learn in soccer and
will take time to learn to do correctly. Don't be discouraged if it takes a
long time until you feel comfortable with it.
HEADING
The
Ball An important skill every soccer player should learn is heading. Heading
will let you stop the ball when the ball is high, either in the middle of
the field, or when being shot at the goal.
A good
soccer player can even head the ball to change the direction of the ball,
and to make a pass to a teammate.
Don't
Head the ball like this. Please. Keep your eyes open, and remember:
FOREHEAD. To head the ball, keep your eyes open, and your mouth closed, and
hit the ball with your forehead. Don't let the ball hit "you", rather "you"
hit it! never head the ball if it is lower than your waist, you may get
kicked by another player.
Heading
can be used to pass the ball to another player, or to hit it into the goal.
A good way to learn how to head a ball is to place a small piece of masking
tape on the middle of your forehead. Take a light ball, such as a beach
ball, throw it up in the air, and try to hit it with the masking tape spot.
As you
become better at it, and less afraid, try it with a slightly harder ball,
such as a playground ball or a volleyball. Eventually you will be ready to
try it with a regulation soccer ball. You should ask your coach about
heading in your league, and have him or her show you where to hit the ball
with your forehead.
It will
hurt, and you could get injured, if you head the ball incorrectly. Another
way to practice heading is to hang a soccer ball from a tree with a rope or
string. Make sure the ball is higher than your head, and practice jumping up
to it and hitting it with your forehead. You can also have another player
throwing balls into the air while you practice heading it to another player.
Heading Techniques
The
following are different heading methods to consider. Standing position: The
feet should be spaced apart, forming a good base, 8-10 inches wide. The feet
should also be staggered, to provide balance when the upper body arches
backwards as the ball arrives. The trunk of the body should snap forward to
give power to the header as the forehead contacts the ball. Point of contact
on the ball can vary depending on whether the player is attacking or
defending. When heading to score, the contact should be at the midline of
the ball to keep it directed down and low. When defending, the contact
should be made below the midline of the ball, with the upper body continuing
forward in the snapping motion.
One-footed Take-off:
The
player should be sure that, when jumping off one leg, she chooses the leg
most appropriate to the situation. Some players prefer jumping off of one
leg over the other; therefore, a coach should make sure players are able to
jump off of either leg successfully when attempting to head the ball. On
takeoff, the knee and ankle of the takeoff leg should push upward and should
arch backwards after the jump. The action of the non-takeoff leg should
swing forward and high, bending at the hip and knee. The upper body should
be leaning forward at the point of takeoff and, when maximum height is
reached, the body should arch backwards. The momentum of reaching back in a
snapping motion propels the upper body forward, and the energy generated
puts power behind the header. The head and neck should be tense as the
forehead meets the ball. The player should end up landing on both feet.
To redirect ball:
The
player's jumping should be rotated towards the intended direction so that
the surface of the forehead and the upper body are at the right angle to
redirected the ball. In addition, when heading from a jump-and-turning
action, it is best to jump with the leg that is closest to the ball. The
opposite leg must then swing in the direction of the ball, in order to help
rotate the trunk.
Diving header:
There
are instances when a ball is served below head height, but still too high to
successfully strike with the foot. As one foot pushes off the ground, the
opposite leg kicks in an upward motion while the upper body leans forward
and the arms are extended forward. The body is parallel to the ground as the
forehead strikes the midline of the ball. Arms are still extended outward to
help brace the landing as the body connects with the ground at roughly a
45-degree angle.
GOALKEEPING
The goalie has a very unique position in soccer. The goalie
usually plays within the goalie box, and is the only player on the team
allowed to use his hands and arms to play the ball on the field. He may only
use them within the penalty box. The goalie's job is to block the shots the
other team makes, and prevent them from scoring a goal.
A good
goalie inspires the defenders, and tells them where to position themselves
on the field. The goalie must also be able to make quick decisions. Such as:
Where to
position himself.
Whether or not to attempt to take the ball away from
a player on the other team who has the ball.
Whether to play the ball, or
leave it for another player on his team.
Catching the Ball:
Catching
the ball, without bobbling it, is a very important skill of goalkeeping. To
be a good goalie, you must practice catching the ball in any situation. The
first thing you should remember is to watch the ball at all times. Follow
the ball's flight all the way to your hands. Catch the ball so your hands
are slightly behind it. This will stop the ball from slipping from your
fingers. It also helps to keep your fingers spread out when catching the
ball. If your hands are too far apart, and are not behind the ball, the ball
will slip through your hands and possibly into the goal. As soon as you
catch the ball, tighten your fingers up so you have a good grip on the ball,
but keep your wrists relaxed. This will soften the impact of the ball so it
won't bounce away. Whenever possible, try to get your body in front of the
ball. That way, if you miss the ball, the ball will hit your body instead of
going into the goal. If the ball is shot chest high, catch the ball against
your chest, then bring your arms around the ball to hold it securely. If the
ball is bouncing up at you, lean forward over the ball and catch it,
bringing the ball up to your chest. On ground balls, get quickly on one knee
as you catch the ball, scooping it up with your hands to your chest.
Diving Save
If the
ball is shot to a corner of the goal, where you are unable to reach it, you
need to dive and try to catch it, or deflect it so it doesn't go into the
goal. To dive after the ball, push your body off the ground, and face your
body toward the ball, so your side is facing the ball. As your feet lift off
the ground, fling your arms out toward the ball. Try to catch the ball while
your arms are stretched out. As soon as you catch the ball, bring it into
your chest. The ball and the forearm of your lower arm hit the ground first.
As soon as you land, pull the ball into your chest. This skill takes lots of
practice. Start at first without the ball, and take little dives so you
won't be afraid to hit the ground. As you get better, increase the distance,
and try it with a ball. If you cannot reach the ball to catch it, use your
fists to punch it away. When you land, use your arms to break your fall.
Getting Rid of the Ball:
You are
allowed only six seconds to put the ball back into play on the field (rules
differ from league to league though).
To throw the ball, put your hand under the ball, and then draw back your
throwing arm, with your elbow slightly bent. As you throw your arm forward,
turn towards your target, releasing the ball about a foot in front of your
head. To kick the ball, hold both hands under it, with your arms out in
front of you about waist high. Keep your elbows slightly bent and take a
step forward with your non-kicking leg. Swing your kicking foot up toward
the ball, keep your toes pointed, move your hands out and drop the ball. You
should kick the ball with your instep, trying to get it to go high and far.
It takes a lot of practice to get the timing right, the distance and the
accuracy, so don't be discouraged if you don't get it right away. On a
rolling ball, as the ball rolls to you, get ready to trap it. As soon as the
sole of your foot makes contact with the ball, shift your weight slightly so
you are wedging the ball between the sole of your foot and the ground. Don't
put your foot directly on top of the ball, you may fall over it.
Reprinted with permission from:
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