Play Soccer! » Ball Control

Shielding

John — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:54:01 +0000

Shielding means to protect or “shield” the ball from your opponents. To shield the ball from the other team you need to keep your body and feet between the ball and the other teams players. Keep the ball and your feet moving to protect the ball from the other team’s kicks, pokes, and prods.

As you advance in skill, you can continue to shield the ball while dribbling by keeping the ball on the side opposite your opponent.

Trapping

John — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:53:27 +0000

Trapping the ball means to stop the ball and holding it with the top of your foot. The reason that you might want to trap the ball is to hold it for a short pause while you decide whether you need to dribble the ball, shoot at the goal, or shield the ball.

Dribbling

John — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 15:58:41 +0000

Dribbling is what we call moving the ball with our feet. The purpose of dribbling is to move the ball from one spot on the field to another.

A dribbler needs to:

1. Keep the ball under control.

2. Keep the ball close to his feet.

3. Be able to quickly change directions.

4. Be able to quickly change the pace (or speed) the ball is moving.

A good dribbler can:

1. Keep the ball until a team mate is in a clear position to receive a pass.

2. Get past a defender to assist in an attack.

3. Clear himself for a shot on goal.

The ball should be touched on the side of the toe using either the top, inside, or outside of the shoe.

Dribbling Slow. Dribbling slow allows for a greater amount of control over the ball on each step.

Dribbling Fast. Dribbling fast allows the player to move quickly across the field. The player will touch the ball on every two or three steps.

Don’t hit the ball hard. Hit it sharp and quick. Work on having a light touch to keep the ball moving. Remember to stay not more than one step away from the ball at all times.

When dribbling, it is important tokeep the ball close to the player to prevent the other team from stealing the ball.

Be aware of your surroundings. While dribbling, watch the ball and watch the field.

Remember to keep the ball moving.

Don’t forget to practice, practice, practice!

Basic Passing

John — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:26:50 +0000

For the youngest players, basic passing is done by hitting the ball with the inside of your foot using your leg like a hockey stick.

As skills improve, the player will gain confidence to pass while dribbling and occasionally pass while using the outside of his foot.

Tackling

John — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 13:54:28 +0000

Tackling is when you block the ball with your foot to stop or take it away from the other team. You need to attack the ball and not the other players foot.

The idea is to seperate the ball from the other player and thus win the possesion of the ball for your team. Care must be taken not to hit the other player as this will result in a penalty (if you are playing with referees). It is especially important not to injure the other player!

Kicking and Shooting.

John — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:30:13 +0000

To send the ball where you want it to goal, whether to another player or into the goal, you need to strike the ball with just the right amount of force and with the correct part of your foot.

To kick the ball with force, plant your non-kicking foot next to the ball and swing your foot through the ball. This follow through is critical to getting the full force of you foot transferred to the ball. Kicking the ball above the center will keep the ball moving on the ground. To get the ball to move off of the ground, kick it below the centerline of the ball.

The point of contact for a long, lofted pass or a shot on goal should be the laces of your shoe.

When shooting:
     -keep your eye on the ball
     -lean into the kick
     -put your arms out for balance
     -plant your foot next to the ball
     -bring your kicking foot all the way back
     -snap your knee at contact with the ball
     -follow through with your toes going through the ball towards the palm of your opposite hand.

For shots on goal, follow every shot and quickly move in after it. Assume that you are going to miss and be there to kick in the rebound. The ball might go in the goal or it might rebound from the posts, other players, the goalie, or even the referee. Follow through on every shot. Do not stand still and watch the ball – chase after it!

If the Goalkeeper is standing in the center of the goal, shoot for one of the corners. If the Goalkeeper is gaurding one side of the goal, shoot for the other side of the goal.