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Teaching the Technical Skills
Here are instructions on teaching the technical skills to your players. Please check out the videos on other pages to go along with these so you can properly teach the mechanics of each of these foundation skills that every player needs. If you teach it improperly now....someone will have to reteach it to the player later down the line.
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Ball Control Technical Skill
Ball Control is the ability to manipulate the ball and prepare it for your next touch, whether it be shot, pass or dribble. It is one of the most essential skills needed for a soccer player. If you were to ask soccer fans around the world what makes a player great you will hear words like first touch, control, and other words describing ball control. The question we all ask as coaches is "HOW can we make our players improve their first touch?" The answer is easy - our players must build a relationship with the ball and this is done through countless hours of repetition and training.
How to "control the ball"
Ball control has two main categories, receiving and trapping. Receiving means redirecting the ball into space, so you can shoot or dribble without being stationary. On the other hand, trapping is basically stopping the ball right at your feet.
Receiving
Receiving the ball is when you are in the run of play and do not want to stop the ball. You want to keep the ball moving in the direction you are going. Therefore, you redirect the ball with your first touch. Good soccer players can redirect the ball away from pressure to help create time and space for themselves.
Trapping
Trapping is typically used when the ball is going too fast to redirect with a first touch. The player must be relaxed in this situation. If a player is too tense and stiff then the ball will hit a wall and bounce off the player. Rather a player should try keeping their hips open in the direction from where the ball is coming. Players should then enter into the path of the ball and cushion it with a simple withdrawl of the foot in the opposite direction the ball is coming from.
How to practice control
The easiest way to practice control is with a partner. The partner serves you a ball, either with hands or foot, whichever way can get you a consistent number of repetitions. This activity is used all around the world and is very simple. After controlling the ball with one clean touch you then pass it back to your partner.
For a "back yard" or "school yard" game (or front yard) Find a wall. This gives you a partner at all times to work on your skills. Simply stand at about 3 to 5 yards away from the wall and kick or throw the ball against it. Then receive the ball and repeat. This exercise gives you the chance to work on both your kicking and control. As you develop a comfort with the ball, start applying both feet, try lofting the ball and incorporate speed by running to meet the ball.
Different methods of control
Inside and Outside of the foot
This is technique is used to control the ball cleanly and quickly on the ground.
Player must look up to assses the game situation BEFORE the ball arrives
Player must select the type of control to use
Move into the path of the ball and meet it early
Player should gently cushion the ball into the direction of the original path
Player should try to receive the ball across the body when possible to see the field
If pressure is on, the player may need to turn away immediately with first touch
A player can receive the ball with the outside of the foot to protect the ball
Players should look to take preperation touch towards the next desired direction
A few common errors:
Player being stiff when the ball arrives
Poor preparation touch
Not assessing the game situation ahead of time
Failing to execute next decision after controlling the ball
Instep
This technique is useful when the ball is falling from the air at an angle.
Players must meet the ball, stay on thier toes and lock your eyes on it.
Quickly adjust to its trajectory of the ball
Before the ball arrives, present the ankle of your controlling foot.
Try to cushion the ball using the area around your shoe laces.
Point of contact, withdraw your controlling foot by bending the knee and ankle.
Look to settle the ball right front of you.
A few common errors:
Player being stiff when the ball arrives
Poor preparation touch
Not assessing the game situation ahead of time
Failing to execute next decision after controlling the ball
Thigh
The thigh is especially useful in football when you want to trap the ball. Redirecting it into space is somewhat harder when you're using the thigh. Cushioning the ball with the thigh can be done for both rising and dropping balls. Make sure you position yourself properly, before you try to trap the ball. Once you have aligned yourself well, put your thigh in the path of the ball and angle it so that it's redirected downward. If you don't retract, the ball will just bounce off of you. The contact surface you should use is the area above the knee, about halfway on your thigh. The inside of your thigh is good for stopping balls that are flying straight at you.
Chest
The chest provides the largest surface area for trapping or receiving the ball.
When using it for control, stretch out your arms and flex your muscles. To cushion the ball, you'll need to arch your back slightly. You may also have to bend your knees or jump in order to align your chest with the height of the ball.
Head
Set up your body just as if you're about to head the ball. Instead of heading it, simply intercept its path using the surface area on your forehead, just below the hairline. Just before making contact, turn your head in whatever direction you want the ball to go (receiving).
If you just want to bring the ball to your feet (trapping) do not turn your head, instead bend your knees and lean forward with your upper body.
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Dribbling Technical Skill
Dribbling is arguably the most important skill that a soccer player needs to master at an early age. Dribbling leads to comfort on the ball, confidnce to keep the ball at your feet and the ability to be a play maker or creator. All players on the field must have the basic ability to dribble, even the Goal Keeper. Dribbling is very easy to incorporate into training sessions. Each and every warm up can include the review of dribbling skills. In this training area you will find activities that will provide your players with lots of repetition and touches on the ball.
DRIBBLING TECHNICAL SKILL
Keep ball within 1 "big" step
Use arms to help maintain balance
Keep your head up (once comfortable with ball at feet)
Keep both knees bent and use all parts of your feet
Lean over the ball, do not stand upright with ball
Explode past defenders once you have made a move
Use outside of foot and/or laces when dribbling for speed
Be creative, take risks
Introduce deception moves with fakes and change of speed to unbalance defenders
Common Technical Error
Pushing ball too far away
Using the instep or toe to speed dribble
Keeping head down so cannot see where going
Not leaning over ball
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Passing
Passing is a key element to the game of soccer. The ability to hit a team mate on the run, find a forward at the far post or simply knock the ball around the back to maintain possession are skills that need to be taught early but most importantly correctly. Below find a few helpful hints we gathered from our Technical Advisors and State Associations.
Main coaching points for Passing:
Keep ankle locked and toe up and to the outside of your body to pass with inside of foot
Point of contact on foot when using inside of foot pass is the in the middle of the side of your foot
Keep ankle locked and toe down and to the inside of your body to pass with outside of your foot
Point of contact on foot when using outside of foot pass is outside of your pinky toe
non-kicking foot is placed parallel to ball (not behind it or ahead of it) and far enough away that it is comfortable to hit ball and that both ball and non-kicking foot are underneath your hips
Non-kicking foot should be pointing towards your target
If possible the body should be square to the target with both knees bent
Strike through the middle of the ball…if you made a cross in the back of the ball, hit
where the two lines intersect
Follow through to your target and keep moving after your pass…DO NOT STAND
STILL
Keep head down to see what you are kicking
Lean over ball as you kick
Common Errors to look for:
Player failing to keep ankle locked at the moment of contact with the ball
Player failing looking at ball when kicking
Player's plant foot being behind, in front, or too far away from ball
No follow through
Striking ball with incorrect area on foot
Striking the bottom half of the ball (making ball go into the air)
Different Types of Passing:
1) Inside the foot
2) Outside the foot
3) Instep driven cross (long ball)
4) Chip pass
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Shooting
Shooting is the most important factor in attacking play. Poor technique or players who are unwilling to shoot often lead to goal scoring opportunities being missed. Even in top level soccer, many shots pass high and wide or players can be seen to hesitate in front of goal. Therefore, shooting practice should not only work on acquiring the correct techniques but on developing the right mental attitude.
Shooting practice should always resemble a real match environment. Therefore when possible, full size goals should be used as well as shooting in all types of conditions.
Some coaches may want to use video analysis of players whether in match or training to study their technique. Video based statistical studies in the past have also shown that a team who has ten shots on target very rarely loses, thus showing the need for accurate shooting. A comparative analysis of 100 goal scoring shots and 100 off target shots in top European Football showed distinct differences in mental and technical skills. Poor shooting often involved one or more weaknesses in each of these domains.
Keep ankle of shooting foot locked with toe down
Place non-kicking foot is placed parallel to ball (not behind it or ahead of it) and far enough away that it is comfortable to hit ball and that both ball and non-kicking foot are underneath your hips
Make sure non-kicking foot should be pointing towards your target
Your weight should be on the ball of your non-kicking foot
Both knees should be bent
Strike through the middle of the ball…if you made a cross in the back of the ball, hit
where the two lines intersect
Follow through to your target and land on your kicking foot
Keep head down to see what you are kicking
Lean over ball as you kick, do not stand upright
Strike ball with laces so that ball strikes hard bone on top of foot
Encourage players to strike through the ball
Players may need to make a slightly angled approach towards ball in order to prevent
them from kicking ground…this will result in hip of the same leg as the kicking foot
being higher than non-kicking foot
Common Errors:
Keeping plant leg locked
Not looking at ball
Striking ball with incorrect part of the foot
Not following through
Being too upright
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Soccer Tips For Coaches & Players
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