Basic skills, as has been already stressed, are the most important aspect of soccer playing, but they are deemphasized in training far too often for the seemingly more important need for game strategy. A player will not go far in this game without these skills, however. This chapter is devoted to basic skills, and they will be discussed in a more or less chronological learning order of importance.
Dribbling a soccer ball is what all eleven soccer players do. Even goalkeepers dribble at times. It should not be discouraged. It is the coach’s responsibility to build players’ confidence for dribbling the ball under the pressure of game situations. Often coaches try to discourage dribbling in games because they are apprehensive that the player will lose the ball to the opposition team. Yet they allow players to make long kicks or head balls down-field where there is usually about a 70 percent probability that the other team will end up with the ball anyway. There is more of a chance of losing the ball by making a long and indiscriminate up-field kick or a long header than by properly dribbling the ball and shielding it. Modern soccer, unlike some other sports, is not a game of possessing yardage, but one of ball possession and continuity through continuous clear passing. Often there is no near unmarked player, so the player with the ball should maintain possession until an unmarked teammate becomes available.
Of course, a distinction should be made between a team player who dribbles the ball looking for opportunities for the team and a player who is a “ball hog.”
Young players must be taught the correct way to dribble because invariably they do it incorrectly. They dribble the ball by tapping it with their feet, and the end result is that it moves beyond their near reach and out of their control. They do not protect it. They also watch the ball while dribbling it. All of this must be corrected.
Point number one for ball dribbling is not to tap the ball, but to push it. Tapping causes sharp, uncontrollable impulses, while pushing it causes controlled follow-through movements. The pushing or dribbling is done by using the outside or inside of the foot at any time, in any order as needed. With the inside of the foot dribble, the ball is generally contacted well in front of the ankle or it may be under it to protect it better.
Constantly using the outside-of-the-foot dribble (against the top of the three smaller toes) is effective when dribbling up to a single opponent whom one wishes to fake and pass. For example, when you wish to pass an opponent on the right, come directly towards that player, pushing the ball with only the outside of the right foot while slowing down your speed to enable you to touch the ball every time your right foot gets out in front. At about 4' (1.2 meters) in front of the opponent, feint to the left and push the ball with the same point of contact of the right foot again, but this time at a 45-degree angle to your right (the opponent’s left). The fake is now completed, and you should be past the defender. This maneuver is further discussed in Chapter 4—“Fakes.”
Inside-of-the-foot dribbling can also be effective when a player, who needs absolute control of the ball, is coming up to an opponent. If the opponent tries to tackle the ball, it is easily maneuvered out of her way, and the dribbler can then pass this opponent. Another choice is to push the ball through the opponent’s legs (if they are open). The inside-of-the-foot dribble is accomplished in the following way: while approaching the opponent, each foot that is in front must touch the ball with every step to maintain control over it. The dribbling player should be looking around the field and not down at the ball.
When one is just maneuvering the ball, either foot and contact point may be interchanged at any moment in time. The important rule to remember is to keep the ball as close to the feet as possible. Note that: only when a player is dribbling in open spaces can the ball be dribbled at a slightly further distance from the feet. Photo 1 shows a player dribbling the ball close to his feet even though there is no opponent immediately in front of him.
Photo 1. The technique of dribbling the ball near the feet must be learned for ball control. Notice the outstretched arms that give the player the balance necessary to change direction immediately if it becomes necessary.
Players should be taught that they must dribble with their head up in order to be in control of the ball and have awareness of the opponents’ positions. This comes with practice. There are times, however, when a player must be looking at the ball: these times occur when the player is in close contact with an opponent (shielding the ball) and just before and during kicking, trapping, and heading. The drills both at practice and at home will teach players to dribble with their heads up and their eyes searching for opportunities and advancing opposing players.
As mentioned above, it is important to slow down when dribbling towards an opponent because ball control should not be sacrificed for speed. This is especially important when approaching the opponents’ goal while coming face to face with defenders. Very often players will try to dribble between two defenders to get a shot on goal. This type of try is seldom successful, and it should not be encouraged. In a situation where a player is coming upon two or three defenders, the best option is usually to stop and pass the ball back to an attack-supporting teammate. Dribbling is further discussed in the sections on shielding.
All players can kick the ball to some degree. They can do this instinctively even though their kicking needs to be perfected. Correct trapping techniques must be learned early in one’s soccer career; therefore the basic trapping techniques are discussed first. We will start by considering the trapping that is used most of the time in a ball control soccer game. The trap is made with the inside of the foot just below the ankle (see Fig. 3-1-A and 3-1-B). Note the point of contact on the foot. The ball should go down after one traps it. If the trapping foot is too high, the ball will roll under it, and if it is too low, the ball will bounce up high. A safe assumption, when one is trapping a ball, is that there will be an opponent very close by. This means that the player must go to the ball rather then wait for it to come to him.
This trap, as all traps, follows certain rules and sequences:
RULE 1. Keep your eye on the ball. This is important when kicking, trapping, and heading.
RULE 2. Go to the ball. Never wait for it to come to you.
RULE 3. Stop. Just before you make contact with the ball, you should stop. It is extraordinarily difficult to trap a ball while you are in motion.
RULE 4. Trap and shield. As soon as the impact of the ball is felt, soften that impact by moving the foot away from the ball. The ball must stop dead. The ball must go down with the trap. If it goes up, too much time will be required to settle it. Immediately shield it.
RULE 5. Move out. This next move is to immediately push-off the ball in a direction free from the space of an opponent. This is very important because, as any experienced player knows, it is necessary to immediately accelerate with the ball in order to maintain its possession.
RULE 6. Do not turn blindly. With the ball under control, move only to your front, no matter which direction you are facing. Turning blindly with the ball is a sure way to lose it to an opponent. Turning is covered in these sections: “Turning While Shielding” and “Shielding on the Touch Line.”
Figure 3-1. The inside-of-the-foot trap. Note the shock absorption movement of the trapping foot moving away from the ball and point of contact.
When heading the ball, it is necessary to keep one’s eyes on the ball and open during contact. Basic heading practice should start with close throws from another player or coach or use the ball rebound board described in Chapter 6. Certain balls such as rubber or very hard leather ones are not recommended for heading drills because impact with them can be painful. A recommended drill is to have players waiting in line and standing about 8' (2½ meters) from the thrower. The ball is thrown underhanded, starting the throw with the ball at knee level. Each player gets three successive headers (more if the player cannot get it right). The repetitions are necessary for reinforcement of the skill. See Fig. 3-2 for the proper method of heading.
The power that is needed comes from using the back and neck to propel the ball. It is best to head the ball parallel to the ground or even downwards. If the player consistently causes the ball to rise, the player must learn to get her head slightly over the center of the ball. There are times in games when a player must head the ball far away with a slightly elevated angle. There is not much need to practice this: when a player becomes skillful in the heading techniques, this variation will come naturally. During the drills, the players should be encouraged to head the ball horizontally or slightly downwards.
Figure 3-2. Heading. Note that the center of the forehead is the point of contact. Following through the header makes the ball’s flight more accurate. Practice heading with the eyes open.
Shielding or protecting the ball is the most basic skill that must be learned for ball control mastery. Modern soccer is a game of ball possession. This skill will enable any field player to maintain possession at all times against a single opponent and possibly against two opponents. But against three opponents, even the best ball handler will probably lose the ball. Shielding against one opponent is extremely effective, however. To exemplify this skill, players that are familiar with basketball should draw the comparison with a dribbling player. The basketball player instinctively places his back to an opponent when dribbling. Even though it is not instinctive in soccer, the technique is the same: the back is used to screen the ball. When a player becomes skillful at shielding, this player will have developed a base upon which to build many other soccer skills.
Control is the hallmark of professional play. Ball control is the ability to get the ball from point A to point B—to a teammate or into the goal. Ball control starts by shielding with the body while one is moving and looking around for the best opportunity. If a player does not shield the ball immediately upon receiving it (positioning the body between the ball and the opponent immediately with trapping) and while in possession of it, that player will never be any better than an average player. The best of professional players are expert at shielding and that helps make everything that they do look easy.
When two players from opposing teams are going for the loose ball or a pass, the one who gets to it first will end up with it if she starts to trap the ball and immediately places her body between the opponent and the ball. Then it is important to arch the back towards the opponent without contacting her. This will further separate the opponent from the ball. See Fig. 3.3. (Note that this is not obstruction. Obstruction would be endeavoring to gain possession of the ball by blocking the opponent’s path to the ball, that is, running between the opponent and the ball.) At this moment, the ball is isolated and must be pushed into open space away from the opponent; it must always be kept out of reach of the opponent’s feet. The opponent should be kept in view at all times with one’s peripheral vision or by watching the opponent’s shadow. One should never place the ball between oneself and the opponent and should never step on the ball to change direction while shielding. Stepping on the ball is reserved for other tactics, not for ball control or shielding.
When one is dribbling near an opponent, the ball must always be kept on the opposite side from this person. This also means that when a dribbling player is approached by an opponent, he immediately gets his body between the ball and the other player. If this same dribbling player is having difficulty advancing in a forward direction, then an alternate direction must be chosen. It may mean making a U-turn and heading back towards his own goal. Awkward as it may sound, it is effectively simple and perfectly acceptable to pass the ball back to the goalkeeper or a defender. Players must get the thought out of their heads that forward movement for players and the ball is the only acceptable practice. With the “Monkey in the Middle” drill in Chapter 6, the players may move in any direction when they possess the ball. This drill replicates ball control and possession exactly as in a game situation and is highly instructive for this purpose: the player receives the ball, shields and dribbles it clearly away from an “opposition” player, and then passes it to the “teammate” not marked by this same “opposition” player.
Figure 3-3. Shielding immediately upon receiving the ball. This is accomplished by placing one’s body between the ball and the opponent while settling it. The arms must be lowered after gaining balance.
While in possession of the ball (as illustrated in Fig. 3-3), the player should be instructed that he has every right to protect it. As this player improves in this area, so will his self-confidence, so encourage dribbling with shielding. The first choice should be to run with the ball (dribbling) towards open spaces to search for a player who is in a favorable position for a clear pass, to set up a play or to score. The run could be to dribble diagonally across the field and then up-field on the opposite wing. The run could be long or short. It could be from one of the up-field wings, bringing the ball back to deliver it to the goalkeeper, who in turn may pass it off to an open winger on the opposite side of the field. The run could be forward, backward, diagonal or zigzag, but it must be purposeful. The players should be reminded not to go to the right, then to the left, and back to the right again or vice versa. Staying in a local area will draw opponents quickly. If a playmaker player such as the center halfback settles and shields the ball, the best play might be to shoot over a ground pass in front of an open high speeding teammate. It is advantageous for one teammate to settle, control, and shield a ball that is difficult to deal with and then pass it on the ground in front of an open teammate who is running at top speed up-field. This unselfish play gains a time advantage and often takes the opposition by surprise; moreover, it may produce an effective attack on the opponent’s goal. Note that it useful to instruct players always to be thinking ahead and planning moves to be used if and when the ball comes to them.
It is necessary to point out that some aggressive players will hack at the legs of a shielding player. The dribbler should not become intimidated by such a tactic but should maintain her body between the aggressive opponent and the ball and not allow this player to get the best of her. One must always remember to keep the ball at a safe distance while shielding. The referee should not penalize the dribbler for any contact between the two players as long as the dribbler does not foul the opponent. On the other hand, the referee should be aware of the hacking and warn players of serious fouls letting them know the offense has not gone unnoticed. Note that the referee is within his rights to allow infractions created by the opponent to go unpunished and allow the playing to continue because of the advantage rule. That rule is not to stop the play and give the advantage to the perpetrator of an offense when a member of the other team is in possession of the ball.
Figure 3-4. Moving with a shielded ball. Note that the ball is simply pushed with either the inside or outside of either foot. There are only four moves—using the inside of either foot and the outside of either foot to keep the ball out of reach of the opponent.
Shielding and dribbling go together to maintain ball possession. The shielding technique is perfected as one’s dribbling gets better. Dribbling well and with skill is achieved through practice. The type of dribbling is simple. It is performed using only the inside of the foot or the outside of the foot, and the ball must never be placed between the dribbler and the opponent. (See Figs. 3-4-A and 3-4-B.) This technique is simple once the method is understood. Players who shield well and then lose the ball usually make the last “fatal” mistake. They keep the ball from the opponent by applying the appropriate shielding with an arched back towards the opponent and using the inside and outside of the foot to maneuver the ball but they lose the ball either by stepping on it or by putting it between the opponent and themselves. Stepping on the ball as a feint places the ball near the opponent where it cannot be properly shielded. Note that stepping on the ball can be an effective move when dribbling at high speed down the wing with an opponent close behind. When the ball is stepped on at this time, it places the opponent in a non-strategic position: the dribbler surprisingly brakes himself, and the momentum of player in pursuit carries him well past the ball. But since this technique is outside the realm of ball control, it is best to avoid it, at least with inexperienced players.
As mentioned earlier, turning blindly is not a smart move. Sometimes players get away with turning blindly, but it is not in the player’s or team’s best interests to make this a practice because it is not necessary when a player has mastered the shielding turn. The turn can be made as follows: if a dribbling player is facing her own goal, naturally the desire is to turn 180 degrees. The player should always rotate in the direction towards the closest touch line if there is room for a turn. Rotating towards the farthest touch line places the ball in or near the center of her own goal area as the turn takes place: The turn will take place in a circular motion and put the player closer to the center of the goal than she was located prior to the start of the turn. This move can place the ball too close to her own goal.
Figure 3-5. Turning with the ball.
With the opponent always in view, the player should rotate in a more or less quarter-circle by constantly pushing the ball with the outside of the foot in a hooked manner. For instance, if the player is facing her own goal and has a touch line nearer to her right (with, say, 8' [2.4 meter] to spare), the player will push the ball with the outside of the right foot while continuously revolving in a clockwise rotation as in Fig. 3-4-A. If the player is not near her own goal, either direction of rotation is all right, as illustrated in Fig. 3-5. Note that the ball is constantly shielded as shown in Fig. 3-6 and also that the dribbler is illustrated balancing herself, not pushing-off the opponent. The opponent is kept at a distance from the ball by an arched back as shown in Fig. 3-7. There will inevitably be some light contact here, but since the player without the ball will be doing the crowding, any foul that is called by the referee should not be against the dribbler.
Figure 3-6. Shielding while turning.
When a player with the ball is being crowded against the touch line, execute the shielding moves facing the touch line while keeping the opponent at a distance with the shoulder that is leaning into him. It must be certain that the opponent is making contact with the dribbler and not vice versa. When keeping an opponent away, the dribbling is to be done with either foot, using the inside and the outside of the foot. If the opponent is blocking the right side as shown in Fig. 3-7, the dribbler’s right shoulder is against his chest (if the opponent is making contact). The ball is being played with the left foot, so the player will have to move in towards the center of the field to get free to make the next move. If the opponent positions himself at the dribbler’s opposite side, on the defending goal side, the dribbler should move up the field along the touch line. The rule is to always push the ball in the direction where your opponent is not situated.
It may seem to the reader that I am placing an exaggerated or even dogmatic emphasis on shielding. There is a reason for this. If shielding is overlooked and/or is considered just another soccer technique, the reader has not really grasped what modern control ball soccer is all about. Shielding is essential, but common sense must prevail. Shielding is the heart of ball control and is effective against one opponent. As mentioned earlier, it can even be somewhat effective against two players, but against three players it is extremely difficult to maintain possession of the ball. If a player has drawn three opponents close to himself, the best option would be to pass the ball off to a nearby player: drawing three opponents should leave nearby teammates unmarked. Trying to out dribble three opponents is a sure way of turning the ball over to the other side. If the previously mentioned conditions do not exist, a player has control of the ball only if he can protect it while trapping it or dribbling it under pressure. Playing soccer without this skill is playing the sport at about the lowest level.
Figure 3-7. Shielding against the touch line.
It is important to instruct dribbling players about the following situation. Some players have a tendency to get trapped in a corner, free themselves, and get trapped once again. They should be instructed to steer themselves and the ball in some general direction, being careful not to remain in one spot for more then a few seconds. If necessary, a forward player may find it necessary to dribble the ball back to her own goal area and pass the ball off to the goalkeeper. The goalkeeper may be the best player to pass the ball to, and the players should be instructed to comply with this idea. If the team members are trained in ball-handling skills from a young age, they will come to depend upon the goalkeeper as another teammate on the field, not just the defender of the goal. The goalkeeper can usually change fields more safely than another player: the goalkeeper can receive a pass from the left side of the field, for example, and quickly roll the ball to the right side of the field. This maneuver keeps your team in possession of the ball and on the offense, but a long kick up-field may place your team on the defense.
Photo 2. Shielding in action. This photo clearly illustrates the value of shielding property.
One last reminder about shielding. Players should not become intimidated when an opponent is body pushing them as they shield the ball. They must be aware of this tactic and resist opponent body-shoving by stiffening their own body, while maintaining the ball as far from the opponent’s feet as possible as they shield it. Shielding is an art and must be tried and practiced to master it correctly. When it is mastered, a shielding player in a one-against-one situation should never lose the ball. Photo 2 illustrates shielding in action. The player with the ball is actually heading in the direction of his own defending goal and has clearly maintained its possession.
This book stresses many more offensive techniques than defensive ones because there are relatively few defensive techniques in comparison to the offensive ones. These few defensive measures must, however, be ingrained into each player. Offensive mistakes in general are not too significant, but even one defensive mistake can cost you the game. Error-free games in regards to defense can win you games if your team scores one goal, and with no goals scored, they can keep you from losing games. So defensive awareness is a necessity for all players. Every player must learn to be a defender.
Whenever the other team has the ball, your whole team is on the defense and each player must be constantly reminded to mark person to person, except possibly in your own defensive area, where zone defense is probably the defensive tactic. The coach should realize that those players who do not need the constant reminding about applying defensive pressure are the team workers. These workers are actually helping the offense because their pressure will cause the other team to make mistakes, turning the ball over to your side more frequently.
Pressure on an opponent may be applied in various ways. When one of your players is “on the heels” of an opponent dribbling down the field towards your own goal, your player is naturally distracting the dribbler. This desirable pressure often is assisted by one of your team players who may be heading towards the dribbler at an oblique angle and often just sweeps the ball away from the dribbler. This defensive teamwork is actually a two-person tackle. Another and most important pressure comes, however, when one of your players positions himself in front of a dribbling opponent, backs up with the opponent, and constantly remains goal side of this dribbling player. While employing this tactic, the defending player must remain cool and rely upon his defensive training: skillful dribblers, however, often bait the defending player to go for the ball to tackle it. Rarely if ever, however, will the tackling player end up with the ball while it is under the control of a skilled dribbler. When a defending player instinctively goes for the ball, the most usual occurrence is that this defending player ends up with “egg on his face” as the dribbler passes by. The best defensive move for the defender is to keep a safe distance from the dribbler while backing up with this advancing player. Slowing the player down while screening a potential shot on goal allows the goalkeeper time to set herself into position for the shot, if it comes. See Fig. 3-8 for the correct defensive posture. As noted earlier, this defensive maneuver by a defense person is the goalkeeper’s second line of defense. A mistake here breeches that line of defense, and the defense must then rely upon the goalkeeper to save any shots on goal (the team’s last line of defense).
Figure 3-8. Correct defensive posture. (1) Keep eyes on the ball. (2) Keep legs closed. (3) Stay on toes. (4) Keep balance with outstretched arms. (5) Do not commit oneself while letting the opponent come forward.
It has often been said to me that sooner or later the defender must commit himself. I do not believe this because my experience has always reinforced the above principle. I have seen professionals mistakenly go for the ball and miss it, resulting in a goal. This severe defensive error causes a re-positioning of defensive players. The confused goalkeeper is then immediately placed into an unpredictable situation while getting himself into an unbalanced position.
There is a correct defensive procedure consisting of the following: The correct distance must be maintained. This distance between the defender and the attacker depends on the attacker’s potential speed and the defender’s potential speed. If the defender is too close, the opponent can get by her. If the defender is too far, the attacker will have enough space for a clear pass or a clear shot on goal. In time each player will learn to make the necessary adjustments to perform this tactic correctly. The defender must back up and continue to do so until she is about 10' (3 meters) from the goal, and he must be constantly reminded to do so. With other defenders and the goalkeeper close by, there is little room into which the attacker can now steer herself. This procedure is about the only safe tactic that can constrain an attacker. If the attacker does not lose control of the ball, the defender does not attempt to dislodge the ball from the attacker. If the opponent takes a shot on goal and the defender is at a correct distance from the attacker (and has her legs closed), an experienced goalkeeper can usually predict the way the shot is going to be made and be in position to make the appropriate moves.
The above method of defense is sound and effective, but it is the most difficult tactic to instill into people, perhaps because it seems unnatural not to go for the ball when another individual is dribbling it. However unnatural it may seem, backing up with a player who has full control of a dribbled ball is effective, providing self-discipline is employed. It should be noted that it takes patience to wait for the opponent to lose the slightest control of the ball. It takes training to develop the timing, coordination, and balance. Note also that this effectiveness needs to be relearned after remaining out of practice for only a few months.
This is a very interesting and useful trap but is not a trap in the usual sense of trapping. The ball is not settled dead at one’s feet, as is desired with other traps. It is employed when the ball is descending sharply from the air and begins to bounce seemingly uncontrollably. The “trap” is performed by settling the ball down and bringing it under control as follows: When possible, the player should align his body directly behind the directional path of the ball and run after it in pursuit. When in contact with it, guide it in some preferred direction with any part of the body (except the arm or hand) until it slows down. This could occur with the knee, stomach, head, etc.; push it in the direction of open space until it is under control by the feet. (See Fig. 3-9.) If an opponent tries to get to a bouncing ball first and your player is not able to align himself with the ball, he should position himself to push the ball off in a direction not obvious to the opponent and when near the ball apply shielding as though he had just received the ball. Then your player follows the ball until it is under total control with the feet while also being properly shielded.
Figure 3-9. The body trap. To get the best control of a bouncing ball, it is necessary to align oneself with the trajectory of the ball. This “trap” may be settled 30' to 40' from the ball’s initial bodily contact.
It should be noted that while the theme of this book is to promote modern on-the-ground soccer, there are times when the ball will have to be kicked relatively long distances in the air. As players mature and learn to keep the ball on the ground as much as possible, the airborne balls will be less common, but will still be used now and then. The ball can be kept low if the nonkicking foot is placed in such a way that the toes of this foot are alongside the front of the ball as shown in Fig. 3-10-A. This kick is useful for scoring goals, but the shot must be kept low. Shooting for the lower corners is best for outdoor soccer, while shooting for the upper corners is best for indoor soccer. Shooting for the upper corner in indoor soccer requires only a slightly elevated kick, and players are reminded to keep the nonkicking foot forward to prevent shots from rising above the goal. This kick is useful for goal kicks; when changing fields (that is, when passing the ball from one side of the field to the other side), the ball may be kicked up into the air if the receiver has room to settle the ball. It is used for defensively clearing the ball and sometimes for passing.
The basic instep kick (for small feet) is shown in Fig. 3-10-B. It is performed by kicking the ball with the laced portion of the foot. The kick is kept low by placing the nonkicking foot near the ball with the toes approximately even with the front of the ball. This position places the body over the ball during the kick and is needed for accuracy as well as for keeping the kicked ball low.
Figure 3-10. The instep kick. Note the nonkicking foot position. The knee of the kicking leg is over the ball. Fig. 3-10-B illustrates the basic instep kick for small feet. Figure 3-10-C illustrates the angled instep kick: the foot must be turned out.
The angled instep kick is for players with shoe sizes above size 8, who will have difficulty performing the basic instep kick without modifying it slightly. This modified version is illustrated in Fig. 3-10-C. In the modified version, the kicking foot must be turned slightly outward (getting the toes out of the way). If this is not accomplished, the foot will probably contact the ground before meeting the ball. The ball will now be met on the right side by a right-footed kick, causing it to spin counterclockwise, thus curving it to the left. The nonkicking foot is placed in front of the ball (as in the basic instep kick) to position the kicker’s weight over the ball to keep the ball flight low. To elevate the ball for long goal kicks or to change fields, the nonkicking foot is not placed as far forward. The toes will be at about midline of the ball instead of at the ball’s front.
Kicking a ball should be done with precision. When making any kick, the following Rules 1 to 4 will always apply. For the instep kick, Rule 5 is added. These rules are:
RULE 1. Keep your eye on the ball.
Look at the target, then look at the ball and keep your eye on it while kicking and during the follow-through. The best practice is to keep the head down until the ball gets to the target.
Note that the practice of looking up immediately after the kick is made can give the kicker a tendency to look up prematurely, causing noncompliance with this most important rule.
RULE 2. Follow through the kick.
Kicks are governed by the laws of mechanics. Following through is necessary to give the ball accuracy and speed: the accuracy is attained because the ball will follow the path of the foot aimed at the target, and more speed can be attained by having the foot contact the ball for a longer accelerating period of time. The follow through allows the kicker to kick with less than her maximum power (for accuracy) but still have sufficient speed.
RULE 3. Kick in a straight line.
Do not kick in an arched fashion either from side to side or from down to up. For example, mentally note the mechanics of the flight of the ball when the kick is made by swinging the leg in an arc from right to left. This is equivalent to rotating a ball on a string from right to left. At the moment that the string is released, the ball will follow the tangent path line that it has at that instant. The kicked ball will follow the tangent path the moment that the foot and ball part contact. (It is difficult to pinpoint the exact moment of this release time.) In both examples, the precise flight directions are difficult to control accurately. Therefore a straight-line kick is the optimum kick.
RULE 4. Compensate for the ball spin.
The mechanics of a spinning ball cause it to curve. Whenever a moving ball spins, it creates a lowered air pressure (because of the spin) on the opposite side of the kick. It is going to curve towards that low pressure direction unless it is counteracted by the wind. In soccer, the curve ball (relative to the goal) is usually referred to as an in-swinger (sometimes called a banana kick). The reverse curvature is called an out-swinger. Fig. 3-11 illustrates these kicks. For long kicks, the player must learn to compensate for the spin. If the kick is made at the center of the ball, no left or right spin will occur.
RULE 5. Place the nonkicking foot forward.
When it is desired to keep the instep kick low, always place the nonkicking foot with the toes at the front position of the ball.
Figure 3-11. The in-swinger vs. the out-swinger kick.
One of the best ways to send an accurate pass to a nearby player is by using the push pass. This is not exactly a kick; as the name implies, it is actually a push pass. The ball is pushed with the inside of the foot at the same point of contact as is used in the inside-of-the-foot trap. (See Fig. 3-1-B.) Some people initially find this push pass difficult to learn, but they find it easy once they realize that both legs must squat prior to its execution. (See Fig. 3-12.) This technique is also excellent for shooting on goal while dribbling or for running up to a ground-ball cross (a ball passed in front of the goal) for a close once-on shot. With the large surface area of the instep behind the ball, it is easy to compensate for slight errors in the exact point of contact. It is more reliable to use this kick on a ground-crossed moving ball (within 25' [7½ meters] of the goal) than for kicking the crossed ball with the front part of the foot.
The chest is very effective for controlling either a high ball coming from the air or one that is bouncing at the player from the ground. It is important to follow these rules to keep the ball from either bouncing far from the chest or deflecting too far to either side of the player attempting to make the trap. (See Fig. 3-13-A.)
RULE 1. Keep your eye on the ball during the entire trap.
RULE 2. Go to the ball and align yourself with the trajectory of the ball. Alignment is very important because any angle to the trajectory will cause the ball to deflect to the right or left of the body and be difficult to bring under control. The ball should impact the center of the chest just above the sternum. (The sternum is where one feels bone intersect with the soft stomach tissue.)
Figure 3-12. The inside-of-the-foot pass (push pass). Note that the nonkicking foot and the knee are pointed to the target. The kicking foot and knee are at a right angle to the target. The nonkicking leg is bent from the knee about 20 degrees.
RULE 3. Stop just before the time of impact.
RULE 4. *Position the chest to be approximately perpendicular to the flight of the ball.
RULE 5. At the moment of impact, withdraw the chest to soften the impact. The ball should go down or level, not up, when this trap is performed correctly, but when chest trapping a ball coming from steeply inclined trajectories, the ball will rise.
RULE 6. Immediately dribble and shield the ball in any direction other than the direction from which the opponent is coming.
*Females are permitted to trap the ball with the contact made to the forearms as shown in Fig. 3-13-B.
Throw-ins are given to the team that did not touch the ball last when it went over the touch line. Throw-ins are so simple that it is hard to make them incorrectly, but players make mistakes because they insist upon doing it their own way by taking a running start. When done incorrectly, the throw is awarded to the other side. Therefore in high-level soccer, it is most common to see good throw-ins made by players who remain stationary while having both legs in the same frontal position, that is, neither foot ahead of the other. See Fig. 3-14 for the positioning of the body, feet, and ball.
Figure 3-13. Chest trapping. Fig. 3-13-A illustrates the ball coming at the player from either a low or a high position. Fig. 3-13-B shows how a female can protect herself while chest trapping.
The following steps will allow a player to make consistently good throw-ins: The back is arched backwards, and the ball is behind the head. One or both feet can be standing on the touch line. If the thrower decides to throw the ball in a different direction than he originally intended, he should realign himself to face the target before making the throw. The ball must be released only after passing it over the face. It is difficult to perform a throw very slowly to a close player. Some inexperienced referees may call it a bad throw-in, however, even though it has been executed correctly. Because it is a little difficult to throw a very slow throw-in correctly, it is usually not done.
The following bad practices cause a referee to award the throw-in to the other team and generally occur when the thrower takes a running start.
1. One or both feet are off the ground at the time of the throw.
2. The player favors one hand during the throw. This is apparent when the ball in flight is spinning.
3. The body is not facing the field.
4. Not starting the ball from behind the head.
5. Releasing the ball before it passes the face.
Care should be made to maintain ball possession during a throw-in. If throw-ins are not taken seriously enough, the opposition will end up with the ball after one, two, or even five of your players have touched the ball. Carefully watch throw-ins to see which team actually ends up with the ball at the outcome of the throw-in. Your team may be turning over the ball more frequently than you realize. In a game of ball possession, each possessive play increases your chances of winning.
Figure 3-14. Throw-ins. Note that the feet are in the same frontal position, the ball is behind the head, and the player must face the throw direction. Note also the feet for both throw cases: (1) directly in front and (2) at an angle to the touch-line.
It is essential that your players know that the ball should always go to an open player. This means that throwing the ball “up the line” is just about the last place to throw because opponents always seem to congregate there. The players must move around to get open or draw off players to enable another teammate to become open for this pass. The throw can be made to the goalkeeper or to another player who shields the ball and immediately passes it back to the thrower. The throw must be made in such a way that the receiver can control the ball or head it back to the thrower’s feet. Naturally, these routine plays must be practiced often. Throw-in drills are outlined in Chapter 6.
There is one final note on throw-ins. A throw-in is not valid unless it enters the field of play, and it is repeated by the same team if the ball does not go over the touch line after being thrown. Wind could cause such a condition. It should also be mentioned here that a player receiving the ball cannot be offside on a throw-in.