Tips
1. Watch soccer as often as you can, preferably on TV. Pick out a player that plays your position and follow them throughout the game. You can learn so much from watching.
2. Play with a soccer ball in your spare time. The more touches you get on the ball the better you will be. Knock it against the fence in the backyard. Head it up against the wall in the house (ask mom first), play 1v1 down the hallway, juggle in the backyard etc.
3. Be as fit as you can be. You are going to have a bad day every once in awhile where nothing you do on the field is working, you can’t control that. You can control how fit you are and how hard you work!!! If you aren’t playing well offensively you can always help your team defensively by working your tail off!!
4. Try and make healthy choices when you eat. Stay away from too much junk food, especially before a game or practice. Eat a lot of fruits, veggies, lean meats, and whole grains. Drink lots of water too! Eating healthy food will help give you the energy and stamina you need to be your best!!
5. Be a positive, hardworking, selfless teammate. You can’t win a game on your own, you need your teammates and they need you.
6. HAVE FUN and don’t take yourself too seriously!!! Soccer is a game after all!!!
Passing/Knock and move
Basic passing technique:
- Lock ankle
- Follow through
- Plant foot is next to ball pointed to where you want to pass
- You can use inside of foot
- You can use outside of foot
- You can use laces
Progression to knock and move:
- Once you pass the ball, move
- Think about taking your first step to move with the kicking foot
- Your body should be moving forward as you pass
- Accelerate a bit, change of pace
- The best surface to use in this when you first start out is the inside of your foot
- The inside of the foot is most accurate and easiest
Passing should start as a simple drill where you are just with your teammate and passing the ball back and forth. Get the technique down first then progress to moving. Knock and move. The game of soccer is about changing pace and moving so this is a great skill to learn early on.
1st Touch
Your first touch on the ball is very important. It sets the rhythm of the game and enables you to play quickly and more efficient. Here are some Basic Principles.
Basic principles:
- Touch ball out in front of you
- Good control with the touch
- Should be about a yard or 2 in front of you
- Move with it as you touch it
- With this touch you want to be able to pass, shoot or dribble with the 2nd touch
A good first touch enables you to do something with the next touch. If your first touch isn’t great, then you have to take another to clean it up and that slows down the game. Remember though, we all don’t always have a good first touch so clean up the touch by having a good 2nd touch and then play from there.
