Soccer Training Information

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Soccer Fundamentals

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As a young player take chances.

Take people on. Dribble at people and go by them and take a shot or lay the ball off to a teammate at the last minute.

Ask for the ball all the time. Get the ball and get it, switching play or making a pass with the intention of getting it back; spreading the ball around and finding the open player. Almost think like you should always get the ball back, or put yourself in a position and a state of readiness to receive the ball. This keeps you in the game and on your toes.

It is also easier to control and crisp pass and make your next move with the ball when it is a solid pass. It takes less effort to re-direct the ball into a space when it is played to you with pace. However, there is also times when you want to play a soft pass, you can send different messages by the weight of the pass. A slow pass means the player should come back to receive the pass, thus opening up the space where the player receiving the ball has just left.

Strike the ball with pace. This also creates an intensity around your game. You are ready to receive the ball back with an energy and it sends a message of assertiveness, and again it is easier to control a sharp pass.

Set your teammates up in positions where they can take players on. Get the ball and then give it back to them when they are in a position with more time and space.

When things aren't going right.

Try to get into the rhythm of the game by making the simple play. Make a few short simple passes and build off of that.

Make a good tackle. Work hard and play tough defense to get yourself out of your rut.

Take criticism as people trying to help you, don't take it personal. When people stop getting on you that is when you should worry because they stopped caring about trying to help you. Again, take all criticism with a grain of salt and just try to work hard.

Visualization.

At times it sounds almost too new age or unrelated to playing a sport but this is really a great way to get your mind thinking about achieving a certain goal.

Before you go to bed or while your relaxing picture in your mind where the game is going to take place, what the field is like, the weather even, the more details the better - this creates stronger markers for your mind to remember and re-enact the goal you want to accomplish.

Whether scoring a goal or dribbling past a defender or making the game winning pass. Try to picture yourself making the play and imagine how your body will move when you are faking out the opponent or taking the shot - and picture the steps that lead up to the play.

Your mind seems to work in this way naturally - you envision the things you want to accomplish or plan ahead in whatever your doing - I need to do this and then this, I want to have this for dinner and so on.

I had a coach who compared visualization to when you are thinking of a girl you want to go out with and you begin to think about her in your mind - going out on date with her, seeing her, talking to her, what you would say to her, kissing her - you get the idea. You can apply this to soccer, and often you are doing this kind of visualization on your own and don't even realize it. Now you can try to improve the way you picture yourself playing soccer by adding more specific details.

Take action.

You have to try first before you can accomplish any goal. You have to take the steps to make it even possible to achieve you goal - so if it is scoring the winning goal you have to repeatedly practice taking that shot, and when the opportunity arises take the responsibility upon yourself to make it happen. Look for the pass or go seek out the ball.

Attack the ball.

Have a friend or teammate pass the ball to you with a lot of pace at maybe 10 or 15 yards away, almost as hard as he or she can, of course be reasonable and have them play the ball on the ground. After they play the ball to you with a lot of pace try to control the ball out in front of you.

Go to the ball and play the ball ahead of you with your first touch and dribble off at speed.

So it's first a controlling touch out in front of you so you are moving to the ball and then dribbling off. Try to make this all one movement and not a stopping and starting motion.

You can then try to do this in the air, have your teammate play you a ball in the air this time from a further distance this of 30 or 40 yards and try to go to the ball and control it and dribble off in to a certain space.

So now your first touch is getting the ball on the ground. When you have mastered this you can then try to control the ball in the air out in front of you, as if you are juggling, and then bring the ball down after a few steps, maybe juggling the ball over a defenders head.

Don't let the ball bounce.

Along the same lines as above, try to always get a touch on the ball before it bounces. Whether of a goalkeepers punt and heading the ball to a teammate, or as a forward and flicking the ball on to a teammate, or controlling the ball and bringing it down.

All of this of course depends upon how much time and space you have and if there are defenders near you, but try to go to the ball and get a controlling touch on the ball before it bounces in all cases.

Skills and Control Try kicking the ball high in the air and control the ball with the top of your foot. Using the top (just below the laces) of your foot to deaden or cushion the ball. Act like there is a defender behind you rushing to control the ball so you have to shield the ball with your body as well as control it. You can then try kicking the ball up high in the air and controlling it with your thigh, chest, and head. Essentially your are trying to recreate a goal kick or punt when you kick the ball high into the air.

Soon you will become accustomed to control and shielding the ball in any situation. Also, as you get better at this kick the ball into the air and ten or so yards away from you so you have to run and meet the ball before it bounces. As you further improve try to juggle the ball once as you deaden and control it. Another good test for your control is simply kicking the ball over your head and turning, finding the ball in the air, controlling it, and dribbling off into space for a few yards. Again make sure you do everything at a good pace to make it like a real game situation. Moves Dragging the ball back. Using the top of your foot pull the ball back and push the ball to the right or left with inside of your foot. Then try pulling/dragging the ball back with the sole of your other foot and using the instep to push the ball to the right or left and then the side of your foot. Quick Pass to yourself. With the inside of your foot pass the ball to your other foot and push the ball by the defender. The trick is timing this move, making sure the defender is off balance or is standing flat footed and you have the momentum to pass the ball across your body to your other foot and then push it past the defender. Your body is then between the defender and the ball so he or she can only foul you or try to catch up with you. Double Pass to your self. This time pass the ball to your other foot and then back before playing the ball to the side and past the defender. You are trying to read which direction the defender is going to go so if he or she looks like they are going to beat you to the ball after you play it by them, play it back to your other foot and push it by the defender. Step over with one foot. This move is usually done when you are not dribbling but a kind of set up play. Take either foot and bring it over the ball (almost as if you are going to make a pass or take a shot) and take the ball away with the outside of this same foot your just used to fake a pass or shot. It is important to set your defender up for the move, to kind of go slow for a few steps touching the ball with the inside of your foot in the opposite direction in which you want to go after you do the move. Again after you do the move quickly away with the ball with a good change of speed. So it is slow, slow, slow, do the move or feint, and then take off at speed. Quick tip. Use your teammates as outlets or means of escape. For instance, your two center midfielders might play a short square pass to one another to settle the play get time to make the next pass.