How To Teach Soccer Ball Skills

Teaching soccer ball skills is not an easy cake, but by using the following tips and techniques, you can take much pain out of the proceedings. But, while you use these techniques in your training session, you must show patience because players may take time to improve their overall game skills.

Getting Control of the Ball

It is important for a coach to teach the players about how to get and keep control of the ball. For example, when they shoot or kick a ball, they should keep their head down if they want the ball to stay down. Likewise, in order to kick the ball high in the air, they should do so by leaning back and getting under the ball.

Here, it is important to note that the ball may go straight up the players do not keep their knee over the ball. To let the ball fly high in the air, the players must keep their knee over the ball while leaning back and getting under the ball.

Teaching Accurate Shooting

In a soccer game, the team that knows how to shoot on target accurately wins. Therefore, teaching your players to shoot the ball with accuracy is very important. One simple way to improve the accuracy in shooting the ball is to give your players a margin of error between two cones.

You can start with as much as four-meter distance between the cones. Then, as you find improvement in the player?s shooting, you should slowly reduce this distance until it is zero and there is no cone. This is a very effective way to enhance your players? focus to the shooting of the ball.

Teaching the Free-Kicks

Your players must know how to make long free kicks. In this training session, you have to have the players of your team practicing the free kicks. But, while the players are attempting the long free kicks, make sure that you instruct the players to keep their non-kicking foot alongside the ball and pointing in the direction you want the ball to go. Instruct the players to slightly lean back and swing their kicking foot back and forth.

Practice makes the players perfect. Therefore, make sure that you use the above techniques extensively in your various training sessions. After a few sessions, you will certainly find improvement in your team?s game. The above techniques are some of the finest way to enhance numerous soccer ball skills to the young players.

Andre Botelho is a recognized authority on the subject of soccer ball skills. His web site, Youth Soccer Drills, provides a wealth of informative soccer articles, resources and tips for soccer coaches, parents and players.

A Glossary of Soccer Terms, Definitions, and Terminology

Like every sport, soccer has its own unique vocabulary, derived from years of history and tradition. Some soccer terms are familiar, others are a bit more obscure.

Added Time: Playing time added to the end of a half to compensate for playing time lost to injuries, substitutions, time-wasting, or other any other cause for which the referee deems appropriate. Also called ?stoppage time?or ?injury time.?

Advantage: A decision by the referee to allow play to continue, despite witnessing an act of foul play, when doing so would benefit the fouled team.

AR: An assistant referee

Assistant Referee: An official positioned along the touch line, who communicates with the referee by means of a flag signal; formerly called a ?linesman.?

Attacker: A player who is in the opposing half of the field; or any player whose team is in possession of the ball.

Backpass: The common name for the technical offense of a keeper handling the ball following a deliberate kick or throw-in to him by a teammate, punishable by an indirect free kick.

Caution: A formal warning by the referee to a player or substitute whose behavior or play has become unacceptable, signified by the display of a yellow card.

Center Circle: A circle in the middle of the field marking the ten-yard radius from spot of a kick-off.

Charging: Bodily contact undertaken against an opponent in order to win or obtain possession of the ball. If done unfairly, it is a penal foul.

Club Linesman: A non-neutral official, pressed into service on one of the touchlines due to the absence of a qualified assistant referee, and asked to signal when the ball goes out of play.

Coach: The team official allowed along the sidelines, who is entitled to pass tactical advice and instruction during the match; sometimes called the manager.

Competition Authority: The organizing league or agency which is organizing a soccer competition.

Corner Arc: A one-yard quarter circle from the corner of the field, marking the spot for a corner kick.

Corner Kick: The restart of play occurring when the ball passes over the end line after last being touched by a defender.

CR: The referee (or ?center referee?).

Dangerous Play: A technical foul, consisting of any act considered by the referee to be dangerous to an opposing player.

Defender: A player on his own half of the field; or a player whose team is not in possession of the ball.

Direct Free Kick: A free kick from which a goal may be scored, awarded as a result of a penal foul.

Dissent: A form of misconduct consisting of protesting a call by any of the officials, punishable by a yellow card.

Dropped Ball: A means of restarting play after a stoppage caused by something other than an offense by a player. Also called a ?drop ball.?

End Line: The boundary line at each end of the field, upon which each set of goals rests. Also called a ?goal line? or ?bi-line.?

Extra Time: The additional period or periods of play to obtain a result at the end of a match that ends in a draw, usually during the later stages of tournament play where the match requires a winner.

Free Kick: A kick awarded to a team due to an infraction committed by the opposing team, free from interference by the opponents.

Fourth Official: An extra official appointed by the competition authorities to assist at the match and serve as a substitute official for the referee or assistant referee.

Game Report: The official account of a match, including the score and any misconducts issued, prepared by the referee.

Goal: (1) The targets of both teams, consisting of two uprights and a crossbar, placed at the end line on opposite ends of the field and defended by each respective team. (2) A score, occurring when the ball passes entirely over the end line and into the goal.

Goalkeeper: The player on each team designated as the one entitled to handle the ball inside its own penalty area and required to wear a distinct jersey, different from the rest of the team.

Goal Line: The end line; usually, the end line between the goal posts.

Goal Posts: The physical boundaries of the goal, usually made of metal or wood; often described by their components, consisting of a cross bar, and two upright posts.

Half-time: The interval of time between the end of the first half, and the beginning of the second half of a soccer game.

Half-way Line: The physical line marking the center of the field extending from one touchline to the other.

Handball: Another name for ?handling.?

Handling: A penal foul, consisting of the deliberate use of the arm or body to control the ball. A goalkeeper cannot be guilty of handling the ball inside his own penalty area.

Holding: A penal foul, consisting of unfairly hindering or restraining the progress of an opponent, usually by means of the arms or hands.

Impeding: The act of physically obstructing or impeding the progress of an opponent. Also known as ?Obstructing.?

Indirect Free Kick: A free kick which requires a touch on the ball by a second player before a goal may be scored, awarded as a result of a technical or non-penal infraction.

Jumping: The act of leaving the ground under one?s own power by leaping. If directed at an opposing player in an unfair manner to prevent the opponent from making a play on the ball, it is a penal foul.

Keeper: A goalkeeper.

Kicking: A penal foul consisting of unfair contact against an opponent by means of the foot or leg.

Kick-off: The means of starting a half, or restarting the game following a goal, taking place from the middle of the center circle.

Kicks from the Mark: A method of obtaining a result following a draw, where the rules of the competition require a winner, consisting of a series of penalty kicks.

Misconduct: An act deemed by the referee to be unsporting, reckless, violent, or flagrantly in violation of the laws and spirit of the game, and punishable by a caution (and yellow card) or a send-off (and red card).

Offside Line: An imaginary line signifying the furthest point down field that an attacker may be without risk of being penalized for being offside.

Offside Offense: The act of participating in play from an offside position. Also called ?offside infraction.?

Offside Position: A position in the attacking half of the field in which a player is closer to the opposing goal than (a) the ball, as well as (b) the next-to-last defender.

Obstructing: The act of physically obstructing or impeding the progress of an opponent. Also known as ?impeding.?

Outside Agency: Any force acting on or influencing a match which is not part of game, or part of the physical field.

Penal Foul: An infraction resulting in a direct free kick; often called simply a ?foul.?

Penalty Arc: The marked arc extending outside the boundary of each penalty area, marking 10 yards from the penalty spot.

Penalty Area: The marked area around each goal, measuring 18x44 yards, within which the defending keeper has the privilege of handling the ball, and inside which a penal foul by the defensive team will result in a penalty kick.

Penalty Kick: A direct free kick from the penalty spot, pitting the attacker taking the kick directly against the defending keeper; sometimes called a ?spot kick.?

Penalty Spot: The marked spot 12 yards from the middle of each goal, from which penalty kicks are taken.

Persistent Infringement: The misconduct of continuous or repeated foul play, punishable by a yellow card.

Pitch: Another name for the soccer field.

Player: A competitor at a soccer game.

Pushing: A penal foul resulting from the unfair use of the arms or body to push, shove, or otherwise force an opponent into changing position or direction.

Red Card: The misconduct card shown to a player who is being sent off either for a serious act of misconduct, or for receiving a second caution.

Referee: The match official responsible for supervising and controlling a soccer match; also called a ?Center Referee? or ?CR.? Often called other names, as well.

Restart: Any method of resuming the game after a stoppage of play.

Result: The final outcome of a soccer match, whether a draw, or a victory by the team scoring the greater number of goals.

Send-off: The dismissal of a player following the display of a red card, either for a serious act of misconduct or for receiving a second caution in the same match.

Serious Foul Play: A misconduct, often violent, which consists of the clearly disproportionate use of physical force against an opponent during a contest for the ball on the field, and while the ball is in play.

Spitting: A penal foul, consisting of the deliberate attempt to direct bodily fluid from the mouth onto the person of someone else. It is also an act of misconduct, punishable by a red card.

Striking: A penal foul, most often resulting from the unfair use of the hands or body to hit an opposing player, or to hurl an object that strikes an opposing player. If done intentionally, it is usually a misconduct, often a form of violent conduct.

Stoppage Time: Playing time added to the end of each half at the discretion of the referee to compensate for lost playing time; see ?Added Time.?

Substitute: A non-participating player along the sidelines, who is eligible to replace a player on the field.

Tackle: An attempt to obtain possession of the ball by using the feet. If a tackle results in contact with an opposing player before contact is made with the ball, it is a penal foul.

Throw-in: The method of restarting play after the ball has gone out of bounds over a touch line.

Touch Line: The boundary lines marking each sideline of the field.

Tripping: The penal foul of tripping an opponent.

Unsporting Behavior: The most common form of misconduct, consisting of conduct or play which the referee deems to be unacceptable. Consisting of a wide range of misbehavior, it is punishable by a yellow card.

Violent Conduct: A misconduct consisting of a violent act against any person at a soccer match, punishable by a red card.

Yellow Card: The misconduct card shown to a player who is being cautioned by the referee for an act of misconduct.

Jeffrey Caminsky, a state referee emeritus, earns his living as a public prosecutor in Michigan and specializes in the appellate practice of criminal law. This Glossary of Soccer Terms is excerpted from The Referee?s Survival Guide, his new book on soccer officiating, published by New Alexandria Press, http://www.newalexandriapress.com

Youth Soccer Drills

There are several things that the coaches need to keep in mind while giving lessons to the players during youth soccer drills:

Receiving The Ball

When it comes to youth soccer drills, there are several key teaching points in receiving the ball. These key points are as follows.

The coach must teach the players about how to get in the line of flight of the ball.

The players should learn to present the body part to the ball the right and the impressive way.

One of the most important things for the coaches is to teach the players that they must have their eyes on the ball at the moment of contact.

The coach should teach the players that they should Cushion the body part while receiving the ball, just as if they are as in catching an egg.

How To Strike A Ball

It is very sad to see that many coaches do not teach the players the correct way to strike a ball. The right way of striking the ball is something that can make the ball to go straight in the air with velocity.

It is the duty of the coaches to teach the players about this technique in a correct way. One of the best methods that the coaches can use to show this technique to the players is to show them NFL place kickers or MLS goalkeepers taking a goal kick.

However, these techniques can be listed as follows.

The players must keep in mind that the ball should be out of their feet. The obvious reason is that they will not be able to kick the ball over distance if it is underneath them.

The player?s approach must be slightly from the side.

A long hop or driving step is the final step, which places the support foot alongside the ball. The coaches should teach the players that their support foot must point towards the target. What is more, head must be steady, and eyes must be on the ball. Further, the player?s left hand should point at the target.

Coaching youth soccer drills is an important task and it must be taught the correct way.

Andre Botelho is a recognized authority on the subject of youth soccer drills. His web site, Soccer Drills and Tips, provides a wealth of informative soccer articles, resources and tips for soccer coaches, parents and players.

Training For Soccer: Defensive Training Plan By Age

When it comes to training for soccer, one important thing that many coaches overlook is teaching the same skills to the players irrespective of their ages. This is something that can be waste of time and in spite of bringing good results, it may further reduce the performance of your team.

Therefore, it is very important for the coaches to design their training plan depending upon the age group of the team. The teaching plan must be appropriate to their ages.

Defensive Training Plan For U11

When it comes to designing a defensive training plan for U11, the coaches should focus on individual defending skills. It means, at this stage, it is not wise to teaching the players about get, turn, move, or shoot.

The coach should rather give emphasis on basic defending at restarts. However, you can give the players an introduction to team shape in defense. You can also include introduction to transition in your training plan.

Defensive Training Plan For U12-U13

At this stage, you can introduce teaching about second and third defender play. You can also teach them about shapes, such as how to get it, what techniques they need to follow to keep it, and 2what techniques and strategies they should adopt to change it quickly.

Transition basic counterattack and working with keeper can also be included in the training plan for U12-U13. Sweeper play can also be introduced at this stage, such as angles, communication, and basic visual cues.

Defensive Training Plan For U14-U15

This is the right stage when the coaches can introduce the players about the low-pressure defense with high-pressure attack and high-pressure defense with low-pressure attack. You can also teach them about how to read opponent's shape to decide when and where to go forward.

Counterattack and reading visual cues can also be included in the teaching plan at this stage. The coaches can also teach them about how to mark out dangerous player and how to recognize and adjust defending tactics to match conditions.

Likewise, there should be a different approach in training for soccer while you are teaching the players of different age groups.

Andre Botelho is a recognized authority on the subject of training for soccer. His web site, Youth Soccer Drills, provides a wealth of informative soccer articles, resources and tips for soccer coaches, parents and players.

Soccer Techniques for Defense

You cannot win a soccer game without using impressive soccer techniques for defense. Let me give you a brief insight into the defensive strategy. The defensive strategy is all about winning the ball as near to the opponents' goal as possible.

Compact Formation Of The Team

The defensive strategy works only if the coach is able to train the team the right way and help the team retain a compact shape. If the team retains compact formation, it will make a few important things possible for a defending team.

For example, a team with a compact shape means the player on the ball can be challenged quickly. This will eventually prevent him from playing the ball forward. If it does not prevent, it will at least delay him from playing the ball forward.

Another benefit of having a team with compact formation is that the challenging player will immediately get defensive support. Here, the role of the coach becomes important. The coach must teach the team how to cover a teammate challenging the player with the ball.

The coach should also teach the players to mark an opponent in the area of the ball and occupy important space goal-side of the ball. There are many other benefits of the team with a compact formation, such as the players will be available to track opponents making forward runs.

Reduce The Chances Of Conceding A Goal

The coach should also teach the players about how to reduce the chances of conceding a goal further. For this, the coach must instruct the players defending in and around their own penalty area to achieve certain objectives.

For example, they should try to be the first to the ball. They should move towards the ball clearing with height, distance and width. They must also know how to defend the area of the far post. Last, but not the least, they should learn how not to get caught in possession in the defending third of the field.

When it comes to teaching soccer techniques for defense, the coach must teach the defenders to stay within a triangle formed by the position of the ball, the position of their immediate opponent and the center of the goal.

Andre Botelho is a recognized authority on the subject of soccer techniques. His web site, Youth Soccer Drills, provides a wealth of informative soccer articles, resources and tips for soccer coaches, parents and players.