How To Play Soccer- The Basics

Whether you are a novice soccer coach or parent, or a seasoned soccer player just starting to learn how to play soccer, it is always in your best interest to keep up with teaching soccer techniques, soccer drills and soccer moves so that your game will be top notch.

There are some basic steps you should focus on:

Step 1 - How To Bounce, Bend, and Curve a Soccer Ball
To bend and curve a soccer ball are incredible soccer techniques because they allow you to get the ball around defenders in order to maintain possession and take shots on goal that are concealed from the goalkeeper.

It is also useful for corner kicks and crosses into the box.

When bending the ball, you will either use the inside or outside of the foot, depending on which foot you are kicking with and which direction in which you want the ball to go.

If you are using your right foot, then to bend the ball to the left you want to use the inside of your foot to make contact with the right side of the ball. You can swivel slightly on your support foot to get a better kick.

If you want to curve the ball to the right, then you need to bring the outside of your foot in contact with the left side of the ball.

Step 2 - How To Pass a Soccer Ball
On learning how to play soccer, passing is crucial to keeping possession of the ball during a game. While any kick that ends with the ball in the possession of a team-mate is passing, there are proper techniques to use to pass effectively and accurately.

Short passes are most effectively executed by using the inside of the foot because of the large surface available for accurately aiming the ball.

If you are passing long, then the instep is the most effective kick to use. If you need to pass behind, your heel is the used.

Don't ever forget that passing involves communication between the passer and the receiver.

Yours in soccer,

Andre Botelho
http://www.soccerdrillstips.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Andre Botelho is a recognized authority on the subject of footwork soccer and coaching. His web site, www.soccerdrillstips.com provides a wealth of informative articles and resources on how to improve soccer skills and make training more fun and interesting.#BREAK#

Soccer Rules - Fouls - Obstructing or Impeding

In any sport, a foul is a violation of that sport?s code of conduct, and each sport punishes foul play in its own unique way. Soccer defines a foul as an unfair action a player commits against an opposing player or the opposing team during the course of a match. The punishment varies depending upon the nature of the infraction, but will be either a direct or indirect free kick. To be a foul, the act must occur on the field, while the ball is in play. Otherwise, it may constitute a misconduct, and may even warrant a caution or send-off, but it will not be a foul.

For some minor infractions the punishment is an indirect kick. This means that at least two players must touch the ball before the kicking team can score. These fouls are often called ?technical fouls? because most are not the direct result of foul play, but are violations of some procedural rules designed to keep play flowing or prevent more serious fouls from happening. One such ?technical foul? is the offense of impeding an opponent?commonly known as ?obstructing.?

Impeding an opponent
Soccer players often get in each other?s way during the normal run of play. Sometimes, though, players will intentionally block their opponents from running after the ball or moving into tactically important space on the field. The offense of ?impeding an opponent? involves the deliberate use of the body to interfere with the other player?s movement in order to delay his progress, and is punished with an indirect kick. This foul often occurs when a player senses that a speeding opponent will beat him to the ball, or anticipates a potentially troublesome pass into open space. By stepping in front of the opponent and blocking his progress, the player hopes to slow his opponent down so that a teammate can collect the ball. If this action causes more than incidental physical contact with the blocked player, it may constitute a ?charging? or ?holding? foul, rather than ?impeding.?

A player within ?playing distance? of the ball may legally block his opponent?s pathway to it without being guilty of a foul. This is known as ?shielding,? and involves the use of the body to keep possession. Playing distance will vary depending on the speed of the players and the ball, and ultimately rests with the referee?s judgment, but the shielding player does not actually have to touch the ball to shield it legally from the other side. Shepherding the ball out of bounds or towards the keeper is a recognized and quite legitimate tactic, as long as the player guarding the ball stays within playing distance.

Jeffrey Caminsky, a veteran public prosecutor in Michigan, specializes in the appellate practice of criminal law and writes on a wide range of topics. Both his science fiction adventure novel The Star Dancers, the first volume in the Guardians of Peace (tm) science fiction adventure series, and The Referee?s Survival Guide, a book on soccer officiating, are published by New Alexandria Press, http://www.newalexandriapress.com.

Teaching Soccer - What Coaches Need to Know

There are several factors that a coach must take into careful consideration while teaching soccer tactics, especially while training young players.

Simple Soccer Tactics

The expert coach always starts with teaching the players about the simple soccer tactics. You should teach the tactics that the players can use with the skills they possess. Once you start seeing the improvement in their game, it is only then you should offer them more advanced tactics.

Appropriate To The Players' Age

This is again one of the most important things that the coaches must keep in mind. This is something that many soccer coaches overlook and they start teaching the same tactics to everybody irrespective of their ages.

This is something that can bring adverse effect to your team?s performance. Therefore, make sure that you teach them the basic soccer tactics that are appropriate to the players' age and match.

Simple Language

The language and the way in which you give instructions to the players must be simple, direct, and unambiguous.

Brief Instructions

True that you need to make your descriptions easy to understand, but it does not mean that you should tell them everything in such detail that it should eat up most of your training time.

It is equally important for you to keep in mind the time factor and be as brief as possible. However, you should not compromise on clarity just because you need to brief in your instructions.

It is not at all a good idea to use long lectures in the training session. Furthermore, many coaches use sarcasm in their instructions. Always remember that is not good for the health of the game and for your team?s performance.

Therefore, make sure that you are not using any sarcasm that could be misinterpreted. It is better to avoid jargon as well. You should try your best to speak carefully and be specific and brief.

Always remember that seeing is better than hearing and Doing is better than seeing. Therefore, when it comes to teaching soccer, an expert coach should introduce his topic, show it, and get the kids doing it quickly.

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