Want to learn to head like Cristiano Ronaldo?

Football/Soccer Heading

Heading the ball is incredibly important whether you are a defender, forward, or center midfielder.

Heading is used to win possession of the ball during goal-kicks, to score, and to clear the ball out.

It should be clear:  to become a good soccer player, you need good heading ability. This guide will teach you how to head the ball well.

Overcoming Fear of Soccer Heading

Many youth soccer players have a fear of heading the ball.  This is only natural;humans have the tendency to cower away from objects coming at there head.

The best way to get over this is to attack the ball.  Lean back and smash the header.  If you use your fore-head it will not hurt.  When you keep heading the ball, your mind will adjust, and heading will become second-nature.

Whatever you do don’t close your eyes.  This can cause serious injury, and you will not head the ball efficiently.

Type of Soccer Headers

Attacking Soccer Header

This header is used to score goals.  Steps to execute:

1.Look at the ball.

Look at the ball through this entire process.  This allow you to perform a header more efficiently.

2.  Plant your feet.

This will give you the full power necessary to easily put the ball past the goalkeeper.

03.  Lean back.

When you lean back you are building momentum, much like you do when bringing your foot back to shoot.

4.  Jump (optional)

If the ball is too high for you, perform a jumping header.

5.  Move your head forward quickly.

The faster you head the ball, the more power you can generate.  When you head the ball, use your forehead.

Note: all other headers follow these basic principals.  When learning other types of headers in the guide, continue to do this.

Flick-on Soccer Header

The flick-on is where you pass the ball behind you using your head.  This is great for using on throw-ins and many other ways.  Steps:

1.  Let the ball pass over your head.

2.  Flick you head up.

If you do it correctly, the ball will hit the back of your head and go behind you.

Diving Soccer Header

The diving header is considered one of the greatest plays in soccer.  You will not use this often, but it is still good to know.  You never know what will come at you when the game is on the line.  Steps:

1.  Dive into the ball.

Your momentum will power the ball into the net.  Warning: make sure people aren’t going to kick you when you dive.

2.  Land on your arms.

The fall can hurt, and I recommend only doing a little in a training session.  A great way to train is to practice them on the beach.

Glancing Soccer Header

You can use this header to direct the soccer ball.  It is perfect for faking out the goalie.

1.  Look at the area of the ball like you would a shot.

Heading the right of the ball will move the ball to the left.  Heading it to the left will make the ball go right.

2. Flick you head in the direction you want the ball to go.

The ball will not have as much power, but it should easily fake out the goalie.  You can also use this to pass the ball to a teammate.

Defensive Soccer Header

The point of this header is to clear the ball out.  Use this header to send the ball high and as far away from the goal as you can.

1.  Look at the bottom of the ball

Hitting the bottom of the ball with your head will help send the ball upward.

2.  Head the ball

You should use the top of your forehead, and head the ball as hard as you can.  There should be no holding back on a defensive header.                                                                                                                                                                        As always Train Hard.

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Types of Soccer Passes

Types of Soccer Passes

Standard Pass

The standard pass should be performed using the inside of your foot.

Your place-foot and body should point at your target. You also should follow through towards your target.

This pass usually used in shorter distances when the area the ball travels through is clear of defenders. It’s the most common type of pass, so master it.

Air Pass

This pass is usually aimed straight at teammates and is used for longer passes and when there are defenders in the way of the pass. You can also use this pass to cross the ball.

You can use the inside of the foot or the laces. This pass should be firm, but not as strong as a shot.

Kick under the ball and follow through in an upward kicking motion. This will send the ball flying through the air.

Chipped Pass

This pass is often used to lead a teammate. It’s used to chip the ball over an opponent and into space.

This pass should be soft and have backspin.

To perform this pass, kick the grass under the ball and follow through slightly. This will produce a light, high pass with backspin.

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The Four Soccer Touches

Learning each type of soccer touch is vital to moving forward with ball control and dribbling.  A good dribbler knows when to cut outside or inside, roll the ball away from an opponent, or dribble quickly through open space.

The touches that you learn this article are the basis for ball control.  Work on these touches in every training session, daily if you can.  Through practice, you will improve your control over the ball.

Inside or Lace of Feet to Dribble?

Many players beginning to dribble and control the ball ask this question. 

Types of Soccer Touches

Lace

The lace touch is the touch that you will use the most when dribbling.  Using it moves the ball straight.  Players should use it when there is open space, and they want to dribble with speed.

To perform a lace touch, use the area around your shoe laces to chop the ball forward.  Touch the ball so that is stays close to you.

Inside

The inside of the foot is used to used to cut past players and to dribble forward while the body shields.  It can be used to fake a shot.

To perform an an inside-of-the-foot cut, use the inside of your foot and touch the side of the ball.  The ball should go across your body.  To dribble forward using the inside of the foot, (useful because you can shield while dribbling), turn your body towards the ball.  The leg farthest away from the body will dribble while the lead leg should take steps forward.

Outside

The outside touch is very quick, making it easy to quickly accelerate past a defender.  You can also use this touch to dribble forward quickly if you want to dribble towards the side.

To perform an outside cut (assuming with you’re using your right foot), use the inside of your foot to touch the left side of the ball.  You can touch more towards the middle if you want to move forward and to the side.

Sole

The sole can be used in many circumstances.  It can be used to beat defenders, turn, fake a pass, just naming some examples.  This touch is the hardest to learn for beginning players, but mastering it adds a whole new level to your control and dribbling.

To perform a sole touch, first put your foot lightly on the ball.  Now roll the ball in any direction you want.  Your other foot should hop slightly when you roll the ball.

The Aspects of Ball Control

Learning and mastering all of these touches is the key to great ball control.  You will find that once you master the touches,  building up to even the most advanced of soccer moves comes easily.

(READ) To Score Every Freekick!!!

Becoming good at free kicks can make you indispensable to your team, and is an easy way to score goals. Kicking the ball past the wall and past the keeper, isn't easy, but after following this guide and implementing its techniques, you will be able to do it.

How to Kick a Free Kick

Shooting a free kick into the net is incredibly satisfying, but it’s also hard. You need to learn proper technique if you want to become successful.

Shooting a free kick is more than just shooting technique. It also requires technique specifically for kicking a free kick.

There are four key steps that you have to perform:

1. Place the Ball

You can’t move the ball much, but you can set it down. Set it down so it is on a good part of the field if you can, not in dirt or uneven terrain.

2. Look

Look at the wall and look at the goalie. You should be thinking about where you want to place the ball, or where you want to cross the ball. Before you step back, decide where you will place the ball.

3. Step Back

Take a few steps back. Don’t take like 6 steps back. Just take two or three.

Take a deep breathe. It will help calm you.

Relax, tensing up can hurt your technique.

4. Look

Before you kick the ball, glance one more time at the position of the goalie and wall (and teammates if you’re looking to cross).

Then look at the ball, run forward and kick it.

Getting the Ball Past the Wall

The wall is your first obstacle. If you don’t get the ball past the wall, your free kicks will be unsuccessful. So how do you kick it past the wall? There are three ways:

Air

The most obvious and common route is to kick the ball above the wall.

To accomplish this, you should kick the ball in the lower portion.

Getting the ball in the air and over the wall is fairly easy, but you can’t kick the ball over the goal.

It takes practice to determine how high you should kick it (based on distance) and how you should do this. This is a skill that only comes with hours of practicing free kicks.

Ground

A cheeky way to beat the wall is to strike it on the ground. Oftentimes, the wall will jump, allowing the ball to go under them. You can get off a hard shot this way and the goalie won’t expect it.

This is something to experiment, but you shouldn't rely on it too much. If the other team predicts it, your free kick will be wasted.

Bend

Perhaps the best way, it to bend the ball around the wall.

If you bend the ball, you can avoid the wall entirely.

The key is to

1. Get the ball on goal
2. Put power on the kick

When you bend the ball, there is a real miss of missing to the right or left. Additionally, people tend to put less power on a bended shot (which can result in an easy save for the keeper).

Soccer Free Kick Tips

Relax

Many players get nervous and tense up during a free kick. This usually results in the ball hitting the wall or going over the goal. Relax, breath, and kick with confidence. You can do this.

Don’t Kick it Weak

I have seen some players chip the ball over the wall, allowing the goalkeeper to easily catch it. While its important to avoid kicking it over the goal, you still need to hit it with pace.

Take it With Confidence

Often, many players on the team want to take a free kick. If you know that you have a good free kick, don’t be afraid to step up and say “hey, I’m going to take it.” 

Soccer Forward (Striker) Tips

The forward (or striker) scores most of the goals. This player can be absolutely vital to the team because he receives the most chances close to the goal.

The forward usually plays defense only when the ball is in the opposite team’s defense half. He is the only player that can ball-watch while the ball is in his team’s defensive half. He should always be prepared to make a run though.

Aspects of Top Forwards

These traits make up a good forward. If you have them, consider becoming a forward. If you don’t have some of these traits, and you are a forward, work on them.

Speed

To be a successful forward, you need blazing fast speed. You will often receive balls over the heads of defenders that you must run on. You also will be making runs, beating players, and attempting to block passes. All of these things require speed.

Note that there are some forwards that aren't very fast. Most of the time these forwards play a supporting role to a fast forward. Still, the faster you are the better.

Shooting Ability

Shooting ability is what makes forwards like David Villa and Fernando Torres great. To be a forward, you need to master every shot. You should be able to shoot a bomb from far distance, straight kick when you don’t have space for an angle shot, and place the ball passed the goalkeeper. You should also focus on faking shots or shooting with defenders near you.

Dribbling Ability

You will have to beat players to get a shot off and dribble at speed to set off a break-away. You need to be comfortable dribbling with speed and beating players one versus one.

Ball Control

As a forward, you will receive balls in the air, balls on the ground, and through balls. You need to know how to effectively receive all of them.

Volleying Ability

As a forward, you will receive many crosses.  It is very important that you can volley the ball into the net.

Heading Ability

Again, you will receive crosses. You need to be able to use your body and win a header. You should know how to head the ball downward so it is harder to save and doesn't go over the goal.

[IMPORTANT] Soccer Forward Training Tips

Shoot

A forward’s primary job is to score. To score, you must shoot. This means shoot at every opportunity. Shoot from far away, shoot whenever you are in or near the box. If there isn’t a shot available make one.

Check and Shield

It’s bad practice for your team to always kick the ball over the defense. Sometimes, you want to check your shoulder for incoming defenders before receiving the ball. Once you receive it shield, and look to pass to someone on the wing.

This Tip Will Help You Score 2X MORE GOALS this season

Shooting While Running Technique

It is important that you have the soccer shooting technique exactly the same from a standstill except for these changes which you add if you are running:

1.  Place Foot Moved Up

When taking a shot normally, you should place your place foot even with the ball.  When you are running it is important that you place it in front of the ball.  Making this change alone, will make shooting while running much easier.

2.  Smaller Hop

When you are running, you don't want to lose any momentum that your speed brings.  Take a smaller hop, and then explode into the ball.

Stride to the Ball

Whenever I watch novice players attempt to shoot while running, I see the following things:

• Short stutter steps that greatly slow the player.
• Long strides that mess up the player.
• Normal running, but then changed stride length when the ball is near.

One thing is common with all these mistakes, the player is greatly slowed down.  What should take a few seconds can go on for 6 or 7 seconds.  This gives defenders and goalies much needed time to block the shot.

Learning to run naturally and strike a ball is hard, but very necessary to getting a good shot off. So please don't get discouraged or mad if you fail at first.

The only way you can improve this is by practicing.  Set aside 20 minutes or so in a training session, and just practice keeping stride length constant.  When you get better you can start increasing speed.

This is a frustrating skill to learn, but when you sprint past a defender and put the ball into the back of the net, you will be happy you know how to shoot while running.

Myths About Soccer Training #2

Myths about physical
development in youth soccer

In the first post , we touched on the notion that all youth soccer players should play multiple sports to avoid injury, increase athleticism, and prevent “burn out”.

Myth #2 – Speed is purely

genetic and cannot be coached.

Speed training, in soccer, is

developed through endless

sprints with little rest, just like

the game is played.

Speed training can definitely be taught into the game of soccer should be designed for developing players, young and old. In fact, just like any skill on the ball, speed is a complex neuromuscular pattern and needs to be taught consistently, for effective results to occur. I believe that the more important conversation and questions are as follows:
1. What does speed training for soccer look like?
2. Are certain ages (biological) more susceptible to speed development? 3. Can speed training be added into practice?

What does speed training for soccer

look like?

There is much research about the specific demands of the game and how many sprints take place, on average, within a match. Most research states that, within a 90 minute match, players run upwards of ~6 miles and make an estimated 19 high speed sprints (straight) per game with an average duration of 2 seconds, each. We should also include the fact that players are performing anywhere from 700-900 different changes of direction within each game, and speed does not just include the work performed in straight sprinting. Lastly, It is worth mentioning that statistically, the game is played at a much higher speed than even 10 years ago. In professional soccer, the number of sprints and high intensity activity per game has doubled, since 2002. Not only is the ball moving faster, but the players are as well, so speed becomes a very critical portion of youth soccer development. So with all of this being said, how should speed training be conducted for soccer athletes? Even though the majority of runs, within a soccer match, are executed at less than 100% speed (due to energy demands), the ability to increase the overall speed of the player enables the lower speeds to become faster. Thus, in order for your training to become effective speed training, the drills must be conducted at 100-110% of maximum velocity for effective change. You must teach your body to become fast. If you train speed at 80%, then your body only knows 80% to be its highest speed potential. **Yes, it does exist to train above 100% max velocity, through a number of ways that may be discussed in another post.

Lastly, but most importantly, the sprint training, just like any other skill, must have clear and concise coaching objectives for effective change to take place. The normal youth soccer player, is extremely inefficient and ineffective in their technical running form. Quick changes made by simple cues, will give an immediate progression of speed ability. Do not let your players add volume onto dysfunction. If the player is running incorrectly, the issue will only continue until changed, therefore the progression for speed will be much less effective. Here are some simple cues for linear speed training (cues for change of direction and quickness are different): Arms must work from chest to clear the hips The foot must make ground contact underneath the hip to push backwards The player’s posture must be such, that the hips extend forward, generating efficient acceleration

Are certain ages more susceptible to

speed development?

The answer to this question is, yes, but that does not mean that speed training should be ignored outside of these ages. Biological age is different from chronological age, in that the individual body grows at very different speeds. You can look at several 13 year old boys and girls in a line and see that one player may be much more physically developed then the others. This means that the bodies ability to train and develop certain skill sets are much different, due to the integrity of the skeletal, neuromuscular, and cardiovascular systems. The concept of biological vs. chronological age is very important for physical development of players. Speed development is best trained at two separate times of biological development:
Females Speed 1 = at 6 to 9 years old.
Females Speed 2 = typically around 11-13 years old.
Males Speed 1 = typically around 7 to 9 years old.
Males Speed 2 = typically around 13-16 years old.

Can speed training be added into

practice?

Although there are few different types of training that will increase speed, within a soccer player, a large majority of these training modalities can be done on field within a practice. We have already discussed recommended intensity, duration, and volume of runs for speed, but another important aspect of speed development is strength training. Common sense will tell you that the more fit and strong a player is, the faster they will become. Research shows that the more a player can squat, the faster they are within their acceleration sprints of 0-10yds. We will be touching base on appropriate strength and fitness training in later posts, but I would like to add simple guidelines to speed work within training. All speed training should be performed at the beginning of the session, just after the players are warmed up. Have a technical objective within the speed drills performed that aligns with your objectives for the rest of the practice. Make sure that these drills are performed with quality technique to create good habits. Plyometric and strength training can be performed on field, but should be done intelligently, at the correct volumes and ages. Make sure that players of all ages (even 7-8 years old) are going through age specific strength training, in order to increase speed potential and decrease injuries.

Myths about soccer training #1

Myth #1 – Playing multiple
sports (cross-training) is
always good for Long Term
Athletic Development and will
keep my child from incurring
injuries and “burnout”.

It is believed that playing 1 sport, too early, does not allow the maturation and development of specific muscle groups and coordinated skills, therefore creating susceptibility to chronic injuries due to repeated stress on the same part of the underdeveloped body. For young soccer players, we see this manifest itself in such ways as: plantar fasciitis, Sever’s disease, Osgood Schlatter’s disease, jumpers knee, spondylolysis, and hip flexor/quad/groin strains. It is amazing that I regularly hear of 10 year olds with chronic injuries that should be more commonly found in middle-aged long distance runners. This has become more of the norm than an anomaly. Due to the repetitive skill sets in soccer and the recurring stress due to similar movements throughout the game; youth soccer players are commonly asymmetric, with extremely strong and tight quads and hip flexors and adversely weak glutes and hamstrings. The constant change of direction and jumping creates a ton of stress on the body, and the asymmetries aforementioned can wreak havoc on the body and create these overuse injuries. This, coupled with the long competitive soccer seasons and imprudent practice to game ratio, has youth soccer organizations mixing a cocktail of inevitable issues that parent and coaches are calling “just a part of the game”. It may be part of the game today, but does it have to be? The “cross-training” rationale, of playing multiple sports, is intended for young players to create an aptly prepared body for the rigors of soccer (or whatever sport they choose), by changing the nature of the sport and skill sets while developing strength in the typically weak areas of the body. This should, in theory, give the overstressed muscles and joints a recovery period, whilst still being active and developing athletic skill sets, and discovering the sport of choice. This model has been shown only to be successful if some very important principles are followed. 1 sport is played at a time. Never play multiple sport seasons or play on multiple soccer teams at the same time. Appropriate strength and flexibility training is developed along with the sport skills, throughout all ages of soccer development. Intermittent months throughout the year must be utilized to separate the player from competitive soccer. This means no indoor in the winter, endless camps in the summer, or using soccer as a means of babysitting when your child has nothing else scheduled, unless the programs have an understanding of how to properly develop players.

I believe that this argument for “cross-training” was valid (and still can be), a decade ago, however the competitive nature of youth sports today has far exceeded the recreational nature it once had and is not a valid justification for injury prevention. Nowadays, competitive soccer starts at 7 years old and often plays the traditional 2-season (spring and fall) club year. The pressure and demand that parents (therefore clubs) put on these young players is immense, while commonly having as many games on the weekends as practices during the weeks. When players continue to play other sports, each respective sport and their teams are equally competitive and do not care nor take into consideration that these kids are going from competitive sport season to competitive sports season, without rest. More often, I find that young soccer players are playing in two different competitive sports in the same season or on two different competitive soccer teams (club and school) and are moving from practice to practice, sometimes in the same day. “I often see the best athletes, at young ages, being the players that are suffering the most. Every soccer team wants them to play as many games as possible and other sports try to draw them into their respective seasons. It’s a recipe for disaster.” What was once a great way to develop a myriad of sport skills may end being more detrimental on the body than ever realized. The absence of an off-season, or more relevant, the absence of lower intensity and appropriate general preparation training, within the soccer season, accumulates fatigue in the central nervous system and trauma in the soft tissue and muscles. This is when injuries start to occur. The developing joints, bones, and circulatory systems are not able to rebuild as fast as the player is breaking down, causing the body to induce inflammation and pain in order to force the body to slow down. Players, at the advice of parents and coaches, tend to play through these pains. Too many games and not enough practice then throw the overly fatigued and underdeveloped players to the “wolves”, where 1 false move/tackle/run can mean trouble. So what are the solutions? I think that there are many ways to solve this problem, but it has to be done with education on your goals within youth soccer participation and following some strict guidelines. I am not in the opinion that youth players should avoid playing other sports, actually I think it is extremely beneficial. The point is that parents need to be careful of over doing the competitiveness of multiple sports and avoiding portions of the year when they are able to separate themselves from the competitive game. We need to understand the collective work volume that a player is putting in, each week, that leads to injury and “burnout”. Coaches need to be empathetic with players that are playing several sports at the same time and need to dial it down a notch on the competition and demands at young ages. Here are some guidelines that, I believe, would allow the benefits of multiple sports without the potential for injury. Play one sport at a time and change the sport each successive season When sport seasons overlap, avoid over competing and under training. Also avoid conditioning for 1 team and training for another. They do not compliment each other. Avoid coaches and teams that tend to spend time “conditioning” players off the ball, before age 14. Players that just play soccer (really all athletes) should participate in athleticism programs to develop necessary skills that are not commonly developed by the sport or club and necessary strength and flexibility that will keep the player injury free for the long term. Make sure that young players are keeping their sport environment recreational, until it is appropriate. That means, club soccer is not best for players that share sports in the same season until after 13 years old (or biological age equivalent). If you do seek out an athletic development training program, make sure that they understand biological age vs. chronological age, training history, injury history, and soccer-specific needs and seasons. It may be just as detrimental to throw your child to programs that train your player like every other sport, regardless of season. Especially at the high school ages.

In every other country, around the world, soccer has been the only sport played by nearly every youth player that develops within the game. Are overuse injuries as prevalent? Although I do not have any research or numbers to back it up, I would say yes and no. No, because of how much training and developing foreign clubs tend to do with their players. They have complete control over the nature of their training, at youth ages, therefore the technical development is priority and the competition is not. Clubs around the world are beginning to put in physical development programs in with their technical programs, and understanding the importance of developing athletes to physically peak at 26-29, not 17-19 years old. Yes, because these physical programs have not reached the vast majority of clubs, so players are breaking down there, just as they are here. Below, I’ve listed the topics that will be discussed in the weeks to come. I welcome your thoughts on this subject and look forward to the next blog.

Read This To Have Great Soccer Shots!!!!

12 Steps to a Great Soccer Shot

1. Take a touch.

Try shooting a ball you are on top of.  It is much harder to shot, and you lose power and accuracy. Shooting a ball that is at an awkward position will take much of the power off of your shot.

How you touch the ball depends on what type of shot you are using.  You need to approach the ball at an angle when using a standard shot, for instance, while setting yourself up for a straight shot is much easier.

Additionally, your touch should be away from defenders so they cannot block the shot, or take the ball away from you.

You can either touch the ball with the inside, the outside, or the laces of your foot.  With practice, you will learn how touch the ball so you can get a shot off effectively.

Learn more by reading Looking to Shoot

2.  Look Up (optional).

Before shoot the ball, you may want to look up at the goalie to see where he/she is.  This allows you to decide where to shoot.  Only do this if you have enough time to pick your head up.  There will be many times though, where you do not have time for this.

Notice that I didn't tell you to look up to see where the goal is.  You should develop your soccer radar, so this is unnecessary; however, if you haven’t you can take a peek at the goal, but it is best if you always know where the goal is.

3.  Look at the Ball

This is a part that beginning players often get wrong.  They naturally want to look at the ball, but with all the confusion going on around them, they look up at opposing players, at the goal, and at the goalie.

This leads to the player “just kicking the ball and hoping.”  The player has little control over where the ball goes, and so it often misses the goal.

To avoid this, you need to look at the ball for the entire shooting procedure.  Stare at the part of the ball that you want to strike and focus on hitting it there.

To do this, it is important to know the parts of a soccer ball.

4. Place your foot.

Many shooters only think about the foot that kicks the ball, but much of the power of the shot depends on where you place your place foot (the foot not shooting the ball).  You can greatly alter your shot, just by slightly changing the position of your place foot.

To place your place foot, you perform a little hop.  You probably do this already, but haven’t noticed it before.  It is important that you practice this because it is a very important part of the soccer shot.

Depending on the type of soccer shot, you should put your place foot in different positions, but in general, you should place your place foot even with the ball.  If you want some more loft on the ball, you can place your foot slightly behind the ball, while if you need to keep the ball on the ground (or you are running) you can place your foot a little ahead of the ball.

Width-wise, you should keep your foot at a comfortable place.  Many players have there place foot way too far away (width-wise) from the ball, and this results in shots that go way wide of the goal.

Place foots for specific shots are covered in the types of soccer shots article.

5.  Swing your arms.

Swinging your arms fluidly while shooting provides balance, and increases power.  This may seem small, but it will improve your shot.

Look at using your arms in soccer to learn more.

6.  Bring back your shooting leg.

You want to bring it back as far as you comfortably can.  Your leg should create a v-shape.  The farther you bring your leg back, the more chance you have for momentum.

Many players don’t go back far enough.  Just making this easy adjustment can have a huge effect on the power of your kick.

7. Lock your ankle.

When I say “lock your ankle”, I don’t mean that you should tighten it like you are flexing.  I simply mean that your ankle should be firm, and straight (like a putting wedge) for maximum accuracy.

9  DON’T Lean over the ball.

I often hear coaches yell “learn over the ball” when a player strikes the ball over the net and “lean back” if a player doesn't get enough loft on the ball.

Both of these are completely wrong and throw off a shot.  All you need to do is try leaning back when shooting, and you will realize how much difficult it makes it.  Leaning forward of backward decreases power, and makes shooting more comfortable.

A slight lean either way is okay, but in the end, it is what is comfortable for you.  Leaning backwards or forward only hinders your shooting ability.

So where does all the poor advice come from?  Think about this:  when you lean back, you naturally put your place foot behind the ball, and when you lean forward you put your place foot forward.  Where you put your place foot does matter.  Leaning over the ball does not, and I know that from experience.

10.  Strike it.

How you strike a ball depends on what type of soccer shot you are performing.  The important thing to work on is hitting the ball with the right part of your foot at the right part of the ball.  This takes practice, but once you get used to it, your accuracy will improve dramatically.

11.  Follow through.

I can’t stress enough how important a good follow through it.  I know personally that the power and accuracy of my shot improved greatly when I started doing it.

All you need to do is continue through the ball.  I see many players who shot the ball with good velocity, but then stop short instead of following through.  The result is the effect you would get from chipping a soccer ball.

So follow through as if the ball was still there.  Many players find it helpful to focus on landing on their shooting foot.

12.  Follow it up.

Once you take your shot, make it a habit to sprint towards it.  Sometimes, you can get your own rebound, while your fellow teammates and the opposition are staring at your shot’s beauty.

This may not seem important, but if you can score just one goal by following up your own shot, it is worth it right? Here is a video that explains everything.

If you like what i do please subscribe,like and share these articles so i can help more players.Take a look at my other blogs to improve other specific skills.                                                                         To finish think about this " What are you doing Today to make a better player tomorrow?" - Joel Morales

5 Tips To Juggle Like A Pro - Pro Soccer Skills

If professional soccer players have anything in common, it is this: Most of them can juggle for a long, long time.

Juggling is considered by many to be the ultimate skill for soccer players, because it emphasizes technical skills and does a great job of getting your feet comfortable with the ball. While most first-time jugglers might only be able to keep the ball in the air for two or three touches, practice can lead to quick results. The best soccer players can juggle as long as they want.

Dylan Tooby has experience coaching both college and youth soccer teams. He has always emphasized juggling to his players.

"If you can control the ball in the air," Dylan said, "you can control the ball on the ground, which is where the ball is normally."

Dylan has several points of emphasis for those new to juggling:

• Keep your toe down and ankle locked, and try to hit the ball with the laces of your shoe.                               
• Start with the ball in your hand, drop it to your dominant foot and hit it back into your hands. Then you can try to hit it twice with your dominant foot. Keep progressing.                                                                        
• Once you're comfortable just using your dominant foot, try alternating feet.                                                     
• Set goals for yourself. Try to get five touches without using your hands by the end of the week. Once you reach that, go for 10 the next week.                                                                                                              
• Practice! Hard work gets results.

Here is a video of Dylan explaining the basics of juggling: ----------------------------------------------->

Score More Goals This Season

So you want to score more goals this season? Well today i'm going to show how to do just that. Here take a look --------->

You have to work hard in order to get in the box quick enough. You have to know all the open spaces and always check your shoulder. If you want to become a better forward you have to be in top mental,technical and tactical shape. The technical part is learnt by practice. The tactical is done by watching the pros. The mental is the most important but neglected sides of soccer. In my next blog i'll show you how to have a champs mentality. Keep Training Hard!!!

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Want to take your Soccer Team to victory?

Its Joel here and today I want to talk about working as a team. You should never try taking the ball to the goal when you’re in a bad position. Search for a teammate who’s ready to help you if you’re in an area where you’re crowded. Pass the ball to them rather than trying to make the goal.A good soccer player will pass it back to you when they need assistance.
To improve endurance, do long distance runs while it is your off season. A lot of soccer players run up to 8 miles during each game.
If you are at center-field, keep an eye on what transpires on each end of the field. Be ready to be passed the ball from either side and immediately get it transferred to the opposite side right away. Always be aware of the open players and defense.
Don’t ever give up, run with vigor, keep on the move and inspire those around you.
Learn how to use different parts of your foot as you learn to play soccer. This will allow you to stay in control of the ball no matter where the defenders are.

Team Goals

While it’s essential to make goals for yourself, you should also keep the team goals in mind. Soccer needs an entire team of effective players, so team goals must be more important than your own.
Don’t be overly confident as you play.You might be very talented, but something unexpected can always happen. When you play like you are untouchable, distractions or the unexpected can drive your game off course.
Play soccer indoors every once in inclement weather.Indoor soccer fields are smaller field in an indoor arena. This causes you develop your skills in the off-season. This will translate to better your outdoor performance when you play outdoors again.

Professional Player

Observe a soccer professional player who plays in your position. You can improve your game by imitating the professional player’s techniques and strategies. If you notice the player has their own special moves, try to adopt them.
Learn things from your errors. Pay attention to players dribble and try to imitate their technique.
If you are trying out to join a soccer team, show off what you know well instead of moves you are not comfortable with.
This is sometimes the best card you have in the game. When you find an open spot, communicate it to your teammate that has the ball. Learn the soccer terms that tell your teammates learn what needs to be done.
You need to triangulate if you wish to get through those tight defenses. Always be willing to help a teammate who are in the same thing.
There are many highs and lows that come quickly in the game of emotions involved when playing soccer.By learning to get rid of negativity and embrace the positive, you can increase the confidence of the whole team. Confidence is often make the difference between victory and defeat.
A good player always stays in great shape. This is done by combining exercise and a good diet. You should concentrate on building strength and cardiovascular health as well as your strength.

You can learn a lot by learning from past mistakes. One way to learn from mistakes is by having a game you play. You can review the game and pinpoint the areas in which you can improve. You may learn that you do not approach the ball as you should.
Sprinting properly is very important in the game of soccer.Only practice your sprints after warming up correctly. Start your routine by running as hard as possible for half a 30 second spot. Then come to a rest for the same amount of time.Repeat this pattern for 15 minutes per day for best results.
The key to soccer is to become a better player out on the field. Because soccer requires teamwork, you must be able to contribute. When you realize that it’s not just you you need to play well for, use the information this article so you can help the team win!

Please comment what you want to see next and as always Train Hard.

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Improve Your Soccer Training #1 Dribbling

Do you want to improve your dribbling? Are you just doing tricks and not really seeing any improvements in your game?

Well today I'm going to share 1 drill to improve you ball control and dribbling here take a look at this-------------->

 

I promise you if you do this drill as fast as you can not only will you have better control over the ball but you will also be more confident in your 1 v 1 ability. Remember guys its all about practice. If your not training at least 30-60 minutes a day then you will not see any improvements in your game. If you want to get better a soccer/football subscribe to my YouTube channel and to this blog. I promise we will work everyday to get those Pro Soccer Skills.

 

Train Hard.

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