Controlling The Ball
Controlling (as opposed to stopping) the ball should be practiced regularly in every session. It is fundumental and it's what differentiates great players from mediocare players. When the ball arrives at your feet, what is commonly known as the "first touch" is incredibaly important because it dictates your next move, whether it's a pass, a shot or dribbling.
So why not "stopping"? When a ball arrives and you stop it dead at your feet, the defenders have a much easier time kicking it away from you. During the course of the game there may be special circumstances when you want to stop the ball (maybe to deceive the defenders) but most of the time you control the ball which allows your game to be fluent.
1. Have two lines of players (paired up) and have one player pass the ball to the other and have the receiving player control the ball with the inside of the feet, sliding the ball to the left or to the right (depending on which foot he is using). Then pass the ball right back. Have the kids control using both feet, again to the left or to the right and then pass it back.
2. Try the same exercise only this time have them use the outside of the feet. As the ball arrives, the receiving player places the ouside of his foot behind the ball and slides it to either his left or right (again depending which foot he is using). You will find that controlling with the outside of the foot is much more effective and places the player more in a position to easily pass the ball back.
I demonstrated controlling vs. stopping the ball to the group to make them understand the difference. I asked one of the guys to stand in front of me as a defender. I had another player (supposedly a teammate) pass the ball to me and I asked the defender to take it away from me. As the ball arrived, I stopped it dead. The defender was easily able to shoot it away. Then I repeated the same exercise but this time when the ball arrived, I controlled it to my left (I am left-footed, if you were wondering), away from the defender and I ran along with the ball. The defender had no chance this time. Try it!
3. Controlling high balls with the chest: This one is a bit harder to learn but have each player throw the ball to his (or her) partner. The receiving player should "trap" or control the ball so that the ball either falls in front of him, to the left of him (by making a slight turn on the chest) or to the right of him. Then follow it up and pass it back. After a few minutes switch the players.
4. There are other ways to control the ball with the thighs, etc. but leave all that for later. For now concentrate on feet and chest.
So why not "stopping"? When a ball arrives and you stop it dead at your feet, the defenders have a much easier time kicking it away from you. During the course of the game there may be special circumstances when you want to stop the ball (maybe to deceive the defenders) but most of the time you control the ball which allows your game to be fluent.
1. Have two lines of players (paired up) and have one player pass the ball to the other and have the receiving player control the ball with the inside of the feet, sliding the ball to the left or to the right (depending on which foot he is using). Then pass the ball right back. Have the kids control using both feet, again to the left or to the right and then pass it back.
2. Try the same exercise only this time have them use the outside of the feet. As the ball arrives, the receiving player places the ouside of his foot behind the ball and slides it to either his left or right (again depending which foot he is using). You will find that controlling with the outside of the foot is much more effective and places the player more in a position to easily pass the ball back.
I demonstrated controlling vs. stopping the ball to the group to make them understand the difference. I asked one of the guys to stand in front of me as a defender. I had another player (supposedly a teammate) pass the ball to me and I asked the defender to take it away from me. As the ball arrived, I stopped it dead. The defender was easily able to shoot it away. Then I repeated the same exercise but this time when the ball arrived, I controlled it to my left (I am left-footed, if you were wondering), away from the defender and I ran along with the ball. The defender had no chance this time. Try it!
3. Controlling high balls with the chest: This one is a bit harder to learn but have each player throw the ball to his (or her) partner. The receiving player should "trap" or control the ball so that the ball either falls in front of him, to the left of him (by making a slight turn on the chest) or to the right of him. Then follow it up and pass it back. After a few minutes switch the players.
4. There are other ways to control the ball with the thighs, etc. but leave all that for later. For now concentrate on feet and chest.
posted by Softour at
10:11 AM
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