Receiving the ball with the sole of the foot...

Parents and Friends,

When a ball is traveling at speed to a kid’s feet they will frequently let it hit their shin or kick it away first time.

It’s certainly alarming when a player wants to get rid of the ball!

Not to mention that they are displaying significant technical limitations and poor decision-making skills.

But it’s not a surprise because kids are often in environments where they are spending most of their time doing redundant drills.

They’re not being taught technique at every session.

And they’re not getting the touches they need to get to a comfort level that they can transfer to a situation such as a game.

It takes CONFIDENCE in your technique to get the ball under control quickly and keep it within playing distance.

But it’s under pressure that you’ll see poor technique exposed as players get overwhelmed.

The options for receiving a ball on the ground are the inside, outside and sole of the foot 

Using the sole has become in vogue over the years as more players now have a Futsal background.

Here are my top 6 tips for that technique…

1) Position your body in the line of the ball.
2) Upper body must be leaning back so the defender cannot reach the ball.
3) Keep your weight on your planted foot.
4) Receive by placing your non-planted foot on the ball and stepping on it.
5) Receiving leg must be reaching forward with your toe up and heel down.
6) Wedge the ball to the ground with your sole.

The timing of the execution is crucial.

Too early and the ball will bounce away, too late and it will go under your foot.

As always, practice make perfect!

Chat soon,
Patrick
Soccer 1:1

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