Improve your passing with wall ball!
Parents and Friends,
When traveling abroad you’ll see kids playing pickup soccer games everywhere and anywhere.
Pickup is essentially street soccer and all the youngsters need is a ball, some space and they’ll use their school bags, jackets etc. for goals.
Jumpers for goalposts!
It’s fantastic because they’re getting lots of touches and being creative in an environment where they’re free to express themselves.
That kids elsewhere are getting more touches on the ball outside of practice is something that’s not really acknowledged in U.S. soccer.
But it’s certainly one of the challenges!
That’s why I always encourage kids to TRAIN ON THEIR OWN and show them exercises such as passing off a wall.
Some players call this wall ball and these are my top 7 exercises for a great workout:
- Receive with the inside of the foot, pass with the inside of the foot.
- Receive with the outside of the foot, pass with the inside of the foot.
- Receive with the...
Receiving the ball in the air...
Parents and Friends,
Receiving the ball in the air is a key technique to master especially with the federation prohibiting heading for U-11 kids and below.
Yet over the last few weeks I’ve observed quite a few youth games and players were really struggling when the ball was not on the ground.
Kids were shying away from these situations too and when you see that they probably haven’t been taught the mechanics of how to cushion the ball to feet.
Even if they have they may not have put in enough practice time and without sufficient repetitions players just aren’t properly prepared.
Of course, good soccer is about keeping the ball on the deck and completing passes.
But at the same time kids must work on scenarios where the ball is bouncing and off the ground.
If not then when there’s a long pass, clearance etc. they won’t be equipped to deal with it.
Here are my top FIVE tips for receiving in the air…
1) Move into the line of flight of the ball.
2)...
