Controlling the ball either to shoot or to pass through head is not very difficult to achieve with free Soccer drills. Different kinds of soccer exercises helps in the proper execution of this skill.
What part of the ball should be applied force by the player? Its the question of which part of the head should apply force and how much force should other parts generate? Answering these questions correctly will help the player to hit the ball where he wanted to.
Consider the case of hitting the ball towards the ground, where the thrust on the ball is generated from the forehead. The distance the ball should go after contact determines the amount of force that a player should use on the ball.
Soccer practice helps the player to decide the heading technique based on the position of the ball with respect to him. For example, players in the defensive third generally head the ball high and wide , away from the goal.
On the other hand, midfield players head the ball more precisely to the attacking players.
Players must lose the fear of being hit by the ball in the face, before they can head the ball. Free soccer drills use a sponge type ball to address this.
A Slightly larger and a lighter ball, like a beach ball , is preferred to reduce the fear. While teaching heading skills, Coaches usually position the players on their knees to ensure proper balance of the lower body. When the players have proper balance of the lower body, they concentrate on the action of the upper body.
When the players are comfortable striking the ball with their heads, they can move to a standing position. This is the stage in soccer coaching where they will begin to learn about the contributions the lower body makes to heading.
For the next step in the progression, partners toss the ball to each other while remaining stationery and then while in motion. As the players become more confident, have them jump and then head the ball with the help of a one-foot take off. Players are challenged with a real game-like environment heading drills.
Another step towards adding more structure to the game and developing intentional play is to refine the heading skills.
One should really consider incorporating free soccer drills because it does not use the ball initially. In this way, young players gain confidence in their moving skills without having to control the ball. When the players demonstrate competence with movement, they can practice with the ball.
If you found this information interesting and helpful, then subscribe to our youth soccer coaching community and increase your knowledge even more on coaching soccer to the kids, available there in the form of articles, newsletters, and videos.
About the author
Andre Botelho is a recognized expert in youth soccer coaching. He influences well over 35,000 youth coaches each year with his unique coaching philosophy, and makes it really easy to explode your players’ skills and make training more fun in record time. To download your free youth soccer coaching guide visit: How to coach soccer.
Tags: Free soccer drills, soccer coaching, soccer exercises, Soccer practice