Weston Soccer Club
U7/U8 Coaching Outline
The Ball and Your Boot
- Kicking and Controlling the Ball with Different Parts of Your Feet -
Key Skills
Dribbling
• Use the whole foot – inside, outside, sole and laces, of BOTH feet
• Small steps, close control
• Head up
• Change speed and direction
Passing
• Inside of the foot, ankle locked – toe pointed up toward the sky
• Strike the middle of the ball – don’t slide your foot under the bottom, or the ball will pop up into the air
• Follow through high and toward your target
• Keep passes ON THE GROUND
Shooting
• Strike the ball with the laces of your shoes
• Body over the ball, not leaning back
• Drive it LOW – don’t worry about getting the ball airborne. The most difficult shots to stop are low shots, and nobody has ever missed the goal by shooting too low!
Receiving
• Inside AND outside of the foot
• Soft
Teaching Points
Dribbling – discourage “big” touches where the player is simply kicking the ball away and running after it, then kicking it again. Encourage “small” touches where the ball stays nearby, almost underneath them as they run. “No yo-yos”, where the ball is far, then near, far, then near. Keep it close.
Passing – the standing, or “plant” foot is important. It should be beside the ball and pointing toward the target player.
Shooting – head over the ball, foot pointing downward so they hit it with their laces. This is important, and they’ll want to hit it with the side of the foot or the instep. Make them hit it with laces, toe pointing down.
Receiving – players must become soft, or “give” with whatever body part is receiving the ball so that it stays near them.
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