Hi,

What is the proper technique of shooting in soccer?

Thanks,

Kim

Hi Kim,

The proper technique for shooting requires the following steps:

The balancing (plant) foot should be slightly bent and placed 6-8 inches to the side of the ball with toes pointing to the intended target. The kicking foot's ankle should be locked at impact with the ball's center of effort. To keep the shot low, head (chin close to chest), chest and shoulders should be over the ball. For added power, stay compact over the ball, follow through and land on the kicking foot. To accomplish the above described position the head must be down at impact. Looking up will cause a loss of power and accuracy as well as a high trajectory. Properly executed shots are taken with the body staying compact over the ball. The target is seen through peripheral vision or is kept in memory. When dribbling, on the other hand, the head should be kept up, quick glances at the ball are fine, but one should mostly use peripheral vision to keep track of the ball. Keeping the head down (during a kick) also works because the player's focus is much narrower when kicking as compared to dribbling.

Cheers,

Dany (added Aug. 29, 2001)

Hi,

We are looking for resources for an age appropriate soccer program for children ages 4 & 5. We are aware of resources for 6 and older but we have not found information regarding children under 6. Can you help us?

A. D.

Hi A.,

My first reaction to your question is that most soccer programs I am familiar with are inappropriate for children ages 4 & 5. The game of soccer with its various positions and team related game strategies is too complex for children this young.

Most kids would have a less frustrating experience if they started to play soccer as it is taught and organized in America between the ages of 7-9. Stiff competition, on the other hand, i.e., league championships and special teams is best when left alone until the child turns 12. Let me explain.

Imagine how unrealistic would a "play-date" for your four- or five-year old child be if you invited 5 or seven of her/his friends to share one toy! At four most kids can barely get along with one child! This is the reason we train physical education teachers that work with pre-K through first grade children to stay away from team sports and competition all together. Very young children benefit most from individual sport activities that are modified to fit their physical and mental development. Well educated teachers and coaches, however, rarely get involved in setting the standards and/or programs for youth sport leagues. Thus, on any given weekend, tens of thousands of four- and five-year old boys and girls chase a soccer ball in "beehive" style across the United States.

In case of a scenario where waiting a few years and first getting involved with swimming, gymnastics, movement education, dance etc. is not an option, here are some suggestions that may help alleviate the inevitable frustrating experiences of soccer for the very young.

My first suggestion is that you plan a league that involves only practices and informal lead-up games. That is, kids should play games that allow one child to manipulate the ball uninterrupted while the other kids watch and cheer or participate in a parallel format. Also, there is no need for uniforms (use ribbons or large numbers that may be attached via velcro) or referees (allow coaches and helpers on the field to facilitate action). I realize that this may be difficult for some "hard core" parents, but let us not forget who's needs we are here to serve.

Controlling a soccer ball with one foot while balancing on the other is not an easy task. Trying to manage the ball with as many as 3 to 10 players in one’s way would be hard for a professional let alone a four or five year old. To add insult to injury, some coaches design their practices in ways that expect two or more five year olds to practice with an unskilled partner with a similar short attention span. During the past few years I have observed children spend most of their practice time either getting in line, in position or chasing wild balls. Little time is spent "on task" with proper skill development. Information regarding coaching soccer to this age group is practically nonexistent because those who are students of the game and write about it know that it makes little sense to start any form of formal practice this early.

So why am I writing about a soccer program for 4-5 year olds when I find it fundamentally inappropriate? I do so because I realize that while it may be too late to reverse the current trend of early introduction to team sports (e.g., baseball, basketball, football, soccer, etc.), there still is something to say about "damage control." Competition is the ultimate test of one’s skills and effort. Team competition provides a strong sense of belonging, accomplishment, and fulfillment. Competition when presented in an age appropriate format is an essential part of any league experience. This, however, is best applied with kids who possess good fundamental skills, have a good understanding of the game and its strategy, and have experience. The average 4-5 year-old child, on the other hand, would be more comfortable in small cooperative as opposed to large competitive groups. Thus, If we must get out there with our four and five year olds let us consider the following points:

A. Organize very small groups (7 or less players per team; keep in mind that in a good school district we have one trained professional for a group this age).

B. Have as many coaches and assistants as is possible (one adult with reasonable skills per child is ideal)

C. Forget about uniforms and referees and play 2X2 or 3X3 lead-up games with one skilled adult facilitator per team (adults are only allowed to pass and/or restart; no tackling or dribbling by facilitating adult are allowed)

D. Emphasize personal skills and fundamentals during practice and avoid competition (No relays or "who can do most...?" Instead, let the child explore, experience and try this or that...)

E. Allow use of hands and introduce the goalie skills. It is a lot of fun. Do not use goalie in lead-up games (you may use an adult goalie that is allowed to stand on one foot only while defending the goal with the one foot he/she stands on!).

D. Use at least one ball per kid, cones, grids and signs (be sure not to allow stray balls on the practice field).

E. Prepare a few simple activities and try to maximize time on task (show-tell-show-practice). Avoid lengthy explanations. Whenever you think about game strategy, relax and let it go. If you can teach these young lads to play positions, be sure to publish your method so that we can all learn from it.

F. When engaging in informal lead up games allow the kids to restart in any way they want. Avoid teaching throw-in and penalty kick skills.

G. An example of proper kicking skills progressions is: (1) kick stationary ball from stationary position, (2) kick stationary ball while in slow movement, (3) kick moving ball while in stationary position, (4) kick moving ball while moving, (5) any of the above with added pace or slight pressure.

H. Allow water and putty breaks.

I. Allocate time for socialization before and after practice.

J. Avoid excessive cheering during lead-up and practice game. Keep it low key. When scoring a goal is no big deal, allowing a goal is no big deal either.

K. Be aware of the fact that this experience may not be as much fun as keeping score for some of the adults in charge. The relevant question here, however, is "whether the kids are learning and having fun?"

Good patience, you'll need lots of it...

Dany

Dear Concerned Mom,

Based on your description, I think it would be fair to say that your child is well coordinated and athletic. LK is a quick learner and has a good grasp of the fundamentals of the goalie position. Still, LK lacks experience and may also lack a broader perspective of the game resulting from an early specialization emphasis on the goalie position (and that’s a part of the problem).

Assuming that the above is a fair estimate of your child’s ability, I would have to support your early belief that your child was not ready for the AYSO progressive/club team experience. Having said that, however, it seems that LK’s coach who is somewhat of an "expert" initially had a different view. The coach’s original analysis of your child's performance (and potential) led him/her to conclude that LK was ready. Also, my impression is that the coach has taken a very assertive position in recruiting your child to the club. By now saying that LK is not ready yet the coach is clearly admitting that he/she made a mistake. The coach over-estimated your child's ability and skills. The coach’s current position also implies that either he/she does not think he/she can coach and bring your child up to par or possibly that he/she is not willing to invest the time to do so. This scenario reminds me of a real story about a high school kid who didn't make his varsity basketball team because he wasn't good enough. We all know this guy very well today as the now retired Michael Jordan. I wonder how can the coach be so sure now that LK has no place on the team while he/she seems to have been so sure otherwise a few games ago? Fickle? That's possible, but more than that this coach is not a true professional, nor is this a child oriented coach. Unfortunately, there is a considerable amount of real or perceived pressure on the coach to act this way by other team parents who’s child is a solid starter on the team. This coach may not feel confident enough to deal with the situation, so the coach got rid of the situation. I concur with your view that this coach is not appropriate for your child.

Anyone could have made the coach’s original mistake in addressing your child's preparedness for the Club level. But once the coach came to the realization that your child may not be as ready as he/she had thought earlier, the child oriented approach would have been to relieve your child from the duty as the starting goalie and to start working on LK’s skills and give LK opportunities to prove her/himself as the league progresses. This is not to say that Progressive/Club team is a welfare system. The original idea that LK join the club did not represent a "let’s help this poor clumsy child" approach. A number of individuals including the coach saw something in LK that compelled them to invite LK in. It is clear to me that LK is very talented and capable and I would strongly recommend that you try and pursue her/his soccer dream with a different coach in a less competitive environment. A true coach is first a teacher who’s foremost concern are the children he/she trains.

I find it quite disturbing that the "let’s send her/him back to the minor leagues" attitude is the one that has prevailed in your child’s case. This does not reflect the AYSO’s clearly stated position of the organization’s philosophy, nor does it serve the children’s needs. It is a cut dry approach with no compassion, and it clearly violated your child’s right to at least have a decent chance to prove herself.

What still remains is your child’s bruised ego and her deeply hurt feelings. Not only did she lose her position on the team but she also lost face and lost the many additional experiences of making friends and being able to share in the team effort, support, victories and disappointments. While it does not have to be this way, competitive sports come with a price tag that many unsuspecting parents and children find disturbingly high. I hope that by sharing your experiences and my thoughts with our readers we may help both coaches and parents understand that there’s more to club soccer than just winning games. I have no clear guidelines regarding the fine balance between potentially hurting a child versus hurting the team. An open discussion regarding this issue that includes all involved (coach, teammates and parents) may facilitate future decisions about similar situations. One child oriented approach would have been to invite LK for an evaluation period and then either accept her for the season, or allow her to join the team for practices with no promise of a starting position, and let LK decide whether she’d like to do it or quit.

When parents show compassion and respect toward all kids the coach’s role becomes less stressful and he/she is in a safer position to "do the right thing." When the pressure to win games gets in the way of child centered decision making let us remember that "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."

--- Antoine de Saint-Exupery, The Little Prince

Dany (Entry added Aug. 07, 2001)

HI, I went to your website for soccer endurance, well, should I run long distance or sprints? I am already fast at sprints, but in my games, sometimes I have no endurance or energy. How could I fix that so I can play to my top potential?

Hi,

Under game conditions a soccer player needs to (1) repeatedly sprint for short distances, (2) continuously run at mid-to low speeds to move up and down (sideways) the field. Since all running in soccer is interval like (broken-pace) running, a similar type of training would best prepare the player for the game. However, a game that lasts 90 minutes would require a solid aerobic foundation despite its overwhelming broken-pace running requirement. To both test and work on your aerobic capacity you may select any one of the following aerobic fitness tests: (1) Cooper's 12-minute run, (2) Balko's 15 minute run, (3) the One mile run or (4) the 3,000 meter run. Once you select one of the above for practice and for the purpose of testing and retesting your aerobic capacity I can direct you to references that contain the performance criteria for the specific test you chose.

The typical game condition fitness requirement is clearly anaerobic fitness. However, since it is a prolonged anaerobic effort it is referred to as "speed endurance." The training for speed endurance is specifically designed to enable the player to quickly recover from multiple sprints. The technical term to this form of stamina is "anaerobic recovery capacity." Since you do not think speed is a problem, you may consider a combination of Fartlek (continuous speed play) training, and tempo-pace (lactate threshold) training. Look up these terms on the Net if you're not familiar with these methods of training or drop a line should you need more help.

Cheers,

Dany (Entry added Aug. 05, 2001)