Free Soccer Drills: 3 Ways To Head The Ball
So you want to control the ball either to shoot or to pass, then what you must master is the free soccer drills. Execution of this skill isn’t just possible without a variety of soccer exercises.
The player should apply the force to what part of the ball? Which part of the head should be used to apply force and how much force should other parts generate? It is the intended direction or pathway of the ball that decides the answers to these questions.
Consider the case of hitting the ball towards the ground, where the thrust on the ball is generated from the forehead. The amount of force that a player should use on the ball is determined by how far the ball must travel after contact.
In Soccer Practice, the position of the ball with respect the player decides the heading technique. Take the case of the defense players, they generally head the ball high and wide , away from the goal.
Similarly, players in the midfield play the ball more precisely as they are often trying to head it to the attacking players.
The fear of being struck in the face by the ball should be won when it comes to heading the ball. Free soccer drills use a sponge type ball to address this.
To reduce fear, some cases mandate to use a slightly larger and lighter ball like a beach ball. While teaching heading skills, Coaches usually position the players on their knees to ensure proper balance of the lower body. That allows the players to concentrate on the action of the upper body.
When the players are skilled enough in heading the ball in kneel down positions, they can move on to the next level – heading in the standing position. This part of the soccer coaching teaches the players about the contributions of lower body in the heading.
Next comes the tossing of the ball between the players in a stable standing position, and then comes the tossing 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. Moving skills of the players are improved without the ball and that increases their confidence. When the players demonstrate competence with movement, they can practice with the ball.
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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.