The
days are gone that most soccer playing kids can find pick-up
games just down the street. Our spread out life-styles in
widely separated subdivisions and the concern about our children's
safety, has all but killed most neighborhood games.
>
BUT we have
to figure out a way to incorporate some soccer skills learning
at home!
We
all know the basketball kids who are shooting baskets day
and night. We have seen the Dads shagging baseballs with their
kids in the street, every evening. The 10 year old tennis
players are often banging the balls against their garages,
and the young competitive swimmers are going to 4 hours of
practice each and every summer day! Don't forget the 9 year
old hockey kids who strap on rollerblades and practice their
slapshot till long after dark, with icetime at 5:00AM the
next morning.
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Competitive
soccer players have to join this club!
There
simply is not enough time in two short weekly practices to
teach, rehearse and refine the vital soccer skills, and then
begin to address tactics, combo play, and team concepts. It
boils down to this ......
If
soccer is your child's primary sport, and they intend to compete
at an elite level, then they simply have to learn, and
refine and polish their skills at home, between practices!
It shouldn't be "work"...
It's FUN!
-
Fortunately, motivation is not usually
the problem. (If it is, then that may be a sign that playing
soccer at this more competitive level may not be what they
really want .....which , of course, is completely all right.
-
Lots of skills can be practiced right in
your driveway, a small backyard, and even your basement or
family room. And yes, sometimes it does take just a little
push in the right direction, as well as convincing parents
to make time. It's a great way to spend some quality
time with your kids before those difficult teenage years.
Even if you have never played the game, there is lots that
you can do to help, by tossing and passing balls or reading
flashcards etc. (When you can't help, consider "bribing" an
older sibling with extra "car" time or fewer chores, if they
help out for awhile.)
-
OK, we don't have to go crazy about this
and practice these skills until the leather comes off the
ball. About 20-30 minutes twice a week would work wonders!
And if you ever get a chance to help organize a neighborhood
game, by all means do it.
-
I strongly recommend getting a
Rebounding Net, or perhaps
sacrificing the old garage door. A good rebounding device
can provide a lone player thousands of touches, chest balls,
thigh traps, head flicks, half volleys, full volleys and wicked
shots. In fact, the players without rebounders will lag behind
in learning their touch. Furthermore, when practicing penalty
shots it will keep more balls out of your neighbors petunias.
Here
are some soccer activities that are easy and fun to do around
the house:
o
Juggling contests.
o
Penalty Kick Shootouts.
o
Old MLS style Shootouts with 5 seconds
to score.
o
Set up targets and knock them down
with passes and shots.
o
Flash Card Feints.
Make a flash card deck of a dozen or more fakes, call them
out and time how long it takes to get through the deck doing
moves with each foot. Shuffle the deck and go again. You can
do this in the basement on rainy or cold days. Throw toys
or pillows around as obstacles to fake around.
o
Goalie Wars.
Set up 2 goals and go at it 1 vs 1 (with 2 players), or even
1 vs. 1 vs. 1 (with 3 players etc.). The twist is that everyone
is a goalie when they are within a few feet of their own goalmouth.
o
Throw In Golf. Make up imaginary
golf holes around the yard and count the number of throw-ins
it takes to get to the target. For example, "throw down to
the car, go left around the rake, go left again at the trash
can and hit the dog....(just kidding).
o
Soccer Golf. The same as Throw-in
Golf but players use their feet.
o
Specific Skills (see guides at upper
right).
NOTE:
These guidelines and exercises are exerpted from the following
web sites:
http://www.decatursports.com/
http://www.strongsoccer.com/Kingdrills/kingsdrills.htm
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