Let us suppose that 50% of the soccer coaching drills have focused on perfecting the trapping skills of their players. You would probably dismiss it as a fancy. But interestingly, researchers say that trapping, besides dribbling and passing is mainly responsible for consistently winning matches.
Trapping is the skill which enables a player to catch the ball and keep it close to himself. Such soccer exercises allow players to use thighs, feet and chest in doing so.
It’s vital for your players to master the skill of trapping the ball. If not, they will never really be in control of the game because everything else comes after trapping the ball. Some of the following techniques help in enhancing the trapping skills of the players.
Involve the Feet: Primarily, the coach must teach the players to use their feet in tackling the ball. Particularly in kids soccer drills, teach the kids to use inside of their foot. The fact that the inside area of the foot is large makes it easy for the players to hold the ball.
Older and well-established players in soccer coaching drills should be trained to use their full foot, just the top, or instep. Train your players to adopt the strategy to apply ankle or shin to catch hold of the ball when it is jumping a lot.
Thigh Movement: Speedy and bouncy ball can be controlled by simply using the thigh. Instruct the players to get in front of the ball, stand on one feet and rise the other thigh to stop the ball. Most importantly, practice dropping your knee once it connects with the ball for the ball to drop down and stay with you rather than getting away.
This activity has to be practiced regularly in order to become an expert at it by first using the knee to catch the ball and then bringing the knee down to prevent it from getting away.
Use the Chest: Similar to the role of a thigh, the chest also plays an important part in trapping the ball that is high up in the air. Players should be positioned in front of the ball to face it but using the energy through their chest to stop it. The ball will therefore loose its pace immediately and drop down right away to the feet.
But make sure that in soccer training drills, this technique should not be rigorously taught to the young players. It is natural for them to use their hands in dealing with the ball while attempting to use their chest. This can become a serious issue if they tend to become habitual of tackling the ball with hands.
Now its time to start putting these soccer coaching drills into action. Ensure that the players increasingly practice these. By subscribing to our youth soccer coaching community, keep yourself updated on the latest in the field.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Andre Botelho is known online as “The Expert Youth Soccer Coach” and his free ebooks and reports have been downloaded more than 100,000 times. Learn how to skyrocket your players’ skills and make training fun in record time. Download your free ebook at: http://www.soccerdrillstips.com – Youth Soccer Training Drills.
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