Let’s say that at least 50% of soccer coaching drills must concentrate on improving player’s trapping skills. You won’t take it seriously. But interestingly, researchers say that trapping, besides dribbling and passing is mainly responsible for consistently winning matches.
The ability to capture the ball and retain it for a considerable time is called trapping. In such soccer exercises, they can use their feet, chest, and thighs to do so.
It is imperative that your players know how to trap the ball. Failing to do so would mean that they can never be in command of the game since this is imperative. Below mentioned methods can be used to teach trapping skills to the players.
Engaging the feet: Firstly, train your players in using their feet to deal with the ball which is a basic skill. Kids soccer drills should predominantly include practicing the kids on use of the inside of their foot. This is because the inside area of the foot id wide and very useful in engaging with the ball.
Older and well-established players in soccer coaching drills should be trained to use their full foot, just the top, or instep. Guide the players to use their shin or ankle as the best bet to hold the ball if the ball is leaping too much.
Thigh Movement: Using your thigh to control rapid and bouncy ball is an excellent approach. Guide the players to come in front of the ball, take one thigh up to capture the ball and other thigh to stay grounded. 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.
Continue repeating this exercise till the time you learn it by heart i.e. stopping the ball with your thigh and then tumbling the thigh down so the ball stays somewhere close to you.
Use the Chest: Trapping a ball flying high in the air with the use of your chest is also equally useful, like the use of thighs. 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 prove to be dangerous as the kids might develop a habit of using their hands while tackling the ball.
Now its time to start putting these soccer coaching drills into action. Ensure that the players increasingly practice these. Subscribe to our youth soccer coaching community and get a good deal of such guidelines and tricks.
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.
Tags: drills soccer, soccer coaching drills, soccer drill, soccer drills, soccer drills youth, soccer practice drills, soccer training drills, soccer youth drills, teaching soccer, youth soccer drills