| What makes a great striker or centre forward? | | | | It is important that you practice these at training |
| Surely it is the ability to score goals. Nobody | | | | with a variety of soccer drills. A good striker must |
| remembers how hard a striker worked off the ball, | | | | know when to hit a shot first time and when to take |
| or how they pressured the opposition defence. | | | | a touch. A good striker will know when to have a |
| Everyone remembers the goals they scored, or the | | | | shot themselves and when to lay the ball off to a |
| ones that they did not score. Traditionally as players | | | | teammate. Practice different types of shots including |
| grow towards senior ranks there will be fewer goal | | | | volleys, first time shots, lobs, shooting with their |
| scoring opportunities for strikers, and so they must | | | | weaker foot, shooting with their head, and shooting |
| be able to take the ones that they get. Balance, | | | | on the turn are a few of the different situations that |
| speed, agility and power are the key characteristics | | | | you can practice at training to improve the |
| that make a great young striker. The soccer drills | | | | proficiency of your strikers. |
| that you use at training should develop these | | | | The final element that I like to include at training is |
| attributes in your young strikers. | | | | always an element of realism. Make them beat a |
| When using shooting drills at training, the first thing I | | | | defender and then take a shot. Make them beat the |
| do is make clear areas in the goal in which I want | | | | goalkeeper. I always watch my strikers closely to |
| them to shoot. I use hats or cones, which I usually | | | | see how many times they hit the goalkeeper with |
| place about 2 metres inside of each post. As players | | | | their shot. If this is happening frequently you will see |
| become more proficient move the hats closer to the | | | | that they look directly at the goalkeeper when taking |
| goal posts. To start I encourage the players to shot | | | | a shot. Encourage them to look at the spot where |
| along the ground, and as they become more | | | | they want the ball to go and not to look at the |
| proficient I encourage them to shoot into the top | | | | goalkeeper. You will need to reinforce this many |
| corners. As strikers mature I also encourage them to | | | | times at training if you have a striker that |
| take into consideration the strengths and | | | | consistently hits the goalkeeper with their shot. If |
| weaknesses of the opposing goalkeeper. If it is a tall | | | | they are shooting over the bar consistently |
| keeper that is strong in the air I encourage them to | | | | encourage them to keep their head down over the |
| shoot along the ground, or if I know the keeper is | | | | ball, and to place the ball into the net. Trying for too |
| not strong in the air I encourage them to shoot at | | | | much power tends to make the head go up and the |
| the top corners. | | | | ball go over the bar. The other thing I watch for is |
| Power and coordination are key attributes of a good | | | | how strong they are on their weaker foot. A one |
| striker. I use tennis balls at training to help develop | | | | footed striker is much easier to defend against. |
| these attributes. Using a small ball encourages the | | | | If you want your young strikers to shoot like pros |
| players to watch the ball more closely. They will find | | | | your training drills must focus on the key aspects |
| this frustrating at first and there will be some funny | | | | which make a good striker. These are power, speed, |
| moments at training, but I guarantee that a striker | | | | agility and balance. Teach them to shoot in different |
| that can shoot well with a tennis ball will be dynamite | | | | situations at training so they make good decisions on |
| with a soccer ball. I particularly like to use a tennis ball | | | | the field. Make sure the training drills have an element |
| for first time shot drills, and volley drills as I find it | | | | of realism. Give them targets to aim at in the goals, |
| most effective. | | | | develop their power and coordination, and practice, |
| Strikers will face many different situations in a game. | | | | practice, practice. |