| How many times have you heard it yelled from the | | | | mind and they remember that kicking this way hurts. |
| sidelines? “Kick with you laces, not your toe!” | | | | Not a good thought process. |
| Well it really isn’t the fault of the player if you | | | | A child should first learn to kick with an angle kick. |
| understand the evolution of the soccer kick. The | | | | An angle kick allows the toe to be pointed slightly |
| problem is that most parents and many coaches | | | | outward and away from our body. Doing this reduces |
| don’t realize this is impossible to change without | | | | the need for so much “clearance”. This kick |
| a “process”. When we created we studied | | | | motion starts with the leg behind our torso. Then the |
| this problem in our research which lasted over two | | | | leg swings slightly outward and finishes by coming |
| years. This one came pretty quickly. Video taping the | | | | back around the front of our body. |
| player makes it easy to understand. | | | | Also, the child must realize that in order to create |
| A child doesn’t change anything about their | | | | clearance, they must “shorten the length of their |
| natural walking or running stride when they first start | | | | leg”. Not easy for an 8 year to understand. |
| to kick a soccer ball. It is almost like the soccer ball | | | | However, as shown in Blast The Ball, there are two |
| just happens to get in the way of their natural stride. | | | | simple methods to help. |
| As we walk or run as humans our toe naturally points | | | | 1) Learn the V swing. The V swing is performed by |
| forward as it moves forward. Keeping the toe down | | | | all advanced players in all their kicks. They just |
| would cause us to walk or run looking like a | | | | don’t realize it. Keeping the knee slightly bent as |
| Clydesdale horse. Also, when we bring our leg | | | | it swings through, “shortens the leg”. |
| forward there is VERY little clearance between the | | | | 2) Also, raising the up slightly by lifting at the hip will |
| bottom of the foot and the ground. Pointing the toe | | | | give good clearance. Leaving the shooting foot flat |
| down will cause it to hit the ground, often causing | | | | on the ground, we want the player to point their toe |
| serious injury. | | | | to the ground. However, they must accomplish this |
| Many coaches and parents make the big mistake of | | | | by raising their HIP not the leg or knee. |
| taking a child straight to the form of a traditional | | | | Trying to picture this training in writing is difficult. |
| straight kick at full force. Every time this is done the | | | | However, once you see it in action you’ll be |
| child “stubs” their toe and strains the top of | | | | amazed at how something so simple can change a |
| their foot. This thought remains in the child’s | | | | soccer player for life. |