| How many times have you heard it shouted from | | | | feeling of LOADING their leg prior to starting the kick. |
| the soccer coach's and soccer parents? "Don't kick | | | | One of the simplest movements yet least |
| with your toe, use your laces." Sounds like a simple | | | | understood movements in soccer today is the |
| request, but most people working with youth soccer | | | | Soccer Hop. When we show it to professional soccer |
| players find this to be a major stumbling point. | | | | players, they are simply amazed. They find |
| Don't feel bad if you have a soccer player or soccer | | | | themselves "soccer hopping" around their living room. |
| team that is struggling with the basics of kicking a | | | | Sadly we often hear many in the youth soccer |
| soccer ball or passing. I have had the pleasure of | | | | community say, "kids learn soccer by playing the |
| working with some of the greatest youth coaches | | | | game". I think this is one of the most detrimental |
| that hold a C - A certification and they struggle with | | | | phrases in youth soccer today. How many golfers |
| the same issue. One of the biggest problems with | | | | (hackers) are 60+ years old and still hitting a bad |
| teaching the correct soccer kick form is that people | | | | slice? They have over 8000 hours of "playing time" |
| see this as one simple issue. In our research we | | | | yet haven't learned a thing. On the reverse side, why |
| found that there are several issues that need to be | | | | is it that the top golfers in the world spend hours |
| dealt with. | | | | upon hours at the driving range refining their skills |
| If you start as we did on the Blast The Ball video, | | | | when they are already at the top of their sport? |
| you start with the "evolution of the soccer kick". You | | | | They understand like we in youth soccer need to |
| MUST learn WHY youth soccer players kick with their | | | | understand this important point. |
| toe before you can correct it. Simply telling them to | | | | You learn the GAME of soccer by playing the game. |
| switch to a "lace kick" will not only confuse them and | | | | It creates overall awareness, creativity and |
| frustrate them, but may also cause serious physical | | | | teamwork. |
| injury. | | | | You learn the needed SKILLS to play the game by |
| Pointing the toe DOWN will cause the toe to impact | | | | programming muscle memory and correct swing |
| the ground and cause a horrible strain to the top of | | | | (kicking) thoughts until they become instinctive. |
| the foot. This injury will last for several days, but | | | | One of the biggest mistakes I see in youth soccer |
| more importantly the psychological impact will last for | | | | coaching today is the lack of a "step-by-step |
| months. They will fear performing this kick because | | | | system" or understanding to teach players basic |
| they know, "it hurts". | | | | kicking skills. When we created we were dedicated |
| Learning how to "shorten the leg" through a V swing | | | | to making it as thorough as possible. We wanted |
| and starting with an angle kick is the first step. This | | | | every soccer player, soccer coach and soccer parent |
| allows the soccer player to freely move their foot | | | | to understand every part of kicking form and ball |
| through the ball without fear of "hitting the ground". | | | | flight. |
| Yes this takes time and must be done at a slow | | | | Remember that all great athletes work on refining |
| pace, but after they learn this method it will be | | | | individual movements. They then take those |
| automatic and become a muscle memory. | | | | movements to their sport so they can be at the top |
| The next step is to make sure that players get the | | | | of their game. |