Individual Trapping

Physical Homework

Players should perform the following conditioning activities plus practice their trapping methods, accomplishing the following over the course of the week:

Conditioning

Isometric leg exercise.  Players can do this conditioning exercise inside or outside.  Players will stand with their back to a wall and assume a sitting position - leaning against the wall.  Slide your backs down the wall, bending at the knee, until your legs are at a 90 degree angle to the wall.  You will look like you are sitting against the wall.  

Hold this position for as long as you can...at least 1 minute.  Repeat again after a minute of rest.  Do this a couple of times per day, every day of the coming week.  

Individual Trapping 

Players should practice in their backyards, or at a local school while siblings play other sports.

Players will be throwing the ball straight up into the air, to themselves, and practicing their trapping methods.  (Having more than one ball available for this skill drill will be helpful to the player, so they are not constantly chasing one ball around to do the drill).  The object is for the player to trap the ball out of the air and for the ball to land within 12-18 inches of one of their feet.  Anything over 12-18 inches is an "unsuccessful" trap.  Players should "successfully" trap the ball 50 times for each of the following methods:

• Instep trap - catching the ball on the instep of the foot (laces) and lowering it to the ground, within playable distance of the foot.  Top of foot should form a flat surface for the ball and then pull away to lower the ball to the ground.  Player will need to raise the foot off the ground in order to trap and pull the foot back.  You are not kicking the ball...you are trapping it.  Should be done 50 times with the right foot & 50 times with the left foot.

• Thigh trap - catching the ball on the "meaty" portion of the thigh, not the knee, and lowering the ball to the ground, within playable distance of the foot.  Thigh should be parallel to the ground, or slightly higher than parallel to the ground, when the ball strikes it.  Pull the leg away after the initial hit to lower the ball to the ground.  Do not angle the thigh forward...or the ball will bounce away from you!  Players should "successfully" trap the ball 50 times with the right thigh & 50 times with the left thigh.

• Chest trap - receiving the ball on the chest while it is pushed out to contact the ball and then contracting forward, in a sort of hunch, to drop the ball within playable distance of the feet.  Timing is everything...keep your eyes on the ball, positioning your expanded chest underneath it and hunch forward just as the initial contact is absorbed...placing it at your feet.  50 times total.

• Head trap - receiving the ball on the forehead...one of two ways...so that the ball becomes playable out of the air and to one of your feet.  First way - contact the ball, with your forehead tilted slightly back and directly beneath the ball, while striking softly against it.  This initial contact will cause the ball to bounce lightly up and then straight down at your feet, as you move your body back slightly to receive it to the ground.  Second way - contact the ball as it comes down out of the air by striking it with your forehead, arching forward a little.  This will drive the ball into the ground at your feet.  25 times with each method.

Mental Homework

Players should study the following and come prepared to answer questions:

Not In Possession, Get In Position

[This is an article by my high school coach...circa 1980's]

We spend a lot of time training with the soccer ball. That is very important, and also very necessary as we must develop skills with the ball and a comfortable feeling with the soccer ball in our possession.

However, we cannot neglect to learn what we should do when we do not have possession of the ball. That would be a big mistake because during the course of a game each player on the field will be without the soccer ball far longer than they will have it in their possession.

There is a good soccer saying that will never let you down. "When not in possession, get in position."

That calls for players off the ball to move. Move to support the player with the ball. Move to receive a ball which you can run onto. Move to drag the defender out of an area and create space for a teammate to use.

Don’t stand and watch. People who stand and watch are called spectators. You don’t want to be a spectator.....you are a player!

On the other hand, that does not mean you should run helter-skelter all over the field. Movement should have a purpose, you will be taught those purposes - support, attacking run, creating space, etc.

How many of you have seen a player win a ball on the field, and everyone on the team runs away from him/her screaming for a pass? Happens all the time.  The player in position should be the only one calling for the ball.

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