More Foot Skills
Physical Homework
Players should perform the following conditioning activities plus practice their trapping methods, accomplishing the following over the course of the week:
Conditioning
Push-up position holds. Players can perform this activity anywhere...outside or inside. Players should get in the push-up position, with one of their feet crossed over the back of the other, creating three body parts - 2 hands and 1 foot - that are in contact with the ground. With their elbows NOT locked, players should hold this position, with their backs straight, for as long as they can. Parents can time them. Perform twice a day, each day this week.
Sole Rolling
Players should practice in their backyards, or at a local school while siblings play other sports.
Players will be practicing moving the ball using only the soles of their feet. No strikes on the ball are allowed. They must move the ball a set distance, at least 10-15 yards, by rolling the ball with the soles of their feet only. This can be sideways use of the foot, or back and forth use of the foot. Whichever they use, the opposite foot or set of directions should be used going back.
A proper "sole roll" has the sole of the foot rolling across the top of the ball in a relaxed manner, but not too slowly. It is important to note that they are not striking the ball, merely getting it rolling and controlling the roll with practiced touches with the sole of a foot.
Players should practice doing this for 10 minutes each day for this entire week.
Mental Homework
Players should study the following and come prepared to answer questions:
Soccer is basically a game of diamonds and triangles. When a team keeps a good "shape" on the field, there is always support for any player.
The yellow player is the goalkeeper, obviously. In diamond number one, the players, from bottom to top, are the sweeper, defenders, and center midfielder. The center midfielder makes up a crucial position in 8v8 - since they are responsible for passing to the "most open" player in both the defensive and offensive "diamonds". Diamond number two starts again with the center midfielder, then two outside midfielders, and finally ends with a single forward up top. We will cover all of the jobs of the players in the coming weeks, but for this week, please study the primary functions of the defenders:
The basic job duties of a sweeper are to "see" the
whole field, direct defenders to position themselves, switch with defenders when
they get beat, and to ensure the ball makes its way out of our defensive end of
the field. Sweepers support teammates from behind the ball and insure that
there is someone there to stop attackers from getting shots. Sweepers are
typically "captain" figures in the defensive half of the field.