FIVE IMPORTANT TIPS TO PLAY SUCCESSFUL RECREATIONAL SOCCER
Do you play or coach recreational soccer, practice once a week, and want to do more than kick the ball downfield and chase it? THIS SITE IS FOR YOU!
After 11 years of coaching, I realized that most community soccer clubs (and most soccer web sites) focus on teaching elite soccer skills. This does not serve the needs of the majority of kids, coaches and parents participating in recreational soccer. Most need to be taught very fundamental skills and coaching strategies.
To address this, I developed FIVE TIPS TO PLAY SUCCESSFUL RECREATIONAL SOCCER. Why? Because 5 key tips are what recreational kids and coaches are capable of learning in the limited time they spend playing the sport.
These 5 tips were distilled from the teachings of an exceptional soccer coach whose teams are always at the top of their division.
TIP NUMBER ONE: ALWAYS PLAY THE BALL WIDE - ESPECIALLY IN YOUR HALF OF THE FIELD.
Being successful in recreational team sports is about minimizing risk and lowering the odds of being scored on. I am constantly amazed at the number of teams that play the ball up the middle of the field in their own end. When I say wide, I MEAN OUT TO THE SIDELINES, not a lousy ten yards wide! If you would like a good reason for tip #1 it's this - 90% of goals are scored from the left goal post to the left corner of the 18 yard box, across to the right corner and back to the right post. That is deadly territory. If you keep your opponent outside or WIDE of that zone, they have only a 10% chance of scoring. Trust me - most recreational strikers won't come close to the net from the 10% zone. They need to cross the ball in front of the net, and many recreational players hate to pass. So, already you're way ahead of the game.
TIP NUMBER TWO: BALL CONTROL - LEARN TO JUGGLE THE BALL 20 TIMES ON YOUR FOOT
20 juggles on the foot is the benchmark - preferably both feet, but this IS recreational. Most recreational players are lucky to do 10 legitimate juggles.
TIP NUMBER THREE: GIVE AND GO
This is the most fundamental concept in soccer, hockey, basketball - you name it. Give the ball up to one of your players, to get the ball back. The defence follows the ball, so shake your defender by giving the ball away, make the run, and receive the pass. Your players MUST understand and practice this concept.
TIP NUMBER FOUR: SHIELD THE BALL
Far too many players try to beat their opponent and lose the ball instead of turning their back to the opposing player and passing the ball back to a teammate. Remember the give and go? After passing the ball, the player should make the run, and receive the ball back.
TIP NUMBER FIVE: SHOOT WITH YOUR LEFT FOOT (or the right if the player is a lefty)
When a player is in the box within striking distance, shoot with the left foot if the ball is on the left side. DO NOT switch to the right. There is no time...a defender with be on the player and/or the keeper will adjust. Players must learn to shoot with the left foot and take advantage of the surprise factor.
That's it! You can teach dozens of other important aspects of soccer, including headers, jockeying, play the ball into space, etc. But if the average recreational team focuses on the above five tips, they will be competitive. By keeping the ball wide in their end, they will reduce the other team's scoring opportunities. Plus, these ball control tips will give your own team more possession and therefore more of their own scoring opportunities.
Best wishes,
Coach
OK OK OK - here are a few more tips. Once you have mastered the above 5 tips, there are three major issues that can create problems for a reasonably good soccer team.
1. The first is that midfielders hang on to the ball too long, either forcing their forwards offside or eliminating the advantage of having any forwards at all. Midfielders must learn to PLAY THE THROUGH BALL EARLY INTO SPACE. (Not to the forwards' feet.) The forwards must learn to run onto the ball. That is how you maximze the effectiveness of your midfielders and forwards.
2. In fact I will dedicate an entire point to....PLAY THE BALL EARLY. Even an unskilled player can help a team immensely if they know to pass the ball EARLY. Two touches on the ball is ideal. The control touch and the pass. Watch the best soccer teams, hockey teams and basketball teams. These are all flowing games with constant ball or puck movement. The best teams move the ball or puck around constantly until a scoring opportunity emerges.
3. The forwards MUST HIT THE NET WITH THEIR SHOT. The defenders and midfielders work much too hard getting the ball into scoring position to just let the forwards hammer the ball high or wide. If your forward is missing the net, he/she must be told to pass the ball into the net only. NO UNLOADING THEIR BIG SHOT ON THE NET. After passing into the net, and showing they can hit the net, they can start to use a little more power.
Here's the BOTTOM LINE FOR COACHES. If a forward refuses to pass the ball into the net - have him/her sit out for awhile. If a midfielder holds onto the ball too long or takes too many touches - have him/her sit our for awhile. Often it's your better players that will commit these sins. They have good ball skills because they like to hold onto the ball. Or they have a hard shot because they hit lots of balls. But their skills won't help your team if your superstars are exercising poor judgment. This is a team game. There is no room for egos. After being pulled a time or two, your superstars will get the message...and they will ultimately improve as soccer players.
Good luck with your season!!