Let us suppose that 50% of the soccer coaching drills have focused on perfecting the trapping skills of their players. You won’t take it seriously. But interestingly, researchers say that trapping, besides dribbling and passing is mainly responsible for consistently winning matches.
Trapping is the ability of the players to intercept the ball and then keep it near their body. These are soccer exercises that permit the use of chest, thighs and feet while doing so.
You must acquaint your players with this skill of trapping the ball. If not, they will never really be in control of the game because everything else comes after trapping the ball. Some of the following techniques help in enhancing the trapping skills of the players.
Make use of your feet: Make your players learn the primary skill of involving their feet in holding the ball. In kids soccer drills, the kids must be particularly trained on using the inside of their foot. The biggest reason for this is that the inside area of the foot is broad and is most helpful in tackling the ball.
If the players are advanced and mature, teach them to use the instep or top of the foot as well as the whole foot in trapping the ball during the soccer coaching drills. Train your players to adopt the strategy to apply ankle or shin to catch hold of the ball when it is jumping a lot.
Thigh Movement: A thigh is very useful in controlling the fast and bouncy approaching ball. Instruct the players to get in front of the ball, stand on one feet and rise the other thigh to stop the ball. It is important to learn that as soon as the ball meets the thigh, the knee should be dropped so that the ball drops right there and does not move away from the player.
This activity has to be practiced regularly in order to become an expert at it by first using the knee to catch the ball and then bringing the knee down to prevent it from getting away.
Use the Chest: Just like the thigh, chest too has a vital role to play in trapping the ball flying high in the air. Players should be positioned in front of the ball to face it but using the energy through their chest to stop it. The ball will therefore loose its pace immediately and drop down right away to the feet.
But keep in mind that in soccer training drills, young players are given only a few modest lessons on this technique. When they try to tackle the ball using the chest, it is their normal tendency to use their hands. This practice could lead to a problem by kids getting comfortable using their hands to deal with the ball.
It’s time now to execute these soccer coaching drills. Advice players to practice more progressively. If you wish to learn a great deal of such tips and tricks, subscribe to our youth soccer coaching community.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Andre Botelho is known online as “The Expert Youth Soccer Coach” and his free ebooks and reports have been downloaded more than 100,000 times. Learn how to skyrocket your players’ skills and make training fun in record time. Download your free ebook at: http://www.soccerdrillstips.com – Youth Soccer Training Drills.
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