A player's shooting technique is a bit like a golfer's swing; there is a generally accepted way to shoot a soccer ball but there are also individual differences that can exist without a negative effect on the final product.
Even though there we can accept individual difference, I think it's important to give young players a template to work from. This session is designed to give a player the key points so that they check for breakdowns in these areas if they are not hitting the ball with the kind of power or accuracy they are looking for.
Volleys in Pairs
I start with volleys and focus on locking your ankle and striking the ball with your laces. This begins as a static exercise but then the server moves backward while the other player follows to volley the ball while moving forward. This same pattern is also done in reverse.
To finish the servers stay in one place with the other players move laterally from one server to the next.
For the second phase of the session we use a fence that surrounds our field. I have the players put their ball on a line that is about five yards away. The focus of this phase is on the run up to the ball, the contact point and the follow through.
It's important that the player take short quick steps to the ball but that the last step, or Power Step, is longer and has the player landing heel first to abruptly stop their momentum and transfer that energy into their swinging leg.
The players ankle should be locked with their toes down and out to the side of the ball creating a diagonal line from their toes to their hip. This will put the player's foot in a position to strike the middle of the soccer ball.
The final step is for the player's leg to follow through and across the ball to land on the shooting foot. The landing point should not be directly in line with the ball but rather across the body and in line with the original position of the standing leg. This will allow the leg to move through the complete arch of the swing similar to the swing of a golfer or player hitting a baseball. If the player simply follows through straight they lose the potential energy that can be generated by a more complete swing of their leg.
Grooving this technique will not happen in one training session but you can give the players the feeling for the technique and then work on it at home before repeating this in a future session.
The next exercise is simple but an important link from the technique of ball striking to the skill of goalscoring.
Roll and Shoot
The first player in line rolls the ball out of their feet and shoots while focusing on the technique that was learned earlier. The player will have to be reminded of the correct steps so that they don't fall in to old habits.
Fake Shoot
Progress to having the players dribble toward a flag or mannequin, fake past it and then shoot. This is when you can tell if the players have really understood the shooting technique and internalized it.
Half Line
Each team must stay in their own half and try to score in the opposite goal. There are many different types of rules you can add:
- Ball must be moving before the shot
- Must pass to someone else who shoots
- No one is allowed to use their hands to save a shot
- You can use your hands but if you drop a shot you must give the ball back to the shooting team.
This is a fun game for the players and another opportunity to see if the technique you've taught has stuck or if the players are reverting back to old mistakes.
[wpsharely id="6889"] [/wpsharely]The session ends with a small-sided game with no rules. This is the final test. If the players are still shooting properly then they fully understand what you've been teaching. If not, see where they are breaking down and make corrections.
Please share your ideas on shooting technique in the comments section below.
Have a great day!
Tom
