Friday, January 17, 2014

How to improve your soccer between practices or How to get better at soccer when there is no team practice

If you will take time to do these skill practices 3 times a week, your coach can focus on teaching team play.

Juggle the ball 100 times.  Begin by dropping the ball to thigh, or foot and pushing the ball gently to try to repeat the contact.  Foot and thigh need to be level with the ground when contact is made with the ball.  Repeat until there have been 100 touches.

Lobatta (push the ball back and forth between your feet) 25 in place, 25 moving forward, 25 moving backwards. 

Roll overs (roll bottom of cleat over the ball while moving the ball forward) 25 right foot while moving forward, 25 left foot while moving forward. 

Toe Taps (alternate putting bottom of your cleat on the top of the ball) 25 in place, 25 moving forward, 25 moving backwards. 

Locomotion (Push ball forward with laces or cup of the foot, stop the ball with bottom of the cleat, then restart quickly pushing the ball forward again) 5 starts and stops and restarts. 

Train Wreck (Start locomotion,when putting your foot on top of the ball draw your foot back keeping the ball in front of you as you turn your body to push the ball back the way you came from)  do 5 reversals with your right foot and 5 reversals with your left foot. 

Scissors ( push the ball with the outside of your foot three times in a row, on the forth time don't push the ball out but step over the ball and push the ball with the outside of the other foot at a 90 degree angle from the direction you were going) do 5 with your right foot and 5 with your left foot. 

Double scissors (do single scissors but fake going 90 degrees the other way by stepping over the ball with your other foot and then continue in the first direction) do 5 with your right foot and 5 with your left foot. 

Big Kick Fake (bring foot at ball with full body preparation for a hard long kick but stop foot on the ball or beside the ball and continue in the direction you had been dribbling) do 5 with your right foot and 5 with your left foot.

Cut back (while running at full speed, cut the ball from the line you are running in with the outside of your foot to change direction 45 degrees)  do 5 with your right foot and 5 with your left foot.

Shielding the Ball (with arms out and knees bent keep the ball on the opposite side of you using the foot furthest from the defender)(if you do not have a partner to practice with move the ball around as if your shadow is the defender) do this for a minute with your right foot and a minute with your left foot.

Spin Move (Step over the ball blocking the defender from the ball and pull the ball with the other foot backwards and around the defender while shielding the ball, turning toward the ball and keeping it in front of you as you turn then accelerate away from defender) do 5 with your right foot and 5 with your left foot.

Monday, January 6, 2014

Azzurri January Soccer Academy Note changes

The soccer Academy for Azzurri will be held January 19 and 26 from 1 to 3 in the afternoon for the age group under 12 Boys and Girls. While last year they asked all people attending the academies to preregister for the following season, the Azzurri club voted to make the Academy open to all people at no cost, and not require preregistration for the 2014 season. The director of Azzurri coaching, Chava Arevalo will be overseeing the Academy. Coach Cooke will also participate in a planning and teaching role.