Let’s say that at least 50% of soccer coaching drills must concentrate on improving player’s trapping skills. You will not be convinced with the statement. But make no mistake here. It’s trapping other than passing and dribbling which enhances your team’s ability to become a champion as per an investigation.
Trapping is the skill which enables a player to catch the ball and keep it close to himself. Such soccer exercises allow players to use thighs, feet and chest in doing so.
Players must be familiar with the job of trapping the ball. Failing to do so would mean that they can never be in command of the game since this is imperative. Some of the following techniques help in enhancing the trapping skills of the players.
Engaging the feet: Firstly, train your players in using their feet to deal with the ball which is a basic skill. In kids soccer drills, the kids must be particularly trained on using the inside of their foot. This is because the inside area of the foot id wide and very useful in engaging with the ball.
In soccer coaching drills, players can be taught to use the instep or crown of the foot along with entire foot when the players are senior and established. When the ball is hopping too much, tell them to employ the most favorable trick of using their shin or ankle.
Thigh Movement: Speedy and bouncy ball can be controlled by simply using the thigh. Train the players to stop the ball with one thigh, get stable using the other, after getting in front of 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.
Continue repeating this exercise till the time you learn it by heart i.e. stopping the ball with your thigh and then tumbling the thigh down so the ball stays somewhere close to you.
Use the Chest: Trapping a ball flying high in the air with the use of your chest is also equally useful, like the use of thighs. Make the players stand in front of the ball and then ask them to take their chests out as if to confront the ball. As a result the ball will loose its tempo almost immediately and will fall down at once.
But make sure that in soccer training drills, this technique should not be rigorously taught to the young players. 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. Ensure that the players increasingly practice these. 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.
