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How many
times have we heard it shouted from both the coaches and the parents?
“Kick with your laces, not your toe.” Sounds like an easy request, but
you must understand you are trying to change the evolution of a child.
This is why so many struggle with this seemingly simply task.
While many
think this is a problem for very young soccer players, 5 – 9 years old, we
have seen this problem frequently in the 13 – 16 year olds as well. One of
the benefits of our research while creating
Blast The Ball™ is we were able to work with players at all levels
from all over the world. The “not so shocking” findings to us may surprise
you. There are soccer players at the most advanced levels of play that
can’t perform all the different types of kicks correctly. If they can,
they often can’t perform them with both feet. Understanding the EXACT and
correct form is essential for the development of advancing players.
Curing the
toe kick is often the first step. It really is quite easy to understand if
you take the time to study the progression, the cause and the cure. We
spent 18 months studying every phase of the soccer kick from 6 year olds
all the way to professional players. Once we captured this “evolution” on
video and slowed it down, it became quite evident why we kick with toe and
the steps to cure it.
First
understand how we first start to kick a ball. Very young players really
don’t go into a “kicking mode”. They are simply running at the ball and
when they think they are close, or their foot makes contact with the ball,
they “push” their leg through the shot. They are simply trying to force
the leg forward so it moves the ball. During this stage there is no
“forethought” to the soccer kick. (This could be called the ‘collision’
stage.) Kicking the ball is simply an afterthought that combines with
the running gate of the player.
As players
mature they learn that the harder they “push through” the shot, the
farther the ball goes. This seems great in their eyes, but it starts a
habit that is hard to cure. Some even “push through” so hard they fall
onto the ground after a shot.
Next realize
another reason for a toe kick. It is the natural foot position. When we
run or walk our foot changes position. At the end of our stride our toe is
naturally facing down because we have just finished “pushing off” the ball
of our foot or toe area. As our foot comes forward in a walking or running
stride the toe naturally returns to the forward pointing position. Have
someone walk across the floor. Concentrate on their foot position at the
end or back of their stride and then watch as it comes forward. The toe
naturally starts to swing forward and upward.
Then ask
them to walk or jog with their toe pointed down as long as possible. The
result is a child or adult “high stepping” across the floor like a
Clydesdale horse.
The problem
is that this “unnatural position” is really what we are asking them to do
when we tell them to kick with their laces.
Here is a
little test you can do for yourself. (Only adults are allowed to do this.)
Kick like a
toe kicker. Yes, we said kick wrong. Let your foot swing through
naturally just like it was a walking or jogging stride. Your foot stays
very close to the ground.
Now, WITHOUT
CHANGING ANYTHING ELSE, point your toe to the ground and swing your leg
through again.
If you did
this properly you are now cursing me. You are grabbing your foot because
your toe struck the ground as you came through and you severely strained
the muscles on the top of your foot. Don’t worry. There will be some minor
swelling and you will limp for the next 4 days, but hey, if we ask our
kids to do this, why shouldn’t we try it?
So how do we
start to teach this “unnatural” movement?
We created
Blast The Ball™ video and research program because much of this is hard to
describe in writing. We will give it our best shot.
1-
Have patience. This unnatural movement or change takes time.
You will practice it and it will look good. Then, come game time, the
child will revert back to the movement that is instinctive. Eventually the
new kick will become a muscle memory or instinctive.
2-
Start by having the child step closer to the ball. Most youth
players step their plant foot well behind the ball. This causes the ball
to be struck on the “upward swing” and naturally kicked by the toe. Having
them step next to or even slightly past the ball forces the ball to be
further back in the swing circle.
3-
Practice loading the leg. We have an entire section devoted
to the “soccer hop” on Blast The Ball™. It is the slight hop or large
stride just before kicking a soccer ball. Just as in any sport such as
baseball, golf, tennis etc, when you are going to come forward to hit a
ball, you must first load or have a backswing. The entire leg will come
back and with “power shooters” you will notice the load or backswing is so
large that the sole of the foot almost touches their “behind”. Now
instead of a “push” we are preparing to release and kick.
4-
Shorten the kicking leg. No not by surgery, but by
maintaining the “V” position of the leg all the way through the swing.
When our leg is in the backswing and just starting to come forward, there
is a strong “V” position. We want players to maintain this “V” all the way
through the shot. Stand up with both feet close together. Raise the
kicking hip slightly, and then bend the knee slightly. You must do both.
You will notice that if you hold this position you can point your toe down
and swing your leg back and forth. Your toe will not hit the ground. While
the shape and size of the “V” will change through the kick, it should
never totally disappear. (No locking straight leg.)
5-
Start with an angle approach. We teach the many different
styles of correct kicking. One is the straight kick which has no angle
approach or “wrap around” leg swing. With the straight kick, the ball IS
struck with the laces. However, the angle kick has an angled approach and
the leg will slightly swing across and around to our front. This angle
arch also allows the toe to be pointed slightly “outward” requiring less
“shorting” of the leg and less chance or the dreaded “toe stub”. When
working with young players, the angle kick is taught first.
6-
Learn the part of the foot. When we use the angle kick, we
really are NOT kicking with the “laces”. We are kicking the ball with the
“first metatarsal”. In simple terms that is the bone just above the
“knuckle” of the big toe. This is the largest bone in the foot and when
the ankle is locked, creates a huge amount of impact force.
7-
Learn to strike the ball just left of center. (For right
footed kickers.) This applies to the angle kick because we are approaching
the ball from an angle. Striking the ball in the center will cause the
impact to be more of a “glancing blow” and create a huge amount of side
spin.
One of the
most important points of working with young players is to start them off
in slow motion. A child only wants to do one thing, KICK A BALL HARD.
Forcing them to kick slowly and gently is EXTREMELY hard. I recommend you
start this exercise against a wall. If you put them 6 feet away from a
wall, they will have a fear of the ball bouncing back and hitting them.
This will force them to kick softer. Also, if they kick too hard they have
to go chase the ball. DO NOT start this process 18 yards out from a
soccer goal. Their overpowering instinct to kick it hard into the net will
force them to focus on power.
Plan on this
process taking 6 – 12 months depending on the child’s age. Have them
practice the movements several times a week. Eventually it will become the
instinct rather than the unnatural. Have patience and keep practicing.
Coach V is
the author and developer of Blast The Ball™ training system and video.
Their
website is
blasttheball.com
This
article is the copyright © of Blast The Ball™ and is officially registered with
the Library of Congress, Copyright Office in
Washington, DC.
It may not be reprinted or used without express written consent.
Dear Coach V,
I hope you will post this for all your
visitors to read.
I wanted to write you let you know that I
have finished watching Blast The Ball for the THIRD time. I felt
compelled to write and share my thoughts.
I am a nationally certified youth soccer
coach as well as a soccer parent. I have been coaching youth soccer for
over 7 years.
I started coaching when my son’s team asked me to volunteer. I have
attended many coach’s training clinics and been through many training
programs for both players and coaches. I have ordered over 14 soccer
training videos, read several books and constantly read new articles.
When I look back at my other soccer
training videos, I wonder why I paid $30 - $80 for them. Many are 30 –
45 minutes long and simply offer / show people doing drills or giving
skills tips. Blast The Ball is the most VALUABLE video I have EVER
purchased. It gives you every aspect of soccer kicking, ball flight as
well as explaining the why and not just the how. It also is quite
entertaining. My son has watched it 4 times and he NEVER watches my
training videos. He thinks they’re boring and a “rehash” of the same
information. When I read that other people’s children were watching a
“soccer training video”, I really didn’t believe it. However, it is as
useful to the player, as it is the coach / parent.
I really think you should let people
(everyone) know that this is not a video that SHOULD be watched, but
rather a video that MUST be watched by every soccer player, soccer coach
and soccer parent. Without it, they will be years behind others and keep
wonder why and how.
Something else I noticed that others might
miss. I think it should be pointed out that the amount of development
and work comes through on the video as well. Most training videos I have
watched were simply shot in one afternoon at one location. If the viewer
keeps this in mind while watching your video, they can tell that your
efforts include a long “journey” and the footage includes many
locations, age levels and skill levels.
Whether it is a parent just beginning with
a 7 year old, a top level certified coach, or an advancing soccer player
they will be thrilled with the video.
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