Soccer is slowly but surely rising to the top of the list when it comes to ‘must try’ sports. More and more people are trying out this thrilling and exciting form of exercise that does wonders for you body and mind alike. Whether you’re an adult or a child you’ll see an improvement in areas such as agility, stamina and strength and you’ll be sure to have tonnes of fun in the process. It’s super easy to get started, all you need to do is grab your soccer balls and head to some open space to practise your ball control skills. If you like the sound of getting to grips with some new soccer skills then continue reading to find out what you can do to improve your ball control and start your soccer journey.
Equipment
Investing in a soccer ball is the first step to stardom. This necessary piece of equipment will become your best friend as you begin to spend time developing skills to control it and therefore improve your game. You can pick up a soccer ball for as little as $19 so there’s no reason why you can’t get started today. It’s important to remember that an adult should be using a size 5 soccer ball but you can also buy smaller balls in size 3 and 1 for younger children. There’s other pieces of equipment you may like to purchase to speed up the process of mastering ball control. They’re not essential items but may help you pick up the pace. Pop up soccer goals help you improve accuracy when it comes to passing and shooting, all part of basic ball control. They’re easy to assemble, pack away and store which means they’re ideal for using anywhere. Purchasing these extra items could make the difference between flying high and flopping when it comes to soccer.
Practice
You know what they say, practice makes perfect. The quote may be old but it’s still relevant and definitely true. They only way you will improve your game is with practise and repetition. The body remembers each task we complete and this is called muscle memory. Our fascinating anatomy consolidates specific gross motor tasks into memory through repetition, meaning that the only way we will master skills and make them second nature is to continue practising them. This process doesn’t happen overnight and depending on how much you train could take up to a month for your brain to ‘remember’ your new skill. When you continue practicing the skill it becomes second nature and you’ll be consistently curling the ball into the corner in no time.
Drills
The most basic drills are usually the most effective. Once you’ve got these down to a tee you can move onto more complex setups with friends or individually. All you’ll need is your soccer ball and your pop up goal.
The happy feet drill is simple but will have you on top of the ball in no time. All you need to do is switch the ball from one foot to another quickly. You’ll need to stay light on your feet in order to keep control of the ball. Initially you’ll lose the ball but keep practicing because this skill will easily translate into the pitch and help you evade tackles and set you up for a perfect strike.
This striking drill will help you control the ball and guide it into the net regardless of where you are placed in the pitch. Set four markers in different areas away from your pop up goal. Quickly move from each marker and strike towards the goal. At first you may miss each strike but keep going and you’ll eventually get the hang of it.
Summary
Now you know what you need to do to get started and master the art of ball control what’s stopping starting your soccer career today.
