Soccer Camps - Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge - FFTW Development
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Hope you are all doing well.
And thats a wrap, our 9th and 10th week of programming brings an end to an amazing Fall Program with all three age groups being a pleasure to work with. We wanted to take this moment to thank all our players for each week of training and the parents who brought them to the sessions.
For our final two weeks of training, our topic was shooting/finishing for all 3 age groups.
Here are the coaching points below:
6-7/8-9 Age Groups:
Shooting
Both Inside Foot and Diagonal Foot Techniques - review week 8 & 9 for specific coaching points
- Keep your eye on the ball
- 45 degree run up for the diagonal foot strike
- Run up to the ball with pace
- Hit the middle of the ball for both techniques
- Keep the ball out of your feet (closer to you, the harder it is to create power and follow through)
10-13 Age Group:
Shooting
Inside Foot Technique
- Standing foot pointing at your target
- Ankle tight
- Use the inside of your foot (big fat part)
- Strike the middle of the ball
- Follow through pointing at target
Diagonal Foot Technique
- 45 Degree Angle
- Ankle Tight
- Diagonal foot position (hit with big bone, just below the laces)
- Strike the middle of the ball
- Follow through pointing at your target
Finishing
- Time your run up to the ball and your movement to come to the ball
- Receive on your back foot
- Come into the ball on a first time finish, if it is a 2 touch finish, take the ball OUT OF YOUR FEET to generate power
- PLACEMENT before power, need to look up, assess goalkeepers positioning and pick you spot (even on diagonal foot strike)
- When you have time to strike, use your football IQ and don't just hit it to hit it, pick your spot, be calm and slot home. In a situation where you are more under pressure and have less time, power and quickness of strike are a better option.
- What is the best type of technique in a certain situation (awareness), what type of finish is needed (first time or can you take a touch), front post or near post
- - -
6-7 Age Group:
Comments from Coaches
For the last two sessions, we focused on shooting, shooting and more shooting. The key focus was on the inside foot strike and the diagonal foot strike. From watching all players in both age groups, the biggest area that needs work is to keep your ankle tight when doing both strikes and also the foot positioning on both striking techniques.
As both of these techniques require players to follow the 5 stages, if you aren't focusing on the 5 stages, it will be difficult to complete. At least age, we aren't too focused on accuracy but more focused on the actual technique and as mentioned above, keeping the ankle tight and striking through the middle of the ball is crucial. An additional step to ensuring the ball goes to on target is the follow through as if you are swinging you hips, most likely the ball swerve either right or left depending on your striking foot.
The next stage was practicing shots when the ball was passed to you and to ensure you have a good strike, your touch has be nice and big out of your feet (still under control) and then players need to focus on getting their standing foot beside the ball pointing at their target and following the rest of the stages. Keep working hard and practicing the 5 stages!
Well done guys and see you in January!
10-13 Age Group:
Comments from Coaches
A lot of players need to work on both their 5 stages of the instep foot strike as well as the diagonal foot strike. Most players can follow the stages and know the stages but still need to focus on making sure each stage is done correctly as knowing the stages and performing them are two separate things.
For this age group, not only should the technique be there but also the accuracy should start coming together with the strikes so players shooting the ball should be looking up to see where the goalkeeper is and then deciding which is the best technique to beat the GK. Based off the position of the GK, players should be placing the ball into a corner and not just going for power. When you are younger, power is enough to beat a goalkeeper but as you grow with age, that wont be good enough and to go that next level, placement is key.
When the ball is being played to you on the ground or in the air and you are working on finishing, you need to make sure you are ready to receive the ball and alert to the position of the ball and where its headed. For example, for all the balls received on the ground, you need to know where you can take your first touch and ideally you want the touch to be taken out of your feet so you can run to the ball as if its too close to your feet it will be hard to strike the ball. There was good progress from the 9th session to the 10th and we want to keep that going so well done to the players!
Well done to ALL our players within each age group and we can't wait to see you in January in the Winter Program. Keep up the hard work, look over the notes and TRAIN even during the break!