Soccer Mastermind
Kids Soccer, Soccer Coaching Tips, Education, News and Advice.

Soccer Psychology.

The biggest problem I have found facing most young soccer players is a distinct lack of real belief or confidence in their own ability. I’m not talking about shyness or the external appearance of the children, but the belief that they can become a great soccer player one day. Lacking confidence or belief creates a mental atmosphere of fear, which left to its own devices can grow into major problem not only in Soccer but in life.

A child that is suffering from a lack of confidence or belief can be easily found within a social group or team environment. The symptoms are pretty text book, but for the unaware parent or coach, these children seem just normal. The most common problems or symptoms that are child will exhibit are

• A deep inner feeling of not being good enough.
• Extreme nervousness.
• Negative thoughts and lack of motivation.
• Low energy levels.
• Worrying about the simple things.
• Not looking forward to training or soccer matches.
• Jealousy of other players or team mates.
• Easily intimidated, even by smaller children.

When young children or soccer players begin to believe in themselves, the above symptoms often disappear completely or the magnitude of each feeling is significantly reduced. When a child is guarded from the insecurities of fear and a lack of confidence, the child is allowed to feel positive and confident. A child that is feeling confident and happy will always outperform a child that lacks confidence or belief.

Feeling nervous before a big game doesn’t necessarily mean your child or player lacks belief. The big occasions make even the biggest professional nervous. Nervousness is a good indicator that you are psyched and ready to compete. When a child continually looks nervous, even after a soccer match, is when you should be concerned. Does your child or player lack self esteem ? Does your child or player have a poor self-image?

I would argue that the most important psychological discovery of modern times and in sport, is the discovery of the self-image. By understanding your self-image and the image of your child or player, you can learn to modify and manage this image to suit your purpose. By protecting your child’s image, the child can gain incredible confidence and power. Each of us carries within us a mental picture of ourselves. This self image is our own conception of the certain person we are. The self image then controls the way you feel and the things you can accomplish.

All your actions, feelings, behaviour and abilities are consistent with your self image. You will act like the certain person you conceive yourself to be. If a child is exposed to negativity or fear, the child will inevitably display these emotions. When watching youth soccer or kids playing in the street, it is easy to pick out the child that has a poor self image or lacks confidence. Could this be your child?

When this self image is intact and secure, you feel good. When it is threatened, you feel anxious and insecure. When it is adequate and positive and you feel proud, you feel self confident. You feel free to be yourself and to express yourself. Which self image do you want your child to develop?

How To Develop A Positive Self-Image For Kids In Soccer.

• Be your child’s best fan and support them unconditionally.
• Always focus on your child’s positives and strengths.
• Do not criticise your child, the coach or any other parent at the soccer.
• Encourage your child to speak with the coach and with other parents.
• Help your child focus on their performance rather than focus on the end result, winning or losing.
• Support and encourage your child, but make an effort to support all the players in your child’s squad. Do not criticise anyone. Remember people don’t mean to make mistakes.
• Never criticise the opponents, their parents or their officials.
• And always remember to Smile and use positive reinforcement when dealing with children.

How To Kick A Soccer Ball- Full Instep.

When kicking the soccer ball using the full instep method, the area of the foot used is the front or upper part of the foot between the base of the toes and the curvature of the ankle. This area or zone is found where your bootlaces are. Kicks with the full instep are the most effective, giving the kicker the most distance and the most power. The most common usage for this kick is a defensive clearance or a shot at goal.

This kick generates the most power and distance because the run up, follow through and the swing of the foot are all in the one direction. All the forces produced by the kicker are in the same direction and help compound the forces into one big kick. The ball must be kicked in the middle to avoid the ball swinging or swerving. Whilst this kicking style creates the most power, it is quite difficult to master because the kicker is working with a small surface area of the foot and needs to kick the ball dead centre to avoid deviation.

The bio mechanics of this kick involves the foot being pushed strongly downwards with the toes coming close to the ground. For young children this technique can be daunting because they fear kicking the ground and hurting themselves. This technique should be taught after the easier techniques are mastered first.

A clear disadvantage of this kick is that it can be used only when the ball is travelling towards you. It is extremely difficult to kick with the full Instep a ball that is coming towards you from the side. However, the distance that can be gained from the full Instep and the power produced, makes this kick one of the most important tools any soccer player can have.

Strangely enough, the technique of this kick is the simplest of them all. The run up starts 6-7 metres behind the ball in direct line with it and with our target. The non-kicking foot is positioned 10 -15cm to the side of the ball and in that instance the kicking foot goes into a back swing, rather forcefully. The knee is bent and the leg, on impact, snaps suddenly upwards while the foot itself is in a gentle backward arch.

Full Instep Exercises.

Warning: To avoid injuries, it is advisable to start coaching this kick with a ball suspended from a string as the kicking foot can be “caught” in the ground.

• Kick a ball suspended or held on a string repeatedly with the full Instep. This will give the players the confidence using the Instep without the fear of them hitting the ground.
• Another way to practice this kick is to drop a ball and kick it after the first bounce.
• Get a partner or a team mate to throw the ball from about 5 metres away and you practice kicking the ball using this motion. Firstly in a stationary position, then after a short run up.
• While in a stationary position, drop the ball and hit it the moment it reaches the ground. This is usually called a drop kick, but its a great way to learn the Full Instep kick.

Movement of the Full Instep-Technique

• Approach the ball straight on and in the direction you intend to kick the ball. The last step before kicking is longer to allow time for a back swing and correct positioning of the ball. The arms are spread out for balancing the body.
• The toes are pushed firmly back.
• The foot straight down to form a flat, rigid kicking surface.
• Hit the ball dead centre with the knees over the ball to keep it low or behind to put it in the air.
• The joints are tight on impact.
• The foot follows the ball straight through and the knee straightens out.

Remember, various ball skills can be learned, improved and polished if the young player has some basic aptitude and plenty of ambition. Equally important, the coach or parents must be patient and offer plenty of encouragement.

Robbie Keane-Player Profile

Name: Robbie David Keane

Age: 28

Club: Liverpool

Position: Striker

Squad No: 7

Born: Dublin, Republic Of Ireland

Height: 1.73m

 

Robbie David Keane was born in Dublin on the 8th of July 1980. Robbie made his senior debut at age 17 for Wolverhampton Wanderers and scored a double on debut. Coventry City bought the striker for a club record £6,000,000. His time at Coventry was indeed successful with the striker scoring 12 times in just 34 games. With his great form, the big clubs came knocking and Inter Milan bought his services for £13,000,000. Marcello Lippi who had purchased the striker was given the flick and Robbie’s time in Italy was spent predominantly on the bench. Enter Leeds boss David O’Leary who after a successful loan period, purchased the striker for £12,000,000. Although many consider his time at Elland Road to be his less successful period of his career, he was then sold to Tottenham Hotspur for a bargain price of £7,000,000.

Robbie Keane had his most successful period at Tottenham dominating for 6 seasons scoring 107 goals in 254 appearances. He instantly became the fans favourite and introduced his trademark gunfire goal celebration. In 2006/07 season he destroyed defences scoring 31 goals in only 40 appearances. The end of 2007 made him the 13th player to score 100 Premiership goals and the 15th Spur player to score a 100 goals for the club.

Robbie Keane has represented his country on 81 occasions and scored 33 goals. Currently he is the captain of Ireland and the record goal scorer for his country. The question left to ask is, can Robbie Keane produce the same magic for the Anfield faithful?

Transfer History

Tottenham Hotspur to Liverpool (28 July 2008) £19,000,000

Leeds United to Tottenham Hotspur (31 Aug 2002) £7,000,000

Inter Milan to Leeds United (25 April 2001) £12,000,000

Coventry City to Inter Milan (31 July) £13,000,000

 

Robbie Keane’s Stats.

97-98 Wolverhampton 11 Goals 38 Games

98-99 Wolverhampton 11 Goals 36 Games

99-00 Coventry City 12 Goals 31 Games

00-01 Inter Milan 6 Games

00-01 Leeds United 9 Goals 18 Games

01-02 Leeds United 3 Goals 25 Games

02-03 Tottenham 13 Goals 29 Games

03-04 Tottenham 14 Goals 34 Games

04-05 Tottenham 11 Goals 35 Games

05-06 Tottenham 16 Goals 36 Games

06-07 Tottenham 11 Goals 27 Games

07-08 Tottenham 15 Goals 36 Games

08-09 Liverpool FC 1 Goal 6 Games

 

 

Kicking The Soccer Ball-Inside of the Instep.

Kicking the soccer ball with the Instep is ideal for sending the ball accurately a fair distance and at a good speed. Using your instep creates a smaller surface area which creates greater distance but lowers to some extent your accuracy. Throughout a match this kind of Instep kick is required in a variety of situations. The Instep requires the area between the base of the toe and the middle of the ankle.

This action is suitable for short passes, long balls along the wings, cross field passes, clearances, free kicks and even shots at goal. When you are kicking a stationary ball, the run up should be approximately 6-7 metres, but once again this is an individual players preference. If you remember in Part 1 ( Kicking the Soccer ball-Inside of the foot) the run up was straight. When kicking with the instep, the run up is slightly curved, with the degree on the curve being proportional to the amount of curve you want on the ball.

If we kick the soccer ball with the right foot, the run up will be in a slight arch from the left and vice versa. When starting your run up, the angle you make with the ball should never exceed 45 degrees. The run up should gradually accelerate and the last step before contact, should be slightly stretched.

The non kicking foot should be on the side about 25-30 cm from the ball. The leg should be slightly bent at the knee while your body leans to the side in the opposite direction of the kicking foot. Make sure your entire body leans slightly forward and the toe of the kicking foot is pushed downwards. As always the eyes are on the ball. Just before impact, the kicking foot is quickly pulled forward while the leg stretches out and hits the ball. At the moment of impact the knee of the kicking foot is well over the ball.

When practising this kick with a rolling ball, make sure your balance is perfect. If it isn’t, adjust your position to get the ball from the right angle.

Inside of the Instep- Exercises.

• In the beginning try this kicking style with a stationary ball first. Practice striking the ball and getting a good feel of the soccer ball. Also practice the kicking movement and follow through with and without the ball.
• Practice kicking the ball to another player or against the wall which is 5-6 metres away. Always concentrate on your balance and the ability to hit the ball with good accuracy.
• Stand about 1-2 metres from the ball at an angle and reach the ball with one determined step and try and kick the ball a distance of 6-8 metres to your partner or the wall.
• Same as the above exercise, but this time hit the ball so that your partner can catch the ball. (6-8 metres)
• While you are in a stationary position, get someone to roll a ball to you and meet it half way through a short run up. Go through the Instep motion with balance and precision.
• Another more advanced exercise, have someone roll the ball from behind you and run after it and pass it (Instep) to another player 10 metres away.

When trying to coach young players, always be patient. Practice, practice and before you know it your players or kids will be kicking the ball on auto-pilot. Remember, David Beckham didn’t become one of the greatest ball distributors over night.