Mass Youth Soccer Academy - Heading & Receiving
Main Coaching Points (heading): Keep eyes open and focused on the ball, mouth closed. Strike the ball, do not let the ball strike you. Surface of contact should be upper half of forehead, NOT TOP OF HEAD. Players should snap neck and torso through ball for maximum power. Use arms for balance, protection and to create space.
1) Heading Progression--- a) seated--have one player sit on his/her behind with legs out in front and have partner gently toss ball from a foot or two away. Seated player must head back to partner. The focus of this is to make sure players are using the proper part of their head and to quell any fears. b) cobra--One partner lays on stomach and arches back up with elbows. When partner throws ball from a short distance the cobra snaps its’ neck and heads the ball back. Do not use arms to prop self up. c) crab--One partner gets on all fours in a crab position. When other partner tosses ball from a short distance, the crab thrusts its’ hips down and backwards and throws its’ torso forward to head the ball back. Crab must also snap neck while doing this. d) knees--One partner on knees. When ball is tossed player snaps torso and neck forward to head ball. Challenge players to see if they can knock over partner. e) standing--Standing still with left foot forward, partner heads ball back to tosser with power and accuracy using all aforementioned techniques. Switch to right foot forward. (14 minutes)
Note: This progression can be done in 10-15
minutes once players become familiar with it. It is a quick and
effective way to make sure our players master heading.
2) Paired heading to goal--- Set up two goals about 4 yds wide and 15 yds apart. 2 teams of 2 players. Teams toss ball back and forth to each other with hands as move up field and then try to head ball into goal, below shoulder level, while the other team plays goalie. Once shot is saved or ball goes out, other team does same to attack the opposite goal. (14 minutes)
1 minute waterbreak
Main Coaching Points (receiving in air): be on toes and get body behind ball, move to the ball (do not wait for it), try to drop ball using one touch a bit in front of body so it is in your control but not under you. When using thigh (not knee), lift thigh up to meet ball and once ball touches thigh drop your leg down to cushion the ball in. Make sure you push ball slightly in front of you so you can handle it easily. Ball should not pop up as you cushion it. Make sure players use quadriceps to cushion balls. When using chest, bend knees with feet staggered and slightly arch back while using arms for balance. Cushion ball (collapse chest) as it hits your chest and guide it to your feet. Do not push out chest to pop the ball out too far in front of you.
3) Pairs moving reception--- in pairs with server moving backward
and receiver moving forward, have server toss ball to receivers thigh
(both legs) and have receiver settle balls and play back to server---go
all the way across the floor and back. Switch server and receiver.
Repeat. Do the same thing with service going to chest. Switch server and
receiver. Keep score of how many clean receptions each player makes. Bad
receptions (pop ball up, multiple touches, too far away from body,
tripping over ball) do not count. How many successful receptions can
each player make? (14 minutes)
4) Team Handball--- 2 teams play by tossing ball (with hands) to teammates to work ball up field and scoring on the goal only with a header or a volley. Players cannot take more than 3 steps with the ball when they have it in hands. If ball drops on ground, it goes to other team. (15 minutes)
5) Review---Ask players to teach you the technical coaching points to insure complete understanding in the group.
