Soccer: Strike on a Volley

When you think about a competitive sport, such as soccer, you think of winning. And the only possible way to win a soccer game is to score goals. Now there are multiple ways to score a goal, for example you could simply score a 1 v. 1 goal. However, there are much more skilled and advanced ways to score a goal, such as a volley. A volley is a complex shot, but as long as you have proper coordination, a volley can be a great way to score a goal.

Now there are two types of volleys, there is a regular volley that does not hit the ground before you strike, and then there is the half-volley where the ball has a short bounce before it is kicked. For this concept, I focused on a regular, full volley.

When it comes to a striking a volley, you want your hips to be aligned with the ball and the target. You also want to make sure your body is balanced, your eyes are on the ball, making good contact with the ball, and pointing your toe down so your toes are below you ankle (42). Making sure that I was constantly watching the ball allowed me to create good contact that then enabled me to successfully strike the ball.

Once I practiced my volley using the little information above from Andrew Latham, I used some more precise details that helped me hit a much stronger volley. "On contact, strike the ball with your laces and lock your ankle joint. As you bring your foot through the ball, keep your toes below your ankle at all times. This will stop the ball from going in the air" (43). Keeping my toes down and hitting the ball with my laces made my volley much stronger and more accurate because I was able to keep the ball down.

Practicing these techniques and ideas has improved my volleying abilities and now I am able to strike the ball on a volley much stronger than I was able to before. The volley gives more opportunities to score a goal because it is a new skill that can be used for different goal scoring situations.

One question that I had when it comes to shooting and scoring goals is, which type of shot do you believe is easiest to score off of? For example, a header, ad volley, etc.

Latham, Andrew. Soccer Smarts for Kids: 60 Skills, Strategies & Secrets. Rockridge Press, 2016.  

Soccer: Techniques When Playing a Long Ball

During a game, there may be times when you need to "switch the point of attack", or switch the ball to the other side of the field. When trying to do this, you will have to play a long ball to the other side in order for the ball to successfully make it over to a teammate. You could also end up playing a long ball on a goal kick, on a cross, or even a long shot.

When trying to play a long ball, there are certain mechanics and techniques that can be used to improve your form and approach on the ball, which can help increase the distance and the flight of the ball. Andrew Latham says that the first part to hitting a good long ball is your form. You want to be a couple feet back from the ball so you have room to run up to the ball. When you are running up to the ball, you want to take the foot you are not kicking with and place it just next to the ball so you have some space in between your foot and the ball (35). My approach to the ball then sets my body up to strike the ball in a more comfortable and proficient way.

In the picture above, I used Latham's idea and planted my foot just slightly to the left of the ball, giving me a better position to strike the ball. My back is also arched giving me a better strike on the ball and allowing the ball to get more air.

When you are actually making contact with the ball and planning to play the ball, you want to make sure you are hitting the ball just the right way so you are accurate. "...you are striking the bottom half of the ball to get the ball in the air. On contact, you should be slightly leaning back, which also helps the ball go in the air. Kick through the ball. Your kicking foot should land across your body on the far side of your plant foot" (35).

While I was performing my long balls, I kept in mind Latham's information about form and approach. All of his idea helped me set up my body to strike the ball in such a way that I was able to hit over a 50 yard ball. If you were to look at both the video and picture, you would be able to see that my foot is planted next to the ball, my back is slightly arches back, I make contact with the bottom of the ball, and I strike my leg through the ball and onto the opposite side of my body.

Building on from just a simple long ball, do you think pro's incorporate these same techniques when they are taking freekicks on frame? How do you think they perform more difficult and skilled freekicks?


Latham, Andrew. Soccer Smarts for Kids: 60 Skills, Strategies & Secrets. Rockridge Press, 2016.  

Soccer: Basic Freestyle Juggling

Soccer is a sport that involves many different skills and techniques. Each skill will help you improve different aspects of your game. In this case, juggling is a technique that not only challenges you ability to stay focus and concentrate on control, but it also helps you improve on your first touch.
Andrew Latham says that your first touch is critical in soccer. Juggling will help you learn how to control the ball and keep your balance, which can help you in tight spaces or tough situations (49). Your first touch can set you up for a pass, a shot, a dribble, and practically any other action of making contact with the ball.

When I was juggling, Latham's idea of juggling helping you balance and teaching you how to have control, helped me create a rhythm during my juggling. I had to make sure that I was on balance and stable with my plant foot, so then it would be easier for me to make contact with the ball and keep it up in the air. In the picture below you can see how my right foot is planted and balanced while my left foot is making contact with the ball and keep it in the air.

Not only was having a rhythm and being balanced help me do well in freestyle juggling, but having the right technique to make complete and good contact with the ball was probably the most helpful tip in my juggling process. "Most of the time, your toe will point up on contact to spin the ball back so you can keep it close and get lots of touches" (49). In the picture above and the video below, you are able to see how my toe is pointed up allowing the ball to have a backward spin, and bringing the ball right back down to my feet.

These tips and ideas that Latham provided really did help me improve my juggling ability and allowed me to get a new freestyle record of 407. I have also taken my juggling skills and build upon it doing tricks such as rainbows, foot holds, around the world, etc.

I would like to know your guys opinion and want to know if you think that back spin on the ball and short touches help you have more control on the ball? And i would also like to know what are some other tricks i could try in my juggling?

Latham, Andrew. Soccer Smarts for Kids: 60 Skills, Strategies & Secrets. Rockridge Press, 2016.