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Shooting Fundamentals
Teach players to shoot on the
move with a moving ball right away. The best contact area is still
the instep/ankle area of the foot. The plant foot should still land
next to the ball, but have them "run through" the shot to enhance speed
and power. This means that the shooter will end up on the SHOOTING
foot immediately after kicking the ball. Hips should be square to
the target: kick ball through the center. Pick your spot on the goal
(corners are best) as you approach for the shot, then look at the moment
you kick for a clean, crisp strike.
1. Pass - Prepare -
Shoot.
Using 2 goals, have players
form lines of about 3 players at each post and 3 more facing each group
outside the 18 yard box. The player at the goal passes out to the
first shooter in line. The shooter sets up the shot and SHOOTS.
Passer goes to opposite line, shooter goes to back of passing line.
Players at the back of the passing line can shag balls which miss the net
or go through if there is no net. IMPORTANT POINT: The shooter's
first touch is critical - to set up or prepare for the shot.
The main idea is to set up the shot for the preferred foot: however, if
the first touch sets the ball up on the non dominant foot, the main idea
is to have the player shoot it with that (non dominant) foot. Have
passers in the back field errant shots.
2. Pass - Compete -
Shoot.
This is similar to #1.
Have the shooting line set up in pairs. They compete for the ball
as soon as it is passed to them. The first person to get the ball
becomes the shooter, the other the defender. REMEMBER to switch up
the partner groupings constantly.
Variations: Have the
players lay down until the ball is passed (or have a feeder feed it from
the shooting line area - players will have to collect their own ball);
Have 3 players compete for the ball, and the player who reaches it first
plays against the other two; Have 3 players compete, the player who gets
to the ball first goes on offense, and the first of the other two to call
for a pass gets to join the first player and play 2 on 1.
ON ALL THE ABOVE DRILLS: Have
the players get off a shot quickly. You may want to put a time limit
on it (say, 15 seconds and the play is dead - depending on the skill and
speed of the players).
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Figure 10. Pass - Prepare - Shoot (above
left); Pass - Compete - Shoot (above, right).
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3. Collect - Turn -
Shoot.
Have a group of players with
a ball each at or just in front of the half way line (depending on age/skill).
Have 3 players facing them on the 18 yard line. Starting at one end,
have the first group pass a ball up to the first player, who collects it,
turns, prepares and shoots. Then have the next player in the passing
group pass up to the next shooter, and so on. After all the balls
have been shot, have players collect them and switch new shooters in.
4. Collect - Compete
- Shoot
Begin with the same set up as
#3. This time, the shooting group competes for the ball.
The first player to get the pass becomes the shooter, and the other two
then become defenders (1 vs. 2).
Variation: the player
who gets to the ball first goes on offense, and the first of the other
two to call for a pass gets to join the first player and play 2 on 1.
After all the balls have been shot, have players collect them and switch
new shooters in. This is a very hard workout for the shooting group!
(Again, you may want to set
a time limit for plays...)
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Figure 11. Collect - Turn - Shoot (above,
left); Collect - Compete - Shoot (above, middle and right)
5. Shoot - Out
This is a fun activity, but
make sure the players use good habits. No hands - dribbling and shooting
only. Have a group of 5 or 6 players set the ball up in reasonable
shooting range and take as many shots as possible in a given time.
Use extra players to trap errant footballs if you have them and they can
switch in. The purpose of the activity is to score as many points
as possible. 1 point for a goal, 3 points for hitting the "10%" area
(the outer 10% of the goal, marked with cones on the goal line); deduct
two points if a shot hits another player (safety).
Variation: Score
7 points in 1 minute (or less if players are really good); the idea is
to make it difficult or impossible to score 1 point at a time in the time
allotted, thereby encouraging players to take risks and make the difficult
shot; increase the pressure by deducting 5 points for a miss!
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Figure 11. Shoot - Out