MASTER BALL SKILLS IN FOOTBALL

We hope this letter finds you well and your soccer game improving.

This week we want to give you some additional motivation to focus on your Ball Mastery skills. Some things never change. When I was playing for Chelsea and the Scottish National Teams, Ball Mastery was always a major part of our daily practice. We practiced not in a formal focused way you might do in your practice but used Ball Mastery as a warm up. Pro players are constantly juggling and working with the ball.

The point I want to emphasize is that no matter your skill level whether you're a pro or just starting you need to commit to practicing your Ball Mastery drills. Here is a drill we liked to do at Coerver Coaching. You can vary the degree of difficulty to match your skill level by applying the Coerver Coaching graduated philosophy method.
Using this approach you can vary:

• the speed at which you do the drill
• the size of the area where you practice the drill
• the degree of pressure you incorporate in the drill

It is important at any age and skill level to keep your feet flexible and this will promote the development of fast footwork and Ball Mastery skills. This drill will help keep your feet in tune:

• Drill: Players all have a ball.
• Each player is instructed to pull the ball towards them with the sole of his soccer shoe and then push with the inside of the same foot. As players improves they can try and push with the shoelaces...this variation encourages good ankle flexibility and touch...as players progress they can pull with the sole and push with the outside of the foot. Flexibility is key...mix it up for variety.
• Players are to alternate feet and gradually move forward.
• Distance is arbitrary and can be adjusted for age.

This is a very simple drill but absolutely an essential one to master and to maintain. It is an excellent drill to do at the end of a warm up as it will inspire and remind your players to maintain contact with the ball. Well that's our insight for this week. Keep practicing and enjoying this great game!