How Do You Know What Skills Are Important For A Novice Youth Soccer Player?
A novice soccer player has one to two years of experience. The novice stage is when the majority of basic soccer skills are introduced. In order to establish a good foundation, it’s important to make sure these soccer skills are practiced. Notice the basics. A lot of time should be spent on skills such as dribbling, passing and shooting, with less time spent on skills such as heading. Watch that pass. Novices should focus heavily on the inside-of-the-foot pass, an essential skill used at all levels of the game. Dribble the ball. At this level, dribbling – maintaining control of the ball while running – is connected to passing. Shield the ball. Shielding (guarding) the ball with the body means keeping the body between the ball and the opponent. Watch for ball control. Have children try to control the ball on a flat body surface (foot or thigh). Eyes should be kept on the ball with arms positioned at the sides to maintain balance. Practice juggling. Juggling is tapping the ball to keep i
