How to Use a Kick-off Technique to Start a Soccer Game

Winning soccer strategy starts with the kick-off. Many professional soccer teams view the kick-off as a way to set up a quick score. Defensive teams often load up the strong side and kick short in hopes of quickly recovering the ball. Some teams barely move the ball at all with their first kick. Other teams go for the long strike and try to steal the ball away down field, close to their own goal. No matter what kick-off technique a team uses, most coaches agree that coming out strong at the start makes a statement to the opposing team.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Use A Kick-off Technique To Start A Soccer Game

1. Understand kick-off basics. You can't devise a kick-off technique to start the game until you have kick-off fundamentals down pat.

2. A ball only has to move slightly forward to satisfy the rule that it has been kicked off.

3. The ball must be touched by someone other than the original kicker before the kick-off player can touch the ball again.

4. The opposing players must be standing outside of the center circle when the defending team kicks off.

5. Emphasize control of the kick-off rather than fancy trick shots.

6. Develop the tap technique for a kick-off. The player who kicks off gently taps the ball to make it move. A second player then kicks it just enough to allow the first player to take over.

7. Vary the kick-off techniques you use. Go short to the side one time, kick deep another time.

8. Go to different sides of the field on kick-off. Always keep the other team guessing.

9. Load up the strong side, kick short and recover the ball. The strong side of the field refers to the side where you plan to kick the ball.

10. Steal the ball after a long kick. Increasingly, teams load to one side and go for the short kick. A long kick can be unexpected.

11. Use an unexpected kick-off to the weak side to gain the upper hand. Load up the strong side and at the last minute kick to the weak side.

12. Realize that goals scored from kick-off by either team are incredibly rare. Good kick-off technique sets up the play, but it rarely scores a goal.

13. Watch for "tells" when the other team is kicking off. Many times the kicker will signal what the team is planning to do by making eye contact with another team member or by moving in a certain direction before the kick.

Tips & Warnings

• With young players and/or players just learning the game, it's may be best to concentrate on fundamentals rather than going for a kick-off advantage.

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