As a soccer player, you’re always looking for ways to improve your game and stay ahead of the competition. At Total Soccer, we teach our players the most important physical and mental skills to succeed on the field, from our soccer lessons in Montgomery County to our expert coaching and training. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take your game to the next level, these tips will help you become a more effective and confident player.
Aim Low and Away
While keepers are typically trained to be ready to attack balls from every direction, there are physical limitations on how easy it is to defend certain shots. Diving for low balls is going to take longer for the defender to get to as opposed to jumping for high shots. By that same measure, if you can get the keeper to one side of the net, aiming for the other will force them to try to cut the other direction, and they may not get there in time. With that said, the low shots to the side of the net are usually the ones with the highest success rate.
Work With Both Feet
From Pele to Ronaldo, all the greats have gotten to the levels they have reached thanks to versatile shooting. You might feel programmed to shoot with your dominant leg, which isn’t necessarily a flaw but can make your shots more predictable to the goalie. When you’re practicing, try shooting with your non-dominant leg, and keep working that shot until you feel comfortable shooting with both feet. Having this advantage will make you more dynamic and keep goalies on their toes when you come up to the net.
Don’t Think, Just Shoot!
It might sound crazy, but the worst misses are often as a result of taking too long to shoot the ball and overthinking what you are going to do with it. He may not have been talking about soccer, but Wayne Gretzky’s famous quote, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take,” rings true here. If you’re in the right position, take the shot. Don’t overthink it; make sure you know where you want the ball to go and let it rip. It won’t always pay off, but with enough practice, your success rate will only go up.
Take Your Shooting to the Next Level
The founder of Total Soccer, Coach Evren, shares his expert tips on proper shooting technique and shooting with power in this exclusive video: