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Control-Receiving The aim of the game is simple: score goals. To score goals, your players need to develop both good shooting technique and a positive attitude toward taking shots whenever they have a good opportunity. Players enable themselves and develop good shooting technique and positive attitude by developing good control-receiving skills.   Athlete Readiness The beginner player usually reacts to a ball by kicking it rather than trying to control it. If the player does attempt to control the ball, it tends to bounce off the foot or the leg and is usually recovered by another player.   The intermediate player has the ability to get behind the flight of most balls that come within playing distance. The player successfully brings a rolling ball under control using the inside of the foot and makes a good attempt at controlling air balls using the chest. While control is good, the player will often lose composure and the ball when pressured by opponents.   Teaching Control-Receiving In football, the first touch is the most important. The easiest way to receive a ball is with the inside of the foot. The player stands in a relaxed position with their eyes focused on the ball and adjusts their position to remain in the flight of the ball. The nonkicking foot is slightly in front of the other foot. The kicking foot meets the ball and is then immediately withdrawn on the moment of impact. This will generally push the ball away from the player's body. Use the inside of the foot to bring a ground ball under control. All the body weight should be on the supporting leg with the receiving foot raised slightly off the ground. Key Words Open Up the Foot Raise the Foot Relax and cushion the ball rather than offer resistance against the ball. The aim is to absorb any pace by meeting the ball with a cushioned touch. The ball is given as large an area to land. The chest, head, thigh or foot is withdrawn as contact is made. Key Words Soft Foot Cushion   Teaching Cushioning the Ball Player must stand lightly as the ball approaches. Position him/herself in the ball's line of travel. Assess their options, then decide which part of the body they want to control the ball with. Look directly at the ball. Position their nonkicking foot ahead of the ball. Use arms for balance. Bring the striking foot back at the moment of impact. Key Words Relax Cushion     Receiving a Pass Using Inside of Foot     Receive the ball even with the toes of the plant foot or a little in front. Stiffen or relax the receiving foot so the ball stops about one step away, enabling the athlete to quickly take one step and strike it. It is this step that gives power to the pass. Be sure the receiving foot is 4-5 inches off the ground. If the receiving foot is too low, the ball will pop up and contact the ball on the back part of foot — under the anklebone, not near the toes. Pull the toes up so the foot is parallel with the ground, not pointing downward. If a player cannot remember to raise their foot, have them practice by raising their foot higher than the ball and then bring the foot down in front of the ball to stop it. This will help them to remember. If you want the ball to go to the left or right, instead of straight in front, the athlete must angle their foot and contact the ball more in front or behind, depending on whether they want the ball to go left or right.   Additional Techniques for Control Receiving Receiving with the Outside of the Foot       Players may also control and receive the ball with the outside of the foot. As with the inside of the foot, the player is aligned with the flight of the ball. The trapping foot is brought in front or across the plant leg so that the outside of the foot faces the ball. The toe is pointed slightly at the ground, the ankle locked. Control-Receiving, Feet (Dartfish)     Receiving with the Thigh     Player is balanced and stays in line with the flight of the ball. The player raises his thigh to a 90-degree angle with the ball. As the ball makes contact with the thigh, the knee drops toward the ground to create the cushioning effect.         Receiving with the Chest       Control-Receiving, Thigh-Chest (Dartfish)   In receiving the ball with the chest, the player is also inline with the flight of the ball. Using the arms for balance, the player bends backward to get his chest underneath the ball. As the ball contacts the chest, the knees bend slightly to absorb the momentum of the ball, cushioning the ball down to his feet.   Here the athlete's chest is too far forward and does not create a desired cushion for the ball. Work on getting the player to not stick his chest out but, instead, to arch his back. The athlete needs to bend backward more from the waist.

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