Soccer Kick-Off
Just before the start of the soccer game, the referee will call for the Captains of each team to come onto the field. The referee will then toss a coin to decide which team kicks off first and which soccer goal each team will attack during the first half of the game. The winner of the toss gets to choose which goal it will attack and the other team takes the kick-off. The teams will then take the field and referee will ask if they’re ready to start the match, and will signal for play to start, at which time the kick-off will occur. To start the second half, the team that won the toss takes the kick-off and the teams attack the opposite goal (so they switch sides of the field). Each time a goal is scored, the team that didn’t score gets to kick off. At each kick off, the soccer ball is placed in the center of the “Center Mark” (on the half-way line) & both teams must be on their own half of the field & the receiving team must stay outside the Center Circle until the ball is “kicked”. Moving the ball any constitutes a “kick off”, even if it only goes an inch. However, the ball must move forward on the “kick off”. The “kicker” may not touch the ball again until someone else (on either team) has touched it. However, the “kicker” may put his foot on top of the ball & barely move it forward so a teammate standing nearby can dribble it or pass it backward or forward. Even though a goal may be scored on a direct kick off (i.e., another player is not required to touch it first), it is better to teach your players to control the ball on a kick off instead of just kicking it away. However, kicking it deep to the corner & rapidly “pushing up” to try to steal the ball back is a viable strategy that pro teams even use occasionally. Some coaches teach passing the ball backward on kick off (after it has been touched by the kicker). Before you try this, see Tip No. 7, “Steal Their Kick-Off”, in Premium “41 Tips, Tactics & Strategies.” Don’t spend a lot of time teaching fancy kick-offs; there are so few in a game that it’s not worth it.
For all Rec teams we recommend just lining up and kicking it deep to the corner so your Forwards and Midfielder’s can push up and try to win the ball back. If you want, you can “overload” to the side you’re kicking to, but you must be careful because that will pull your players out of position. But you can safely move the players on the “weak” side (which is the side you aren’t kicking to) toward the center, which will prevent your opponent from easily driving through the center to your goal, put your players in a good soccer position to win cleared balls and put your players in a good supporting position in case your team gets the ball on a turn over. Rec soccer teams are more likely to score on a turn over (i.e., a mistake by the opponent) than on an attack starting with a kick-off. This kick-off has the advantages of being easy to teach and of moving the ball away from your goal so you avoid the possibility of turning over the ball in the midfield and giving your opponent the chance to score an easy goal on a quick soccer counterattack. Our experience is that it isn’t worth Recreational teams spending much time practicing kick-offs (there aren’t many kick-offs and there are many more important things to practice). Kicking the ball to the corner is a good strategy and you avoid the risk of turning over the ball and giving up an easy goal. In fact, many high school teams are now using this kick-off and most of the teams in the 2003 Women’s World Cup used it. According to an article in the July 2004 issue of Soccer Journal, in the 2003 Women’s World Cup almost all the teams ‘had a kick-off designed to gain territory. Teams generally overloaded one side and drove the ball towards that side.’ Soccer Positions Basics & Kick-Offs
Soccer Corner Kick
(aka Corners). A corner kick in soccer is a method of restarting play. When the ball goes out of bounds over the soccer end line (aka the ‘Goal Line’) and was last touched by the defending team, the attacking team inbounds it from the nearest corner by kicking it in from the Soccer Field Corner Arc (note: this doesn’t apply if a goal was scored). Defenders must stay 6 yards back if U-8, 8 yards if U-10 & 10 yards back if U-12 or older. (If they don’t, they might get a soccer yellow card). The ball may be placed anywhere inside the Corner Arc or on the Corner Arc lines. There are 2 types of corners: a “Long Corner in soccer” and a “soccer Short Corner“. A player is not offside if he receives the ball from a Corner Kick. The ball is in play when it is kicked and moves. A goal may be scored directly from a corner kick. The kicker may not play the ball a second time until it has touched another player. (See “Short Corner” & “Soccer Long Corner“, and “Soccer Offside Rule“).
Below is what the official FIFA rules say about Corner Kicks:
A corner kick is a method of restarting play.
A goal may be scored directly from a corner kick, but only against the opposing team.
A corner kick is awarded when the entire ball, having last touched a player of the defending team, passes over the goal line, either on the ground or in the air, and a soccer goal is not scored in accordance with Law 10. Law 10 is “The Method of Scoring” and basically says that a goal is scored when the entire ball — not just part of the ball — passes over the goal line, between the goal posts and under the crossbar, provided there wasn’t a foul or a law broken in the process of scoring the goal (an example of when a goal would be disallowed is if the team scoring the goal was “offside“). Click here to see a diagram of a soccer field.
Procedure:
- The ball is placed inside the corner arc at the nearest corner flagpost.
- The corner flagpost is not moved.
- Opponents remain at least 9.15 m (10 yds) from the corner arc until the ball is in play.
- The ball is kicked by a player of the attacking team.
- The ball is in play when it is kicked and moves.
- The kicker does not play the ball a second time until it has touched another player.
Soccer Aggressive Receiving
For young soccer teams and most Rec soccer teams it is very important to teach “Passing to Space” and “Aggressive Receiving“. What I mean is that you should use the Dribble Around a Cone & Pass Relay Race Soccer Practice Game to teach receivers that they MUST stay alert, on their toes, and stop the pass, no matter how bad it is…. they MUST assume that every soccer pass will be bad, get in front of it, and NOT let it get past them.
Many players seem to believe that a soccer pass is supposed to hit them in the feet, and they will just stand there flat-footed waiting for the soccer ball, and if it doesn’t come to them perfectly, they just let it go by and say ‘It’s not my fault ‘ it was a bad pass’. That is the wrong attitude. One of the most important things you can do is teach your players that a pass is NOT supposed to be perfect and that they must stay alert, on their toes, and go to the pass, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, do NOT let the pass get past them they MUST do their very best to stop the ball. Teach your players that most passes are to ‘Soccer Space‘ and that the pass is NOT supposed to be perfect.
The reason to teach this is that it is unrealistic to expect most Rec soccer players to be able to make a perfect pass when under pressure… SO, teach your receivers to NOT expect a perfect pass. In fact, teach them to expect a BAD pass and that they MUST be alert and do their very best to stop bad passes. Imagine the benefits of teaching Aggressive Soccer Receiving!
I suggest you give a special patch to encourage and reward this (pick a color or use a Star or Lightning Bolt). If you can teach this it will make a huge impact on your team’s play.
Ideally, your players should be able to both soccer pass to feet and soccer pass to space. But the reality is that young players will have a hard time making accurate soccer passes when under pressure, and so will Rec soccer players. That is a big advantage of teaching this approach and of teaching them to “Pass to Space” it makes it clear that they shouldn’t expect “soccer passes to their feet“. The Dribble Around Cone & Pass Relay Race soccer practice game is the best way to teach Aggressive Soccer Receiving.
Soccer Long Ball
A soccer ball that is kicked “long”. This usually refers to a long ball from the FB’s to open space or to an air ball that is sent between the FB’s & the goalkeeper. (e.g., “send a long ball”). (See “Through Ball“, “Sweeper“, “Over The Top“, & “Push Up“).
Soccer LOMF
Left Offensive Midfielder. Left is as you face the other soccer team’s goal. (See “Formations“).
Soccer Lofted Pass
See Lofted Drive.
Soccer Lofted Drive
A pass or shot that is made by striking the lower part of the soccer ball with the inside or outside of the foot near the laces, or with the top of the foot, so the soccer ball rises into the air (i.e., so it is “lofted”). It is a “drive” because there is a full follow-thru. A good analogy is a drive in golf; here you are going for distance. This is different from a “chip” which is struck with a downward, jabbing motion & little follow-through. A drive is more powerful than a chip & at older ages is more likely to score from long distance. In youth soccer leagues, however, where there is a short goalkeeper in a tall goal, a chip can be very effective. (See “Drive“, “Chip“, “Hopped Pass” & “Air Ball“).
Soccer LMF
Left Midfielder. Left is as you face the other team’s soccer goal. (See “Positions” and “Midfielder“).
Soccer Linkmen
(aka Midfielders). See “Midfielders“.
Soccer Linesman
What the Assistant Referees used to be called.