Step 3: How to Shoot a Soccer Ball

Introduction

Shooting the ball means kicking it with force in a particular direction with the objective of scoring a goal. It is an essential skill not only for forwards, but for midfielders and defenders too, as there will be situations where any player, irrespective of his or her position, will be required to shoot. If you don’t shoot, your team does not score.

Technique

There are three parts of the foot that are used in three different types of shots:

1. Shooting by a hard pass

For this type of a shot, the part of the foot that is used is the same as that used for passing, that is the side foot, as shown in the figure. The only difference is that the ball is hit much harder than while passing, as the intent is to beat the goal keeper and score.

2. Shooting by curling

For this type of a shot, the part of the foot that is used is the inside of the foot, just below the part where the laces start.

The correct technique involves wrapping your foot around the ball as you strike it, so that the spin on the ball makes it swerve in the air.

3. Shooting with power

For a powerful shot, the area of the foot that is used is called the instep. This is the area of the shoe where the laces are present. You can see the marked area in the image.

The correct technique involves planting your non shooting foot to the side of the ball, about 6 to 7 inches from the ball, in the direction of the shot. As you strike the ball with the instep, make sure the knee of your striking foot is directly above the ball, and that you get a good contact with the ball. This will need practice, so make sure your initial attempts are practiced slowly till you get used to it. Also for this type of shot, make sure your body is leaning slightly forward as you hit the shot. This will make sure the shot does not drift too upward.

Here is a YouTube video by EpicSoccerTraining that demonstrates the technique used for all three kinds of shots.

How to Practice

Here is what you do -

1. Practice all the three ways of shooting. The first method of shooting by hard pass is fairly simple, hence do not spend too much time on it. The other two should be practiced by using the technique described above.
2. The key is to practice to slowly, till you get the technique right.
3. Use a wall so that the shot comes back to you every time, and hence you do not waste time in collecting balls.

Important Tip : The biggest mistake made by beginners is that they associate a hard shot with swinging their leg with lot of power. This is completely wrong. You should focus on getting the technique right. The power will come once you are hitting the ball correctly, with the right posture. It may take some time but it is the only way to learn proper shooting.

Practice Objective

You should continue practicing this drill till you are able to shoot all the three ways with power, without having to compromise on your technique. Shooting is a skill that should be practiced for a short duration, along with other drills, as developing a good shot takes time, and spending too much time just shooting can lead to groin injuries in the beginning.

Practice Duration

A 10 minutes practice session should be sufficient.