By Rob Smith
It’s not always possible to pass the ball on the ground. Long clearances and chipped passes are often necessary and the player receiving the ball is forced to control the ball instead of passing it on directly. Lack of knowledge and practice are major reasons why players experience difficulties in control. They have to touch the ball three or four times before it can be used for an accurate pass or shot. In an ideal situation, a player receiving the ball should be capable of directing the ball with a second touch.
It doesn’t matter which part of the body a players uses, the principles are the same. Many factors will determine which part of the body is to be used and how the techniques are to be performed. The angle at which the ball approaches, what is going to happen with it after control, position of the defenders, are just a few things to keep in mind.
So how do you actually kill a moving ball?
Try this – position yourself facing the direction from which the ball is coming. Stand on one leg, and present the other thigh to the ball in such a way that the ball, after coming in contact with the thigh, drops to the ground after control. This means that if the ball is coming down steeply, the knee must be bent and raised so that the thigh is horizontal to the ground.
The soft surface of the abdomen and lower chest is great for absorbing the pace of a ball which bounces up from the ground. This method is useful when you’re moving in to make an interception and you want to carry through movement. Throw a ball up against a wall, move in on it just after it’s bounced off, and bend over the ball to present a surface so that the pace is absorbed and the ball drops to the feet.
A great way to practice “deadening” a ball is with a teammate. Have a teammate serve balls up to you, and take one body part at a time. Then ask him or her to vary the service so that you get used to dealing with the situation as it occurs. Faking movements before contact can make it easier to run with the ball after controlling it.
Trapping a ball is natural for some players while for others it takes a lot of work. In a fast pace game with little room to maneuver, this can be a skill that can put a team over the top. Being able to stop a ball, control it, and make a decision with it can put an opposing team on its heels.
Control is what the game’s all about. The more parts of the body that can be used to master the ball, the better the player becomes. Once that ball is under control then the player can contribute positively to a game.