Soccer Handbook for Players, Coaches and Parents

Albert M. Luongo has coached, managed or refereed in various youth soccer leagues for over 15 years. Also the author of Soccer Drills (2000), he lives in Cranston, Rhode Island.

• Table of ContentsList of Drawings, Photographs and Form xiIntroduction 11. Getting Started 5What Is Soccer About? 6Leadership 9Coach Development 11Poor Quality Play 12Important Areas of Control 13Substitute Players 16Can Parents Increase Their Child’s Playing Time? 17Aggression and Roughness 20Conditioning and Injuries 21Equipment 22Clothing 232. Skill Level 25Advice for the Beginning Coach 26Suggested Guidelines for Practices 27Better Play and Team Work 30League Control 32Parents’ Participation 34Expected or Average Skill Levels by Age 35Under 10 36Under 12 37Under 14 39Under 16 40Under 19 41Habits of Players with Style Not Skill 423. Basic Skills for Field Players 45Dribbling 45Basic Trapping 48Heading 49Shielding 50Receiving the Ball 51Dribbling 51Turning 54On the Touch Line 56A Final Note on Shielding 56Defending 58Body Traps 61Instep Kicks 62Push Passes 64The Chest Traps 65Throw-Ins 664. Elements of the Game 71Players 71Goalkeeper 72Center Defense Person 72Sweeper Back 72Defensive Wingers 73Center Half backs 73Wing Half backs 74Right and Left Forward Wingers 75Center Forwards 76Soccer Formations 76W-M Formation 784-3-3 Formation 793-3-4 Formation 804-4-2 Formation 813-2-5 Formation 81General Attacking and Defending 82Defensive Strategy 86The Goalkeeper’s Role 87Attack Soccer vs. Defensive Soccer 89Ball Control 90Plays 91Kickoff 91Wall Pass 92Defensive Play on Throw-Ins 93Cross for Shots on Goal 93Corner Kicks 94Goal Kicks 95Shot on Goal Follow-up 96Fakes 96Trapping in Front of the Goal 97Breakaways 98Setting Up Walls 99Drawing Off Players 100Scoring 100Penalty Kicks 101Offensive Play 101Defensive Play 102Referees 103The Three- and Two-Person Systems 105Preparation for Games 107The Offside Law 108Coaches’ Evaluation of Referees 1085. Goalkeeping 111Goalie’s Stance 114Catching in the Air 114Positioning 115Punching 118Tipping 119Catching Low and Direct Balls 120Lunging 121Punting 122Goal Kicking 123Propelling the Ball by Hand 125The Underhanded Throw 125The Overhand Throw 125The Overhanded Two-Handed Throw 125Defending Against Two Players on a Breakaway 1266. Drills 127Homework 127Trapping and Kicking 127Volleying 128Dribbling 128Dribble and Run 129Sensitivity of Touch 129Jump and Ball Bounce 129Rolling Ball 130Practicing with the Ball Rebound Board 131At Practice 132Keeping the Players’ Attention 132Trapping Drills 133Basic Trapping 133Trapping and Shielding 134Chest Trapping 135Body Trapping 135Dribbling 136Shoulder Charging 136Dribbling Feint 137Once-On 139Rolling Ball 139Rolling Ball with Teammate, Variation1 140Rolling Ball with Teammate, Variation 2 140Heading 141Trap and Shooting 142Variation 1 142Variation 2 142Variation 3 142Other Scoring Drills 142Variation 1 142Variation 2 143Variation 3 143Crossing Drills 143The Blind Cross 143The Nonblind Cross 144Wall Passing 145Shielding 146Defensive Drill 148Two Against the Goalkeeper Drill 149Throw-in Drills 149Variation1 149Variation 2 150Substitution of Advanced Techniques into Drills 150Waste-of-Time Drills 1507. Advanced Techniques for Field Players 153Kicks 154Outside-of-the-Foot Kick 154More About the Angled Instep Kick 155Duck-Bill Instep Kick 156Under-the-Body Instep Kick 156Front-Volley and Half-Volley Kicks 158Side-Volley Kick 159Scissors Kick 160Blind-Cross Kick 160Back-Heel Kick 163Instep-Stride Shot 163Toe Poke 164Chip Kick 165Traps 165More About the Inside-of-the-Foot Trap 165Under-the-Foot Trap 167Head Traps 167Side-of-the-Thigh Trap 168Top-of-the-Thigh Trap 169Calf Trap 169Outside-of-the-Foot Trap 170Dropping-Ball Trap 170Pseudo Trap 171Tackles 172Standing-Block Tackle 172Sliding Tackle 173Sliding-Block Tackle 174Shoulder-Charge Tackle 176Two-Person Tackle 176Appendix: Laws of the Game 179I. The Field of Play 179II. The Ball 181III. Number of Players 181IV. Players’ Equipment 182V. Referees 183VI. Linesmen 184VII. Duration of the Game 184VIII. The Start of Play 185IX. Ball In and Out of Play 186X. Method of Scoring 186XI. Off-Side 186XII. Fouls and Misconduct 187XIII. Free-Kick 189XIV. Penalty Kick 190XV. Throw-In 191XVI. Goal-Kick 192XVII. Corner Kick 192Index 195

“an informative source for enthusiasts of all ages. Recommended”—Library Journal; “an introduction to soccer as a noncontact sport for boys and girls”—The Book Report.