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**Unregistered** · 05-02-2010, 04:21 PM

Girls on our u-13 team cant kick with right never mined there left.Coach never has any kicking drills and there our center mids.u-14 next year.WOW

**Unregistered** · 05-02-2010, 08:32 PM

Originally posted by unreg View Post

what age should you be too use both feet shooting.Should coaches teach this.

As young as possible have your child use both feet so that it is natural to use either foot. No hesitation in the shot just a natural transition with whatever foot the ball lands on. Yes, coaches should be teaching this.

Our oldest is a natural lefty but we never thought much about shooting with both feet. Then our second one came along, saw the importance of training to shoot with both feet so as soon as she started kicking a ball we had her using both feet. She is a natural righty but can shoot the same with both feet. Can't tell whether she's a righty or lefty.

**Unregistered** · 05-03-2010, 06:18 AM

Did you teach this or your coach.Just wondering.Its tough to watch at that u-13

**Unregistered** · 05-03-2010, 06:33 AM

Coaches don't have enough time to make kids proficient with both feet. They should encourage them to use both and correct any glaring problems in technique. It's up to the individual player, probably with a sibling or parent to work on their own. It takes thousands of hours over many years to become a top player. The more kids enjoy it, younger they start, and longer they work on all the various aspects to make the ball their best friend, the better off they'll be later. I bet Messi played slightly more than 2 hour and a half practices and 7 maple games a spring....

**Unregistered** · 05-03-2010, 06:39 AM

I had to teach my daughter.Coach thought foot skills were more important.I see the same thing on my field.They cant shoot so they make passes when they should be shooting.Thank god for try outs this year.

**Unregistered** · 05-03-2010, 06:47 AM

The coach has enough time.To busy talking at practice.I seen coaches before the game warming up shooting.Gets the rust out.TEAMS like this can shoot at will.Cant win if you dont shot

**Unregistered** · 05-03-2010, 07:18 AM

What I used to do when I coached the younger ages, is have an intra- squad scrimmage, where the rules where you had to use ONLY your left foot, or right foot if you were a natural left footed kicker.

The players used to enjoy this quite a bit. The penalty for using the wrong foot was an indirect free kick .

**Unregistered** · 05-03-2010, 12:04 PM

Originally posted by unreg View Post

what age should you be too use both feet shooting.Should coaches teach this.

Start at u6 - positive encouragement - lots of game to challenge the players - all while having fun. One D1 premier team at the U15 first division has a striker that can only use his right foot. A good player who would be great if he could use both feet.

**Unregistered** · 05-03-2010, 12:15 PM

I passed in the yard almost every night with my son. We set up a couple goals, pulling bricks from the patio, and had contests. He'd get 1 point for a right footed shot, and 3 for a left to encourage him to use his weaker foot. By about U12 I couldn't come close to playing against him, and he could bend a corner kick into the goal with either foot, from either side of the pitch. The untold hours spent having fun, playing seemingly silly games with his creaky old dad, school buddies, or older siblings clearly paid off years later in Club, HS and mid-D1 soccer.

**Unregistered** · 05-03-2010, 12:17 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

I passed in the yard almost every night with my son. We set up a couple goals, pulling bricks from the patio, and had contests. He'd get 1 point for a right footed shot, and 3 for a left to encourage him to use his weaker foot. By about U12 I couldn't come close to playing against him, and he could bend a corner kick into the goal with either foot, from either side of the pitch. The untold hours spent having fun, playing seemingly silly games with his creaky old dad, school buddies, or older siblings clearly paid off years later in Club, HS and mid-D1 soccer.

Not to mention memories for a lifetime - Good for you Dad!

**MASC** · 05-03-2010, 12:23 PM

At all ages we encouraged using both feet. All passing and shooting drills had elements that forced skills to be developed on both the strong and weak sides. Pre-game warm-up shooting drills always had specific right and left foot forced one touch shooting.

On a HS age team to encourage taking weak side shots, we fined players who turned down legitimate weak side shooting opportnities $1. The players were really good about keeping their own personal tally. The pot was given to the player who scored on a weak side shot.

It was a motivational tool that worked well with HS freshmen. We discontinued it once the players realized how much more effective they became being able to handle the ball and shoot from either side.

What is interesting is how we allow players to get fairly far without "forcing" this most basic skill.

**Unregistered** · 05-03-2010, 12:58 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

I passed in the yard almost every night with my son. We set up a couple goals, pulling bricks from the patio, and had contests. He'd get 1 point for a right footed shot, and 3 for a left to encourage him to use his weaker foot. By about U12 I couldn't come close to playing against him, and he could bend a corner kick into the goal with either foot, from either side of the pitch. The untold hours spent having fun, playing seemingly silly games with his creaky old dad, school buddies, or older siblings clearly paid off years later in Club, HS and mid-D1 soccer.

I did something similar, I also had my son shoot only opposite foot in town games and practices, First couple were awkward, but as time moved on as you would expect, he became better. If your son or daughter doesn't want to do it that way, then they can do every other shot. There are definite ways they can teach themselves to get a better "weaker" foot.

Over time, if they consistently work the weaker foot it may actually become their better foot!