Trapping an Air Ball

Step 1. Stance

One of the most important things to remember when trapping an air ball is your first initial stance. You want to begin by having your legs shoulder width apart facing the direction in which the ball is coming from. Your arms will be slightly bent at your sides as well.


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Step 2. Preparation

In order to successfully trap an air ball, you must remember to keep your eyes on the ball at all times. You then want to continue to stand with your legs shoulder width apart, while slightly flexing your knees, by doing so it will help you maintain a low center of gravity. You must always remember to "stay on your toes"(cue). By "staying on your toes" simply means to never play flat footed. Your arms will continue to be slightly bent at your sides. By following these steps you will be setting yourself up to successfully trap an air ball.

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Step 3. Movement

As the ball is approaching you from the air, you want to remember to stay on your toes so that you are prepared to correctly trap the ball. As the ball is about to approach you, you may have to take a few steps back or forward to get into better positioning in order to successfully trap the ball. Next you are going to lift your dominant knee up and externally rotate (external rotation) your dominant hip outward slightly less than 90 degrees (cue). Your arms will still be slightly bent at your sides. As the ball contacts the inside of your dominant foot with your ankle locked, you are then going to begin to slightly bring your foot back down towards the ground in order to absorb the ball. You want to make sure the ball contacts your foot rather than you contacting the ball in order to gain complete control and preventing yourself from volleying the ball away from you (cue). Trapping an air ball can take place in both the sagittal plane and frontal plane depending on the position of the ball and your body.

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Step 4. Follow Through

After you correctly trap the ball from the air , you are then going to compose your stance while gaining control of the ball.

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Step 5. Recovery

Prepare to make a pass to your team mate or dribble the ball.

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Skill Videos

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* CUES - Stay on yours toes , lift knee and rotate hip, ball to inside of  foot.

Juggling on Thighs

Step 1. Stance

In order to properly juggle a soccer ball you must start off in the correct stance. You simply will start off with your legs shoulder with apart with your arms at your sides.

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Step 2. Preparation

To prepare juggling a soccer ball, you simply want to prepare to drop the ball to either your right or left thigh.

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