In the previous post, I mentioned how important it is to be ready to anticipate where the ball is going to go or where the player is going to go.

Of course, there is a lot more to it than I gave. I hope you’re able to take the technique and the soccer drill and apply it appropriately to the age and skill level of your team or child.

The next step is to have the body be ready to move.

It is one thing to know which way the ball is going or the player is  going. If you’re not ready to move it will be too late.

The key to this step is to be in an athletic stance. If you are running or jogging there are ways to make the body be ready to move as well.

A good athletic stance will have these three things.

• The head will be up, eyes covering the field;
• The knees will be bent, ready to move;
• The weight will be on the balls of the feet and shifting.

The same basics apply to athletes moving as well. If they are running and their head is down they will not be able to see the pitch or the players…

If they are moving or running with their knees bent then they will not be able to change direction…

If they are running with their heels first they will be slow and not able to keep up.

Parents and coaches should teach the basics of the athletic stance early and it needs to be reinforced through lots of repetitions on soccer drills and when working soccer skills.

For a complete description on way to teach it, it’s in my athletic skills for soccer book which teaches parents and coaches how to develop the athletic skills necessary for soccer fitness and success. Click the link to learn more.