How to Bend a Soccer Ball

Video Transcript

Hi my name is Adrian Heath. I'm the head coach of the Austin Aztex, and now we're going to demonstrate how to bend the ball. Now you can bend the ball to pass it. You can bend it to shoot a goal, but we're just going to go through the basic principles of bending a football. So if you can, Carlos. You just flip it into the goalkeeper for me, please. [demonstration] And again. If you can come here, [PH] Wes. Now if you look at where they're actually striking the ball, down the side of the ball, you can see the ball bending in the air. And again, [PH] Esi. [Demonstration] Good. I think it's important to tell everybody when you're kicking the ball, the basics are the same. You know, you got to get your arms up to give you balance. You got to get your arms up to give you balance. Your standing foot is important. You don't want it too far away from the ball. You don't want it too close because you got no room to maneuver, so get your foot by the side of the ball where you feel comfortable. And with the bender, you're hitting it on the side here, there. So it's going around. So if you just go through it again for me, fellows, and show us again the angle of the ball, and you'll see the ball bend in the air. [demonstration] And again. And if you could, Esi, just put that on for me, please. And wear this also--go in the middle there for me, Esi, please. Where this will come in handy is if he's trying to pass the ball. And maybe you can't even cheat people, you're going to bend it round them to get to the other side or to get to your man or to your center-forward or a midfield player will go. This is where it comes handy, so just bend it round them. There you go. Look at the angle of approach again. Look where they're aiming the ball and you're going to get around them, and there you go. That is called the bend pass.