How to Trap the Ball

Last Update: September 18, 2008

Video By: LIVESTRONG.COM

Trapping the soccer ball is essential to control and precision. Learn how to trap the ball properly from a professional soccer head coach in this sports video.

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  • Cushion ball into ground
  • Use foot on top of ball
  • Requires soft feet

About this Author

Adrian Heath is the head coach for the Austin Aztex. Adrian played soccer for twenty years and has twenty years of coaching experience.

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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 control the ball, how to trap the ball. So what I'm going to do, I'm going to throw a few balls at [PH] Carlos, and he's going to go through one or two basic principles about controlling the ball. So first, if we can just cushion it into the ground for me, Carlos. So we get in line and there you go. He's trapping the ball. He's trapping the ball with the inside of his foot between the ground and the ball. There you go. Notice he's getting in line every time with the ball, and he's slowly cushioning it onto his feet. Now, as this ball is coming down---if you could just demonstrate what you're looking at, Carlos---he's trying to trap the ball there. So he's stopping it into the ground, using the ground to stop the ball. So if we just go through it again, you see the principle of what we're looking for. Now you just see it and there. So notice he's got nice, soft feet. It's important that when you control the ball, you're nice and soft with the ball with your feet so the ball doesn't go away from you. And once again, there you go. He's controlling it nice and soft. And if you think you want to control the ball before it bounces, because maybe the surface is not good or you don't think you can get to touch the ball, get to the bounce of the ball, maybe you can use your foot underneath the ball. So, Carlos, you demonstrate. There you go. He's taking it before it hits the ground now using the [SOUNDS LIKE] laces, nice, soft feet, and using it just to cushion the ball down. Now, you can do that. We've showed you with the inside of your foot. We've showed you with the top of the foot. Now, you can do with the outside of your foot. Outside of the foot, yeah. So you can use the outside of your right foot. So it's come down and there you go. He's taking it, just taking the--and notice he's just dropping it onto the side where he wants it, but the most important thing is he's getting in line. He's watching the ball all the way onto his foot, and there you go. That's a perfect demonstration on how to trap the ball.

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