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A good first touch is not always a perfectly still ball. Sometimes the useful touch moves into space; sometimes it keeps the ball close, cushions an awkward pass or prepares a return pass. What makes it useful is the situation…
/articles/first-touch-with-a-purpose…advantage. Ask which route looks available as she approaches. The touchline can limit one side, while a recovering opponent can close another. Begin with a clear picture and enough room to explore. The attacker should understand…
/articles/beating-a-defender…individual needs? What happens if she finds the environment difficult at first? Listen carefully to how the answers feel, not just what is said. Vague replies or heavy emphasis on “elite pathways” and selection can be warning…
/articles/finding-the-right-fit-somerset-parents…These STAR practices focus on delivering the ball; our separate first-touch guide covers what happens when it arrives. Use a safe, level space, a suitable ball and flat markers, and adjust distances to the player. Begin with a…
/articles/football-passing-drills-beginners…in football. Add passing and receiving Move into pairs passing, first-touch work and short dribbles. Keep the ball moving so attention and technique develop together. Goalkeepers can add appropriate catching, footwork and short…
/articles/football-warm-up-young-players…on the provider, sessions may offer technical development, extra touches outside club nights, and activities for a range of abilities. Group sizes, session formats and the attention available to each player vary. Ask the provider…
/articles/girls-football-coaching-bridgwater-parents-guide…She has a specific technical focus she wants to work on, such as first touch, receiving or decision-making. She finds busy training environments overwhelming. She wants clearer feedback she can take straight back into her…
/articles/girls-football-coaching-wellington…individual coaching · Ages 11–18 Time dedicated to her game. Work on the first touch, passing, finishing, positional play or decisions she wants to improve, with clear feedback and practices adapted to her. Explore One to One…
/…based on how she is developing. OUR APPROACH · GIRLS AGED 5–18 Her first touch. Her decisions. Her confidence. We get to know the player, then build the coaching around what will help her game. See how we coach Find her programme…
/our-approach…are. A goalkeeper who already knows her options can make a calmer first touch. Coaches should create clear passing angles rather than leaving the goalkeeper isolated with no safe option. A useful cue is to look once while the…
/articles/goalkeeper-distribution-playing-out-back…the ball without unnecessary strain. Practise gentle rolling balls first, then progress to controlled shots along the ground. The goalkeeper should learn when to gather and when movement or a safe block is more suitable. Avoid…
/articles/goalkeeper-handling-catching-technique…is recovering and how much space lies behind the defence. A heavy touch can create an opportunity to close down; a controlled attacker with time may require more patience. Keep checking the ball rather than assuming the attacker…
/articles/goalkeeper-one-on-one-situations…Perhaps the ball gets caught under her feet when she turns, or her first touch takes her towards an opponent. Choose one problem rather than a list of weaknesses. If her coach has assigned a practice, use that as the starting…
/articles/home-practice-that-fits…Association, and the academy system at Kashima Antlers. Players First One principle in Japanese youth development is “Players First.” The Japan Football Association uses this idea in its approach to player development. This…
/articles/japanese-coaching-philosophies-star…tells them what she saw. Begin without pressure and give her time. First touch towards space: place two small cone gates a few steps apart. Receive a pass with a comfortable, open body position and guide the first touch towards a…
/articles/prestige-programme-inac-kobe-player-development…scanning only for its own sake. If a defender is tight behind you, a first-time return pass may be better than trying to turn. Use your body to protect options Receive with a body shape that lets you see the passer and the next…
/articles/become-better-central-midfielder…call for different contact; experiment with control. Finish after a first touch Receive a gentle pass, move the ball into space with the first touch and then finish. Vary the receiving angle so the practice resembles a match.…
/articles/football-shooting-accuracy-drills…You do not need two equally powerful feet to benefit: a reliable first touch, short pass or controlled finish with your less comfortable foot can help you escape pressure and keep the game moving. Why practise your weaker foot?…
/articles/improve-weaker-foot-football…travels, then slow enough to react. Avoid arriving so quickly that one touch takes the attacker past. A balanced position lets you retreat, delay or challenge when the opportunity appears. The team may ask you to show the…
/articles/how-to-play-full-back-football…look for Depending on the age and programme, coaches may observe first touch, decisions, movement, work without the ball, communication, adaptability and response to feedback. A single mistake or missed chance does not define a…
/articles/prepare-girls-football-trials…making mistakes We explain what she is practising, give a manageable first challenge and recognise what she has tried. Feedback focuses on a clear next action. She has room to ask questions and settle without being compared with…
/inclusion…players, particularly younger girls. Her sessions develop ball control, first touch, passing and movement through clear, manageable activities. Louise gives players time to practise, ask questions and grow in confidence. READY TO…
/coaches…her left or right. A wide player might check the space along the touchline before receiving. Ask her what she noticed, without turning the conversation into a memory test. If she cannot identify anything useful, simplify the…
/articles/scanning-before-receiving…someone recover from a mistake. Avoid calling an instruction for each touch. A pass that looks obvious from the sideline may not be visible from the player’s angle. Let her experience choosing, getting some things wrong and…
/articles/supporting-her-from-the-sidelinePlayers can contribute to an attack without touching the ball. A small move can open a passing lane, take a defender away or give the ball carrier a safe way out. That contribution is easy to miss if we only count goals and…
/articles/movement-without-the-ballIt usually comes out quietly. After a tough training session. On the way home from a match where she barely touched the ball. Or when she’s packing her boots and suddenly stops. “I’m not good enough.” Most parents feel a small…
/articles/when-your-daughter-says-im-not-good-enough
