Improving your passing can be one of the best skills to work on for your team. Passing is the fastest way to move the ball ⚽from one spot on the field to another. It is faster than dribbling and taking on defenders.
Passing helps your team maintain possession. Maintaining possession of the ball helps break down the defense of the other team. It also helps to generate goal-scoring opportunities.🥅
Your team can also use passing as a defensive technique to help recycle possession of the ball into another area of the field and relieve pressure.
If you can work on improving your passing skills, you can help your team and be a more well-rounded player.💪🏾
This week, Blayze coach Sarah Woldmoe will walk you through some tips on improving your passing. Of course, the true success in improving your passing will be up to you and your determination to work on your skills.
How to Improve Your Passing Skills
The first thing you should know about passing with your team is you should focus👀 on completing simple passes to your first passing options. Your first passing options are the players closest to you on the field.
For example, if you play center back, your first simple passing option is the other center back, the outside backs, the goalkeepers, or the central midfielders.
About 75% of your passes should always be to your most simple passing options.
The other 25% of our passes might go to our second or third passing options. Your second and third passing options are to players who do not play close to you on the field.
Again, if you play center back, the more difficult passing options will be to the outside midfielders or to the forwards. However, these second and third passing options will always be more difficult to complete because of distance or the number of defenders who could intercept that pass.
Decision-Making Is Key!🧠
Decision-making is a key element in completing more of your passes in a game. It would be best if you had an idea of who you should be passing the ball to before you even receive it. Always look for your most simple options first. If you see defenders taking away your simple passing options, this is your cue to start looking for your second or third passing options.
Also, make sure you are thinking about the situation your team is in during the game. If you are winning, try to keep the ball⚽ more and force the opposition to defend more by completing simple passes.
If you are losing, maybe it is time to take more chances and look for the more difficult passes to make. This could lead to scoring chances.🥅
Remember, the best thing you can do as a soccer player is find ways to make the game simple for yourself. Knowing who to pass to and when to pass will make you more confident on the field.💪🏻
Do you have a question that you want answered? Reply to this email with your question and you might see it answered in our next newsletter!
Drill of the Week: Sole Roll to Pass & Turn
This week’s drill of the week will help you improve your passing skills. Learn how to improve your sole roll here!