Penalty kicks are usually a make-or-break situation for you and your team. Many players struggle with nerves and doubt when called upon to take a penalty kick for their team.
Penalty kicks should not be a stressful 😣situation for players. If you let your fear, nerves, or doubt take over your mind, you are almost guaranteed to make a mistake with your technique.
So how can players become better penalty kickers?🦶🏼
This week, Blayze Coach Mike Semenza will give you tips on how you can improve your skills when it comes to penalty kicks.
Mental Preparation🧠
The first step is eliminating any sense of fear, nerves, or doubt from your mindset. Speak to yourself confidently as you walk up to take your penalty kick. Remind yourself that you are confident with your ability to shoot the ball exactly where you want to place it. Imagine yourself doing so and hearing everyone cheer for you.
Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and picture exactly where you want to place the ball. ⚽Think about if you are more confident hitting the ball with your instep or your laces. Do you prefer power or placement? Are you going to perform a slow and short run-up to the ball or a long and fast run-up to the ball? Figure out what makes YOU most confident.
Technique🏃🏼
After you have built confidence mentally, you need to train your technique for striking the ball with power and/or placement. The best way to train penalty kicks is by using constant repetition. But do not go out to the field and start blasting balls into the net 🥅at random.
Maintain a balanced stance and body position. Your non-kicking foot should be beside the ball, and your body should face the target. Develop a consistent and controlled run-up. This can help you maintain accuracy and power. Many players take 305 steps before the kick.🦶🏼
Remember how important it is to practice the entire routine that you will go through in a real game. Work on walking up to the ball and taking some deep breaths as you do so. Place the ball down on the penalty spot and take as many steps back as you want. Imagine the sound of a whistle from the referee. Now it is time to execute.
When striking a penalty kick, remember that power and placement are equally important. Try both the left and right sides of the goal to see which side you feel more confident striking the ball⚽ towards. Once you decide on the side you prefer, work on the ability to strike the ball there over and over again while going through your routine on every attempt.
Never place your attention on what the goalie is doing. They will try to distract you and throw off your focus. If you have practiced your routine and you feel confident, goalies don't stand a chance of saving your penalty kicks.
Practice🥅
The more you practice penalty kicks, the better you’ll become. Repetition helps improve muscle memory and build confidence. Simulate game-like situations during your practice by adding pressure. You can do this by setting goals for yourself, having teammates or coaches watch, or practicing in high-pressure environments.
Develop your routine and your technique for penalty kicks and get out and start training to build more and more confidence.💪 As soon as you can do this, penalty kicks will go from being stressful to fun!!
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