Three Dribbling Drills That Will Heighten Your Awareness and Agility

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Summary: Agility is a crucial component when it comes to dribbling. You won’t be able to get past a defender if you aren’t comfortable with the feel of the ball.

Skillful dribbling is a dangerous weapon to have in your arsenal. In order to maintain the advantage over your opponent, you’ll need to use both wit and guise to bypass the toughest defense so you can either set up your teammate for the shot or go all in and nail the game winner.

There are numerous aspects of dribbling to work on like handling a ball in tight space, moving with the ball at a high speed, and outmaneuvering a defender. All of these play a significant role in your overall dribbling skill.

Here are some drills that you can use to take your dribbling to the next level.

Dance With the Ball

The better you are at using every part of the foot to dribble the ball, the more control you’ll have come game time. “Dancing” with the ball consists of touching the top of the ball with the bottom of your feet while alternating from left to right. Try and develop a rhythm as you go along. While you might start off slow and a bit clunky, over time you’ll start getting a natural feel for it and your muscle memory will kick in. This drill helps players maneuver the ball wherever they like and set themselves up for an accurate pass or shot. Additionally, the better feel you have for the ball, the more control you get in the process.

“20”

Nimble dribbling can confuse and break down defenders trying to steal the ball away from you. Pair up with another partner and dribble between six to eight cones spread about two feet apart from each other. After zigzagging your way between each cone, swiftly pass the ball to your partner and have him or her perform the same feat. Start slow and work on the basic mechanics of maneuvering around each cone cleanly. After a while, you’ll start to develop a more agile cut and it’ll almost become second nature to you. During game time, you’ll need supreme agility to bring the ball up and around each defender. Additionally, you’ll be able to compliment your passing skills with this drill as well. You can also take this drill to next level by adding a point system. For even cone that’s knocked down, you subtract a point from an overall score. Score one point for each successful run until you reach a total of 20. It might seem frustrating at first, but it’ll undoubtedly take your game to the next level.

One-on-One

One of the most difficult things to do in the game is to hold on to the ball while a defender aggressively tries to steal it from you. If you’re struggling to keep possession of the ball, take a partner and set up a small game of keep-away. Create a 20-yard grid and have your partner tightly defend you as you try to bypass him or her. If your partner manages to steal the ball away from you, switch roles and become the defender. If you can, have a third person call out any illegal moves that may result in a penalty. After all, this isn’t a free-for-all. In a real game, you’re likely to get whistled if you carelessly tackle.

Blog submitted by Soccer Garage: For premium womens soccer gear and equipment, visit the folks at Soccer Garage. With hundreds of your favorite brands, you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for to bring your game to the next level.

Learn Everything You Need to Know about Goalkeeper Gloves

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Goalkeeper gloves are two of the most important items in a keeper’s arsenal on the field, aside from water and a good towel. Gloves protect the fingers, and can help with grip. That’s especially useful in areas that have less-than-ideal weather conditions for play. With this brief guide, you’ll learn how to choose gloves to help elevate your game, without overspending on things you don’t need.

Price

Good gloves are going to cost anywhere from $20-$80, with the higher price points being top of the line. We’ll discuss what that means in terms of soccer equipment in a moment, but paying more than $80 isn’t something you should do on a whim. Instead, consider fit, quality and your needs as a player.

Fit

You can tell a lot about a glove by looking at the fingers. You’ll see gussets (visible stitching where the leather overlaps) on some, but not on others. You’ll also notice stitching around the palm or backhand. Paying close attention to these details will prove useful in determining how snug of a fit you want, and the kind of grasp and mobility you’ll get around the ball. Do you want a wide palm for a snug fit on the ball? Go for a flat palm cut, which looks square and is modeled after the original soccer gloves first invented. A roll finger cut glove will have the palm directly attached to the backhand, and allow for better grasp around the ball.

There are also negative cut gloves, which are becoming popular among serious players. They have a similar construction to flat palm cut, but the seams are on the inside the glove. What you get is something that feels like a roll finger, but plays like a flat palm.

Quality

The main concept to keep in mind with goalkeeper gloves is protection. You want padding, especially on the palms, fingers, knuckles and backhand. This is to help catch a hard shot, punch the ball away and grasp a shot along the ground.

Smooth palms are better recommended than dimpled ones, but it depends on the type of player you are. Smooth palms tend to have a gripping agent, which will wear off. They aren’t ideal for street play. For practice purposes, dimpled palmed gloves might be a better option.

Newer gloves may have additional finger protection and support, such as spines sewn into the gloves. These may feel strange at first, but they are designed to help absorb impact and protect you. Remember, your grip is your best asset as a keeper. Protect your fingers!

Soccer Garage is one of the largest specialty soccer showrooms in the United States, offering Reusch gloves with International shipping.

Irish Soccer Fans are great

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Hats off to the Irish Soccer fans for being so cool and friendly. While other country soccer fans made war at Euro 2016, the Irish made Love!

A friend told me he was sitting in the middle of 1000s of them in the streets and in the Irish side of the stadium today, wearing a Germany jersey. He had so much fun with them. He said: “They put the German fans to shame… So passionate yet respectful.”

Here Are Ways To Save On Soccer Equipment

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futbolupgraded-604x270For the most part, soccer can be one of the more affordable sports to play. In fact, that’s one of the many reasons it’s the world’s most popular pastime. But whether you’re buying a soccer warm up or are in the market for some new soccer t-shirts, there are a couple of ways to save even more money. In today’s economy, that’s always a welcomed option.

First, always shop online. You’ll almost always receive a better deal from a website than you will from a physical store. Websites have far less overheard and can therefore pass the savings on to you, the customer. If you’re purchasing soccer cleats, be sure to try them on at a local retailer first, to be sure you know your size in that particular brand.

Second, do your best to purchase in bulk. This is especially easy if you coordinate your purchase with the rest of your team. Just like shopping online, buying in bulk is almost always guaranteed to save you money. While some stores will be upfront about savings they can offer you for spending a certain amount, other retailers will need to be contacted and asked about the kinds of bargains they can offer.

Soccer’s a great sport that’s relatively cheaper than a lot of the other options out there. However, if you’re looking to save even more money on your purchase, consider buying in bulk online.

Article written by Soccer Garage. Whether you’re looking for soccer uniforms, shoes, or other equipment, you’ll find all that and more at their online store.

Sports as a substitute cardio workout

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Article written by Soccer Garage

Running on the treadmill, or exercising in a cross trainer, or in a stationary bike can be very boring because it’s repetitive. If you want to find an alternative exercise that will keep you running for an extended period of time without having to feel bored. And when it comes to a sport that requires you to keep running, there’s no better sport than soccer. All you need to play soccer is some shoes to keep you from slipping on the pitch. You can find it in any soccer shop or department store. And if you’re playing soccer to work out or as a recreational activity, you wouldn’t even need to put on a soccer uniform as any recreational clothes will do.

It an ideal alternative for a cardio workout because you get to play with other people and interact with them. It brings a level of fun and entertainment into the equation that it absent when working out in a cross trainer or treadmill all by your self. What this means is that you will be able to run farther and play longer without getting exhausted about the though of doing something repetitive and monotonous. If you like playing soccer, then this is definitely the perfect alternative cardio workout for you. You can do it once a week or as often as you like, just make sure that you get enough rest for your knees and joints to recover from all that strenuous activity. Make sure to do some stretching as well.

You can shop for everything that you need including soccer bags, equipment, gear, apparel, and even accessories so you will have everything you need when you’re on and off the pitch.