How to Be More Aggressive in Soccer

Almost everyone has a phase where they are a little too nice. They let people push them around, or in a soccer situation, they let the other team get to the ball first. Here is how to improve your soccer skills.


1. Get mad. Okay it sounds weird, but if you get mad, then you are less likely to take any crap or let the other team get the ball.

2. Listen to some music. Listen to a few of your favorite songs that get you hyped up. For some people this might be screamo. For others, it might just be Soulja Boy.

3. Get your game face on. Get the I'm-in-it-to-win-it look on your face and leave it there.

4. Find anyone on the other team you know/dislike. Do you really want them to beat YOU?!?

5. Know that you are gonna win. You can't go out on the field thinking, 'Aw man... I'm gonna get creamed.'

6. Think of someone you really hate. (ex. sibling, girl/guy at school, ex-gf/bf) Think that they are the ball whenever you need to kick it hard.

7. Think of your best friend/crush. When you need to get the ball, that person is the ball and you have to get you friend back from the other team.

8. Do some excercise before the game. Jumping jacks, push-ups, etc. Get pumped!

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How to Be a Great Basketball Coach

You were the one who admired the coach more than the players! You watched him while everyone else watched Kobe Bryant. Great, and now you want to be a great coach yourself. Here are some tips on how become a basketball coach.


1. Figure out what kind of coach you want to become: a middle school coach, a high school coach, a college coach, or a pro coach. You can only become a professional coach after gaining some experience elsewhere, so this article will not deal with that aspect of your job search.

2. Call your local school district and find out what kind of training and certification you will need.

3. Go to school and get all your degree and/or certification.

4. Be involved voluntarily. While completing school, help out with local sports teams which your county, or a church may sponsor. This will give you experience and will strengthen your resume.

5. Seek a position. After you have graduated and you are ready to apply for a position,check the web pages of the all local school boards to find out what jobs are available and what the particulars of employment will be.

6. Network all the time. Knowing the right people will help you land that job, so be sure to make plenty of contacts along the way as you do your volunteering, etc.

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How to Be a Good Shooting Guard in Basketball

this article is how to be a good shooting guard or 2 position in basketball



1. Know when to shoot. You can't be shy about shooting the ball but at the same time you shouldn't be a ballhog. If you have an open shot, shoot it. A great shot is when your defender runs up to you with his hands down. Hands down, man down. But if you are being defended, well... don't shoot it.

2. Don't make your game one sided. Make sure to have a good variety of jumpshots and drives. Get to the line if you are a good foul shooter. Just don't make yourself predictable, keep the defense on their feet.

3. Don't forget your primary goal is to score points. Have confidence and put the ball in the basket.

4. Defense is important too. You are probably guarding the opposing team's best perimeter scorer so don't be afraid to play close defense. Don't let him drive around you though, keep yourself between him and the basket at all times.

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How to Be a Good Basketball Shooter

Learning how to shoot well is an essential for a lot of sports like basketball and netball. It doesn't matter how good you are at passing the ball,


1. Learn the technique. There's no point shooting hundred of baskets/nets if you're doing it the wrong way, is there? Ask your coach, PE teacher, team members or somebody who knows the game very well how to shoot accurately, and any tips they have.

* A good technique is "BEEF." Blance, Elbows, Eyes, Follow-through.
1. Blance- keep your feet about sdoulder width apart. Doing this will keep a good center of gravity; which all great basketball players have.
2. Elbows - Position your elbows, keep your arms straight.
3. Eyes - Keep your eyes on the basket.
4. Follow-through - Shoot! A good way is to imagine the basket is a cookie jar, that you're trying to reach for a cookie while throwing the ball.

2. Practice shooting from every position and angle. If you keep shooting from the halfway line, you'll be perfect, but you'll stink at all the other positions. Practice shooting from everywhere-even from behind the net. You need the extra practice, and you can gain some more skill and pick up a few tips by doing this. Practice shooting by yourself, then practice while someone is defending you. Dribble up and shoot for basketball, throw the ball to a few people and then shoot for netball.

3. Keep practicing. You can never get enough practice. Gather up a few friends in the backyard, or walk down to the local gym. Try and practice a couple of times a week, as well as any training or classes. Pay attention in PE and training. Always listen to your teachers and coaches. They have lots of great tips.

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How to Be a Good Basketball Player

Basketball is the number one fastest growing sport in the US. It is a teamwork game and usually requires you to be attentive, and, obviously, active. You can play basketball with basic skills but to be a great player, there is more work and patience to be involved.


1. Stretch. The introduction of every sport should be stretching. Walk 400 metres, run 400 metres, then walk 400 metres. Do anything - just get those muscles running. You don't want to twist your ankle because of turning too fast or stretch a leg muscle for sprinting.

2. Learn the basic rules of a basketball game and how to play. This includes knowing when it is a foul, understanding when it is a double dribble, how to dribble, shoot, rebound, etc. You can look this up in google, ask a basketball coach, find a good basketball player who'd be willing to teach you, watch videos, etc. You may want to find someone who's better in basketball and can explain it to you in real though, as that usually cuts the time where you have to try and figure it out all by yourself.

3. Train and challenge yourself. Dribble, shoot, rebound, etc. Be your own coach - get on that court and practice! Don't be discouraged when you watch a good basketball player - watch and learn from them! Dribble around the court - learn how to dribble faster, slower, throw the ball in the air and catch it, shoot from different spots in a court, improve your shooting skills.

4. Practice with other basketball players. Learn what 'rock', 'paint', 'chain' and the other terms mean, and use them on a regular basis. You must be natural with it. Practice it into your daily game-play.

5. Learn on how to work as a team. Be a good team player. Pass more often, run for an open space to help that guy being surrounded by the opposite team, help block, help with rebounds, etc. People will like you and will return you the favor!

6. Adopt new tricks. Watch other players, watch more basketball games, search youtube, look on google, watch basketball on tv, ask a friend to show you a few nice tricks, and moves etc. Start from the more common tricks and travel from there to the rarest and nastiest. Remember to be patient and keep practicing until you get it, don't just give up! That just proves your lack of determination. Get out and play!

7. Play basketball everyday or every other day. Play more often. Have a sense of dedication to the game and learn to be patient. Not every player you'll play with will be nice, play fair, treat you nice, etc. You won't be able to shoot accurately even after a month or two of practice, learn how to dribble without double dribbling, etc.

8. Play with others. As a player you should know what you would be competing against. Play with people your age. If you fail, practice harder or play with people younger than you (if you are a young person). Once you start playing again, you're play mates will see the improvements you've made.

9. DRIBBLE! The only way to succeed in basketball is by dribbling. You could be the best shooter on earth, but without knowing how to dribble, it would be very hard to be a good player. And by learning to dribble, that doesn't mean you should only know the basics, but you should advance in dribbling. Point guards and shooting guards like Kobe Bryant are great at shooting, but the only way he could even get his shots off is by maneuvering his opponent. If you want to be a good player, it all starts by practicing you're dribbling.

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How to Avoid a Yellow Card in Soccer

Do you always get cards in soccer? Do you wish you could not get any cards in soccer? Do you just not want to get a card in the first place? Well then this is the article for you!


1. Don't just go for the ball. Use your head. In soccer it's a little tougher to do, but you can do it.

2. Don't get too aggressive. When you try to steal the ball, or try to pass a person, don't get too aggressive. There is a fine line between aggressive and too aggressive. Don't try to grab the person by their shirt and throw them away, or try not to kick them in the wrong spot.

3. Be careful with attacking or defending.

4. If a ref calls it a foul, don't try to argue. That usually won't help anyone. Just suck it up.

5. Be a good sport. When you score a goal, don't take off your shirt and run around or anything like that.

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How to Avoid Slicing the Soccer Ball

never slice or miss the soccer ball again


1. If you have time, as the ball approaches, take a first touch to control it. Don't keep your leg and ankle rigid but rather as the ball hits your foot just drag your foot about an inch inwards in the direction the ball is traveling. This way the ball will "stick to your foot" - instead of bouncing away from your rigid foot the ball will be buffered by your foot and the speed will be taken out of it. Now the ball is under your control and you can prepare your strike rather than taking a hurried swing which may result in a slice.

2. for the goal first. If you have to hit the ball first time, under pressure from a defending player, then take a look at the goal BEFORE the ball reaches you. Now you have already seen where the other players are positioned and you have made up your mind on where to shoot for BEFORE the ball arrives at your foot.

* As you already know where you are going to shoot for you don't have to look up again. So give all your attention to the ball now.


3. Judge the ball's path as it approaches you, and anticipate where it is going to be once it arrives in your area.

4. As the ball approaches, place your supporting leg, keeping it straight, beside the ball (to the right of it for lefties and to the left of it for righties!)

* Your striking leg should now swing very closely beside the supporting leg - allowing you much more control over the strike. REMEMBER - the more space between your supporting leg and striking leg as the swing is made then the less control you have.


5. Keep your eye on the BALL at all times.

6. Keep your body OVER the ball as you strike. REMEMBER - the further your body is away from the ball the less control you have.

7. Kick with the laces of your boots. TOP OF YOUR FOOT.

8. You can start to strike with outside of your foot to get curl and direction on the shot but for now just strike the ball with the top of your foot and aim for the centre of the ball.

9. Hit the centre and follow through with your striking leg. This will allow you the best direction and ensure that you never slice again.

* The basics to remember are: decide where your shot is going BEFORE the ball arrives (a quick look up), anticipate where the ball will be as you meet it, KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE BALL BEFORE AND EVEN AFTER YOUR STRIKE, stick your support leg beside the ball, strike through with your striking leg swinging very close to your support leg, keep your body over the ball to keep it down, aim for the centre of the ball, and hit it with your laces (TOP OF FOOT).

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How to Aim a Soccer Ball

It's your first soccer tryouts and you can't pass or score!Don't worry,this article can help.


1. Get a good running distance away from the ball.

2. Take the inside of your shoe at the last second and turn your foot so the inside is in the front.

3. Swing your foot back and kick!

4. After the kick, keep looking in case the ball somehow comes back.

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How to Aim a Soccer Ball

It's your first soccer tryouts and you can't pass or score!Don't worry,this article can help.


1. Get a good running distance away from the ball.

2. Take the inside of your shoe at the last second and turn your foot so the inside is in the front.

3. Swing your foot back and kick!

4. After the kick, keep looking in case the ball somehow comes back.

How to "Bend" It Like Beckham

You've seen Beckham bend it like crazy on TV, but the problem is, you have soccer finals today, and unfortunately, you are the only one that knows how to score goals. Well, you can teach your teammates to "bend" like Beckham! Oh, and for all you coaches out there, teach it to them before the finals.


1. Approach the soccer ball at an angle.

2. Place your standing foot (rather than your kicking foot), close to the ball, facing the direction you want it to go.

3. Start by practicing this as you go to kick the ball.

4. Once you're comfortable with this, try to "bend" it.

* If you kick with your right foot, to send the ball from right to left, strike the bottom half of the right hand side with the inside, top half of your foot.
* To curve the ball form left to right, strike the bottom half of the left side of the ball with the outside of your foot. (Reverse these moves if you kick with your left foot.)
* To swerve a ball with the outside of your foot, strike across the ball. And Voila! You've bent it like Beckham! (Try to familiarize yourself with this move before the game.)

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How to Be a Good Ballhandler in Basketball

Want to impress your friends with your good ballhandling skills?


1. Start with dribbling with your right hand about 50-100 times per day. Then do the same with your left hand, so you get comfortable dribbling with both hands.

2. Start doing crossovers when you are good with both hands(When you switch it from your right to left or vice-versa).

3. Try dribbling side to side and back and forth with one of your hands.

4. Practice the basics always.

5. Remember to dribble without looking down at the ball, keep your head up and feel for the ball.

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How to Be a Confident Basketball Player

Sometimes you really like playing basketball, but you are really afraid to make a mistake and everyone yells at you? Do you freeze up in a game and you don't know what to do? That happened to everyone, even to all the greatest players who ever played.


1. Go to the park a lot and practice your shooting, passing, and dribbling. These will all help you once you have totally controlled these important parts of basketball.

2. Start your "self improvement" at practice. Try getting the ball and shoot. Either with a lay-up or outside shot. Although, remember to not be a ball hog and force up a shoot, pass the ball around to!

3. Don't worry about what everyone says to you. At the beginning, they will only notice your misses, but as you improve they will only notice what goes in! And that's what you want don't you?

4. Play like it doesn't matter, as if you are playing a video game and you are free to do what you want. You can shoot and do anything else when you feel necessary. The worst that can happen is that you will be taken out of the game or be yelled at.

5. Be confident on yourself! That is the most important part of it all! Don't let people step all over your confidence, because sadly we live in that kind of a world. Block out your teammates bad words and change them with good words.

6. Know that if you are considering yourself as a three (one is the lowest) try to get to five, and then ten! You will eventually get there. Take what Brian Scalabrine said after the Celtics kicked Laker butt: "In five years you won't remember my misses, in ten years I'll be an MVP of the league, in 15 years I'll lead my team to an NBA championship and in 60 years I'll be telling my grand kids about all my accomplishments." I have written these words on my wall and read them to myself every morning. These words are very meaningful and you should really think about them.

7. Try to hang out with the "better" kids on your team or in your class. Being with them and playing with them will really influence you.

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How to Be a Better Basketball Handler

Being an incredible basketball handler requires skills-building, determination and practice. Are you willing to go outside or to a local gym and practice ball handling skills for 1 to 2 hours every day? You will need to increase your hand and finger strength and to be agile, well nourished and focused.


1. Get a basketball.

2. Take the basketball and slap it on your palms to get your hands warmed up.

3. Do speed dribbles the length of the basketball court.

4. When you run while dribbling, push the ball between the front of you and the position beside you.

5. Make sure that you are using your fingertips while dribbling, not your palms.

6. Cuff the ball (spread your fingers).

7. Keep your head up, don't look at the ball which need much time to be taken.

8. Train at this program daily. Eat a healthy diet and stay fit.

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How to Run the Flex Offense

In basketball, there are two types of offense: pattern offense, which follows the same pattern over and over, and the motion offense, which is more free flowing. One of the simplest forms of a pattern offense is the Flex, which this article will teach you how to run.


1. Set up in NBA Format, as shown in Figure 1.

2. The 1 man should start with the ball and pass it to the 5 man, as shown in Figure 2.

3. After the pass to the 5 man, the 2 man should make a baseline cut called a flex cut off a screen set by the 4 man. At the same time, the 1 man should come and set a down screen in the middle of the key for the 4 man, as shown in Figure 3.

4. When the 4 man reaches the elbow, the 5 man may either pass to him then for the shot or wait for him to reach the top of the arc to pass. When the pass reaches the 4 man, the 1 man moves to the corner, the 3 man makes the flex cut, and the offense starts all over again, as shown in Figure 4.

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How to Dunk

Nothing elicits awe and gets the crowds going in a basketball game like a "dunk", where a player slams the ball through the rim with their hand(s). As one of the highest percentage field goals one can attempt in basketball, this is a move that's worth mastering, but it's not easy. Here's how to build up the muscles and the skills you need to execute this famous feat on the court. And it doesn't hurt to be a little tall so going up to the rim can be a sweep.


1. Increase your vertical leap. You will need the lifting power of your legs to get you in the air and up to the basket. Plyometrics get results. Doing squats, or if you don't have weights, wall sits, also help you gain those inches. Also, doing calf raises on the stairs 50-100 reps a day will improve explosivness. Increasing your height will take time, though, so stick with it.

2. Muscle groups that need to be stronger: Quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteals, calves. The quadriceps extend the knee. The hamstrings and gluteals extend the hip. The calves plantar flex the ankle.

3. Muscle groups that need flexibility: Hamstrings and hip flexors. Tight hamstrings will impede the knee extension during the jump. Hip flexors resist the hip extension part of the jump.

4. Running stairs will develop the quadriceps, hips, and calves, and really helps you when you're going for the dunk.

5. Invest in a good pair of shoes. Most players find that high-quality shoes improve their ability to dunk, and more importantly, prevent you from getting hurt when you try to dunk.

6. Practice jumping at the court.

* Jump across the whole court and back. Try two laps or more.
* Jump to touch the net with a running jump until you are able to do it ten times in a row (not all in one day!).
* If you can jump as high as Spud Webb's 42" vertical jump[1], you should have no problem flying and dunking the basketball.
* Set your sights on the rim until you can touch it consistently.


7. Practice handling the ball. Get a feel for how to use inertia to control the ball when your arm is extended. Even people who can palm a basketball will lose grip when dunking.

8. Start with an adjustable height basket, if you have access to one. Lower the height so you can get a feel for dunking, then raise it gradually to the standard height as you improve.

9. Dribble toward the basket, then take the allowed two steps while palming the ball in your dunking hand. Jump so high that you can almost feel yourself flying after your second step, extend your arm to the rim, and drive the ball through the net.

* Most people jump off of one foot, but some people find that they jump higher off of two. Find what works for you.
* Dunk a tennis ball or golf ball first, then a volleyball, and work your way up to a basketball.
* Dunk one-handed first. It helps to find a small sized Basketball to train with. It takes a lot more effort to touch the rim with two hands, because you must jump high enough that both reach the rim. After that, you can progress to the reverse dunk.
* The ball may come back and hit you in the face. Be prepared for it. Fear of getting hit will negatively affect your ability to dunk.

10. Let go of the rim. In most games, hanging on the rim isn't allowed unless you're in danger of landing on someone below you.

11. Be persistent. You'll likely embarrass yourself during your first several attempts to dunk, but get up off the floor and try again. You'll be impressed at your improvement if you keep going.

* Do backboard touches for 2 minutes

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How to Understand Soccer Referee Signals

You're glued to the game, and your psychological well-being hinges on your favorite team scoring the winning goal. It's then that you realize that the fate of the game rests in the referee's hands--literally! Since the referee is a critical part of a game of soccer, responsible for keeping order and enforcing the rules, it's crucial for the true soccer fan to be able to decipher what he's seen and what he wants. Here's a crash course on "Refereese."


1. Listen for the whistle. A referee who blows his whistle has seen something, most often a foul, or stoppage in play, which requires him to immediately terminate play and deal with the situation. The whistle tone will often indicate the nature of the foul. A short, quick whistle indicates a lesser foul only punished by a free kick, and longer, harder blasts indicate serious fouls punishable by cards or penalty kicks.

2. Watch for the advantage. A referee who, without blowing his whistle, points both arms out, has seen a foul but has decided to play advantage. In advantage, the referee delays the call because he believes that the fouled team still has the advantage in the situation. Typically the referee will give around 3 seconds to determine who comes out on top. If, at the end of the 3 seconds, an advantage was gained by the fouled team, such as possession being kept or a goal being scored, the foul will be ignored by the referee. If the foul warranted a card, however, he will show the card at the next stoppage in play.

3. Watch for direct free kicks. To signal a direct free kick, or DFK, a referee will blow his whistle and point with a raised arm in the direction of the goal that the team who has been awarded the free kick is attacking. A DFK is awarded when one of the players commits one of the ten penal fouls against an opponent. A goal may be scored from a DFK.

4. Watch for indirect free kicks. If after signaling for a free kick the referee keeps his hand above his head then he is signaling for an indirect free kick, or IFK. An IFK is awarded for any foul not falling under the category of penal foul, or a foul which is not committed against opponents. A goal may not be scored from an IFK until it has touched another player. When signaling for an IFK, the referee will keep his hand up until after the ball has been kicked and touched by another player.

5. Watch for the penalty kick. A referee who points directly to the penalty spot, or the spot two-thirds of the way between the penalty area line and goal area line, is indicating that a player has committed a DFK offense within his own penalty area and a penalty kick has been issued.

6. Image:Caut.JPGShowing the yellow card
Watch for the yellow card. A referee who shows a player a yellow card is indicating that the player has committed one of the seven cautionable offenses. A player who is issued a yellow card is noted by the referee, and if a second yellow card is issued, the player is sent off.

7. Watch for the red card. A referee who shows a player the red card is indicating that the player has committed a serious offense, one of the seven "deadly sins" send-off offenses, and must leave the vicinity of the field of play immediately (in professional matches, this most often means he heads to the changeroom).

8. Watch for other signals. A referee who points at the goal with his arm pointed straight, parallel to the ground, is signaling for a goal kick. A referee who points at the corner flag with his arm pointed upward is signaling for a corner kick.

9. Watch for goal signals. A referee who points at the center circle with his arm pointed straight, parallel to the ground (blowing the whistle is optional) is signaling a goal.

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How to Juggle a Soccer Ball

Learning to juggle a soccer ball is not so much a matter of skill as it is a matter of practice. Good old repetition is key. You'll be rewarded with better balance and better touch on the ball when you play, along with people being impressed when you juggle more than 100 times with each body part without ever dropping the ball!


1. Drop the soccer ball, let it bounce, and kick it back up with your dominant foot. Try to kick up your foot a little as the ball lands on it, not too much so that the ball goes flying up into the air but just enough so that it comes back up to your hands. Repeat. Practice until you get to the point where you can easily and consistently catch the ball in front of your stomach without having to lean or reach. Then do the same with your other foot, which will be harder. Next try to hit the ball off your thigh after you hit it with your foot, Don't move on to the next steps until you've mastered this.

* Let the ball bounce off your laces. Make sure your laces aren't double knotted.
* Keep your knees slightly bent (not locked).
* Keep your toes pointed slightly upward.

2. Increase the number of times you let the ball bounce off your feet....Without letting it hit the ground, and without catching it with your hands. Stick with one foot at a time, for now. Only use your thighs if the ball goes up to your chin.

3. Alternate feet. Now that you can steadily juggle the ball with one foot, try juggling between your feet. Kick it up once with your right foot, then left, then right, and so on. You might find yourself moving around a lot. You'll have mastered this step when you can stand in one place and keep juggling the ball between your feet indefinitely.

4. Learn to start with the ball at your feet.

* Place the ball at your feet. Take your predominant kicking foot, and place it on top of the ball.
* Roll your foot down the ball just strong enough to create a backspin on the ball.
* Place your toe underneath the ball, and allow the ball to roll up your foot. Then immediately kick the ball straight up, as if you were going to catch it with your hands.
* As the ball comes down, position yourself so you can hit it again with your foot.

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How to Do a Throw in Soccer

Throw-ins are somewhat crucial moments in a soccer game: they present an opportunity to maintain possession of the ball, capitalize on a turnover or - unfortunately - lose possession of the ball yourself. As such, the throw-in is one of the most fundamental skills in soccer. It is also one of the most nerve-wracking tasks in the game. For one thing, everything stops, and all attention is on the person throwing the ball in. Add to this the fact that many players ignore the development of throw-in skills, and you've got a recipe for disaster. Don't fret, though. Follow these steps, and with a little practice, you'll be able to take advantage of throw-ins like the pros.


1. Pick up the ball. Unless you're the goalie, you don't get to use your hands much in soccer, so enjoy it while you can. Grip the ball with both hands and bring it behind your head. Your hands should be "behind" your head so the ball that your palms will push the ball forward when you throw it in. Make sure you've got a firm, but comfortable, hold on it.

2. Position your feet facing the field. Stand a few feet behind the sideline so that you can run up to the line without crossing it. Some players like to keep their feet together, while others like one foot in front of the other. Do whatever feels most comfortable to you.

3. Scan the field. Deciding where to deliver the ball is the most important step. You may have set plays for this or you may just need to find an open player. Once you've made your decision, you'll need to execute quickly so that your opponent can't detect where you're going to throw.

4. Run up to the sideline to throw the ball. Get a short running start--just 2-4 steps--to help you gain the needed momentum to power the ball to its target.

5. Arch your back slightly. Do this right before you're ready to actually throw the ball. Many players try to throw exclusively with their arms, but most of the power should come from your back and shoulders, as well as the momentum from your running start.

6. Square up with your target and plant your front foot. When you're ready to throw the ball, make sure your shoulders are square with your intended target. This is crucial for making an accurate throw, and also necessary because the ball must travel directly over your head. Now stop your run and plant your leading foot. Remember to keep both feet down to avoid an infraction!

7. Release the ball. Bring your arms up and forward so that your hands (and the ball) travel directly over your head. At the same time bring your arched back forward like a spring and drag the toe of your back foot on the ground. Dragging your toe adds stability and accuracy and helps prevent you from being carried over the sideline. Extend your arms fully and release the ball from just behind the head. Remember to keep your head up or facing strait after the ball is released so you dont just throw the ball at the ground.

8. Run onto the field to re-enter play. You've completed the throw-in, and hopefully you got the ball to your teammate. Now get back out there to help move the ball into scoring position. If, on the other hand, you accidentally threw the ball to your opponent, you can make up for it by running out to try to steal the ball back.

How to Appreciate a Soccer Game on TV

Getting the most out of a soccer game on TV means doing more than just sitting down and following the ball around the screen...Here's how to engage and immerse yourself in both the game and the sport from the comfort of your own living room--or the local bar!


1. Learn about the countries that are playing, including their history, culture, and political state. How popular is soccer in those nations? Which countries have particular rivalries with each other? Oftentimes, in the World Cup, former colonies are keen on winning against the country they gained independence from, or have tense environments due to strong political differences and conflicts.

2. Analyze the touch of the players. Can they control the ball in the air in one touch and then immediately be ready to shoot or pass? Do they control the ball in anticipation of what they want to do next? Can they avoid a defender, when pressured, shield the ball, and still find an open teammate? Focus in on free kicks and corner kicks, known as set pieces, which often result in goals.

3. Identify the key players. While watching their moves, try and pick out individuals and understand the roles they each play for the time. In particular, look out for:

* The Star - Usually there’s one player who every play the ball runs through. Like Zidane of France, Messi of Argentina or Ballack of Germany, Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal, or Ronaldinho of Brazil - they run the show for their teams.
* The Rookie - Identify the upcoming and future stars. There’s usually one new young player that breaks through in the World Cup and dazzles the World, such as Fernando Torres (Spain), Esteban (Switzerland), Wayne Rooney (England), or Rafael and Fabio Da Silvia (Brazil).

4. Scrutinize the tactics of the teams. Is the team that is winning stalling the game to get the ball for a throw-in? Are they trying to keep possession of the ball rather than go forward? Do they keep possession of the ball and slowly work up the field or do they send a long ball up to the forwards (The best teams do a bit of both)? Watch how teams defend. Do they play an off-side trap and move the defensive line up the field or play deeper, compact and near their goal? Do they double team one player when he receives the ball? Are they stretched or organized?

5. Observe the speed of play. Good teams vary and control the pace of the game, a few short passes and then a long pass that splits the defense and puts a teammate through with a chance on goal. Great teams play the ball at speed – sharp passes, driven balls, and whipped in crosses. Pay attention to how momentum changes games. They often say the first five minutes and last five minutes of each half are key moments of the game; don’t concede an early goal and look for a late goal when the other team is tired. Teams pounce on other teams just after they score.

6. Feel out the emotional level of the teams. Are the teams playing with energy and being aggressive or sitting back - intimidated? Watch how each 50/50 ball is challenged for. Sometimes, a great fight and challenge for a ball is a thing to appreciate, as they jump up into the air to head the ball to a teammate amongst two defenders, an elbow to the face in the process. Listen to when the fans cheer, sing and whistle. Listen to their national anthems. See how the crowd sings, jumps, claps and stands nearly the whole game.

7. Delight in the goal celebrations. A goal is hard to come by and a player can be overcome with emotion and deservedly so; a run to the bench to celebrate, a dance, sliding on their chest towards where their fans are located, ripping off the jersey and revealing an under shirt with a message and so on. Don't hold back; if you're excited, show it!

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