The Head Soccer Coach at The Victorian Institute of Sport, ERNIE MERRICK, asserts a highly practiced background in Australian soccer and physical education.  With a career stretching back more than 25 years, Ernie has coached a handful of Premier state teams all the way through to coaching in the National League.  His experience and knowledge in the sport is well recognised Australia wide.

Enjoy a few tips from this soccer whiz …
 

Technique Development

Shielding The Ball

Coaching Points

• Protect the ball
• Wide base of support
• Legs apart
• Bend legs and resist defender
• Balanced position
• Ball is protected from tackle
   

Coaching points

• Use a variety of feints/turns to deceive/unbalance defender
• Accelerate into space
• Maintaining ball protection

What not to do!!!!!

• Player has allowed defender within tackling range, and is unable to protect the ball and therefore tackle occurs and loss of possession.
   

Coaching points

• What to do!!
  Maintain balanced, strong base of support
• Keep yourself between opponent and ball
• Protect the ball by not allowing defender within tackling range

E Merrick & A Healey

Want to coach your own team?

Send a self-addressed envelope to this address and receive the coaching manual by mail

EduSPORT
114a Moor St
Fitzroy, VIC, 3065