It’s our third Fast Footwork Friday challenge: partner toe taps! These activities help you develop balance, coordination, a soft touch on the ball, quick feet, leg strength, endurance and teamwork. All of these are important for soccer players.
You can practice these activities in small spaces, even indoors! Use the bottom of your toes to either tap the ball or move it around. Stay balanced, with your upper body over the ball, and take soft touches.
Video demos
We’ve posted video demos below, with a 30-45 second video for each challenge level. There are 4 challenge levels. Things start easy with level 1, but get a little harder with each new challenge level. Check below the video gallery for descriptions of each level.
Descriptions
Start slowly as you try each challenge. When you start to “get it” and are having some success, that’s the time to see if you can go faster. If you are struggling, go slower, stay patient, and believe in yourself.
Is it fun? It depends on how you look at it. If you work at the challenges, you’ll become a better soccer player. And when you become a better soccer player, you’ll score more goals! So the footwork challenges may not be fun right now, but they will bring fun later on.
Our mascot LiCec has some advice:
“These challenges are hard, but if they were easy, anyone could do them! Be patient, believe in yourself, and with practice, you can become a ruler!”
“I won’t be able to help, but my uncle Cecil might be hiding in the trees cheering for you.”
Level 1: basic
- Two players work together as partners.
- The partners do simultaneous toe taps on a shared ball.
- Both partners need to use their right feet at the same time, and their left feet at the same time, otherwise their toes will bump into each other.
- Both partners also need to work at the same speed.
Level 2: spinning
- Two players work together as partners.
- The partners do simultaneous toe taps on a shared ball.
- Both partners need to use their right feet at the same time, and their left feet at the same time.
- Both partners also need to work at the same speed.
- As the partners find a rhythm, they start to spin to the right or to the left as they do their toe taps.
- After going around a full circle, spin the other direction.
Level 3: sideways-forward with 1 ball
Things get harder now, because partners need to move their feet and move the ball at the same time.
- Partner 1 moves the ball sideways with the bottom of one foot, toward her other foot.
- Partner 1 then pushes the ball forward with the bottom of her other foot toward her partner. This should be a push with the bottom of the toes, not a kick.
- Partner 2 controls the ball and moves it sideways with the bottom of one foot.
- Partner 2 then pushes (not kicks) the ball forward with the bottom of her other foot toward her partner.
- After 5-10 turns, switch feet and direction.
Level 4: sideways-forward with 2 balls
Things get really hard now, because partners need to move their feet and move two balls at the same time.
- Both partners start with a ball in front of their left (or right) feet.
- Both partners move their ball sideways with the bottom of one foot, toward their other foot.
- Both partners then push their ball forward with the bottom of their other foot toward their partner. These touches should be pushes with the bottom of the toes, not kicks.
- Both partners control the other ball and move it sideways with the bottom of one foot, toward their other foot.
- Both partners then push (not kick) the other ball forward with the bottom of their other foot toward their partner.
- After 5-10 turns, switch feet and direction.