Soccer, long the world’s most played sport, is now undergoing a phenomenal popularity spurt among youth in North America. This book, the complete amateur soccer handbook for all ages, is indispensable for players, coaches, managers, league officials, referees and parents.
Rules of the game, conditioning methods, basic and advanced skills, positional play, team formations, defensive techniques—and much more—are covered. The Laws of the Game, a publication of the Fédération Internationale de Football Associations publication is reprinted in full.
The modern “short-ball” soccer concept is explained. Ball control skills are stressed for both developing and advanced players, along with self-discipline and a strong defense. With this handbook, championship teams and successful players can be built on these principles.
In addition to technical skills, the important principles of leadership, self-control, sportsmanship, team play, fairness, and self-confidence are also promoted.

Albert M. Luongo has coached, managed or refereed in various youth soccer leagues for over 15 years. Also the author of Soccer Drills (2000), he lives in Cranston, Rhode Island.

Albert M. Luongo
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 212
Bibliographic Info: photos, diagrams, index
Copyright Date: 1996
pISBN: 978-0-7864-0159-8
eISBN: 978-1-4766-0258-5
Imprint: McFarland

List of Drawings, Photographs and Form xi
Introduction 1
1. Getting Started 5
What Is Soccer About? 6
Leadership 9
Coach Development 11
Poor Quality Play 12
Important Areas of Control 13
Substitute Players 16
Can Parents Increase Their Child’s Playing Time? 17
Aggression and Roughness 20
Conditioning and Injuries 21
Equipment 22
Clothing 23
2. Skill Level 25
Advice for the Beginning Coach 26
Suggested Guidelines for Practices 27
Better Play and Team Work 30
League Control 32
Parents’ Participation 34
Expected or Average Skill Levels by Age 35
Under 10 36
Under 12 37
Under 14 39
Under 16 40
Under 19 41
Habits of Players with Style Not Skill 42
3. Basic Skills for Field Players 45
Dribbling 45
Basic Trapping 48
Heading 49
Shielding 50
Receiving the Ball 51
Dribbling 51
Turning 54
On the Touch Line 56
A Final Note on Shielding 56
Defending 58
Body Traps 61
Instep Kicks 62
Push Passes 64
The Chest Traps 65
Throw-Ins 66
4. Elements of the Game 71
Players 71
Goalkeeper 72
Center Defense Person 72
Sweeper Back 72
Defensive Wingers 73
Center Half backs 73
Wing Half backs 74
Right and Left Forward Wingers 75
Center Forwards 76
Soccer Formations 76
W-M Formation 78
4-3-3 Formation 79
3-3-4 Formation 80
4-4-2 Formation 81
3-2-5 Formation 81
General Attacking and Defending 82
Defensive Strategy 86
The Goalkeeper’s Role 87
Attack Soccer vs. Defensive Soccer 89
Ball Control 90
Plays 91
Kickoff 91
Wall Pass 92
Defensive Play on Throw-Ins 93
Cross for Shots on Goal 93
Corner Kicks 94
Goal Kicks 95
Shot on Goal Follow-up 96
Fakes 96
Trapping in Front of the Goal 97
Breakaways 98
Setting Up Walls 99
Drawing Off Players 100
Scoring 100
Penalty Kicks 101
Offensive Play 101
Defensive Play 102
Referees 103
The Three- and Two-Person Systems 105
Preparation for Games 107
The Offside Law 108
Coaches’ Evaluation of Referees 108
5. Goalkeeping 111
Goalie’s Stance 114
Catching in the Air 114
Positioning 115
Punching 118
Tipping 119
Catching Low and Direct Balls 120
Lunging 121
Punting 122
Goal Kicking 123
Propelling the Ball by Hand 125
The Underhanded Throw 125
The Overhand Throw 125
The Overhanded Two-Handed Throw 125
Defending Against Two Players on a Breakaway 126
6. Drills 127
Homework 127
Trapping and Kicking 127
Volleying 128
Dribbling 128
Dribble and Run 129
Sensitivity of Touch 129
Jump and Ball Bounce 129
Rolling Ball 130
Practicing with the Ball Rebound Board 131
At Practice 132
Keeping the Players’ Attention 132
Trapping Drills 133
Basic Trapping 133
Trapping and Shielding 134
Chest Trapping 135
Body Trapping 135
Dribbling 136
Shoulder Charging 136
Dribbling Feint 137
Once-On 139
Rolling Ball 139
Rolling Ball with Teammate, Variation1 140
Rolling Ball with Teammate, Variation 2 140
Heading 141
Trap and Shooting 142
Variation 1 142
Variation 2 142
Variation 3 142
Other Scoring Drills 142
Variation 1 142
Variation 2 143
Variation 3 143
Crossing Drills 143
The Blind Cross 143
The Nonblind Cross 144
Wall Passing 145
Shielding 146
Defensive Drill 148
Two Against the Goalkeeper Drill 149
Throw-in Drills 149
Variation1 149
Variation 2 150
Substitution of Advanced Techniques into Drills 150
Waste-of-Time Drills 150
7. Advanced Techniques for Field Players 153
Kicks 154
Outside-of-the-Foot Kick 154
More About the Angled Instep Kick 155
Duck-Bill Instep Kick 156
Under-the-Body Instep Kick 156
Front-Volley and Half-Volley Kicks 158
Side-Volley Kick 159
Scissors Kick 160
Blind-Cross Kick 160
Back-Heel Kick 163
Instep-Stride Shot 163
Toe Poke 164
Chip Kick 165
Traps 165
More About the Inside-of-the-Foot Trap 165
Under-the-Foot Trap 167
Head Traps 167
Side-of-the-Thigh Trap 168
Top-of-the-Thigh Trap 169
Calf Trap 169
Outside-of-the-Foot Trap 170
Dropping-Ball Trap 170
Pseudo Trap 171
Tackles 172
Standing-Block Tackle 172
Sliding Tackle 173
Sliding-Block Tackle 174
Shoulder-Charge Tackle 176
Two-Person Tackle 176
Appendix: Laws of the Game 179
I. The Field of Play 179
II. The Ball 181
III. Number of Players 181
IV. Players’ Equipment 182
V. Referees 183
VI. Linesmen 184
VII. Duration of the Game 184
VIII. The Start of Play 185
IX. Ball In and Out of Play 186
X. Method of Scoring 186
XI. Off-Side 186
XII. Fouls and Misconduct 187
XIII. Free-Kick 189
XIV. Penalty Kick 190
XV. Throw-In 191
XVI. Goal-Kick 192
XVII. Corner Kick 192
Index 195

• “An informative source for enthusiasts of all ages. Recommended”—Library Journal
• “An introduction to soccer as a noncontact sport for boys and girls”—The Book Report