Technical Training: The First Touch
    By Grant Smith, Director of Coaching, Arlington Travel Soccer Club

The most important technical skill a young player needs to develop is their first touch.

Every other technical skill is determined by the first touch. It sets everything else up and can be the difference for a player who desires playing at the highest levels of youth soccer and beyond. The great thing about the first touch is that every body part that can legally play the ball in the game of soccer can be trained and improved.

Here are a couple of great ways to improve a player’s first touch:

• Juggling
   
  This exercise can be done with one player and a ball with only limited space needed. Young players (U8-U12) should practice juggling by using one body part (thigh or foot) at a time and try to increase the number of juggles by one each time they practice. For example, juggle the ball with the right foot once and then catch the ball.
  
  Try to increase that number until you get to 5 and switch feet. The same thing can be done with the thighs or head. Coaches should give this as homework and test each player at the beginning of every practice. You will see improvement quickly.
   
• Pele Series Touches
   
  This is done in pairs with one player serving another player from his/her hands and having that player use their foot, head or thigh to play the ball back to the server.
   
  The first attempt should use the inside of the foot and the server should serve the ball with 2 hands and underhanded. The server tosses the ball underhanded a little bit outside of their partner’s body and about shin height. The player receiving the ball plays the ball back one-time using the inside of the foot.
   
  This should be repeated between 5-10 times before switching roles. Make sure to use both feet. You can add touches using the thighs and the head.
   
  As a player gets more comfortable have the players use 2 body parts before playing the ball back. For example, receive the ball with the thigh and play it back with the foot. You can increase the number of touches and body parts as the player develops.