2 Key To Become a Better Soccer Player

Dribbling the ball is one of the most important keys to soccer. Everything you do with a soccer ball will improve as you get better at soccer.  When dribbling the ball you want to have it close enough to you to be able to put your foot on it at any second. If someone is trying to get the ball away from you from the side it is best to keep the ball on the foot farthest away from the attacker, this way it is easier to protect the ball. To get better at dribbling the ball you can:

• Practice running with the ball and both a slow and fast( when running with the ball try kicking it every step so that you can get more touches on the ball)
•  Do drill like dribbling through cones 
•  At home walk around your house dribbling it where ever you go

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Trapping the ball can help you to keep the ball under control. When you receive a pass to the foot or any other part of your body make sure to relax your muscles as it hits you. If you do this the ball will not bounce off of you and go far away. As you trap the ball it is important to make it go the direction you plan on taking it, this way you are able receive the ball and go. Being good at trapping the ball can help you control the ball. Some ways to practice trapping is by:

• Finding a wall and passing the ball against it to yourself  
• Have a friend pass the ball back and forth with you( focus on trapping the ball the most)
•   Have someone toss the ball in the air and practice trapping it with your chest , stomach, or inside thigh

The best way to improve your ball control is to dribble or practice doing tricks. Every touch you get with a soccer ball improves your skills but practicing moving the ball with the different parts of your feet can make the biggest difference. Juggling the ball with your foot, knee, and head can also improve your ball control. This will also improve your trapping skills. These are not the only keys to soccer, but they are the ones I find most helpful to be really goods at and I hope you will too!

Carlie Ann Lloyd

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       Carli Ann Lloyd is a midfielder for the US Women’s National Team. She is 5-8 and was born July 16, 1982 in Delran, New Jersey. Carli’s boyfriend is named Brian. She attended Rutgers University and want to Delran High School where she played soccer. Carli is known for her amazing ball control and long distance shots. Lloyd has been playing soccer since she was five and has not stopped. Now she is the top scoring mid on the US Women’s Team.

       October 1, 2006 she got her first goal for the WNT against the Chinese Taipei. In the 2007 Algarve Cup Carli Lloyd earned tournament top scorer and MVP. In 2008 Carli was named Female Athlete of the Year, and was the second women to earn the Native Son Award from Philadelphia Sports Winters Association. Last year she was the hero of the 2012 Olympic gold medal game against Japan, when she got two goals. In that same year she was named 2012 Glamour Women of the Year.  Carli Lloyd was named the Rutgers University Hall of Distinguished Alumni. She is the third- leading scorer for the US Women’s Team. 

     Carli Lloyd has a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science and Sport Studies. Lloyd loves relaxing on the beach or shopping. She also enjoys getting golf lessons from her boyfriend, Brian. Back in her hometown she has an ice cream named after her, the Carli’s Cake Batter Cookie Dough Kick. Her favorite shows are Game of Thrones,  Shameless, Boardwalk Empire, and Homeland.