Ginger Baker (MLS instructor – not the drummer with The Cream) told me a few years ago that British coaches generally don’t teach shooting until the U14 level. Why? According to Ginger, shooting is nothing but the final pass into the back of the net. Therefore, good passers make good goal scorers. This parallels my thinking going way back to my college days. Eric Luce, the goalie on that college team, told me ball placement rather than power gave him nightmares. Here are some bullet points on how to score from an old time goalie (Eric) and old time striker (me).
1. When you’re inside the penalty box, shoot don’t pass to a teammate. This is the scoring zone – not the passing zone. Obviously, there are exceptions to every rule.
2. Take a peek at the goalie before shooting --- shoot past her rather than at her.
3. Go far post rather than near post. A good goalie always has the near post covered + far post shots often lead to rebounds.
4. The goalie has one advantage over every other player on the field --- she can use her hands. Ground shots minimize this advantage. Ground shots also lead to a lot of rebounds.
5. Don’t blast the ball. Power shots are usually inaccurate and unnecessary. Remember, 100% of shots over the crossbar or wide of the goal posts are goal kicks rather than goals. Also, shots directly at the keeper rarely go in. I’ve never seen a goalie with a “ball hole” in her body.
6. Mentally stay composed. Don’t rush your shot but don’t pose for pictures either.
In summary, a good shot is nothing but a good pass. Pretend you’re passing to a teammate who is standing behind the keeper. You have played soccer monkey-in-the-middle many times in practice. However, when that monkey becomes a goalie, our “passing composure” melts into “scoring panic”. Try to stay cool. Don't blast the ball (like the cartoon above) but pass the ball into the back of the net - like Jesus Escoboza (#20) shown below.
Video Clip
Basic scoring message by Progressive Soccer Training - Click Here