Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-01-08
BY DOUGLAS STEWART
Coach OF the University OF Pennsy lvania So
ccr LlCycn. intercollegiate Champions.

Coach Of the University OF Pennsyly lyania Soc
Ger Llrrcn. intercollegiate Champions.
TTIIE sureness of the kick and the ac-
l. Curacy of the pass Of good player
in soccer game always has been
source of wonderment to the average
spectator. The difference between
good player and the average player is
very marked, the good player always
sending the ball just where and how he
wants it to go and at all times pre-
serving n perfect balance, while the
average player is always trying to send
the ball how and where he wants it to
go, but seldom succeeds for the simple
reason that he kicks the ball with his
toe and not with his foot. The good
average payer can kick with either
toe. but has not real control over the
ball.
lie cannot, as he desires. send the
ball along the ground or raise 1t just
over the heads of his opponents on a
long kick; or, on a short kick, just tip
it over the head or heads Of his op-
ponents, but sends the ball up in the
air with disastrous results if the wind
is against him, and generally is SO un-
balanced that he frequently falls in
making the kick or is so slow in re-
covering his balance that an opponent
by very gentle touch can put him
out of play. The reason why the aver
age player has no control and becomes
unbalanced is because he is too far be-
hind the ball in kicking. OF course,
unless he stands well behind the ball he
cannot kicl; with his toe, the result
being, particularly in hard kick, that
after he has delivered the kick he has
one foot in the air. his body is swung
backward beyond the perpendicular and
his weight Is on the heel of the foot
resting on the ground. His balance is
most prcCarious, what there is OF II
being preserved by his head which Is
bent forward to an extent which pre-
vents him seeing what is going on In
front of or to either side of him.
Kick With Instep
The proper way to kick the ball Is
with the instcp, with the toe pointing
downward. This can only be done by
bringing the opposite foot abreast OF
/ the ball. The actual position of the
standing foot in relation to the bal
varies, of course, with the individual
some players having short legs, Others
! long legs, some with short feet ant
others with long feet.
As a general proposition, however, i
]
! lation to the dead ball that the con
tinuation of line along the horizonta
axis of the ball will pass just above anc
back of the big toe joint and across TIT
standing foot the raising Of this foot or
to the toes will enable the other foo
with the toe down to swing clear OF tn
ground and permit the middle of tn
! iustep to come in contact with the bal
ut about it's center. This is the funda
mental principle Of kicking. There ar
many variations, but they are all baset
on this principle.
There H. only one way TO acquire th'
art of kicking the ball and that is b!
the player getting the principle into hi
I head and then taking Il ball and goini
ont by himself and practicing until h
can kick the ball without driving tn
toe of the kicking foot into the ground
lie will have many disappointmcnts Il
his efforts and his ankle joints vii
probably ache, as will the muscles II
| The front of the foot, but by keeping n
it lie will discover the definite relation
of his standing foot TO the ball ant
wonder at the ease with which he Cal
kick the ball and vet be perfectly bal
nncrd. for, as the foot goes through
after the ball his body will move for
ward with 1t and when the foot Gomez
TO ground he just naturally will draw
the standing foot forward and himSel
in q fully balanced position.
1t is better to practice first swinging
the foot and leg from the hip, then afte
he can kick freely from the hip tr!
klcking only from the knees. Afte
that he can practice using the toe in ele
waiting the ball, tn" Iule being that tn
further the toe gets under the ball tn
higher the ball can be raised. Aftc
finding that he can lick the dead bal
any way he wants to he should prac
ticr kicking the live ball.
1t is necessary, Of course TO kee
the eye on the ball until the foot come
in contact with it. After u while h
will find that he can kick the ball NOR
, or less automatically and while kcepin
his eyes on the ball will also be abl
} to keep his mind on the play and lear
to know what TO do with the ball whe
he gets II.
The would be player in practicin
t and learning to kick should not contir
his efforts TO kicking only with one foo
Having acquired the art of kicking Il
ball with the front Of the foot, 1t
: necessary that the budding player shoul
side of either foot. The ability TO ki'
e with the outside or inside Of either t0
= is very useful in short and low passiI
to the side.
The fullbacks have most use for q
e 'nstep and least for the sides. The hal
: backs have much use for the front al
J sides Of the feet, while the forwar
use the sides Of the feet mostly, on