A method, comprising: at a processor: determining, by a tracking device, trajectory data for a kicked ball, the trajectory data including a number of measurement times each with a corresponding three-dimensional position of the ball; identifying, from the trajectory data, a plurality of kick parameters for the kicked ball including a plurality of launch parameters: generating a series of ball trajectory simulations using the identified kick parameters in combination with an aerodynamic model wherein, for each of the simulated trajectories, a value of a first one of the identified launch parameters is adjusted to a first new value different from each of a plurality of previous values used for others of the simulated trajectories; determining, for each of the simulated trajectories, a simulated position of the ball relative to a target area; calculating, for each of the simulated trajectories , a blocked portion of the target area based on an obstacle between a launch position and the target area; and determining an optimized value of the first kick parameter where the simulated trajectory calculated with the optimized value enters an unblocked portion of the target area, the unblocked portion of the target area being the area remaining when the blocked portion of the target area is subtracted from the target area. determining, by a tracking device, trajectory data for a kicked ball, the trajectory data including a number of measurement times each with a corresponding three-dimensional position of the ball; identifying, from the trajectory data, a plurality of kick parameters for the kicked ball including a plurality of launch parameters: generating a series of ball trajectory simulations using the identified kick parameters in combination with an aerodynamic model wherein, for each of the simulated trajectories, a value of a first one of the identified launch parameters is adjusted to a first new value different from each of a plurality of previous values used for others of the simulated trajectories; determining, for each of the simulated trajectories, a simulated position of the ball relative to a target area; calculating, for each of the simulated trajectories , a blocked portion of the target area based on an obstacle between a launch position and the target area; and determining an optimized value of the first kick parameter where the simulated trajectory calculated with the optimized value enters an unblocked portion of the target area, the unblocked portion of the target area being the area remaining when the blocked portion of the target area is subtracted from the target area. generating a series of ball trajectory simulations using the identified kick parameters in combination with an aerodynamic model wherein, for each of the simulated trajectories, a value of a first one of the identified launch parameters is adjusted to a first new value different from each of a plurality of previous values used for others of the simulated trajectories; determining, for each of the simulated trajectories, a simulated position of the ball relative to a target area; calculating, for each of the simulated trajectories , a blocked portion of the target area based on an obstacle between a launch position and the target area; and determining an optimized value of the first kick parameter where the simulated trajectory calculated with the optimized value enters an unblocked portion of the target area, the unblocked portion of the target area being the area remaining when the blocked portion of the target area is subtracted from the target area. <EOS>