2-3 Goal Difference Per Game: Quick Kicks

The quick-kick is seldom used. Yet executed at the right time, you are almost guaranteed a goal. However, use them sparingly and only in offensive third when you know you can catch the defensive team napping.

The free kick law states that the only time a free kick needs to start on a whistle is for ceremonial kicks which is when an offensive player asks the referee for the defensive team to be moved back 10 yards from the kick. The ball must also be stationary when the kick is taken. If there any movement on the ball, the referee will ask for a re-take and any advantage now and in the future will be lost. Follow this tips when accessing the possibility of taking a quick kick.

• As soon as you know the foul has been called for you, access the situation. If an advantage can be gained by playing the ball quickly, do so. Make sure a player is not hurt and the ball is not moving.
• If the player who is fouled falls on the ball with her hands, the referee be forced to call a foul. If the foul is for the attacking team, a player will already have the ball in their possession and a quick start can occur quicker. However, make sure to bring the ball back to the spot of the infraction before the kick so the referee will not have you re-take the kick because of an unfair advantage having been gained (a free kick needs to be kick very close to where the infraction occurred). However, if a player falls on the ball with her hands and the foul goes against that player, the referee may be onto her and at a minimum, present a yellow card to that player.
• Don’t telegraph the quick kick. Be very calm, quiet, and appear to be indifferent.

Defensive Strategy

It is always better to be safe than sorry. Always assume the other team may take a quick kick. Therefore,

• As soon as the foul is committed, have the nearest defending player stand in front of the ball–not over the ball but close to it. Don’t make it too obvious. A referee could issue a yellow card immediately for delay of game or if in the opinion of the referee, the player does not retreat immediately when asked. Normally a 1-2 to second delay is all it takes to discouraged a team from trying the quick kick.
• If the foul occurs in the offensive third, make sure the goalie and defenders alert everyone to the possibility of a quick kick. By alerting everyone, the opposing team is less likely to try it.
• Don’t get caught napping
• Never have your goalie set up the wall until she knows that the referee has signaled for a ceremonial re-start (this is indicated by the referee pointing to his whistle). To avoid that problem entirely, keep the goalie in the center of the goal and have the center forward set-up the wall. The goalie has enough to worry about and the center forward can do the job just as easily. Plus the players in the wall are facing the forward and won’t have to turn their head to look at the goalie.

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2-3 Goal Difference Per Game: Indirect Free Kicks

Treat all free kicks as direct free kicks (DFK), even when the referee signals an indirect kick (IDK). This is especially true when your team is inside or just outside the opposing team’s penalty area.

According to the laws of the game on IFKs, “a goal can be scored only if the ball subsequently touches another player before it enters the goal”. Coaches and players usually take this to mean a teammate must first touch the ball. But the law states that it can be any player.

For all IFKs around the opponents penalty area, have one of your stronger kickers take a low shot on goal. If the ball goes into the net, I guarantee you that more often than not, a field player or the goalie will have touched the ball first.

Tips:

• Shoot the ball on the ground so it can get deflected.
• Shoot the ball hard.
• Before the game, tell the referee what you have planned and ask if the goal will count if the ball is touched by a defensive player. During a game, some referees could be caught off-guard by this tactic.

Defending Against the Indirect Free Kick

Conversely, if an opponent employs this method for all its IFKs, the defending goalie plays an important part besides trying to save the shot. First of all, she needs to know if the free kick being taken is a direct or indirect free kick. If the free kick is an IFK, the ball is heading directly for the goal, and the ball has yet to touch another player other than the kicker, the goalie should wisely let the ball go into the goal. Since the ball did not touch a second player, a goal kick will be awarded to the defending team and more importantly, the goal will not count. However, should the goalie attempt to save it, get her hands on the ball, but have the ball still go into the net, a goal will be awarded.

BE SMART GOALIE!