How to Kick a Soccer Ball

Have you ever wanted to kick a soccer ball without embarrassing yourself? Do you want it to get in the air? Here's how you may improve through following these steps.

1. Practice your kick sitting down.

• Take off your shoes and socks and sit down on the floor with your knees pointed to the sky.
• Hold the ball in your hands over your feet, so that your arms are wrapped around your knees.
• Kick the ball out of your hands with the top of your feet. Your ankles should be locked. When your foot connects with the ball, the ball should connect with the "laces" part of your foot, or where the laces would be if you were wearing cleats.
• Kick it lightly. The ball should only go up a couple feet, with little or no spin.

2. Practice your kick standing up.

• Stand up and do the same thing. Drop the ball over your foot and kick up gently.
• Again, look for no spin in the ball when you kick it up.

3. Set the ball in the middle of the field and back up a few steps.

4. Take a few steps forward and plant your foot next to the ball.

5. Point your planted foot in the direction you want the ball to go. This is really helpful when you are trying to shoot the ball towards the goal.

6. Bring your leg back and swing it forward with your toe pointed toward the ground. Hit the ball in the middle of it. You should strike the ball with the top of your foot, where the laces are on your shoes.

7. Follow through like a ballerina landing from a leap. If you lean your body in so that your body weight is pushed forward, then it will allow your follow through to be stronger, and thus your shot will become more powerful.

8. Don't lean back when you are done with the kick. This will help keep your balance, and ensure that the ball goes higher in the air than intended (if intended at all).