Kids football gifts

[jawillwill]

When I was younger (about 20 years ago) I had a thing - I don't remember what it was called - to help practice keepy uppies/ other skills. It was essentially like a retractable dog lead which had a net on the end which you could put a ball in ( I.e so the ball would always come back). Anyone remember whatthis is called, and if they can still be bought?

 

Alternatively, any one know of any good football (preferably to help goalkeeper skills) related gifts for a 9 year old.

[Goatboy]

[Turkish]

Yep buy them a tennis ball and tell them to go and practise for hours on a piece of wasteland, empty warehouse anywhere where the ball will be constantly bouncing off things or uneven ground so will be arriving at them at unusual angles and heights. If they can control and strike a tennis ball in that environment then once they come to play on a flat pitch with a normal sized ball they'll be head and shoulder above the others. By all means learn tricks and tactics with coaches on manicured pitches wearing branded kits but for the basics there is no better way.

[The9]

Yep buy them a tennis ball and tell them to go and practise for hours on a piece of wasteland, empty warehouse anywhere where the ball will be constantly bouncing off things or uneven ground so will be arriving at them at unusual angles and heights. If they can control and strike a tennis ball in that environment then once they come to play on a flat pitch with a normal sized ball they'll be head and shoulder above the others. By all means learn tricks and tactics with coaches on manicured pitches wearing branded kits but for the basics there is no better way.

 

My junior school banned footballs and I spent the ages of 7-10 kicking a tennis ball around the yard with 20 other kids.

 

I was 18 before I attended an organised training session with a trained coach (at University) and my under 8 football was a swarm of 20 kids on a full-sized pitch all chasing the ball and seeing who could hoof it the furthest.

 

Those things have changed beyond recognition, and you have 6 year olds learning stepovers nowadays, but playing with a tennis ball certainly won't hurt teaching a kid touch and how to control a ball, which thanks to that early experience was probably the most enduring part of my game even 10 years after I stopped running .

Edited 24 November, 2015 by The9

[The Cat]

If your son is a goalkeeper the best thing you can buy him is training lessons. There's a few very good organisations around Southampton who provide it. My son has been going for over a year now and the difference in his technique is outstanding. I can give you some details if you want.

 

The top 2 products on this website are both good. The Kickster goals are well worth buying, they can be put up and taken down in a couple of minutes and taken anywhere. I'd suggest buying a mini soccer size one so he gets used to the angles for when he plays matches.

 

http://www.thekeeper.co.uk/suppliers.php

 

Other than that the tennis ball against a wall is an excellent way to practice catching.

 

A lot of coaches stress the importance of footwork for young keepers now so get a set of cones, watch some YouTube videos of pro keepers training and get him to copy their footwork.