Kicking (soccer)

Kicking can be introduced in Kindergarten and is a skill young children can experience success in relatively easily. Children will be expected to master the skill by the end of Year 4.

Checklist of skill criteria for kicking:
- Eyes focused on ball throughout kick
- Forward and sideward swing of arm opposite kicking leg
- Non-kicking foot placed beside the ball
- Hips then shoulders rotate forward
- Contacts ball with inside or top (shoelaces) of foot
- Kicking leg follows through towards target area
Teaching Strategies
For beginners (at the emergent level of kicking skill development):
- Focus on skill criteria number 1, 3 and 5
- Use small and soft balls – if indoors balloons are great to help encourage foot-eye coordination
- Try stepping and kicking without a ball
- Try placing markers next to the ball where the non-kicking foot should be placed as a visual cue
- Using a marker on the ball (chalk or sticky tape) can also help children focus on where to make contact with the ball
- At this stage, just encouraging children to have a go at as many kicks as possible is the most important thing. For very young children introduce kicking without a step
- If children do not have well developed balancing skills they may struggle to kick so you may need to help support them as they kick
- Target kicking for distance not accuracy initially so children develop force in their kick
- Ask children to point at where on their foot they should be kicking the ball
- Instruct children to use ‘penguin feet’ to kick – see teaching cues
- Set up targets and play Ready, Aim, Fire or have a game of Target Practice
For children at the developing level of kicking skill development:
- Focus on the step and kick and then introduce kicking on the run
- Encourage a backswing of kicking foot by have a witches hat behind the kicking foot that the child has to knock over
- Use small soccer balls and introduce challenging targets further away
- Have fun playing Kicking Dodge Ball and start Small Sided Games with modified rules, 2 balls, 4 goals, only kicking, no tackling etc.
For children at the acquired or accomplished level of kicking skill development:
- Start focusing on the accuracy of kicks
- Incorporate kicking into small sided games of soccer
- Practice kicking with both feet
- Kick on the run
- Kick in partners and have shots at goal - with the activities Introducing Goalie and Shrinking Goals


Teaching Cues
- Eyes on the ball
- Kicking foot like a penguin (twist it outwards)
- Step, swing and kick
Common Errors
- Kicking with the toe – poking the ball
- Non-kicking leg behind the ball or too close to the ball
- Opposite arm not used for balance