Two-Touch Shots

Box Shot | Wide Receiver Shot | Chest Trap Shot

With these three shots, the shooter gets one touch to control the ball and one touch to shoot. The better the first touch, the easier the shot. For each of these shots, someone must serve balls to the shooters. Always practice with the left foot as well as the right!

The Box Shot

The box shot is a simple way to create a two-touch situation. The shooters line up outside a box, facing the server. One by one, they receive a pass, push the ball into the box, and shoot right-footed. After each shooter has had three tries, the shooters and servers change their locations to practice the left-footed version. The throws may come from different directions, and the shooters may begin at any side of the box.

The Wide Receiver Shot

A sprinting player must sometimes pull a long pass from the air and shoot. The wide receiver shot provides the necessary practice. The first touch pulls the ball from the air, and the second touch is the shot. The shooters begin about thirty paces from the goal, while the server is twenty yards away on the other side. The first shooter sprints forward and the server heaves a long pass—like a quarterback throwing to a wide receiver. The shooter pulls the ball from the air with the chest, thigh, foot, or head, and then shoots. The ball may not touch the ground between the first and second touches. Shooters should take at least three shots with each foot.

The Chest Trap Shot

With the chest trap shot, the server tosses the ball through the air. The shooter receives the ball with the chest, pops it up into the air, and shoots with the right foot—all without letting the ball bounce. To save time, each shooter should tak three shots in a row. Shooters and server then change sides, to practice the left-footed version. Once players can make this shot, their shooting confidence soars. Just ask Argentina, which won a World Cup match with a chest-trap shot.