How to Choose the Soccer Position That's Right for YOU! by how2playsoccer.com
I can remember when I first started playing soccer when I was very young, everyone wanted to be a striker because they wanted to score all the goals and getall the glory. And it's probably still true today that young kids first starting to play the game will mostly want to have the ball for themselves and take all the shots. That's only natural and it's why you see people just chasing the ball around the pitch without creating any space for themselves. But just because everyone wants to be a striker, it doesn't mean everyone should be one.
No! Everyone has different strengths in life and this is no different in soccer. So if you're wondering what position is right for you then don't just go with the popular vote and be a striker, think about which position will fit your talents. If this is indeed striker then by all means play up front- it is after all a great position, but if the position that suits you is not a striker, then don't be afraid to choose it.
Of course you might now be thinking, 'how do I know which position my abilities are suitable for?' and 'can't I just play where I want and like to play?'. And to this I say that yes, you should always only play where you enjoy playing- if you don't enjoy sport what's the point in playing right? But you do also need the appropriate abilities to go with any given position and to find out if you have these, you need to know what attributes are needed for each and every one of the soccer positions.
So by now you'll have realised that choosing your soccer position comes down to three fundamental things: which position you think you'll like to play in, which skills are needed for that position and whether you have or could develop those skills to play in that position.
If you want to be a goalkeeper for example, you will need to be brave, agile and have good reflexes. You'll also need to develop presence and confidence as you go along and practice the specific techniques like shot stopping, handling and taking crosses. You'll need to be able to use instinct, have a good sense of position,read the game, communicate well and have good judgement. One thing about being a goalkeeper though is that you get long periods where you don't have to do anything. And keep it in mind that the majority of the action is simply coming out and collecting the ball! Sometimes, however, you will get the chance to make a fine save and this is when the real thrills of the position come out. If throwing yourself in front of a hard hit shot sounds like fun to you then this could be the position you were made for!
With a defender, the ability to tackle and head are very important. A good sense of position is also important and communication is essential. You've also got to be quick and strong as well as to be able to do the simple things like make good short passes. Defender can be a very hard position to play in and is only for a certain type of person who can pull it off. You don't get to score many goals or even set them up so its probably the position with the least amount of glory involved, but if it's right for you then it's right for you: simple as that!
Midfielders need to have good passing and crossing abilities at their disposal, and equally significant is the talent and vision to be able to seek out the people to pass it to. Tackling and positioning can be very important for a defensive midfielder, whilst for an attacking midifelder it is a useful quality to be able to hit accurate long shots at goal... plus speed is crucial for getting up to support the forwards.
Strikers need to good movement, dribbling ability, shooting ability and heading ability as well as the natural instinct to get themselves in the box at the right time. The most succesful strikers can make good runs and get onto the end of balls they're not expected to make, whilst also being able to weave some magic like a skillfull or powerful goal.
I hope by giving you a brief insight into the requirements of each position you can see what qualities you'll need to play there. The aim is that this leads you on to see whether you have or want to develop these qualities in order to play in the position that automatically appeals to you. And if no single position attracts you, just keep watching lots of soccer to try and make a decision. Or even better, try them all out by playing yourself and see what suits you best. Once you've found a position you love you might find yoursef at home there and want to play there forever!
So this article should have given you at least a little assistance if you were unsure which position to play in and if not, then my advice is just to keep watching and playing soccer until it becomes obvious to you.
And if you need any help or furthe reading then I might refer you to http://www.how2playsoccer.com/soccerpositions.html
No! Everyone has different strengths in life and this is no different in soccer. So if you're wondering what position is right for you then don't just go with the popular vote and be a striker, think about which position will fit your talents. If this is indeed striker then by all means play up front- it is after all a great position, but if the position that suits you is not a striker, then don't be afraid to choose it.
Of course you might now be thinking, 'how do I know which position my abilities are suitable for?' and 'can't I just play where I want and like to play?'. And to this I say that yes, you should always only play where you enjoy playing- if you don't enjoy sport what's the point in playing right? But you do also need the appropriate abilities to go with any given position and to find out if you have these, you need to know what attributes are needed for each and every one of the soccer positions.
So by now you'll have realised that choosing your soccer position comes down to three fundamental things: which position you think you'll like to play in, which skills are needed for that position and whether you have or could develop those skills to play in that position.
If you want to be a goalkeeper for example, you will need to be brave, agile and have good reflexes. You'll also need to develop presence and confidence as you go along and practice the specific techniques like shot stopping, handling and taking crosses. You'll need to be able to use instinct, have a good sense of position,read the game, communicate well and have good judgement. One thing about being a goalkeeper though is that you get long periods where you don't have to do anything. And keep it in mind that the majority of the action is simply coming out and collecting the ball! Sometimes, however, you will get the chance to make a fine save and this is when the real thrills of the position come out. If throwing yourself in front of a hard hit shot sounds like fun to you then this could be the position you were made for!
With a defender, the ability to tackle and head are very important. A good sense of position is also important and communication is essential. You've also got to be quick and strong as well as to be able to do the simple things like make good short passes. Defender can be a very hard position to play in and is only for a certain type of person who can pull it off. You don't get to score many goals or even set them up so its probably the position with the least amount of glory involved, but if it's right for you then it's right for you: simple as that!
Midfielders need to have good passing and crossing abilities at their disposal, and equally significant is the talent and vision to be able to seek out the people to pass it to. Tackling and positioning can be very important for a defensive midfielder, whilst for an attacking midifelder it is a useful quality to be able to hit accurate long shots at goal... plus speed is crucial for getting up to support the forwards.
Strikers need to good movement, dribbling ability, shooting ability and heading ability as well as the natural instinct to get themselves in the box at the right time. The most succesful strikers can make good runs and get onto the end of balls they're not expected to make, whilst also being able to weave some magic like a skillfull or powerful goal.
I hope by giving you a brief insight into the requirements of each position you can see what qualities you'll need to play there. The aim is that this leads you on to see whether you have or want to develop these qualities in order to play in the position that automatically appeals to you. And if no single position attracts you, just keep watching lots of soccer to try and make a decision. Or even better, try them all out by playing yourself and see what suits you best. Once you've found a position you love you might find yoursef at home there and want to play there forever!
So this article should have given you at least a little assistance if you were unsure which position to play in and if not, then my advice is just to keep watching and playing soccer until it becomes obvious to you.
And if you need any help or furthe reading then I might refer you to http://www.how2playsoccer.com/soccerpositions.html
About the Author
Website helping soccer beginners to get into the game by increasing their knowledge and understanding of everything in the game and then improving their skills. The information covers soccer positions, soccer formations, soccer rules and much more!
Website helping soccer beginners to get into the game by increasing their knowledge and understanding of everything in the game and then improving their skills. The information covers soccer positions, soccer formations, soccer rules and much more!
