Enhance Your Soccer Vision with Our Head Scanning Drill Video Aid
Level-Up Your Soccer GAME IQ and VISION.
SoccerTAKE is excited to unveil our innovative video tool for FREE, specially designed to get you into the habbit of scanning your head before receiving the ball, a pivotal skill for soccer players aiming to elevate their game. This video aid will assist you in performing a HEAD SCANNING DRILL like a pro.
Use our head scanning drill video aid together with a display such as an iPad, tablet or even a phone screen as a dynamic training resource to help you intigrate the habit of shoulder checking every time you're poised to receive the ball. Whether you prefer to announce the number or color displayed in the video before it changes, the objective is clear: to enhance your reactive capabilities and awareness on the field.
Head Scanning Video Aid
How to use the Head Scanning Video Aid
Here's a drill designed for one player with the assistance of one partner, incorporating the head scanning video aid.
HEAD SCANNING & PASSING DRILL
OBJECTIVE
Improve players' ability to scan their surroundings before receiving the ball, enhancing their awareness and decision-making on the field.
EQUIPMENT NEEDED
Cones (optional, for marking boundaries)
Soccer ball
Head scanning video aid (displayed on a screen or device)
SETUP
Set up a playing area, such as a rectangular field, with appropriate dimensions based on available space. You can use cones to mark the boundaries if necessary.
Place the head scanning video aid display behind or to the side of the participating player.
The partner/coach should position near the edge of the playing area, ready to pass the ball to the player.
INSTRUCTIONS
The player starts at one end of the playing area, with his back to the screen display.
Explain the objective of the drill: the player must scan over his shoulder the screen to identify and call out either the number or color shown before receiving the ball from their partner/coach.
Start the head scanning video aid and ensure that the player is positioned in a ready stance, with his back the screen.
As the video cycles through different screens showing numbers with various color backgrounds, the player must actively scan and vocalize their observation (e.g., "Number 5!" or "Blue!").
Simultaneously, the partner/coach stands nearby with the soccer ball, ready to pass it to the player upon successful identification.
Once the player correctly identifies the number or color, they communicate their response, and the partner immediately passes the ball to them.
After receiving the ball, the player performs a predetermined action, such as a passs or dribbling towards a designated target or executing a skill move, before returning to the starting position and passing the ball back to his partner/coach.
Encourage the player to maintain focus, react swiftly, and communicate effectively throughout the drill.
Repeat the drill for a set duration or number of repetitions, allowing the player to practice scanning and receiving under pressure.
VARIATIONS
Setup Variation: if a partner is not available, the player can use a wall or a rebounder to return the ball after the pass.
Skill Integration: Incorporate specific soccer skills or techniques into the drill, such as passing or shooting, following successful scanning and receiving.
Speed Variation: Adjust the speed of the head scanning video aid to increase or decrease the tempo and difficulty level.
Competition Mode: Introduce a competitive element by timing the player's responses or keeping score based on the number of correct identifications / excutions.
KEY COACHING POINTS
Emphasize the importance of maintaining awareness and scanning the surroundings efficiently.
Encourage the player to communicate clearly with their partner and react decisively to the information presented on the screen.
Provide feedback on the player's scanning accuracy, timing, and technique.
Reinforce the connection between scanning and on-field performance, highlighting its relevance to game situations.
By incorporating the head scanning video aid and utilizing a partner/player assistant, this drill provides an effective way for the player to develop their cognitive and technical skills in a dynamic and engaging manner.
Getting into the habit of scanning your shoulder before receiving the ball is a game-changer for any player, and argubely the most important behaviour a soccer player can develop to elevate their soccer game IQ. The impact of this skill can have on your game is HUGE!!! It will dramatically improve your gameplay, providing a competitive edge that many players miss. Most players neglect to check their shoulder before receiving the ball, primarily because it's an acquired skill rather than an innate instict. Our video tool is here to change that, making shoulder scanning a natural part of your game.
We encourage you to infuse your training with creativity. Personalize your drill by incorporating specific actions when encountering odd or even numbers. For example, use an odd number as a cue to pass the ball back with your left foot. This not only diversifies your training but also challenges you to adapt and think on your feet.
We're keen to hear how you've adapted this head scanning video aid and drill to fit your training regimen. Share your unique drill modifications in the comments section below. Your inventive training methods could inspire others and contribute to a community of players constantly striving for improvement.
Other Vision & Awareness Training Tools
Be Your Best
If you're serious about improving your Scanning and Awareness skills, you might want to check out a tool called Be Your Best. It's a VAR and App-based product that even professionals like Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard are using. It replicate the experience of a real game and analyzes and scores your actions and decisions while helping you work on improving your scanning ability.
This is what Martin had to say about Be Your Best:
Really fun, but hard work. No physical load. Thank you Be Your Best for helping me train my vision and decision making during my injury period
Scenarios
Improve your cognitive skills through 11-aside scenarios recreated from real life pro games
Matchplay
Open AI training mode is the closest thing to a real game you’ll find in VR
To check out more about Be Your Best check out the link HERE.