Soccer Skills, 0

Told Soccer Coach I want mad skillz. (And to be better offensively.) Attacking is easy, it's what to do with the ball once I get it. Defensively, I'm agressive. Grrr.

It's the MAD SKILLZ I'm lacking.

SC took my blood pressure (113/79, bring on the salt!), heart rate (74), weight (122) and body fat (14.7 percent). Then took me outside in the 97 percent humidy to "warm-up."

With sweat dripping from my nose, eyelids, down my chin and soaking my shirt, I did some walking squats and walked on my heels and toes. (Still difficult on my right heel b/c of nerve damage in my back.)

1. First we did one touch passing. (45 degree angles.) Then planting and passing. Pass with ankle flexed, like a putter. Bend into the opposite knee, plant your foot in the direction you want the ball to go, flex and kick with the inside of the foot.

Then two touch passing. Same thing. I need to work on controlling the ball and keeping it closer to me when trying to manuever the ball.

2. Jumped rope to mimick dribbling movement. Knees up, dribble with toes, keep ball close, touch ball with every step. (Not easy, I push it three steps away each time.) Second time I did better. Still push the ball too much.

3. Practiced planting and shooting. Small steps to the ball, plant foot and (try to) kick with laces. Nearly impossible for me. I practically broke my crazy ankle several times. (And my toe once or twice.) The times I was able to contact the ball with the top of my foot, the ball never stood a chance. That happened three times in 10. Need to work on bending the opposite knee and carrying through the kick. Once I kick the ball, that's it for me.

4. Maneuvering (i.e. mad ball skillz) I didn't do, but I watched SC do it. (I'm not quite to that level yet.) You have to touch the ball each time with every part of the foot over all parts of the ball. This will require mad practice.

5. Also did juggling. Ha ha ha. Bend both knees. Kick ball up with laces. Catch in between until get better.