Okay, so folks kept asking how I got my shot to be, well, less terrible. It wasn’t magic, lemme tell ya. It was just a whole lot of booting the ball around, getting frustrated, and then booting it some more.
Starting Point: Awful
Honestly, my shooting was garbage for the longest time. Like, I could run, I could pass okay-ish on a good day, but put me in front of the goal? Ball went everywhere but in. Sideways, over the bar, dribbling pathetically towards the keeper. It was embarrassing, especially in pickup games with mates.
Getting Fed Up
The turning point wasn’t some grand moment. I just got really tired of missing sitters. You know, those chances where everyone expects you to score? Yeah, those. Messed up one too many times and decided, right, gotta fix this.
Step One: Just Kicking
Didn’t have a fancy plan. First thing I did? Found a wall. Seriously. Went down to the local park, found a solid brick wall nobody was using much, and just started kicking the ball against it. Over and over. Didn’t even think about technique much at first. Just wanted to get the feel of striking the ball cleanly, again and again. Focused on hitting the same spot on the wall.
- Kicked with the inside of my foot.
- Tried using my laces.
- Focused on keeping my ankle locked – heard that somewhere.
- Tried to keep my knee over the ball.
Did this for maybe 30 minutes, few times a week after work. My foot got sore. Sometimes I’d shank it way off. But slowly, very slowly, I started hitting the wall where I wanted more often.
Adding Some Focus
Wall practice got boring. Needed a target. So, I started aiming for specific bricks. Or I’d bring a couple of cones, set ’em up like a small goal against the wall, and try to shoot between them. That helped with accuracy.
Then, I started thinking about power. Realized I was trying to smash it too hard all the time. So I deliberately practiced shooting with less power, but focusing purely on hitting the target area I picked. Once accuracy got a bit better, I gradually tried adding more power back in, trying not to lose the accuracy. It’s a balance, isn’t it?
Moving to a Real Goal (Eventually)
Found an old goalpost at another field, one usually empty on weekday mornings. Started practicing there. This felt different. No rebound from the wall. Just the net (or missing it entirely).
What I Did There:
- Stationary Shots: Placed the ball just outside the box. Took shots. Aimed for corners. Low shots, high shots. Tried hitting the side netting. Lots of misses at first. Lots of chasing the ball.
- Shooting on the Move: This was harder. I’d dribble slowly towards the goal and try to get a shot off. Then tried dribbling faster. Then tried receiving a pass (well, rolling the ball to myself) and shooting first-time. This was tough, timing is everything. Messed this up loads.
- Using Both Feet: My left foot was purely for standing on. Forced myself to take shots with it. Started close to the goal, just tapping it in. Felt stupid awkward. Still not great with my left, but it’s not totally useless anymore.
Keeping It Going
It wasn’t a quick fix. Took months. Still practice when I can, but mostly now I just try to be really mindful during games. When I get a chance, I try to remember the basics: head down, ankle locked, follow through. Sometimes it works, sometimes it still goes flying off target. But it’s way better than it was.
So yeah, no secrets. Just lots of repetition. Finding a wall, then a goal, and just kicking the ball. A lot. Getting annoyed, but sticking with it. That’s pretty much my story.
