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Goosing the ball is a highly effective and often times under utilized way for players to make getting a ground ball in a tight spot a lot easier. Possessions and GB's are huge factors in determining who will win a game.

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Goosing The Ball

No Comments - Published May 30, 2014 by Joe Moore in Featured, Training

As a midfielder at Syracuse, I have often found myself in tight quarters near the sideline when picking up a ground ball.

In order to keep the ball in-bounds and to give my team a better chance of gaining possession, I added the “Goose” to my skill set.

This is a very simple but effective skill to add to your repertoire.

Check your speed when approaching the ball.

You don’t want to run through the ball like you normally would when picking up the ball. You want to be able to approach the ball in complete control.

Be aware of your surroundings.

You should have a couple of open areas in mind that you can Goose the ball to. Ideally, it is an area that either you or your teammate(s) can run through the ball and gain possession.

Listen for teammates.

They should be communicating with you and supporting you by letting you know a good spot to goose the ball.

Box out.

Once you have approached the ball under control, you can then box any opponents in the are out with your butt in order to protect the ball.

Goose it! Do whatever it takes to redirect the ball to an open area or teammate.