This article will go through various technical focuses that are important to incorporate from the start of the season so that players can start working on their opposite side.
We have noticed a large number of players who could kick really well of their preferred side; but kicked substantially worse on their opposite foot.
It’s important to incorporate some technical development for your players at the start of the season. Making sure players try and use their opposite foot during a game is crucial to their development as a player. Even at the AFL level, players are entering the system not being able to adequately kick on their non-preferred side.
Throughout the week you should be encouraging your players to kick on their opposite side throughout your activities, especially when pushed to that non-preferred side. Developing this tool will make that player so much better as a whole.
Think about player such as Sam Mitchel, who can get out of trouble from either side. They can also attack from either side of his body, making him a great player even if he may give away some six and speed than some other AFL Footballers.
During a Game
You may not necessarily want to set KPI’s for this as the occurrence may vary. However, you would want to let your players know that they should keep their own tally of opposite foot or even opposite hands handballs. Your players will know when they should be using their non-preferred side, so therefore try to get them to tell you after the game how many times they did so when they had the chance.
After the game, have a discussion about why it is important to develop this skill and therefore try to get your players to understand the “why”. You can then use this feedback to take into your training sessions throughout the week, and reiterate the importance of the opposite side.