Example Video
Around-The-Back Step by Step
Step 1 - Place sole of strong foot on top of the ball in front of you.
Step 2 - Snap the ball back towards you letting it go behind you.
Step 3 - Use your instep of your strong foot to change direction of the ball by 90 degrees.
Step 4 - Physically follow the new direction of the ball to escape the defender.
Pitfall!!
Your weaker foot which is acting as the ‘standing foot’ needs to stay on the ground like a Tree Trunk. If this leg lifts up as you change direction, the move loses effectiveness.
When snapping the ball back, players don’t bring the ball back far enough behind them and it gets stuck with standing foot.
If you understand angles, this one is for you: players don’t let the ball exit at 90 degrees. They exit at 45 degrees which isn’t correct unfortunately.
Why is this move important?
Around-the-back is a fantastic move for a younger player to learn. It’s a brand new style to change direction, which they didn’t know was possible beforehand.
It provides an excellent solution to get away from a defender in a tight space. It looks like a retreat for a moment to escape. This wouldn’t be an obvious thing for a new player to learn themselves.
Cone placement
