San Marcos High School Womens Soccer

How to be a forward for a High School

Womens Freshman Soccer Team
By Keely Takata

12/11/14

Soccer is a game of
many positions.
Are you competitive, quick on
your feet, and a great sprinter?
Then the forward position is for
you.
The Mindset of a Forward: A soccer forwards
territory lies on the offensive half of the field. For
that reason, the forwards should be very skillful on
the ball and be able to maneuver into scoring
position. The forwards also must be able work
well their teammates and look for an open person
when they have the ball. Every
time the ball is in the offensive
zone, the goal of the forwards is
to get a shot on goal.

More inside!

History
Womens Soccer started in the
United Kingdom in the late
1960s and early 1970s.
FIFA Womens World Cup was
inaugurated in 1991 and has
been held every 4 years.
Womens soccer has been an
Olympic event since 1996.

Essential skills that are

needed to be a good
forward.
As a forward, youll often find yourself outnumbered
and surrounded by numbers of defensive players. There
are numerous skills that you will need in order to be a
good forward.
Overall Skills Needed:
To be a good soccer player overall you must
have a good understanding of the game.
A forward must be able to think quickly and
make good decisions.
Must also be very vocal on the soccer field and
have the ability to communicate with other
players.
-Have a good amount of patience. In certain
games you might not always see a good
amount of scoring opportunities.
Playing Skills Needed:
A forward must have exceptional ball control
and be able to control any pass.
A forward needs to be able to play with both
feet and score using different parts of their
bodies such as: their head and feet.
A forward should possess ball control and be
able to trap with their feet, knees and chest.
A forward must have the ability to take
powerful shots and have the ability to outrun
their opponents on the ball.

Roles of the Forwards

Each forward position has a specific
responsibility.
Wingers: Speed and dribbling are
the most important skills. The
winger works with the midfielders
by getting open and receiving a pass
forward.
Center Forward: There will
normally be 1-2 strong players who
can fend off defensive players. Its
important to be a good passer who
can stretch out the defensive players
around the field.
Striker: Usually compliments the
center forward. Can kick
confidently with both feet, and can
also use their head, chest to trap the
ball and also shoot the ball.

Communication Skills
Communication is vital among all players. Make sure to
listen to your fellow teammates. Let your teammates know
when they have pressure, when they have time, and help
give them direction.
Ask for the ball. This might be a no brainer, but the more
you ask the more you shall receive.
The wingers and center forwards must have excellent
communication and work well with one another. This
means talking to each other on the field and knowing
where to look for one another near the goal.

co

nt

Female Peak Performers in Soccer

Alex Morgan and Abby Wambach are both
forwards for the National U.S Womens Soccer
Team.
Beginning in 2009, Alex Morgan was the youngest
member of the U.S. Womens National Soccer
Team and played during the 2011 FIFA Womens
World Cup. She was the first overall pick for the

Development Test

professional draft and landed a spot on the Womens

Here are some skills and situations that you

as a player should be able to perform in
order to be a good forward soccer player.

medal win the U.S. Womens Soccer Team in 2012

1.

2.

Olympic Soccer Team roster. Leading to a gold

Summer Olympics.
Abby Wambach became the all-time leading scorer at

Are you able to control the ball

the University of Florida. Shes played for clubs as

when it comes to you? (Its

part of the Womens Soccer Pro Leagues in

important that you are able to

Washington, Florida, and New York. Shes led the

control the ball not kick it away).

Womens National Team to two gold medal wins in

the Olympics (2008,2012). In 2012 she won the FIFA

Are you able to utilize both of your

Player of the Year. In 2013, Wambach also scored

feet to control the ball and to kick?

her 159th career International Goal. Surpassing Mia

Hamms record.

3.

Do you recognize when you need to

dribble away from pressure? (You

Morgan and Wambach are both great examples of

need to possess the ability to

peak performers as forwards in womens soccer.

perceive pressure and move into an

open space.)

4.

Do you understand when to play the

ball forward, sideways, or
backward?

5.

Do you understand when it is the

right time to pass, dribble, or shoot?

Have a friend, parent, or coach evaluate your

soccer abilities based on these 5 situations to
determine whether you will be a good fit to
play as a forward.
3

Real World Application:

Playing on a sports team leads to many benefits for the future. Through playing on a team you learn teamwork and
communication. These will be very important skills to have for a career one day. You will most likely be working
with a team of coworkers and will need to communicate properly with one another. Playing a sport will also create
a good amount of discipline and a good attitude. You will not always feel like working out and practicing, however
in order to get better you must. Youll also develop a
good attitude by losing games.
Lastly, being a student athlete will teach you to have
great time management skills.