First touch
A player's initial contact with a received ball, and the skill of using that contact to control and position it for the next action.
Definition
First touch is the way a player meets an incoming ball — with foot, thigh, chest, or head in football, or the first controlling contact in other net and invasion sports — and immediately sets up the next move. A good first touch cushions the pace out of the ball and directs it into space away from pressure, buying time; a heavy or bouncing first touch lets the ball run too far and invites a challenge.
Coaches treat it as a foundational technical skill because almost every passage of play begins with receiving. The key elements are watching the ball onto the controlling surface, relaxing that surface on contact to absorb speed, and angling the body so the ball is nudged toward the intended direction (a directional or out-of-feet touch) rather than stopped dead. It is distinct from trapping, which specifically refers to stopping and pinning the ball.
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Skills
- Ball controlThe skill of receiving and settling the ball quickly so it is ready to use.
- ThrowingThe skill of propelling the ball accurately and with control using the arm.
- DribblingThe skill of moving with the ball under close control to beat opponents or keep possession.
- HeadingThe skill of directing the ball with the head to pass, clear or attempt to score.
- FootworkThe skill of moving efficiently around the playing area to be in position for each shot or action.
Skills Academy
Positions
- GoalkeeperThe goalkeeper is the last line of defence in football and the only player allowed to handle the ball inside their own penalty area.
- WingerA winger is an attacking player who operates in the wide areas of the pitch, using pace and dribbling to beat defenders and create chances.
- StrikerA striker is the main attacking player in football, positioned furthest forward with the primary job of scoring goals.
- SetterThe setter is volleyball’s playmaker, taking the team’s second contact and delivering accurate sets for hitters to attack.
- Centre-backA centre-back is a central defender in football whose main job is to stop opposing attackers and clear the ball from dangerous areas.
Techniques
- Volleyball DigA defensive contact that keeps a hard-driven ball in play by passing it up off the forearms, usually from a low position.
- Volleyball SetAn overhead pass using the fingertips of both hands to place the ball accurately for a teammate to attack.
- HeaderA technique for controlling or striking the ball with the forehead in football, used to pass, shoot or clear the ball in the air.
- BackstrokeThe only competitive stroke swum on the back, using alternating overhead arm pulls and a steady flutter kick.
- VolleyA shot played near the net by blocking the ball out of the air before it bounces, using a short, firm punch rather than a full swing.
Rules
- Handball offenceA foul in football committed when an outfield player deliberately handles or controls the ball with the hand or arm.
- Three-hit ruleThe volleyball rule that a team may contact the ball at most three times before it must cross the net.
- Touching the netA net-play rule that penalises a player for contacting the net during a rally in net-divided sports.
- Out of boundsThe rule that a ball or player leaving the marked playing area is out of play and possession is decided at the boundary.
- Ball-handling faultsVolleyball faults for catching, carrying or double-contacting the ball rather than cleanly hitting it.