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THE KICK-OFF: Usually I saw, most in games under 8, 10 or 12, but sometime also in games under 14 and 16, that player taking kick-off run toward ball, stationed on center spot, and kick it toward rival field, like in the American Football or Rugby...
At each kick off the ball is placed in the center of the "Center Mark" (on the half-way line) and both teams must be on their own half of the field, and the receiving team must stay outside the Center Circle until the ball is "kicked". Moving the ball any constitutes a "kick - off ", even if it only goes an inch. However, the ball must move forward. T
The "kicker" may not touch the ball again until someone else (on either team) has touched it (if he does, the opponent gets the ball and an indirect kick.. However, the "kicker" may put his foot on top of the ball and barely move it forward so a teammate standing nearby can dribble it or pass it backward or forward.
For any other violation the kick is retaken (the most common violation is a player on either team crossing the halfway line or the receiving team going into the Center Circle before the kick).
At the www.soccerhelp.com you can read about Our recommended Kick off for Rec teams. Don't spend a lot of time teaching fancy kick-offs; there are so few in a game that it's not worth it. For all Rec teams we recommend just lining up and kicking it deep to the corner so your Forwards and Midfielder's can push up and try to win the ball back. If you want, you can "overload" to the side you're kicking to, but you must be careful because that will pull your players out of position. But you can safely move the players on the "weak" side (which is the side you aren't kicking to) toward the center, which will prevent your opponent from easily driving through the center to your goal, put your players in a good position to win cleared balls and put your players in a good supporting position in case your team gets the ball on a turn over. Rec teams are more likely to score on a turn over (i.e., a mistake by the opponent) than on an attack starting with a kick - off . This kick off has the advantages of being easy to teach and of moving the ball away from your goal so you avoid the possibility of turning over the ball in the midfield and giving your opponent the chance to score an easy goal on a quick "counterattack". Our experience is that it isn't worth Recreational teams spending much time practicing kick -offs (there aren't many kick -offs and there are many more important things to practice). Kicking the ball to the corner is a good strategy and you avoid the risk of turning over the ball and giving up an easy goal. In fact, many high school teams are now using this kick - off and most of the teams in the 2003 Women's World Cup used it.
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