Strong finishing can make all the difference between good scoring chances and goals. Developing solid shooting skills involves a small list of mechanical and mental items to perfect.
First, teach your players how to strike the ball correctly. The non-shooting foot should be planted even with the ball, and when they strike the ball their head should be down, as well as their toe.
Next, they should understand shots should be kept on the goal, rather than over it. Low shots are preferable to elevated one and obviously into the corners away from the goalie is always best. Of course there is nothing wrong with missing wide, (that is, unless you have the goalie juked out of his shorts a foot from the goal and still miss) but shooting over should be avoided at all costs.
It is often said that the only bad shot in the one you don’t take, because you can’t score if you don’t shoot. However, it is also important for players to strike the ball properly and take low powerful shots to the corners. Encourage them to take shots, but also not to waste opportunities. Taking a low probability shot from far away can be incorrect if a teammate is open and likely to get a better shot. By the same token, dribbling too long and losing the ball before taking a shot is worse, so if it comes down to not taking a shot or taking a shot, take a shot, but make sure it is on point with something behind it.
