Ambidexterity

[Smokeyr67]

G'day all,

I have a question.

As someone who failed to rise to any lofty heights as a footballer, I've often wondered why we see so many full time footballers who are so one sided. Now if my job was to play football, and at the end of the day my earnings depended on my skills, I'd probably spend a hell of a lot of time practicing with my non preferred side. If I was a coach, I'd be getting the young fellas to spend a lot of time developing their wrong side, and to keep practicing it during their time on the list.

What am I missing?

Is it a case of being too old a dog when your 17?

Why do we so often hear of a player with a booming left foot, or being a great set shot, but rarely hear them praised for being able to use all their limbs?

 

[unplugged]

Personally I haven't played a whole lot of footy until recently. I'd love to be able to kick (and even handball) well on both sides but I've put too much pressure on myself to improve on my preferred - at least for a start - that I don't even give my opposite too much of a go. With so much emphasis on having an accurate kick these days, I think some kids can be excused for putting all their time into improving on their preferred.

That said, I can't imagine too many recruiters nowadays recruiting any kids who aren't ambidextrous. Most players now have some sort of opposite foot,. It's the ones like Ben Johnson who stand out when they don't. Luckily he has other strengths I guess...

 

[loki04]

A local kid I know was being looked at for drafting 2 years back missed our due to not being able to dispose on his opposite foot (well that was the reason given), his main kick was great, long and accurate.

So some clubs obviously look at it.

 

[handy point]

I am.

Can't kick with either foot.

 

[handy point]

but seriously, I'm a natural left footer who is reasonably competent with the right. In my anecdotal experience the natural lefties tend to be more dual sided. Not sure why. Maybe we're trying to assimilate quietly into society.

 

[unplugged]

I am.

Can't kick with either foot.

I'd call that ambihopeless

 

[Smokeyr67]

but seriously, I'm a natural left footer who is reasonably competent with the right. In my anecdotal experience the natural lefties tend to be more dual sided. Not sure why. Maybe we're trying to assimilate quietly into society.

Apart from BJ, I agree that the goofy footers do tend to have better off side skills. Especially with the hands.

 

[sr36]

Apart from BJ, I agree that the goofy footers do tend to have better off side skills. Especially with the hands.

I'd say that the opposite is true.

 

[Old Spice]

I could always kick longer on my left foot, but with S Buckley type accuracy.

My middle leg was never impressive.

 

[MyManLynch]

I could always kick longer on my left foot, but with S Buckley type accuracy.

My middle leg was never impressive.

I also heard that......but from some other forum.

 

[Old Spice]

I also heard that......but from some other forum.

Sir, I will see you in court.

 

[the distributer]

I was (still am pretty much, in fact i'm pretty much no sided now days) one sided, but when i got semi serious about footy (local comp, around age 17) my coach made us work hard on our other side, and after a few months i could feel the strengh-co-ordination growing in my left foot (but i did practice a fair bit out of training) but my left hand ball was pathetic, just felt ******ed, but i never practiced that out of training, IMO at the end of the day there's only so much a coach can teach you, the rest comes down to sheer hard work, after all, using your opposite side all comes down to balance in the end, and foot work is crucial-hand work is as well, one of the biggest challenges (IMO) is getting your opposite hand used to holding the ball for handballing and dropping the ball for kicking.


Good way to practice is to do exactly as your body does when kicking-handbaling with your dominant side in reverse, then a lottttttttttttttttttt of practice, learn to plant your natural side because it's your un-natural side your normally plant, best to start young.

 

[TheGreatGrundy]

I also heard that......but from some other forum.

When I see the username 'MyManLynch', I think of what could have been and what is, and why some people succeed in life, while others second guess, and lose.

On a lighter note, no one has yet responded to my 'MMD' offer tagged on the tail of the Dawes' thread on Melbourne's board.

 

[SnakePlisskin]

When I see the username 'MyManLynch', I think of what could have been and what is, and why some people succeed in life, while others second guess, and lose.

On a lighter note, no one has yet responded to my 'MMD' offer tagged on the tail of the Dawes' thread on Melbourne's board.

MyMateDidak.

 

[mwalker]

I too am a left footer. I have a decent right foot, but that is mainly due to getting ankle surgery one Christmas on my left foot when playing juniors. The old man decided it was a good time to develop the right leg.

Get them doing it early enough and it really isn't that hard to have a serviceable off side skills. As we get older we get lazier....

 

[3066]

In my anecdotal experience the natural lefties tend to be more dual sided.

Interesting because from my experience lefties aren't generally aren't........ but will add why Pendles and Didak are so valuable because they can hit up targets on their right during game play. I noticed Young in his hilight reel on CTV that he kicks a running goal on his right too.

My middle leg was never impressive.

... and that's because it hits the ground first right!?

G'day all,

I have a question.

As someone who failed to rise to any lofty heights as a footballer, I've often wondered why we see so many full time footballers who are so one sided. Now if my job was to play football, and at the end of the day my earnings depended on my skills, I'd probably spend a hell of a lot of time practicing with my non preferred side. If I was a coach, I'd be getting the young fellas to spend a lot of time developing their wrong side, and to keep practicing it during their time on the list.

What am I missing?

Is it a case of being too old a dog when your 17?

Why do we so often hear of a player with a booming left foot, or being a great set shot, but rarely hear them praised for being able to use all their limbs?

One of my favourite topics to talk about actually. I can remember talking to my brother about Billy Picken not having a left foot at all and that future footballers must be dual sided.... but that's just me. I'm dual sided - hand balls both sides fine but my left foot is a lot weaker than my right I can still hit up a target on the run well enough (but no more than 20-25 to be honest). I played tennis growing up is my excuse.

I find it interesting that certain right footers actually prefer hand balling on their left hands instead. Great players like Swan, Bucks and Voss are ones that stand out. Not sure about left footers that prefer to right handball though? Anyone know of any?

Sidebottom is brilliant both sides and a complete stand out. I've heard stories of him in draft camp and some scouts not knowing from a distance what his preferred side was. From what I know about him growing up playing backyard footy with his brothers was that they were told to only kick with their opposite foot. Correct me if I'm wrong ... but think it was their Dad that told them this as to reduce the risk of damage.

Barnes from the Bombers is a player I noted that it was drummed into him as a young player to always practice kicking 50% on each foot.


As far as Collingwood in recent times I would say MM encouraged players to hit targets with the preferred foot only and was drummed into the players. Remember when he came on board back then it was a position game. Stop, start, kick wide, hold your ground ... blah blah blah ..... players like the Shaws are extremely one sided but enough skill to last. MM coached them on the strengths and coached them to the reduce risk on the opposite. It's true to say though even today if one of the Shaws gets pinged it's because they lack a left (IMHO).

Another MM victim that stood out for me to only use the preferred foot was indeed N Buckley. From the early vision I've seen him playing at Port and the Bears he was brilliant both sides and more than comfortable. I can't recall vision of him under T Shaw but under MM, Bucks just more and more over time just kicked on his right. A brilliant root foot of course so you could argue why not? .... sign of the game styles too huh? ..... it's just that I really enjoy watching talented footballers using both their sides as it just adds just such more dynamic to playgame. Sidebottom, Didak and Pendles stand out for me in our current list.

 

[mattys123]

I can kick both feet, but I'm a terrible kick on either foot anyway.

Seriously though, our junior footy coach, who took us from the "short people" age group (under 9's) through to under 15's at my local club made every player learn to kick on both feet during their initial few years, and then made us practice it at training too.

It starts at that level, when you are 10-15 years old, because by the time a player is 16-17, it's too late really to start drumming into them a completely new skill on one side of their body.

Yet this is the problem I have with the AFL constantly changing the game that is played at AFL level, it's incomparable at junior level, right through to about under 16's, the rules are different, the game style is different and thus the coaching is different.

The AFL should be trying to simplify our game so that it is a mirror image played right through the age groups, and that would allow coaches to spend time doing things such as teaching players to kick both feet.

 

[76woodenspooners]

The AFL should be trying to simplify our game so that it is a mirror image played right through the age groups, and that would allow coaches to spend time doing things such as teaching players to kick both feet.

Unfortunately, at the rate with which the AFL meddles with rules, the game would still be unrecognisable to juniors when they get to AFL level.

 

[76woodenspooners]

Shae Mac didn't kick a footy until later in life but he was quite dual sided. But he came from a soccer / basketball background where ambidexterity is an essential requirement. So although he didn't have any experience with handling the footy, he likely had highly developed motor skills and coordination on both sides.

 

[Bonuspoints]

Long ago (feels like a previous life) I did my knee (preferred side) and during the later stages of recovery I was kicking with my non-preferred side just to have a kick. My kicking accuracy improved a hell of a lot, but I didn't have the power even though I spent about 6 months just kicking with my non-preferred side.

Must admit I don't get why players don't iron out their flaws and trouble spots over the offseason. Goal Kicking, technique, etc. Take a Look at Luke Ball. Just before he became a Pie he worked extremely hard on getting his body right - leaner & faster because that was identified as a flaw.

 

[hot_pies81]

A local kid I know was being looked at for drafting 2 years back missed our due to not being able to dispose on his opposite foot (well that was the reason given), his main kick was great, long and accurate.

So some clubs obviously look at it.

James Hird hardly ever used his non-dominant side. That's how good you have to be to get away with it. having said that he was also a mid-late 50's pick wasn't he? Could have missed out altogether. Certainly not the be all and end all, but a valued quality for sure. And I would suggest that with the increase in the pace of the game it becomes even more important that they can accurately dispose of the ball accurately on their non-preferred side. I have no grand hopes or intensions of pushing my son into playing footy, but when we go outfor a kick I always encourage him to have a crack at kicking with his left foot...just in case.

 

[loki04]

James Hird hardly ever used his non-dominant side. That's how good you have to be to get away with it. having said that he was also a mid-late 50's pick wasn't he? Could have missed out altogether. Certainly not the be all and end all, but a valued quality for sure. And I would suggest that with the increase in the pace of the game it becomes even more important that they can accurately dispose of the ball accurately on their non-preferred side. I have no grand hopes or intensions of pushing my son into playing footy, but when we go outfor a kick I always encourage him to have a crack at kicking with his left foot...just in case.

He was pick in the 70s and there was less emphasis on it when he was drafted.

 

[tazzawazza]

G'day all,

I have a question.

As someone who failed to rise to any lofty heights as a footballer, I've often wondered why we see so many full time footballers who are so one sided. Now if my job was to play football, and at the end of the day my earnings depended on my skills, I'd probably spend a hell of a lot of time practicing with my non preferred side. If I was a coach, I'd be getting the young fellas to spend a lot of time developing their wrong side, and to keep practicing it during their time on the list.

What am I missing?

Is it a case of being too old a dog when your 17?

Why do we so often hear of a player with a booming left foot, or being a great set shot, but rarely hear them praised for being able to use all their limbs?

Steele Sidebottom is strong left and right. Apparently his father made him and his four brothers play with their non preferred sides in the backyard, that's how he got that talent.

 

[Knightmare]

In the case of Ben Johnson he is so smart at being able to find room to move onto his left.

The opposite side can be developed but as with anything takes practice. It often takes an injury to your favoured side and a good 3 months of consistent, daily training on that opposite side to develop into to an acceptable level where it feels completely comfortable whether by hand or foot.

In the case of an AFL footballer you'd need to focus an entire offseason on it to get that opposite side up to a comfortable level whether it be by hand or foot but it can be done.

If you give it a full year of just training on only the opposite side you'd probably develop it to a level as high as your favoured side if not possibly a touch higher because mentally you understand from your competencies on one side how to develop your other side, but you might develop it with a few less bad tendencies which can be a real positive in developing that other side allowing it to be potentially better than your favoured side.

And I'm also of the viewpoint that it can be developed at any age. Just not everyone has the will to make the change.

 

[Pie eyed]

I am.

Can't kick with either foot.

Nambydextrous.?
I am.
Kick drop punts left foot, Torps right, HB both sides, shoot L/H, fish right, write right, tennis left.

Reality is I'm just confused.