Building Subjective Opinions on Amateur Football Player 1 Step Kicks by Analyzing Ankle Biomechanics

Abstract

Copyright © 2021 Aroganam G, et al. Kicking is the fundamental skill in Football. 2 most common shots are Laces (In step) and Inside (Side foot). Key biomechanical features are Hip flexion, Knee extension, Backswing, Force on landing foot, Ball Contact and Follow through. In this experiment, a simple kick study with University football team regarding their technique upon Ball Contact is analyzed. “1-step” kicking analysis was done via video recording, importing into an application, plotting the motion of kick, and its velocities. An Inertial Measuring Unit sensor was placed on the front outer sole of the football boot to monitor the ankle rotations upon ball contact. The aim was to understand each player’s technique regarding their position profile and gameplay approach. Based on existing opinions on players, could technology analysis, with camera and sensor support observation assessment? A Decision matrix was created to rank each kicker against tracked features linking to selected biomechanics. After reviewing video and sensor data, 2 players showed differences compared to initial observed rank, with greater understanding of 1 player’s technique.