Anyone who knows anything about American Football knows that a good pass is an even better pass when it is caught. We have all watched a game where the quarterback steps back in the pocket, sees the receiver wide open down the middle, and then releases a beautifully thrown pass on target only to have the receiver drop the ball. In a meaningful game that incomplete pass could have major repercussions. Over the years, I have seen the same thing in foosball. I have seen where games were lost due to uncaught passes. Usually, when the ball is not caught, it goes to the opposition and when the score is four to four that's the last thing you want to see happen to you. That is why I feel that it is necessary to have a section on the subject of catching the ball.

In my opinion, catching the ball is as important as scoring or any other aspect to the game of foosball. There really isn't all that much to catching the ball; nonetheless, catching the ball is something that should not be taken for granted. The following are a few tips I hope will be helpful to you on your quest to becoming a good fooser.

Man Position for Catching Passes
As you develop your game of foosball, you should also establish a logical method of positioning your men. What I mean by man positioning has to do with the position your men are in during the course of the game. I have learned that there are certain positions that your men should be in that will benefit your game. Again, I highly recommend becoming well informed with the (Rules) before deciding whether or not to follow my advice.

What I mean about position is the angle at which your men should be in order to catch passes effectively. If your men are fixed at the proper angle then you should be able to catch most passes.

between 30-45 degrees is ideal

I have found that an effective angle to position your men should be somewhere between 30 to 45 degrees. When the ball is passed and your men are at these angles, the ball usually stops instantly after it has made contact with the man.

too low too high

If the angle of the man is too vertical or at a degree way less than 30, then there is a good chance that the ball will bounce off, especially if the ball is hit hard. Of course, if the angle of the man is way greater than 45 degrees then there is a good chance that the ball will pass on through the man.

The preceding mainly describes how to catch the ball from behind (5-man pass or goalie pass). However, there are times when you will want to catch the ball after the opponent hits it. In other words, instead of just blocking the shot you also want to catch it as well. Chances are if your men are not position right when the opposition is shooting, then the ball will bounce off your men and then go back to theirs, thus providing the opposition with another shooting opportunity.

Man Positions for Catching Shots
When attempting to catch shots done by the opposition, you basically want to position your men the same way you would as if you were catching passes. The only difference is that your men are pointing backwards instead of forwards. Everything that applies for proper positioning to catch passes should also apply to catching shots.

ideal for catching shots

Try doing this the next time you play. You may have to adjust your angles in order to catch the ball cleanly. The ideal position to have your men is one that will catch the ball under any condition. In other words, no matter how hard or soft your opponent hits the ball you want to be sure that you catch it.

You should get the feel of catching the ball. When you are practicing on your passes, you should practice on catching the ball as well. As you progress, you will establish man positioning that is most comfortable to you.

 Man Positions for Catching Goalie Passes
Goalie passes are very effective to use during a game, especially if the person playing front is scoring at will. However, a goalie pass is only effective when it is caught by the front man. In all of my years of playing I have seen very few players (doubles) use goalie passes. In order to have a high percentage of goalie passes in a game, there must be a high degree of communication and chemistry within the team. For a goalie pass to work, both the goalie and front man must know when to recognize an ideal passing opportunity. This is especially true for lane passes.

The pressure on the person playing front, mainly consist of being at the right place at the right time when a goalie pass is attempted. However, there are ways to minimize that and increase the chances of completing a pass. One way is with "zone positioning." Zone positioning is a zone where the front man can position his three-man rod so he can catch passes, while at the same time leaving the lanes clear for scoring shots attempted by the goalie. With zone positioning, the goalie has the freedom to do "pull shots", "push shot","bank shot", and sometimes "combo shots".

"zone positioning" - catching your goalie passes
As you probably know by now, or if you do not, you will find out soon enough, is that most experienced team players use a "zone" type defense when you are shooting from the back. "Zone" defenses work very well at minimizing scoring from the back; nonetheless, a highly skilled player will find ways to get through a "zone" defense. The way "zone positioning" is utilized, is for the person playing front on your team to place their 3-man rod in front of or in the same location/position that the defending goalie has his or hers men in. Of course, various factor have to be taken into account too.

For example:

• is the defending goalie covering short or long,
• is the opposition even using a zone defense,
• or is the front defender covering the passing lanes which you and your partner are attempting to use?

Here is an example of the ideal condition for goalie passing through a zone defense. Let's say that I'm a goalie playing doubles, and I have the ball. My partner playing front is a very skill and well experience player who knows that I will pass the ball forward if I see an ideal opportunity.

• Step 1: First, from the opposite side of the table I set the ball up to do a pull shot. An ideal situation for me to pass will be when the opposition is using a zone defense, which is highly likely. Even more so, if the front defender is covering long and the goalie is covering short. If this is the case, then the straight ahead lane pass should be open and if I shoot a short pull, then my partner who is setting in front of the goalie's defense should catch the pass.

• Step 2: For the pass to work, my partner must have his or her 3-man setting in a position to catch either the straight lane pass with the front 3man on the far end or the short pull shot with the middle 3-man. This may seem impossible, but it does work. The reason is that the distance between the front 3-man just happens to be the right distance apart for this to occur. Try it out, and see for yourself.

• Step 3: Next, I have to make sure I have set up my pull shot at the right distance from the wall for both passes to work. The ideal distance should be between 2 to 3 inches from the wall. (Step 4a) When I am ready to shoot or pass, I look the defense over.(remember the time limit rule!) If the straight lane pass is open and my partner's 3-manrod is in the right position, then I pass the ball forward. (Step 4b) On the other hand, if the front defender is covering the straight ahead lane pass, then I pull around and go short. If I happen to shoot into the goalie's defense, chances are my partner's front middle 3man should catch the ball.

STEP 4a

hitting the front 3man through the straight lane

STEP 4b

hitting the front middle 3 man with a pull shot

The good thing about this is that by placing the 3-man rod in front of the opponent's goalie men (see illustration 4b above) is that the shooting lanes remain clear for the goalie to score. Also, if the shot goes towards the opponent's men, then your front man has a chance of catching the ball, because now your man is in front of the defending goalie man and the ball will make contact with your first. Most of the time if your goalie shoots a good clean shot, then the shot should not be effected by "zone positioning" of the front 3-man. This type of team playing is very effective, and yet it bothers me that not very many teams play this way.

Remember that these tips are not absolute. Things will vary depending on the table, the competition, and your partner.