Tanya Riedhammer Gainesville, Fla. I am looking for the definition of a bicycle kick. Can you help me?
Mike Woitalla: Tanya, IÆm going to refer to the glossary of Paul GardnerÆs
book, ôThe Simplest Game.ö The bicycle kick entry reads: ôA volley in which the player kicks the ball over his own head. This is not just a simple overhead kick, which can be accomplished keeping
one foot on the ground. In the true bicycle kick, the player has both feet off the ground. With his body æfloatingÆ horizontally he uses a rapid pedaling motion of both legs (hence the bicycle
reference) to kick the ball backward. ôThe player is, in effect, performing a somersault as he kicks. This allows him to get his feet above the level of his head so that the trajectory of the ball
can be kept down, essential for one of the bicycle kickÆs most spectacular uses as a shot on goal. The bicycle kick should not be confused with the Scissor Kick. ...ö (A scissor kick is a side
volley, the ball being kicked in the direction the player is facing. The player leans sideways and volleys the ball with a ôscissorlike motion as the kicking leg passes forward over the other leg.ö)
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