First Touch The Most Important Skill in Soccer

In Soccer, control of the ball is of great importance skills to every level and any type of player. The ability to control an awkward bouncing ball quickly and effectively gives the player with the ball the immediate advantage. This called "First touch" and is often the critical difference between success and failure in most situations during the match.

As players get older, the game gets faster, and demands more speed. At this level, there is a greater need for first-time passes and a precise first touch on the ball. Often, players cannot always play a first-time ball; therefore, they must trap the ball, or may have to dribble if no teammates are in position to receive a first-time pass. Time and space go hand-in-hand in soccer. The less time a player takes to do something, the more time they will have to take advantage of it. Typically when controlling a ball, a player will do one of three things after controlling the ball: shield the ball by putting their body between the ball and the opponent, pass (or shoot) the ball; or they will dribble the ball. The space and time they have to do these things will depend on how good the player?s first touch is when receiving the ball.

Players MUST develop a feel for the ball. it's means touch, and a fine touch requires a player to be comfortable touching the ball with all parts of the foot. Players must practice controlling balls on the ground as well as balls out of the air. Remember, that good control is the ability to take the ball with one touch in such a way that you can play the ball with your next movement without having to chase or reach for it. The ability to control the ball with the feet is a basic element of soccer. A good touch is very instinctive to some players, but harder for others.

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Soccer Rules -Fouls - Dangerous Play

A foul in any sport is a violation of that sport?s code of conduct in some form, and each sport punishes foul play in its own unique way. Soccer defines a foul as an unfair action a player commits against an opposing player or the opposing team during the course of a match. The punishment varies depending upon the nature of the infraction, but will be either a direct or indirect free kick. To be a foul, the act must occur on the field, while the ball is in play. Otherwise, it may constitute a misconduct, and may even warrant a caution or send-off, but it will not be a foul.

For some minor infractions the punishment is an indirect kick, meaning that the ball must be touched by a second player before the attacking team can score. These fouls are often called ?technical fouls? because most are not the direct result of foul play, but are violations of one of soccer?s procedural rules, which are generally designed to keep play flowing or prevent penal fouls from happening. One such ?technical foul? is the offense of playing in a dangerous manner?commonly known as ?dangerous play.?

Playing in a dangerous manner
Among the referee?s chief concerns is the safety of the players. As a result, a referee will punish penalize dangerous play by awarding an indirect kick to the other side.

The rules do not define precisely what is meant by ?playing in a dangerous manner,? except to defer to the referee?s of the referee. Commonly accepted notions of ?dangerous play? include high kicking near other players, kicking wildly on the ground with players nearby, tackling for the ball with the cleats exposed or when it is in the keeper?s possession?even, on occasion, exposing oneself to the risk of harm, if it causes someone to refrain from playing the ball for fear of injuring his overly adventuresome opponent. It is only a foul if it places an opponent at risk, however. A high kick alone in mid-field endangers no one, while the same kick in a crowded penalty area very well may. And while many spectators become agitated when a player on the ground kicks at the ball, it is only a ?dangerous play? when doing so places the legs and feet of opposing players at risk.

At higher levels of play, where gifted players are used to taking greater chances during the course of a match, this infraction is usually called only if it causes the opponent to react by trying to avoid the contact. At most youth games, and many amateur adult games, everyone looks to the referee to impose a greater level of sanity on the players than their enthusiasm might otherwise suggest is present.

Jeffrey Caminsky, a veteran public prosecutor in Michigan, specializes in the appellate practice of criminal law and writes on a wide range of topics. Both his science fiction adventure novel The Star Dancers, the first volume in the Guardians of Peace (tm) science fiction adventure series, and The Referee?s Survival Guide, a book on soccer officiating, are published by New Alexandria Press, http://www.newalexandriapress.com.