Learn The Basics Of The Game Of Soccer

The game of soccer is played in two halves, the lengths varying between age groups, but professionals, college and high school play two 45 minute halves. The most obvious rules to soccer are that the game is played between two teams, consisting of nine players and a goalie. The players on each team are divided into offense and defense, and are only allowed to play the soccer ball with their feet. The main objective in soccer is to kick the ball into the opposing teams? goal, scoring a point, or a goal. Only the goalie is allowed to use either his or her hands as well as feet.

Soccer players will often practice ?juggling?, which is a skill that consists of keeping the ball in the air through the use of the feet, knees, thighs, head, or chest, all legal places on the body to control the ball. The use of the hands or the arm will result in the opposing team taking possession of the ball.

When a player on one of the teams kicks or knocks the ball out of bounds on the two long sides of the soccer field, the opposing team them takes possession of ball by doing a ?throw-in?, in which both of the feet must remain on the ground while the player throws the soccer ball back into play. If the soccer ball is kicked out of bounds over the line of their own goal, it then results in a ?corner kick? where the opposite team takes the ball to the corresponding corner and kicks the ball back into play to one of their teammates. However, if the team kicks the ball out of bounds over the goal line of the opposing teams? goal, the play will then turn to a ?goal kick? taken by one of the defensive players of that team.

?Fouls? are called under a number of circumstances. A few of them are when a player touches the ball with his hand or arm, if a player slide tackles another player, excessive pushing, tripping or force, unsportsmanlike conduct, or off-sides (when the offense of one team is closer to the goal they are trying to score on than that teams? defense; unless the ball was there first). In these circumstances, the referee will generally call the ball dead in the spot where the foul occurred, and give the opposite team a ?free kick?.

In the case that the regulation time of the soccer runs out while the score is still tied, it will often result in a ?shootout? where the goalie of one team is up against a single player from the opposing team. The first one to score a goal wins the game.

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Soccer Balls For Every Use

As long as there have been children, someone in every corner of the world has been kicking a ball, or some semblance of one, around the ground, at or through a target. Soccer balls have been improvised from every conceivable source, including animal skulls and bladders, coconuts, and even human skulls.

Over the decades every type of animal skin, including the obvious leather, was used as a means to keep the ball more closely rounded. In 1836, Charles Goodyear developed and patented vulcanized rubber, and by 1855, he had translated his discoveries into the designing of rubber soccer balls.

Fast forwarding through the years, we now have exceptional balls, sanctioned by FIFA, The Federation of International Football Associations. In a statement regarding the importance of a good ball to a good game, the February 28, 1988 of FIFA Magazine states, "The football is more than just stitched leather.There can be no game of football without a ball and the better the ball, the better the game."

The FIFA mark on a soccer ball is an assurance of rigorous testing towards a ball of proven quality standards and performance. Today's players depend on the FIFA mark of excellence in all levels of play, both recreationally and in the competitive arena.

Another recognized mark for choosing a soccer ball that will stand up to long field time and weather extremes is the NFHS, which is the National Federation for High School Associations, a sanctioning body for all high school sports, including soccer.

Soccer balls come in both leather, widely recognized as the best ball for numerous reasons, such as shape retention and weather resistance, and also in synthetic leather, which can be a viable choice for the beginning recreational player. Once the player has come to recognize the difference in ball handling though between the natural and synthetic leather ball, it will be time to make the move up to one of the many available to choose from in every color and necessary size.

The top three sellers, and most readily available in sporting stores as well on from online retailers, are Adidas, Bremen and Nike. Among those, it is Adidas that offers the public the opportunity to play with the same ball used in Major League Soccer games, the +Teamgeist. It retails for 130.00, so although, it may not be the first ball you buy, it is sure to be one you will find delightful to work with once you have tried it. It offers superior reaction, spherical retention, and it may be the most accurate football ever produced. Proponents of this ball claim no other ball can compare with the +Teamgeist in flawless performance, both on the ground and in the air.

Many of the high end balls are only available in size 5, the adult size, with a few expanding their repertoire to include the smaller size 4 ball. To get the youth starter ball in the requisite size 3, the consumer can expect to pay only 10.00 to 20.00 for a great beginner ball, in many choices of colors. Puma and Lotto have long been good choices in the entry level range of ball, offering fine performance and durability for the money.

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