If Pele, Maridona, and Beckham don’t sound at all familiar to you, or if you think Freddy Adou is a guy you might have gone to high school with, keep reading … Please. This article covers all the equipment and skills you will need to join the rest of the world in playing an extraordinary game of soccer.
In fact, the whole world plays football
they call it the sport Steve Young used to play American football. The term ‘soccer’ appeared in the later part of the 19th century when people began to abbreviate the French variation from ‘association football’ to soccer. Whichever name you use (I’ll call it football for the purposes of this article), it refers to the fast-paced and exciting game that has captured growing interest in Americans in recent years. If you’ve found that you’ve fallen behind when it comes to sports, here are some tips and equipment skills that should get you started playing.
As the name ‘soccer’ suggests, you will need a ball. Soccer balls come in all sizes, materials and styles; and league specifications vary depending on the age and level of the player. If you only want to buy ‘normal’ balls, double check with the shop clerk to make sure you’ve picked the right one; or if you buy online, you can check ball sizes against the standards found at www.fifa.com. The best material for your ball depends on the type of surface you will be playing on. If you’re going to spend any time kicking a ball on the street or playground, I’d shy away from buying a good leather ball – the asphalt will tear it apart. Synthetic materials will usually hold up better to these surfaces, and are usually cheaper.
Click here for PSSG Soccer Rules
After you get your ball, you will need at least one pair of legs; However, if you want to do more than just kick the ball into your garage, you’ll need at least two sets. There are a number of different techniques when it comes to kicking a soccer ball – I’m just going to sum up them all by saying that the purpose of kicking a ball is to hit it with some part of your foot and make it go the direction you want it to. In fact, in a soccer match you can use any part of your body to move the ball except your hands and arms. If you grew up playing backyard catch, the first few times you try to kick the ball you will probably look even more awkward than you feel, and it’s quite possible your kids will laugh at you. Practice makes almost perfect, and you will get better over time. Kicking the ball back and forth between two or more people helps. Once you feel like you can probably kick the ball and jog / run at the same time, you’re ready to pass to playing the game.
A goal in soccer is scored by kicking the ball through a rectangular shape which is appropriately called a goal. Although rectangles are standard, goals can be created by placing two objects several steps apart. I’ve personally played in neighborhood games where the goal posts are chairs, barrels, siblings and shoes (if you’re playing barefoot, make sure no one is wearing kleats). Kicking the ball below head height and approximately between the makeshift goal posts is a goal, although you’ll find each goal to be heavily debated.
Competitive leagues almost always need shin guards, and you can usually pick up a decent pair for a fairly low price. Even in a friendly garden setting, players can get quite excited, and it wouldn’t be a bad idea to wear them during the game.
The rules are simple and easy to learn. The basics you need to know are that you should try to avoid kicking people, you can’t tackle people like in American football, and you can’t use your hands. In that sense, except for hand restrictions, football is very much like life. More rules apply more to the competition, but it doesn’t hurt to read them at www.fifa.com.
As with any sport, the most important thing is to look good, so go out there and buy yourself some shorts and a delicate soccer jersey. Long hair and an Italian accent certainly won’t hurt your chances of turning pro – but if neitherI they are the choice for you, remember to have fun and play fair.
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