A Little History

Soccer was played in China as early as 2000 B.C.. The Romans played a game called harpustum which combined soccer and rubgy. The ball was the inflated bladder of a cow or goat and the town square was the goal. In the 18th and 19th centuries soccer became popular to many other parts of the world. Today soccer is the most popular team game in the world. Soccer is a major sport of nearly every country in Asia, Africa, Europe, and South America. Soccer is finally becoming popular in the United States. In the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, team U.S.A. Woman's Soccer won a gold metal. Many opportunities (college scholarships, sponsored teams) are becoming available for the expert soccer athlete.

Basic Elements of Soccer

Soccer is a sport that allows players with different physical abilities to play. It's not just the biggest or strongest people who become great players. Smaller players can have excellent speed and develop skills to achieve soccer success.

Field Layout

Touch Line - long boundary on side of field 100 to 130 yds, marked with chalk.

End Line or Goal Line - shorter boundary line on end of field 50 to 100 yrs, marked with chalk.

Halfway Line - divides field into two squares.

Center Circle or Center Spot - Center of field, where referee drops ball to start game or after a goal is scored. Center circle has radius of 10 yards.

Corner Areas - Each corner has a quarter circle with a one yard radius.

Goal area - is six yards in front of goal and is 20 yards wide.

Penalty area - is eighteen yards form the goal area, which it encloses and is 44 yards wide.

Penalty spot - is a line two yards long and twelve yards from the goal line, in the center of the penalty area.

Penalty arc - is a half arc of radius ten yards.

Goals - are centered on the goal line and are 8 yards wide and 8 feet tall.

The Players

Each team has 11 players one the field: 5 forwards, 3 halfbacks, 2 fullbacks and 1 goalie. Professional soccer teams can have 2 substitutions per game. Substitutions can be made when a play stops. If a player leave the field during play without telling the referee, the opponents are awarded an indirect free kick.

Forwards - players that are usually the scorers. Skills needed: good dribblering, passing and receiving..

Halfbacks - players that are a links for both offense and defense. Skills needed:. able to switch roles of playing offensive and defensive skills.

Fullbacks - players that are defendors. Fullbacks prevent shots from being taken, without blocking there goalie's view. Skills needed: good at volley kicking and heading. good tacking skills.

Goalkeeper - only player that can touch, hold or bounce the ball in the penalty area. Goalie main job is to prevent the other team from scoring. Skills needed: good at plays for the goalkeeper is responsible for calling plays to teammates.

Defenders Main Goal: Get The Ball!!!!

1. Prevent the receiver from receiving a pass.

2. Intercept the ball, if it is passed to the man you are guarding.

3. Make the player in control of the ball take a different route than he plannned, or make him get rid of the ball.

4. Take the ball away from a man in possession through a good, strong, well- executed tackle.

Referees and Linesmen: A referees usually wears black and white striped shirt. The referee job is to make sure the game is played by the rules. He or she has a whistle to signal decisions. Only the team captain is allowed to discuss rule interpretations with the referee. The referee is also the official timekeeper of the game.

Two linesmen are required for each half of the field. They indicate a player if offside or a ball is out of bounds by holding up a flag. They also help the referee award goal kicks, corner kicks and throw - ins.

Basic Rules

Offside: A player is offside if he is nearer his opponents' goal line than the ball is at the moment the ball is played unless:

a. He is in his own half of the field of play.

b. Two of his opponents are nearer to their own goal line than he is.

c. The ball last touched an opponent or was last played by him.

d. He receives the ball direct from a goal kick, a corner kick, a throw-in, or when it is dropped by the referee.

Penalty - Indirect kick (A free kick from which the goal cannot be scored directly. The ball must be touched by another player before entering the goal.

Indirect kick:

1. Referee place the ball in the corner area closest to where the ball left the field.

2. Defensive players must remain 10 yards away from the ball until it is kicked.

3. The kicker usually lofts the ball to a teammate who tries to head it in for a point.

Penalties

A penalty of indirect free kick shall be issued by the referee for the following:

1. A player shall receive a penalty if he kicks or attempts to kick the ball when it is in possession of goalkeeper.

2. A player shall receive a penalty if he runs between an opponent and the ball or interposes his body as to form an obstacle to an opponent.

3. Penalty for ungentlemanly behavior.

4. Goalkeeper carrying the ball more than four steps.

5. The goalkeeper delays getting rid of ball.

Direct Free Kick:

1. The direct free kick is taken from the spot where the penalty occurred.

2. Opposing players must be 10 yards away from the ball.

3. If the foul was committed by an offensive player in the opponent's penalty area, his team must remain outside the penalty area during the kick.

4. Ball must be kicked up field to another teammate.

A penalty of direct free kick (A free kick that can be scored without first touching another player) shall be issued by the referee for the following:

1. A player shall receive a penalty if he intentionally kicks, strikes, or jumps at an opponent.

2.A player is not allow to hold or push an opponent with his hands or his arms extended from his body.

3.A player is not allow to handle the ball with his arms or hands.

4. A player is not allow to charge goalkeeper in possession of the ball.

5. A player is not allow to charge his opponent in a violent or dangerous manner or from the rear.

Goal Kick:

When an offensive player accidentally kicks the ball across the end line, the referee stops play. Play restarts with a defensive goal kick from the penalty area.

1. Referee puts the ball on the ground in the half of the goal area where the ball when out of bounds.

2. A defending player kicks the ball up field.

3. The offensive team must remain out of the penalty area until the ball is kicked.

Corner Kick:

If a defensive player causes the ball to cross the end line, the opponents are awarded a corner kick.

1. The referee places the ball in the corner area closest to where the ball left the field.

2. Defensive players must remain 10 yards away from the ball until it is kicked.

3. The kicker usually lofts the ball to a teammate who tries to head it in for a point.