The Great Game Of Soccer!

The game of soccer is played and enjoyed by people all over the world. To play soccer, you need two teams with eleven people on each team, a ball, and a place to play it at. Soccer games are usually played on a field that has a rich layer of finely mowed grass on it. Soccer is usually played by children and teenagers; however, it can be played by adults. This is a competitive sport that can be enjoyed by everyone in the family and it does not matter how old they are.

The object of a game of soccer is to get the ball in to the other team's goal without using your hands. People who play soccer usually use their feet but many players have been known to use their heads quite a bit during the game to hit the ball if it is in the air. The only people allowed to use their hands during a soccer game are the goalkeepers, who stop the ball from going in to the net.

These people are usually referred to as goalies too, and referees are liable to issue penalties to any other player that uses their arms and hands to move the ball toward the end of the field. Linesmen keep a sharp lookout on the action that goes on during a soccer game. They use hand signals to communicate their calls to the referees and the players that are participating in the game and on the sidelines.

Soccer is a team sport and the team that works together is usually the team that wins. Both teams try to score points by moving the soccer ball with their feet and the team with the most points will win the game at the end of the day. If there is a tie, then a draw will occur and the team that wins the draw will be determined the winner of the soccer game on that day.

Soccer is a competitive sport that is played all over the world. All people need to play soccer is a little time, a group of people and some athletic gear such as a soccer ball and some goals. Soccer is also a social sport because it gives people the chance to interact with each other as they speed down the field. Off the field, soccer players will typically meet for pleasure in a pub or perhaps for a toasty pizza celebration.

Soccer players are very healthy conscious because they spend a great deal of time running. Many soccer players have a strict regimen of exercise and diet in order to maintain their competitive edge during a game of soccer. With eleven players to contend with during any game of soccer, it is best to ensure that every player on the soccer field is at their peak of physical conditioning at all times.

Soccer Field Dimensions by Niv Orlian

Back in the day when soccer was in its infancy, soccer field layout was rather irregular in its dimensions and this created several problems for the players. One player from, say, York would play on a field that was 60 yards long, while the guys in Liverpool would play on one that was 140 yards. Obviously, when either team played on the competitor's field, they were at a loss.

That is why, over time, soccer field dimensions were regulated, first by the Football Association, the first soccer organization in history, created by the English in the late 19th century, then by FIFA.

Today's dimensions of soccer fields still offer some room for variation, because not all pitches can be made on a same exact perimeter. So, the width of the field can range from 50 to 100 yards officially, but it's rarely the case with modern soccer fields that they hit these extremes. The length can range from 100 yards to 130, but you can't have a pitch that would be 100 yards wide and 100 yards long, obviously.

The field is split in half by a center line, which has a symmetrical distance towards each of the widths and there is a center circle at the middle of this line, which is always 10 yards in diameter. This circle ensures that opposing players are kept at a safe distance when the team in possession kicks off.

The goal must be 24 feet wide and 8 feet high and it must be placed exactly on the middle of the pitch's width. The goal is surrounded by two boxes. The first one, called the protection box or the goalkeeper box is 6 yards wide and long and in this area, the keeper is said to be protected: any contact with the goalkeeper in this area will produce a foul for the defending team.

The bigger box, also called the penalty box or penalty area is 18 yards wide and 44 long and in this area, every foul from the defending team will produce a penalty kick, which is taken from 12 yards from the goal, with just the attacker and the goalkeeper facing off. This is usually a sure goal, so you might not want to be so aggressive around the penalty box.

Let's take a look at some of the other soccer field dimensions that aren't usually that important, but can still regulate the game a bit further. The corner circle is set around the corner flag and is 1 yard in diameter. Basically, when a player takes a corner, he can place the ball anywhere inside this circle so he can more comfortably hit the ball and give it a swirl. Otherwise, it's very difficult to keep the ball inside the soccer field dimensions if you're striking the corner from right, but with your left leg, or vice versa.

The penalty box circle is one of the soccer field dimensions that are used mostly for orientation by the referee. It's situated around the penalty spot, 10 yards around it and it's sole purpose is to allow the referee to figure out the correct wall distance in case of a free kick that's near the box. For example, if the attacking team gets a free kick outside the edge of the penalty area, the referee will automatically know that the defending team's wall should be placed at the penalty spot, which is 10 yards away, the correct distance the wall should stay in.

These soccer field dimensions are standardized for all of the modern pitches, but the game will play differently on various sized fields. For example, on a very wide pitch, wing game play is bound to be more efficient, because your wingers will have a lot more room to maneuver in. Short fields benefit players with great speed and technique that can solve a one-on-one duel in close quarters.

Long fields benefit speedy players, that love to hit the ball forward and make a run for it and they're a nightmare for defenders that lack the speed to cope with them. Longer fields also require more coordination between lines, otherwise a team might allow the opponent far more spaces than they would like to.

Niv Orlian is the author and the owner of a Soccer Fans website that provides information on various topics related to soccer.

Wants more info regarding the rules of soccer? For the complete guide to soccer rules click here

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Niv_Orlian

Soccer Nets And Fundamentals by Scott D. White

Without soccer nets a goal would just be a rectangular frame with a goalie standing inside it, and nothing else. Balls would fly through and keep on going, so you can see how important a soccer net actually is!

So where do you start when you are buying one? First you need to know where your soccer nets are going to be placed, and how it will be used. Maybe you are planning to construct a goal in your backyard for practice now and then. Or perhaps you are in charge of a field for school games. The type of usage your net will be experiencing can direct you to different options.

If you have a backyard soccer area you can find soccer nets on the cheaper side as you will not be using them with the same type of force as you would for school games. The majority of nets are made with twisted polyethylene material, which is very durable. Some are 2mm, some are 4mm. For younger kids you would use 2mm, however it is not as strong as 4mm and might be apt to break more easily with older children.

For school and league soccer you want to make sure that not only do you have a stronger 4mm soccer, you should also be sure you have back up nets. Every now and then during a fast play some bodies as well as the ball will make their way into the goal area and can cause the net to become damaged or pulled. For this reason you should be prepared with a replacement.

There is one note of precaution to be offered. When working with soccer nets be sure of your footing, you do not want to get your feet tangled up and find yourself tipping over! It has happened to me, and I am sure it happens to everyone at some point. Trust me; it can be a little embarrassing! So keep that in mind as you are hooking up and sorting out your net.

This article was meant to provide you with some basic knowledge on soccer nets. While there are some relatively cheap options there are also nets that can cost you much more. As long as you are aware of how the soccer nets you choose will be used you will be show to make the right choice. Good luck, and have fun!

So how important is your football kit to your team's success?

Well, in short a good football kit is vitally important to your team's success. In fact there was a well documented match a few seasons ago when Manchester United changed their strip at half time because they felt that the grey colour football kit that they were wearing was prohibiting them from picking out members of their own team with passes. They changed their kit at half time to a different shirt and went on to win the match.

There are many factors that make a good soccer kit. The main areas to bear in mind for soccer teamwear are looks, performance and durability. Let's look at these three areas:

Looks - how important really is a good looking football kit? Well, in psychological studies it has been proven that the players who feel that they 'look the part' are much more likely to perform at the top end of their mental and physical capabilities. Conversely, a player that feels that their soccer kits is ill fitting, or isn't flattering to their physique will be much more likely to carry these negative thoughts through onto the field of play. So to answer the initial question, a football team's kit, like boots, is an important part of football equipment and highly important to a team's success.

Performance - well gone are the days that all fabrics for soccer kits are the same. The top brands in football such as Adidas, Nike, Puma and Umbro, official manufacturers of the England team shirt, have developed fabrics that can react differently under different climatic and performance conditions. Manufacturer technology has advanced in all areas including the development of fabrics that can stretch to many times their own size and then return to normal or fabrics that can help a player cool down by helping to bring sweat to their surface for draft evaporation. Of course, comfort is an extremely important factor in the choice of kit. To run for ninety minutes is a hard enough task anyway, without having to contend with discomfort from your strip. A poorly made replica strip can have seams that rub and chafe, and also can be made from a material that is too abrasive to the skin in general.

Durability - Obviously, it is no good investing in a good looking football kit made from state of the art developed fabric if it is not going to last the season. Modern kits are made of fabric that stretches rather than tears at the seams, has enough sheen to glider over the turf in a tackle, and just as importantly doesn't come out two sizes smaller from the washing machine when it is put through the laundry. Let's face facts - through the summer months a football kit will get wet and muddy most every week - it really is a sound investment to purchase teamwear that will stand up to the rigours of weekly hot washing.

So whether you are thinking of buying a football kit for your local Sunday football team, or you are the kit manager for a semi-professional club always bear these factors in mind when aiming to choose the right supplier for football kit for your team.

By Dave Powell