THE ANCIENT HISTORY OF SOCCER The history of soccer dates back over 2000 years ago. It’s a little unclear when soccer was invented. However, the Aztecs may have invented the earliest version of the game. The Aztec soccer game was known as “tlachtli”, where the aim was to get the ball through a stone hoop without using your hands. The ball game deep religious political ties, with ball symbolizing sun. had and the the Another version of the game has also been documented as early as 206 BC during the Han Dynasty in China. This game was called ‘Cuju’ or ‘Tsu Chu’ and was played to keep the Chinese military in shape. This ancient form of soccer involves one set of bamboo goalposts erected in the middle of the field. The ball was made from rubber and filled with fur or feathers. The aim was to get the ball through a small opening in the net. A modified form of this game later spread to Japan and was by the name of kemari practiced under ceremonial forms. There are ancient records of football dating back thousands of years. Archaeological evidence points to Ancient Greeks playing Episkyros as well as the Chinese playing very similar games. Soccer was truly a global game even back then. During the medieval period, soccer (also called as folk football) was developing in modern Europe. Around the 9th century, the pig’s bladder was kicked between landmarks in England. During some periods of British history, the ball game was even considered a nuisance and banned. Soccer officially began in the United Kingdom in the 19th century but was played in various forms in medieval times and can be tracked back almost 2000 years. The most popular organized version, known as Association Football, began with the formation of the Football Association (FA) in 1863. In 1904, FIFA, the governing body that oversees the game globally, was formed. Now, 211 associations are recognized by FIFA. More than 26 billion people have watched the World Cup, soccer’s premier international tournament, since it began in1930, making it the most popular sporting The earliest reference to a mass participation ball game in England is by William Fitzstephen, a Canterbury monk, who in 1174 described a Shrovetide gathering of apprentices and schoolboys in London for the ‘famous game of ball’. The modern history of soccer began in the 19th century when the game first became popular at universities and schools. Back then, the ball game was somewhat a mixture of rugby football and soccer and was simply referred to as ‘football’. A notable difference was that some schools allowed players to carry the ball while others primarily used their feet. One group of students quickly became fed-up with the madness that ensured whenever they tried to play an inter-school match, what they decided to do next changed the history of soccer forever. In 1849, eight undergraduates from four public schools came together in Cambridge to draft up rules that everyone could follow. They agreed on a set of eleven rules that they then nailed to the tree in Parker’s Piece (an ample green space where teams would meet to play). The eleven laws famously became known as the Cambridge Rules. The Cambridge Rules One significant rule that has carried over into the modern game today was that carrying the ball was mostly disallowed. This rule is likely what started the divergence of ‘soccer’ and ‘rugby’ which eventually became separate sports. University of Oxford students are said to be responsible for coining the word ‘soccer.’ They would use the slang word ‘rugger’ to describe the form of football that was mostly used with the hands, which eventually became known as rugby. ‘Assoccer’ was slang for association football which they used to define the game mostly used with the feet. A few years later, in 1855, in the town of Sheffield in the United Kingdom, the makings of the first amateur soccer club were quietly brewing in the background. Bred from a love of sports and a willingness to stay fit over the winter months, Sheffield Cricket Club members started to organize friendly ‘kickabouts.’ These informal ball games at Sheffield would often pit ‘married players against singles’ or ‘professionals versus the rest.’ Sheffield FC officially became recognized as an official club in 1857, when organizers William Prest and Nathaniel Creswick decided to add a new level of formality to their casual ‘kickabouts.’ Sheffield FC is now recognized as the oldest soccer club in the world. EQUIPMENT FIELD/PITC H The soccer field (or football pitch) is the field of play. A full-sized field is between 100 and 130 yards long and 50 to 100 yards wide, but each field can vary in size. Soccer fields are rectangular and are marked with lines that distinguish parts of the field. The lines on the field are: 1. Touchline 2. Goal line 3. Halfway line 4. Center circle 5. Center mark 6. Penalty spot 7. Penalty arc 8. Corner arc Touchlines (sidelines) End lines (goal lines) Halfway line Soccer box Penalty Spot and Arc Corner arc SOCCER GOAL The soccer goal net is a mesh network of interweaving rope braids that catch the soccer ball when a player scores a goal past the goalkeeper. Nets are made of many different materials, but the most common is braided twine, a tough and thin rope-like material. CORNER FLAGS On a soccer field, it is a requirement to have a corner flag in each corner of the field. It is also permitted to place a flag at either end of the halfway line, but it isn’t a requirement, and you don’t see it at every game. SOCCER BALL Soccer balls come in a lot of different sizes and styles, with different leagues and age divisions using different-sized balls. The professional-sized ball is known as size 5 and has a 28inch (68 cm) circumference. It is used in leagues whose players are 12 years of age and older. SOCCER BAG Soccer bag holds all of the player’s essential equipment and clothing for practice and games. Some teams provide their players with bags complete with the team colors and logos, while other teams have players buy their own. CAPTAIN’S ARMBAND The captain’s armband is a cloth band that is worn on the arm of a soccer team’s captain. It is used to help to distinguish the captain from other players on a team, which is often helpful for referees, who can relay information through team captains. SOCCER SHOES, CLEATS OR STUDS Cleats are small, often plastic or rubber, that protect from the sole of the shoe. These are worn with the intention of providing a better grip on a potentially slippery surface. Cleats also help a player to turn or change direction more swiftly when running. Parts of a Soccer Shoe Upper: The upper of the soccer shoe is the top portion that includes the material covering the foot. It attaches to the sole and midsole. Insole: The insole is the inner area where the foot rests. It includes the cushioning and support inside the shoe. Parts of a Soccer Shoe Outsole: The outsole is the outer sole area where you find the studs or spikes. Heel counter: This is the back section of the soccer and acts as a support for the heals. SOCCER GOALIE GLOVES Gloves are important pieces of technology that save the goalkeeper’s hands from getting hurt every time they block a shot on goal. GOALIE JERSEY The soccer goalie jersey is similar to a normal jersey, except that it is a different color that everybody else’s jersey on the field. SOCCER JERSEY It is the most recognizable part of an athlete’s uniform. A team’s jersey usually has its primary colors on it, as well as a team logo. Most jerseys have the player’s number on the back, and depending on the team, your name might be on the back as well. SOCCER SHORTS It is another vital part of the soccer player’s uniform. A player’s shorts will often be a simple primary color that matches the player’s jersey and will usually have a small logo on the side. LONG SOCKS The long length helps provide warmth, crucial for the late fall and early spring. It also helps secure shun guards or pads, which get held in place by an elastic, tapered portion near the top of the sock. ATHLETIC TAPE Athletic tape is a kind of tape made from polyester and cotton blend that is used for injury rehabilitation and prevention. The tape is wrapped strategically around the injured area, restricting the motion of an injured joint or muscle and providing reinforcement to the healing area. SHIN GUARDS Shin guards are plastic plates that protect a player’s shins from getting bruised and hurt and are important for any player to wear. What is the objective of the game? Soccer is a game played on a rectangular field with two teams of 11 players each. The purpose is to make a goal by advancing a ball over the goal line into the goal net, and at the same time defending a goal and keeping the opponents from scoring. Moving the Ball Players can move the ball in any direction, but they can only use their feet, head, or chest to control and advance the ball. Players are not allowed to use their hands except for the goalkeeper. Game Format and Duration Soccer matches last 90 minutes and are split into two 45-minute halves. The halftime break lasts about 15 minutes. The referee can add time to the end of each half at their discretion. Extra Time If a match ends in a tie, one of two things will happen. If the match is during league play and ties are accepted, the match ends in a tie. If the match is in a knockout tournament and a winner must be decided, the teams will play two periods of extra time. Extra periods are 15 minutes each, with a five-minute break in between. As with regulation time, these periods can also have stoppage time added to the end of each period. If the match is still tied at the end of both periods of extra time, there is a penalty shootout to decide the winner. THE BASIC FUNDAMENTAL SKILLS 1. Passing 2. Dribbling 3. Controlling 4. Heading 5. Shooting Accurate passing allows you to move the ball from one player to a teammate. This is so important because you can move the ball around the field faster and with less effort than dribbling. Passing is one of the most fundamental skills in soccer, as it is how you move the ball from yourself to another teammate. Dribbling is transporting the ball under control from one area to another. Soccer players cannot use their hands. Players dribble the ball with their feet, using light taps on the ball to move it along the ground. Controlling (or trapping) is stopping the ball in flight or on the ground, and then controlling it by either dribbling or passing the ball to teammates. There are many ways to trap a ball: (1) allowing it to hit the chest at an angle that deflects the ball to the ground where it can be controlled; (2) allowing it to hit the thigh or bent knee to deflect the ball to the ground where it can be controlled; or (3) using the foot to stop the ball. Heading is unique to the game of soccer. When a ball is too high to kick, players "head" the ball to pass to a teammate or score a goal. SHOOTING The game of football is won by scoring goals, and if you never shoot, you can’t score, and you can win.
