Soccer Facts Article

Soccer Tips: How to Pass the Ball

Soccer played by kids in a school yard looks like a feeding frenzy. The children run haphazardly, chasing a small ball. Usually, the children are yelling while they try to get the ball, and other children make loud noises to distract the players. Professional soccer is played quite differently.

The game is played with precision, so shots are kicked accurately to hit the intended target. The players need to pass successfully and the game needs to be played like a well rehearsed play. Players have to be able to anticipate the next shot, to pass the ball successfully or achieve a goal.

Soccer strategy can be divided up into positions and each player is responsible for his position, and also tries to function within the team.

Strikers are the main players that make goals. When a striker gets the ball it is up to his judgment whether to keep the ball and run to make a goal or to another player. When the opposing team finds out who the striker is, they probably will attack him and block the ball from getting to him continually. Essentially, an opposing team wants to keep the striker from getting the ball, passing the ball or making a goal. One good way to confuse your opponents is to have two to three strikers that alternate. The extra strikers will distract the opposing players, so they don’t know who the real striker is. Some teams even rotate strikers from game to game.

Another key player is the midfielder who tries to keep the ball and steal the ball from the opposing team, so a midfielder needs to rotate from playing offensively to defensively, according to the situation.

Defenders are also key: their job is to defend the ball and the goal. It sounds easy, but it isn't. They continaully get lots of distractions: it's very easy to get caught up in the game and lose sight of the ball and the goal - next thing you know, the other team has scored.

You usually start by defining players' main roles, but players can switch position at any time, depending on circumstances. The game is designed to be played in free flowing terms and usually, games do not end with high scores.

As with any game, strategies must be rehearsed well, so that players are prepared to play their positions and switch roles with ease. Spectators tend to be on the edge of their seats throughout the game!