Football

Basic Skills of Football/Soccer
Football is played between two teams and it consists of 11 playing members in a team. Both the team member try to pass the ball among themselves, dribbles the ball forward to score a goal into the opponent's goalpost. Along with this, defending and stealing away the ball from opponents are also important in this game. Except the goalkeeper, no other players are allowed to touch the ball with hands (the goalkeeper is allowed to touch with hand within penalty area only). If any team is able to send the ball into the goal then a goal is scored. The game is of 45 minutes each half and 10 minutes interval. Whichever team scores more within this time wins the game. To play football, it requires a big flat ground that all the schools may not be able to provide. If opportunities were available to practice basic skills it would be easier to do so on the field. It is difficult to practice and develop all the skills at once. We have practiced the skills of kicking, trapping, heading, etc. we will not become experts within those practices and we need to practice them in class 8 as well. Apart from those skills, we will practice the following skill as well.

Throw-In
If the ball is kicked out of the field from the touch line (sideline) while playing the game then the ball becomes dead. To resume the game, the opponent team member must throw the ball into the playing area without crossing the touchline. The ball must be taken behind the head with both hands and thrown into the playing area to resume the game is known as throw-in. The following things must be considered at the time of throw-in.

• If the ball has been kicked or sent out of touchline by the opponent team member, only then the defending team gets the throw-in.
• At the time of throw-in, the feet should not touch or cross the touchline.
• At the time of passing the ball from a throw-in, the hands must go to the head with a strong throw-in.
• Both feet should be planted on the ground. One hand throw is not allowed. Both hands should be used to throw the ball.

Dribbling
In this game, to move forward with the ball and to dodge the opponents is called dribbling, the ball is pushed forward with instep, outstep, inside step, or any part of the foot within control. The process of pushing the ball and moving forward along with it is called dribbling. Actually, when the ball is in control within yourself and unable to pass it to a teammate then dribbling is used to fake the opponents. Sometimes, when the opponents are not around in the defensive area dribbling is used to score a goal at the time of proceeding forward.
After learning simple types of dribbling, then we can play it as a game. For this, relay dribbling is also appropriate.

Game Played by dribbling with feet
The relay dribbled by feet helps in the skills of dribbling in football. In this relay as soon as the last member of the group comes back from the turning point to the starting line then he should leave the ball there.

Goalkeeping
In this game of football, the ball is stopped by the goalkeeper from getting to the goal is called goalkeeping. Goalkeeping is considered as one of the main skills among defensive skills. Except the goalkeeper, no other player is allowed to touch the ball with hands. The goalkeeper can defend with hands within the penalty area only. The goalkeeper needs to pay attention to following points for a good goalkeeping:

1. Catch the ball or if it is difficult to catch then punch it.
2. Punch the ball with the tip of the hand so the ball does not go into the goal.
3. Jump and shield the ball.
4. Goal kick or pass it to a teammate with hands.
5. Jump and catch the ball.

Activities

Catching the Rolling Ball:
We should stand in a row to practice this and our teacher stands in front of us. The teacher rolls the ball. A friend standing in front of the line collects the rolling ball with both hands and comes to standing position while shielding it to her/his chest. The feet should be spread at such a distance so the ball does not roll through the legs. After this ball should be passed to the teacher and the first friend joins the line at the back. Turn by turn all should do this exercise. If there are more balls then it could be practiced with more lines according to the available number of balls.

Catching the Arial Ball:
We should stand in a line to do this exercise also and the teacher standing in front of us tosses the ball at the height of the friend's head who is at the front. The friend in front should stretch his arm and spread fingers, but there should not be a big gap for the ball to pass through. As soon as the thrown ball is at your reach hold it and draw it towards the chest. This way it is easier to control and the ball will also be safely shielded under the chest.
Though everybody should practice the goalkeeping exercise, the one to be the goalkeeper later on should practice much more than this. For practices, the friend throws or kicks the ball and the one to practice the goalkeeping should try to catch the ball by sitting, jumping, etc.

General rules of football

1. The team who win the toss should be given the opportunity to choose the side of the field or kick-off.
2. Before the kick-off, all the players must be in their respective places.
3. The game must be started on the referee's whistle.
4. If the ball crosses the inner part of the goal line then it must be considered as goal.
5. Once the goal is scored then it must be restarted with a kick-off from the center line by the offending team.
6. Once the ball is played out of the touch line then it is considered to be dead. At this stage, whoever is the last person to touch the ball to play it out of the field the other team (defending) should restart with the throw in from the touch line.
7. If a defending player pushes, pull or kicks on an offending player intentionally then a free kick is awarded to the offending team from the same spot. If the same kind of foul is committed inside the penalty area or the ball is touched by the hand of the defender then penalty kick is awarded to the offending team. Apart from the goalkeeper no one is allowed to stop the ball at the time of penalty kick.
8. If the ball is played outside the touch line then it is considered to be out. At this time whoever is the last person to touch the ball to play it out will defend and opponent gets the opportunity to restart with a throw in.
9. At any time if any player touches the ball with a hand commits a foul and concedes a free kick from the same spot. Only the goalkeeper may play the ball with hands within the penalty area.
10. If an offensive player moves into the front half of the field without the ball and in front of all defensive players then it is considered to be an offside. Once the offside committed then the defensive team gets the free kick from the same spot.
11. The game is played of 45 minutes each half with 10 minutes interval.