by Norman A. Rubin

Created on: November 08, 2009

One summer Saturday afternoon found me together with my elder son and his two boys cheering our favorite soccer club to victory in a packed stadium at the nearby city to our home. The atmosphere was action packed as two teams fought to kick the ball to the opposite poles for a goal. Suddenly the star player our favorite team had control of the large soccer ball and with daring movements he rushed to the netted goal, and then a well placed kick and 'Goal'. 'Goal' screamed the enthusiastic crowd in the packed stadium and there was fervent joy throughout the crowd, which we joined it. The match continued till we saw out team victorious at the end

Basketball, baseball, and football are the most popular sports in the United States, but in many countries throughout the world, soccer is the fastest growing sport. Soccer is quite different from the American sport of football even though 'football' is the term used in many countries where soccer is the national sport. The goal is guarded by a 'goalkeeper' who does his very to best to prevent the kicked ball from entering the through the goal. The 'goalkeeper' is the only team member permitted to handle the ball with his hands in order, whereas the players must kick the ball with their feet or try to butt it with their head to maneuver the ball to goal of the opposing team to score a point; a penalty is called when a team member touches the ball with his hands..

Soccer rules are not very complicated the match is played on a grass field approximately 120 yards long and 75 feet wide. Goal posts are located and consist of posts eight feet high and 24 feet across in the middle of each end of the field with a net attached to the back of a crossbar and posts and held to the ground.

There are eleven players on each soccer team - a 'goalkeeper', two 'fullbacks', three 'halfbacks', and five 'forwards'. Also on the field of play are the officials the 'referee' and two 'linesmen'; the officials watch the players in the match carefully, and call a foul ( for holding, kicking, tripping, and blocking an opposing player. In the case of a foul, a 'penalty kick' (free kick) is given to the offended team (a penalty kick is taken from twelve yards in front of the goal or a free kick is taken from the place where the foul was committed.) http://soccerrules.org/

Soccer (or Kicking the Ball) in an ancient game - Games or matches revolving around the kicking of a ball have been played in many countries throughout the realm of history.

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