|
|
|
|
|
Books
Available
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
plus
Help Pay for
College with:

|
|
|
Like
this glossary?
You'll love
"Soccer
Made Simple:
A Spectator's Guide",
a book which
contains this
and much more.

Click the book above for more info.
|
Like
this glossary?
You'll love
"Soccer
Made Simple:
A Spectator's Guide",
a book which
contains this
and much more.

Click the book above for more info.
|
Like
this glossary?
You'll love
"Soccer
Made Simple:
A Spectator's Guide",
a book which
contains this
and much more.

Click the book above for more info.
|
Like
this glossary?
You'll love
"Soccer
Made Simple:
A Spectator's Guide",
a book which
contains this
and much more.

Click the book above for more info.
|
Like
this glossary?
You'll love
"Soccer
Made Simple:
A Spectator's Guide",
a book which
contains this
and much more.

Click the book above for more info.
|
Like
this glossary?
You'll love
"Soccer
Made Simple:
A Spectator's Guide",
a book which
contains this
and much more.

Click the book above for more info.
|
Like
this glossary?
You'll love
"Soccer
Made Simple:
A Spectator's Guide",
a book which
contains this
and much more.

Click the book above for more info.
|
Like
this glossary?
You'll love
"Soccer
Made Simple:
A Spectator's Guide",
a book which
contains this
and much more.

Click the book above for more info.
|
Like
this glossary?
You'll love
"Soccer
Made Simple:
A Spectator's Guide",
a book which
contains this
and much more.

Click the book above for more info.
|
Like
this glossary?
You'll love
"Soccer
Made Simple:
A Spectator's Guide",
a book which
contains this
and much more.

Click the book above for more info.
|
Like
this glossary?
You'll love
"Soccer
Made Simple:
A Spectator's Guide",
a book which
contains this
and much more.

Click the book above for more info.
|
Like
this glossary?
You'll love
"Soccer
Made Simple:
A Spectator's Guide",
a book which
contains this
and much more.

Click the book above for more info.
|
Like
this glossary?
You'll love
"Soccer
Made Simple:
A Spectator's Guide",
a book which
contains this
and much more.

Click the book above for more info.
|
Like
this glossary?
You'll love
"Soccer
Made Simple:
A Spectator's Guide",
a book which
contains this
and much more.

Click the book above for more info.
|
Like
this glossary?
You'll love
"Soccer
Made Simple:
A Spectator's Guide",
a book which
contains this
and much more.

Click the book above for more info.
|
Like
this glossary?
You'll love
"Soccer
Made Simple:
A Spectator's Guide",
a book which
contains this
and much more.

Click the book above for more info.
|
Like
this glossary?
You'll love
"Soccer
Made Simple:
A Spectator's Guide",
a book which
contains this
and much more.

Click the book above for more info.
|
Like
this glossary?
You'll love
"Soccer
Made Simple:
A Spectator's Guide",
a book which
contains this
and much more.

Click the book above for more info.
|
Like
this glossary?
You'll love
"Soccer
Made Simple:
A Spectator's Guide",
a book which
contains this
and much more.

Click the book above for more info.
|
Like
this glossary?
You'll love
"Soccer
Made Simple:
A Spectator's Guide",
a book which
contains this
and much more.

Click the book above for more info.
|
Like
this glossary?
You'll love
"Soccer
Made Simple:
A Spectator's Guide",
a book which
contains this
and much more.

Click the book above for more info.
|
Like
this glossary?
You'll love
"Soccer
Made Simple:
A Spectator's Guide",
a book which
contains this
and much more.

Click the book above for more info.
|
Like
this glossary?
You'll love
"Soccer
Made Simple:
A Spectator's Guide",
a book which
contains this
and much more.

Click the book above for more info.
|
Like
this glossary?
You'll love
"Soccer
Made Simple:
A Spectator's Guide",
a book which
contains this
and much more.

Click the book above for more info.
|
Like
this glossary?
You'll love
"Soccer
Made Simple:
A Spectator's Guide",
a book which
contains this
and much more.

Click the book above for more info.
|
Like
this glossary?
You'll love
"Soccer
Made Simple:
A Spectator's Guide",
a book which
contains this
and much more.

Click the book above for more info.
|
Like
this glossary?
You'll love
"Soccer
Made Simple:
A Spectator's Guide",
a book which
contains this
and much more.

Click the book above for more info.
|
|
|
|
The
glossary terms and definitions on this page are part of the
highly
acclaimed book "Soccer Made Simple: A Spectator's Guide",
available for sale on this website for $11.95.
|
[
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z ]
- Advantage rule:
- a
clause in the rules that directs the referee to refrain from stopping play for a foul
if a stoppage would benefit the team that committed the violation.
-
- Advantages:
- situations
where a team has possession of the ball and outnumbers the opposition
near the opposing goal.
-
- American football:
- a
term used by non-Americans to distinguish the popular U.S. sport
of football
from soccer which they also call football.
-
- APSL:
- American
Professional Soccer League the nation's only outdoor professional
soccer league since 1991, consisting of 8 teams in the U.S. and
Canada (expanding to 12 by 1995).
-
- Assist:
- the
pass or passes which immediately precede a goal; a maximum of two assists can be credited for one goal.
-
- Attacking midfielder:
- the
most forward-playing midfielder, playing right behind the forwards; he supports the offense by providing passes to forwards to set up goals.
-
- Attacker:
- any
player on the team that has possession of the ball.
-
- Attacking team:
- the
team that has possession of the ball.
-
- AYSO:
- American
Youth Soccer Organization an administrative body of youth
soccer which sets rules and provides information and equipment
to youth league referees, coaches and players.
-
- Back:
- a
defender.
-
- Back
header:
- a
player's use of his head to direct the ball backwards.
-
- Back
tackle:
- an
attempt
by a defender to take the ball away from a ball carrier
by swinging the defender's leg in front of the ball from behind.
-
- Ball
carrier:
- a
player that has possession of the ball.
-
- Banana kick:
- a
type of kick that gives the ball a curved trajectory; used to
get the ball around an obstacle such as a goaltender or defender.
-
- Beat:
- to
get the ball through or around an opponent by dribbling or shooting.
-
- Behind the defender:
- the
area between a defender and his goal.
-
- Bicycle kick:
- when
a player kicks the ball in mid-air backwards and over his own
head, usually making contact above waist level; an acrobatic shot.
-
- Break:
- when
a team quickly advances the ball down the field in an attempt to get its players near the opponent's goal before the defenders have a chance to retreat; also called an advantage.
-
- Breakaway:
- when
an attacker with the ball approaches the goal undefended; this exciting play pits a sole attacker against
the goalkeeper in a one-on-one showdown.
-
- Bundesliga:
- The
German professional soccer league.
-
- Cap:
- a
recognition earned by a player for each appearance in an international
game for his country.
-
- Carrying the ball:
- a
foul called on a goalkeeper when he takes more than 4 steps while holding or bouncing
the ball.
-
- Caution:
- see
Yellow card.
-
- Center:
- a
pass from a player located near the sideline towards the middle of the field; used to get the ball closer to the front of the goal; also called a cross.
-
- Center circle:
- a
circular marking with a 10-yard radius in the center of the field from which kickoffs are taken to start or restart the game.
-
- Center
line:
- see
Midfield line.
-
- Center
spot:
- a
small circular mark inside the center circle that denotes the center of the field from which kickoffs are taken to start or restart the game.
-
- Central defender:
- a
player who guards the area directly in front of his own goal in a zone defense; does not exist in a man-to-man defense.
-
- Charge:
- to
run into an opponent; legal if done from the front or side of
the ball carrier;
illegal against a player without the ball or from behind.
-
- Chest
trap:
- when
a player uses his chest to slow down and control a ball in the
air.
-
- Chip
pass:
- a
pass lofted into the air from a player to a teammate; used primarily
to evade a defender by kicking the ball over his head.
-
- Chip
shot:
- a
kick lofted into the air to try to sail the ball over the goalkeeper's head and still make it under the crossbar
into the goal.
-
- Clear:
- to
kick the ball away from one's goal.
-
- Cleats:
- the
metal, plastic or rubber points in the bottom of a soccer shoe
used to provide a player with traction; term also used to refer
to the shoes themselves.
-
- Club:
- a
team that plays in a league.
-
- CONCACAF:
- The
Confederation Norte-Centroamericana y Del Caribe de Footbal
the regional organization of North American and Central American
soccer under which World Cup
qualifying matches are played; member countries include the U.S., Canada, Mexico,
and Central American and Caribbean countries.
-
- Consolation match:
- a
tournament game played between the losers of the 2 semifinal matches
to determine the third-place team.
-
- Corner arc:
- a
quarter-circle with a radius of 1 yard located at each of the
4 corners of the field;
on a corner kick, the ball must be kicked from inside this arc.
-
- Corner
area:
- see
Corner arc.
-
- Corner
flag:
- the
flag located at each of the 4 corners of the field, inside the corner area.
-
- Corner
kick:
- a
type of restart where the ball is kicked from the corner arc in an attempt to score; awarded to an attacking team
when the ball crosses the goal line last touched by the defending team.
-
- Counterattack:
- an
attack launched by a defending team
soon after it regains possession of the ball.
-
- Creating space:
- when
a player from the attacking team
moves without the ball to draw defenders away from the ball carrier
and give him space.
-
- Cross or crossing pass:
- a
pass from an attacking player
near the sideline to a teammate in the middle or opposite side of the field; used to give the teammate a good scoring opportunity.
-
- Crossbar:
- the
horizontal beam that forms the top of a goal and sits on top of the two posts; it is 24 feet long and supported 8 feet above the ground.
-
- Cut down the angle:
- when
the goalie comes out of the goal several feet to make himself closer and larger to an attacker, leaving the attacker less net to shoot at.
-
- Cut
off:
- when
a defensive player
keeps his body between an attacker and the defender's goal, forcing the attacker out towards the sidelines.
-
- Dangerous play:
- when
a player attempts a play that the referee considers dangerous to that player or others, such as trying
to kick the ball out of the goalie's
hands, even if no contact is made.
-
- Defenders:
- the
players on the team that does not have possession of the ball.
-
- Defending team:
- the
team that does not have possession of the ball.
-
- Defense:
- a
team's function of preventing the opposition from scoring.
-
- Defensemen:
- the
3 or 4 players on a team whose primary task is to stop the opposition
from scoring; also called fullbacks.
-
- Defensive midfielder:
- the
player positioned just in front of his team's defense; he is often assigned to mark the opposition's best offensive player;
also called the midfield anchor.
-
- Defensive pressure:
- when
one or more defenders closely mark a ball carrier
to harass him into losing the ball.
-
- Deflection:
- the
ricochet of a ball after it hits a player.
-
- Direct free kick:
- a
kick awarded to a player for a serious foul committed by the opposition; the player kicks a stationary
ball with no opposing players within 10 yards of him; a goal can be scored directly from this kick without the ball touching
another player.
-
- Diving header:
- a
ball struck near ground level by the head of a diving player.
-
- Draw:
- a
game that ends with a tied score.
-
- The
Draw:
- the
selection of World Cup
teams to place them into playing groups for the tournament and
the event surrounding this selection.
-
- Dribbler:
- a
player who advances the ball while controlling it with his feet.
-
- Dribbling:
- the
basic skill of advancing the ball with the feet while controlling
it.
-
- Drop
ball:
- a
method of restarting a game where the referee drops the ball between 2 players facing each other.
-
- Drop
kick:
- when
a goalie drops the ball from his hands and kicks it just after it
hits the ground.
-
- Endline:
- see
Goal line.
-
- English Football Association:
- an
association of English soccer teams founded in 1863 to set soccer
rules.
-
- European
Cup:
- the
championship tournament played between Europe's top national teams.
-
- F.A.:
- Football
Association; often used to refer to the English Football
Association, who, along with FIFA and other football associations, helps maintain the rules
of soccer.
-
- Fake or feint:
- a
move by a player meant to deceive an opposing player; used by
a ball carrier
to make a defender
think the ball carrier is going to dribble, pass or shoot in a certain direction when he is not.
-
- Far
post:
- the
goalpost furthest from the ball.
-
- Field:
- the
rectangular area where soccer matches
are played.
-
- FIFA:
- Federation
Internationale de Football Association the official governing
body of international soccer since 1904 which established the
World Cup tournament; helps set and revise rules of the game, called
the 17 Laws.
-
- FIFA World Cup:
- a
solid gold statue given to the champion of each World Cup tournament to keep for the next 4 years.
-
- Flick
header:
- a
player's use of his head to deflect
the ball.
-
- Foot
trap:
- a
player's use of his foot to control a rolling or low-bouncing
ball.
-
- Football:
- name
for soccer everywhere except in the U.S.; also, what American's
call their popular team sport which evolved from soccer and rugby.
-
- Formation:
- the
arrangement into positions of players on the field; for example, a 4-3-3 formation places 4 defenders, 3 midfielders and 3 forwards on the field.
-
- Forward
line:
- the
3 or 4 forwards who work together to try and score goals;
consists of two wingers and 1 or 2 strikers.
-
- Forward
pass:
- a
pass made towards the opposition's goal.
-
- Forwards:
- the
3 or 4 players on a team who are responsible for most of a team's
scoring; they play in front of the rest of their team where they
can take most of its shots; strikers and wingers.
-
- Foul:
- a
violation of the rules for which an official assesses a free kick.
-
- 4-2-4:
- a
formation that consists of 4 defenders, 2 midfielders and 4 forwards.
-
- 4-3-3:
- a
formation that consists of 4 defenders, 3 midfielders and 3 forwards; the most common formation used by teams.
-
- 4-4-2:
- a
formation that consists of 4 defenders, 4 midfielders and 2 forwards.
-
- Free
kick:
- a
kick awarded to a player for a foul
committed by the opposition; the player kicks a stationary ball
without any opposing players within 10 yards of him.
-
- Front
header:
- the
striking of a ball in the air by a player's forehead; the most
common type of header.
-
- Front
tackle:
- an
attempt by a defender to kick the ball away from an attacker by approaching him from a head-on position.
-
- Fullbacks:
- see
Defensemen.
-
- Goal:
- a
ball that crosses the goal line
between the goalposts and below the crossbar for which a point is awarded; also, the 8-foot high, 24-foot wide structure
consisting of two posts, a crossbar and a net into which all goals are scored.
-
- Goal
area:
- the
rectangular area 20 yards wide by 6 yards deep in front of each
goal from which all goal kicks are taken; inside this area, it is illegal for opposing
players to charge a goalie not holding the ball.
-
- Goal
kick:
- a
type of restart where the ball is kicked from inside the goal area
away from the goal;
awarded to the defending team
when a ball that crossed the goal line was last touched by a player on the attacking team.
-
- Goal
line:
- the
field boundary running along its width at each end; also called
the end line;
runs right across the front of the goal; the line which a ball must completely cross for a goal
to be scored.
-
- Goalie:
- see
Goalkeeper.
-
- Goalkeeper:
- the
player positioned directly in front of the goal who tries to prevent shots from getting into the net behind him; the only player allowed to use his hands and
arms, though only within the penalty
area.
-
- Goalmouth:
- the
front opening to each goal.
-
- Goalposts:
- the
two vertical beams located 24 feet apart which extend 8 feet high
to form the sides of a goal and support the crossbar.
-
- Hacking:
- kicking
an opponent's legs.
-
- Halfback:
- see
Midfielder.
-
- Halftime:
- the
intermission between the 2 periods or halves of a game.
-
- Halves:
- see
Periods.
-
- Hand
ball:
- a
foul where a player touches the ball with his hand or arm; the
opposing team is awarded a direct free kick.
-
- Hat
trick:
- 3
or more goals scored in a game by a single player.
-
- Header:
- the
striking of a ball in the air by a player's head.
-
- Hook:
- the
curved trajectory of a ball due to spin imparted on it by a kicker,
such as in a banana kick.
-
- IFAB:
- International
Football Association Board the organization consisting
of 4 British soccer organizations and FIFA that approves all changes in the official international
rules of soccer called the 17
Laws.
-
- In
bounds:
- when
a ball is within the boundaries of the field, having not completely crossed a sideline or goal line.
-
- In
play:
- when
a ball is within the boundaries of the field and play has not been stopped by the referee.
-
- Indirect free kick:
- a
kick awarded to a player for a less-serious foul committed by the opposition; the player kicks a stationary
ball without any opposing players within 10 yards of him; a goal can only be scored on this kick after the ball has touched
another player.
-
- Injury
time:
- time
added to the end of any period
according to the referee's judgment of time lost due to player injuries or intentional
stalling by a team.
-
- Instep
drive:
- a
straight shot taken with the instep of a player's foot; usually the most
powerful and accurate of shots.
-
- Intermission:
- the
5-minute rest period between periods
of a game.
-
- Juggling:
- keeping
a ball in the air with any part of the body besides the hands
or arms; used for practice and developing coordination.
-
- Jules Rimet Trophy:
- the
trophy given to the World Cup
winner between 1930 and 1970, after which it was permanently retired.
-
- Kickoff:
- the
method of starting a game or restarting it after each goal; a player passes the ball forward to a teammate from the center
spot.
-
- Laws of the Game:
- the
17 main rules for soccer established by FIFA.
-
- Lead
pass:
- a
pass sent ahead of a moving teammate to arrive at a location
at the same time he does.
-
- League:
- an
alliance of teams that organizes sporting competition.
-
- Linesmen:
- the
2 officials who assist the referee in making his decisions; they monitor the sidelines and goal lines
to determine when a ball goes out of bounds
and they carry a flag to signal their observations.
-
- Linkmen:
- see
Midfielders.
-
- Loft
or lob:
- a
high-arcing kick.
-
- Man-to-man:
- a
type of defense where each defender is assigned to mark a different forward from the other team; the most common type of defense for
national-level teams.
-
- Marking:
- guarding
a player to prevent him from advancing the ball towards the net, making an easy pass or getting the ball from a teammate.
-
- Match:
- a
soccer game.
-
- Midfield:
- the
region of the field near the midfield line; the area controlled by the midfielders.
-
- Midfield anchor:
- See
Defensive midfielder.
-
- Midfield line or center line:
- a
line that divides the field in half along its width.
-
- Midfielders:
- the
2, 3 or 4 players who link together the offensive and defensive functions of a team; they play behind their forwards.
-
- MISL:
- Major
Indoor Soccer League started in the U.S. in 1977 playing
games of 6 players per side in modified hockey rinks covered by
artificial turf; became the MSL in 1990.
-
- Mismatch:
- when
a particular offensive player
is far superior to the defender marking him.
-
- MLS:
- Major
League Soccer the new U.S. outdoor league scheduled to begin play in the Spring of 1995.
-
- MSL:
- Major
Soccer League a U.S. indoor league which formed in 1990 from the MISL
and folded in 1992.
-
- NASL:
- North
American Soccer League an outdoor league formed in the U.S. in 1967 that attracted great international
players including Pele and huge audiences to the U.S. in
the 1970s; folded in 1985.
-
- National team:
- a
team consisting of the best players in a country chosen to represent
it in international competitions such as the World Cup.
-
- NCAA:
- National
Collegiate Athletic Association governs and organizes sports
at the collegiate level; has its own soccer committee.
-
- Near
post:
- the
goalpost closest to the ball.
-
- Net:
- hemp,
jute or nylon cord draped over the frame of the goal and extending behind it; also used to refer to the goal
itself.
-
- NPSL:
- National
Professional Soccer League a U.S. indoor league that plays its games in a modified hockey rink, much
like the former MISL; plays by non-traditional rules to create a faster-paced,
higher-scoring game; also, a different league by the same name
that played in the 1960s, merging with another league to form
the NASL.
-
- Obstruction:
- when
a defensive player,
instead of going after the ball, uses his body to prevent an offensive player from playing it.
-
- Offense:
- the
function of trying to score goals.
-
- Offensive player:
- see
Attacker.
-
- Offensive team:
- see
Attacking team.
-
- Official game clock:
- the
clock that the referee carries with him on the field so he can signal when each half is over; does not stop during the game, even when play does.
-
- Officials:
- the
referee and 2 linesmen who work together to make sure the game is played according
to the rules of soccer; responsible for stopping and restarting
play, keeping track of the score and the time remaining and citing
violations of the rules, called fouls; they wear uniforms that distinguish them from the players
on both teams.
-
- Offside:
- a
violation called when a player in an offside position receives a pass from a teammate; an indirect free kick is awarded to the non-offending team.
-
- Offside position:
- an
attacking player
positioned so that fewer than 2 opposing defensive players
(usually the goalie
and 1 other defender) are between him and the goal he is attacking; a player is not offside if he is exactly
even with one or both of these defensive players.
-
- On
defense:
- describes
a team that does not have possession of the ball.
-
- On
offense:
- describes
a team in possession of the ball.
-
- On-side:
- the
opposite of offside.
-
- Open:
- describes
an attacking player
who does not have anyone marking him.
-
- Out of bounds:
- when
a ball is outside the boundaries of the field, having completely crossed a sideline
or goal line.
-
- Out
of play:
- when
a ball is outside the boundaries of the field or play has been stopped by the referee.
-
- Outlet passes:
- when
a goaltender or defender passes the ball from close to his own goal toward the other team's goal; used to start a counterattack.
-
- Overlap:
- when
a winger moves away from the sideline
towards the center of the field to create space
for a teammate to advance the ball undefended along the side of
the field.
-
- Overtime:
- the
extra periods played after a regulation game
ends tied; used in collegiate and championship international matches to determine a winner.
-
- Passing:
- when
a player kicks the ball to his teammate; used to move the ball
closer to the opposing goal,
to keep the ball away from an opponent or to give the ball to
a player who is in a better position to score.
-
- Penalty:
- short
for penalty kick;
also, a punishment given by the referee for a violation of the rules.
-
- Penalty
arc:
- a
circular arc whose center is the penalty spot and extends from the top of the penalty area; designates an area that opposing players are not allowed
to enter prior to a penalty kick.
-
- Penalty
area:
- a
rectangular area 44 yards wide by 18 yards deep with its long
edge on the goal
line; the goalkeeper may use his hands to block or control the ball only within
this area.
-
- Penalty
kick:
- see
Penalty shot.
-
- Penalty shot:
- a
kick taken from the penalty spot
by a player against the opposing goalie without any players closer than 10 yards away; awarded for
the most severe rule violations and those committed by the defense within its own penalty area;
also taken in a tiebreaker to decide a match.
-
- Penalty
spot:
- the
small circular spot located 12 yards in front of the center of
the goal line
from which all penalty kicks are taken; positioned at the center of the penalty arc.
-
- Penetrate:
- to
advance the ball behind
opposing defenders (between them and their goal).
-
- Periods:
- the
segments of time into which a game is divided; a regulation game
played by adults consists of two 45-minutes halves.
-
- Pitch:
- a
British term for soccer field.
-
- Play:
- to
trap, dribble, kick or head the ball.
-
- Play
on:
- a
term used by referees to indicate that no foul or stoppage is to be called; used by referees when applying
the Advantage Rule.
-
- Playoff:
- a
tournament that takes place after a season's schedule has been
completed; used to determine a champion.
-
- Points:
- a
team statistic indicating its degree of success, calculated as
follows: 2 points for a win (3 in the 1994 World Cup), 1 point
for a tie, 0 points for a loss; also, an individual statistic
for a player, calculated by totaling 2 points for each goal and 1 point for each assist.
-
- Possession:
- control
of the ball.
-
- Post:
- goalpost or the area near it.
-
- Professional foul:
- a
foul committed intentionally, usually by a defender on an attacker just outside the defender's penalty area;
used to prevent a scoring opportunity without incurring a penalty shot.
-
- Push
pass:
- when
a player pushes the ball with the inside of his foot to a teammate.
-
- Qualifying Draw:
- the
division of teams into groups for World Cup qualifying matches, held 2 years before The Draw.
-
- Qualifying matches:
- games
played in the 2 years preceding the World Cup to determine which teams participate in the tournament.
-
- Receiver:
- a
player who gets a pass from a teammate.
-
- Red
card:
- a
playing card-sized card that a referee
holds up to signal a player's removal from the game; the player's
team must play the rest of the game shorthanded; presented for violent behavior or multiple rule infractions
(two yellow cards
= one red card).
-
- Referee:
- the
chief official; he makes all final decisions, acts as timekeeper, calls all fouls and starts and stops play.
-
- Regular season:
- the
schedule of games set before the season; consists of all games
played before a playoff
or tournament is held.
-
- Regulation game:
- two
completed periods of a game, prior to any overtime or tiebreaker.
-
- Round:
- a
stage of a tournament at which teams compete; the World Cup
tournament has 5 main rounds.
-
- Rugby:
- an
offshoot from soccer started in the early 1800s; rugby players
are allowed to pick up the ball with their hands and run with
it, and also make full contact with each other whether going after
the ball or not.
-
- Save:
- the
act of a goalkeeper in blocking or stopping a shot that would have gone into the goal without his intervention.
-
- Score:
- to
put the ball into the net for a goal; also, the tally of goals for each team playing in a game.
-
- Scorers:
- players
who score goals.
-
- Scoring opportunity:
- a
situation where a team stands a good chance of scoring a goal.
-
- Screening:
- see
Shielding.
-
- Set
play:
- a
planned strategy that a team uses when a game is restarted with
a free kick,
penalty kick,
corner kick,
goal kick,
throw-in or kickoff.
-
- Shielding:
- a
technique used by a ball carrier
to protect the ball from a defender closely marking him; the ball carrier keeps his body between the ball and
the defender.
-
- Shinguards:
- pads
that strap onto a player's lower leg to protect the shins should
he or she be kicked there.
-
- Shooting:
- when
a player kicks the ball at the opponent's net in an attempt to score a goal.
-
- Shorthanded:
- a
team playing with less than its full complement of 11 players.
-
- Shot:
- a
ball kicked or headed by a player at the opponent's net in an attempt to score a goal.
-
- Shoulder charge:
- minimal
shoulder-to-shoulder contact by a defender against a ball carrier;
the only contact allowed by the rules unless a defender touches
the ball first.
-
- Shutout:
- preventing
the opposition from scoring any goals in a game; for example, a score of 2-0 or 4-0; goalies are often credited with shutouts because they did not allow
any goals to get past them.
-
- Side
tackle:
- an
attempt by a defender to redirect the ball slightly with his foot away from a
ball carrier
running in the same direction.
-
- Sideline or touchline:
- a
line that runs along the length of the field on each side.
-
- Single elimination:
- a
type of tournament where a single loss eliminates a team from
the tournament.
-
- Sliding tackle:
- an
attempt by a defender to take the ball away from a ball carrier
by sliding on the ground feet-first into the ball.
-
- Small-sided game:
- a
match played with fewer than 11 players per side.
-
- Square
pass:
- a
pass made by a player to a teammate running alongside him.
-
- Starter:
- a
player who is on the field to play at the start of a game; a team usually makes its
best players starters.
-
- Steal:
- when
a player takes the ball away from an opposing player.
-
- Stopper:
- the
defender that marks the best scorer on the attacking team,
often the opposition's striker; exists only in a man-to-man defense.
-
- Striker:
- a
team's most powerful and best-scoring forward who plays towards the center of the field;
also, the name of the mascot for the 1994 World
Cup.
-
- Substitution:
- replacement
of one player on the field
with another player not on the field; FIFA rules allow
only 3 substitutions per game.
-
- Sudden
death:
- a
type of overtime where the first goal scored by a team ends the game and gives that team the victory;
most overtime in soccer is not sudden death.
-
- Sweeper:
- the
defender that plays closest to his own goal behind
the rest of the defenders; a team's last line of defense in front of the goalkeeper.
-
- Tackling:
- the
act of taking the ball away from a player by kicking or stopping
it with one's feet; only a minimal amount of shoulder-to-shoulder
contact, called a charge, is permitted to knock the ball carrier
off balance.
-
- Territory:
- the
half of the field which a team defends.
-
- Thigh
trap:
- when
a player uses his thigh to slow down and control a ball in the
air.
-
- 3-on-1
break:
- a
type of break with 3 attacking players
against only 1 defensive player.
-
- 3-on-2
break:
- a
type of break with 3 attacking players
against 2 defensive
players.
-
- Through pass:
- a
pass sent to a teammate to get him the ball behind his defender; used to penetrate a line of defenders.
-
- Throw-in:
- a
type of restart where a player throws the ball from behind his
head with two hands while standing with both feet on the ground
behind a sideline; taken by a player opposite the team that last touched the
ball before it went out of bounds
across a sideline.
-
- Tie
game:
- when
two teams have scored the same number of goals in a match; if the game ends tied, it is a draw.
-
- Tiebreaker:
- a
way to choose the winner of a match
when teams are tied after overtime; in FIFA tournament play, a series of penalty kicks
are taken by players from both teams, and the team that scores
on more of them is declared the winner.
-
- Timekeeper:
- the
job of the referee, who keeps track of the official time to notify teams and
fans when each period is completed.
-
- Timeout:
- an
official break in the action of a sport; the rules of soccer do
not allow for any timeouts; timeouts for television advertising
breaks are permitted by NCAA collegiate rules.
-
- Touchline:
- see
Sideline.
-
- Trailing:
- running
behind another player.
-
- Trap:
- when
a player uses his body to slow down and control a moving ball,
most often using his chest, thighs or feet.
-
- Turnover:
- the
loss of possession of the ball.
-
- 2-on-1
break:
- a
type of break with 2 attacking players
against 1 defensive
player.
-
- Two-way midfielder:
- the
versatile midfielder most responsible for organizing play in the midfield area; often a team's energetic leader.
-
- Unsportsmanlike conduct:
- rude
behavior.
-
- USSF:
- United
States Soccer Federation organization formed in 1913 to
govern soccer in America; America's link to FIFA, providing soccer rules and guidelines to players, referees and spectators nationwide.
-
- USYSA:
- United
States Youth Soccer Association the official Youth Division
of the organizes and administers youth league competitions, establishes
rules and guidelines, and holds clinics and workshops to support
players, coaches and referees.
USSF
and the largest youth soccer organization in the U.S.
-
- Venue:
- location
where a sporting competition is held.
-
- Volley:
- any
ball kicked by a player when it is off the ground.
-
- Wall:
- a
line of 2 to 6 defending players
pressed together shoulder-to-shoulder to protect their goal
against a close free kick;
creates a more difficult shot by reducing the amount of open goal area the kicker
has to shoot at.
-
- Wall
pass:
- a
pass by a ball carrier
who sends the ball to a teammate, then runs behind his own defender and quickly receives a pass back; used to get a player past
his defender without having to dribble
by him; same as the "give-and-go" in basketball.
-
- Win-draw-loss record:
- a
summary of the outcomes of a team's matches;
for example, a team with a 3-1-2 record has played 6 games and
won 3, tied 1 and lost 2.
-
- Wings or wingers:
- the
outside forwards who play to the sides of the strikers and whose primary task is to provide them with accurate
crossing passes so they can shoot at the goal; often the fastest players and best dribblers on a team.
-
- World
Cup:
- the
international soccer competition held by FIFA every 4 years between the top professional teams in the
world, pitting nation against nation; the most watched event in
the world, attracting a television audience of over 3 billion
viewers.
-
- Yellow
card:
- a
playing card-sized card that a referee
holds up to warn a player for dangerous or unsportsmanlike behavior; also called a caution; 2 yellow cards in one game earns a player an automatic
red card,
signaling his removal from the game.
-
- Zone:
- a
type of defense that assigns each defender to a particular area in front of or around his team's goal in which he is responsible for marking any attacker that enters; often used in youth league games but rarely
in professional competition.
[Go
To Top of Page]
Order
Books
Ice Hockey Made Simple | Football
Made Simple | Basketball Made Simple
| Soccer Made Simple
How to Win a Sports Scholarship
About
Us | Contact
Us | Sports Links | Sports
Glossaries
Home
©
2002, First Base Sports, Inc.
Privacy
Policy
WARNING:
COPYING OR DISTRIBUTING THESE MATERIALS WITHOUT PERMISSION IS ILLEGAL.
Please enjoy browsing through our website, but be aware these are
copyrighted materials. If you copy or distribute them in any fashion
without our permission, you may be pursued and prosecuted for copyright
violations to the full extent of the law. Under Federal law Titles
17 and 18, fines now exceed $150,000 per infringement. Direct any
requests for permission to reprint, distribute, or duplicate these
materials on your website to legaldepartment@firstbasesports.com.
We reserve the right not to grant such permission.
This
site was designed and created by michelleotoole.com
|