As a youth soccer parent knowing the basics of the game will help you enjoy the sport more.
Soccer, as it is known in the United States - it's called football in the rest of the world - has become one of the most popular youth sports in the country. It is played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular grass or turf field slightly longer and wider than an American football field (note, however, that the size of the field and the number of players is usually modified for kids under the age of 10, or U10). The object of the game is to kick or head a soccer ball into the opposing team's goal. The team with the most goals at the end of regulation play or overtime (if one is played) wins. If the game is still tied after overtime, the game is decided on penalty kicks, with the team with the most goals after each side takes 5 penalty kicks declared the winner.
Soccer players use their feet to kick the ball to teammates and take shots on goal. They may also use their head and torso to control or pass the ball or direct the ball into the goal. If a ball goes out of bounds on the sidelines, the team that did not touch it last throws the ball into play using an overhead motion. It the ball goes out of bounds on the end lines, either a corner kick, or a goal kick is awarded, depending on which team touched the ball last.
Fouls occur in soccer fairly often. Fouls include things like, touching the ball with one’s hands or tripping/pushing another player. Fouls can result in direct, indirect, or penalty kicks, and sometimes are accompanied by a yellow or red card being shown to the offending player.
There are eleven players per side in soccer, a goalie and ten in the field playing a number of different basic positions (forward, midfield and defense) in a variety of different formations.
Forward/Striker
Forwards are sometimes called strikers or attackers. Forwards are positioned closest to the opposing team's goal, hence, they score the majority of goals in soccer. Most teams have two strikers. Usually one forward stays just behind the last defender (i.e. in an on-side position), while the other forward is stationed to assist, as well as score. There are three types of forwards:
Players positioned in the middle third of the field between the forwards and defenders.
Defensive/Holding Midfielder
A defensive (or holding) midfielder is a player who is stationed in front of the team's defenders, reducing the ability of the opposing team to attack. A defensive midfielder's role is to strip the ball from the opposing team and pass to ("link up with") attacking midfielders or forwards.
Center Midfielder
Center midfielders play one of the most important positions in soccer. They are often the most versatile and creative players on the team, able to score a goal, defend and make accurate passes.
Attacking Midfielder
Attacking midfielders are positioned farther towards the opponent's goal and assist the forwards in attacking in the offensive third of the field.Defense
Most teams play a formation with four defenders: two central defenders and two outside defenders or fullbacks.Central Defenders
The center back, or stopper, is positioned in the center of the defense, and is responsible for stopping opposing players, especially forwards, from scoring, and for kicking the ball out of their team's penalty area. There are usually two central defenders positioned in front of the goalkeeper. Stoppers play either zone or man to man defense.Sweeper
In some formations, a single defender will play closest to goal behind the other defenders as a last line of defense in front of the goalkeeper. He or she is called the sweeper because it his/her job to "sweep" the ball away when it gets behind the last defender.Outside Defenders/Fullbacks
Fullbacks play the two outside positions in a four man defensive backfield and are responsible for guarding or "marking" offensive players attacking from the wings. Their job is keep players from cutting inside to attack the goal and for cutting off passes or "crosses" by wing players feeding strikers in the penalty area for shots on goal.Wing back
Wingbacks are fullbacks that also go on the offensive on the wings, meaning they are likely to run more than any other player.Goalkeeper (a/k/a goalie or keeper)
The goalkeeper is the last player in the defensive line.Goalkeepers are the only players allowed to touch the ball with their hands or arms. Even then, are two circumstances in which even the goalie may not touch the ball with his or her hands: 1) when the ball comes to the goalie via a pass off a teammate's foot (as opposed to being chested or headed back to the goalie), and 2) when the ball is outside the 18-yard box (penalty area). Each team must have a goalkeeper on the field at all times (which means that, if the goalie is injured and the team is unable to replace him with a goalie on the bench, one of the players already on the field must become the goalie).
Glossary of Terms
Pitch: Another word for the field.Sideline: The line that runs along the length of each side of the field, more commonly called the "touchline" in soccer.
Endline The boundary line extending from corner to corner along its width at each end of the field.
Goal area: the rectangular area (20 x 6 yd. on a full-size soccer field) marked within the penalty area (or inside the larger rectangle) and directly in front of goal which marks the area from which all goal kicks must be taken.
Penalty area or box: The large rectangular box (18 x 44 yards on a full-size field) in front of the goal that includes the goal area (6-yard box) which marks both where the goalkeeper is allowed to touch the ball with his hands and the area inside of which clear and obvious fouls committed by the defending team result in the award of penalty kicks to be taken from the penalty spot.
Penalty mark or spot: The spot 12 yards directly in front of goal from which penalty kicks are taken.
Dribbling: The act of moving with a soccer ball by keeping it under control at the player's feet.
Corner Kick: A direct free kick awarded the offensive team at a corner flag when the defending team is the last to touch the ball before it goes c0mpletely over the end line. There are two kinds of corner kicks: short (in which the player makes a short passe to a nearby teammate) and long (where the player tries to kick the ball in front of goal for a teammate to take a shot at goal from close range, either off his head or foot).
Goal Kick: A kick awarded when the attacking team is the last to touch the ball before it goes completely over the end line, which is taken from anywhere inside the goal area to restart play. After the kick is taken, the ball cannot be touched again by any player until it is outside of the penalty area. Goal kicks are usually taken by the goalie, although sometimes a defender will take the kick because he has a stronger kick and can send it further down the field towards the opposing team's goal.
Offsides: A violation which occurs when an offensive player is closer to the opponent’s goal than both the ball and the second-to-last opposing player (i.e. a defender) at the time that the ball is passed to that player by his or her teammate. Offsides calls are the most difficult for a referee (if only one official is on the field) or linesman (usually one on either side of the pitch responsible for one half of the field) to call. Players cannot be called offside if they are in their own half of the field or if they receive the ball from a throw-in, corner kick, or goal kick. When a player is called offside, the opposing team is awarded an indirect free kick.
Indirect Free Kick: a free kick awarded at the spot of fouls that are judged not to be serious such as obstruction, dangerous play or charging (non-contact fouls), as well as for offside. Indirect kicks must touch another player (either team) before the ball goes into the net in order to score.
Heading or Head-ball: Using the upper forehead to strike or control the soccer ball. Whether younger soccer players should be allowed to head is the subject of considerable debate.
50/50 ball:When a player from each team goes up to head a ball and each has a 50/50 chance of getting his head to the ball. 50/50 balls in which the two players' heads collide, or which result in a player's head being hit by the opposing player's elbow, or in the player falling and hitting his or her head on the ground, are responsible for a significant percentage of the concussions which occur in soccer.
Settling the ball: The ability to control the ball and prepare it for a following touch is one of the most essential skills in soccer. A bad first touch and the play is usually over for the attacker. Nearly all top players are known for having good control over the ball. There are two ways to control or settle the ball: receiving and trapping. Receiving means directing the ball off the player's chest into space away from the body. Trapping is stopping the ball right at your feet.
Marking: A player closely guarding a player from the opposing team, whether or not he has the ball, is said to be "marking" that player.
Tackling: Forcing a player to give away possession of the ball by either a block tackle (blocking the ball with a foot), poke tackle (extending a leg to poke the ball away from the opposing player), or slide tackle (when a defender throws himself to the ground, hip first, extending his leg to make contact with the ball). A slide tackle is the most spectacular and efficient type of tackle but also the most risky: if the tackle is missed and the player undercuts the opposing player before touching the ball, it is likely to result in a foul or, more likely, a yellow card and, if the tackle is from behind, a red card; if the tackle is missed completely, the defender will be completely out of the play, giving the attacking player and team a significant advantage.
Thow-in: After a ball goes out of bounds on the sidelines, the team that did not touch the ball last is allowed to throw the ball into the field of play.
Red card: A player shown a red card by the referee is immediately ejected from the game and may not be replaced. There are two types of red cards: "straight" red cards (immediate ejection for dangerous fouls such as tackling from behind, whether or not the player touches the ball or an elbow to the head of an opponent while going for a ball in the air (50/50 ball) or a "second yellow" (ejection of the player shown a second yellow card in the same game).
Yellow Card: The yellow card is a shown to a player who commits a flagrant foul, or, in some instances, in response to repeated fouls. A second yellow results in a red card and immediate disqualification.
Links:
[1] https://mail.momsteam.com/sports/soccer/the-sport/is-youth-soccer-right-for-my-child
[2] https://mail.momsteam.com/sports/soccer/equipment/buying-soccer-equipment
[3] https://mail.momsteam.com/sports/soccer/safety/study-finds-youth-soccer-relatively-safe-sport
[4] https://mail.momsteam.com/sports/ten-ways-to-prevent-soccer-injuries
[5] https://mail.momsteam.com/sports/the-soccer-field