Coming Home Magazine

Terminology • Pitch: The game's playing surface. • Dribbling: The skill of controlling the ball with your feet. • Shot: When a player attempts to kick the ball into the net. • Assist: When a player passes the ball to another player who scores a goal. • Save: When the goalkeeper prevents the ball from entering through the goalposts. • Corner Kick: A set shot taken from the corner of the field, awarded to the attacking team when the ball goes out of bounds over the goal line. • Yellow Card: A penalty given for unsporting behavior or other infractions. Two yellow cards result in a red card and expulsion from the game. • Offside: A rule designed to prevent players from being closer to the opponent's goal than the ball and the defense. • Stoppage Time: Extra time added onto a game to account for substitutions, injuries, and other stoppages, as determined by the game's officials. • Extra Time: Two 15-minute halves added onto the end of tied games. • Free Kick: One way to restart play after a penalty. The player affected takes a shot at the goal, with the entire opposing team trying to block them. • Penalty Kick: A shot taken after a serious violation. The fouled side gets to kick, with only the opposing goalie allowed to block the attempt. • Penalty Shootouts: Used to determine a winner when a game is still tied after overtime. Soccer is an international sport that has the power to bring the entire world together. The game provides its own universal form of communication: Players of different backgrounds can understand the rules without sharing a language. However, even the simplest infractions are foreign to some of us—and that's OK! Get ready to lace up and get the ball rolling. Overview Soccer is a dynamic sport played between two 11-player teams on a grass or turf field with goals centered at both ends. Known as football in most countries outside of the United States, some version of the game has existed for centuries. Official competitions date back to the 1800s. Since then, the aim has been the same: Score goals by maneuvering the ball into the opposing side's net using any body part except the arms and hands. Objective Soccer is played in two 45-minute halves with a brief halftime intermission. Each half starts with a kickoff from the center field line, giving one team offensive possession of the ball. During the game, both must leverage ball control, ball movement, and spatial awareness to dribble, pass, defend, and score goals. When a team is on offense, teammates work together to advance the ball down the field and create scoring opportunities. On defense, players try to stop the opponent's attempts and regain possession so they can take their shot at scoring. The last line of defense is a goalkeeper, who stands in front of their team's net to block shots. If offensive players can get the ball past the opposing goalie, they score a point, or goal. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins. If the game is tied after 90 minutes, extra time is added. Positions Forwards Also called strikers or attackers, forwards try to score goals and put pressure on the defense. Goalkeeper A goalkeeper, also known as a "goalie" or "keeper," is responsible for protecting their team's goal. They can use any part of their body to stop the ball and prevent opponents from scoring. Defenders Positioned between forwards and their own goals, a defender's primary role is to stop their opponents from scoring by interfering with passes and blocking shots without committing fouls. Midfielders Midfielders are involved in both offensive and defensive actions, creating scoring opportunities, making tackles, and breaking up passes. They cover the most ground and control the flow of the game. COMING HOME MAGAZINE 33

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