SOCCER TERMS

Term	Definition
Advantage	When a foul occurs but the referee believes that the team who got fouled will keep possession of the ball without being in danger of the other team immediately taking the ball away, he may use the advantage rule and continue. The referee usually does this when stopping play will hurt the team that has been fouled. The rule to remember here is: "Always play the whistle!"
Arc	The quarter circle at each corner of the field in which the ball is placed for a corner kick.
Attacker	A player trying to score during a game.
Breakaway	When a player has the ball behind the fullbacks and has an open field between him and the goal.
Ball Control	Receiving, moving, juggling or manipulating a ball.
Call	Shouting to a teammate to let him know where you are so that he can pass to you. Also, a decision made by a referee.
Centering	Kicking the ball from one of the wings into the penalty area.
Challenge	When a defender tries to steal the ball from an attacker.
Charging	(See Shoulder Charge) Attacking an opponent by pushing your shoulder against his shoulder in an attempt to gain possession of the ball. The ball must be within playing distance (3 or 4 feet) of you for you to charge.
Chip	Causing the ball to travel in the air by kicking underneath it.
Chip Pass	A short kick over an opponent to a teammate.
Chip Shot	A kick at goal usually lifted over an opposing fullback’s or goalkeeper’s head.
Coach	The person who gets the team together and organizes and practices with them. He comes to all the games and shouts "GO TEAM" to the players. He tells them how to play and what positions to play.
Corner Kick	A kick taken at the corner of the field by the team attacking at that end of the field. A corner is taken when the defending team last touches the ball before it crosses the goal line.
Cover	Guarding a player on the other team in order to stop him from getting the ball.
Crossbar	The goal bar which is parallel to the ground.
Dangerous Play	Any play, movement or action that puts an opponent, a teammate or the offending player in a position where he may be injured.
Defenders	The last line of players before a team’s goalkeeper.
Dribbling	Moving the ball with successive kicks of the foot.
Fake (Feint)	A technique used to throw an opponent off balance or out of position. Usually pretending to move one way and actually going another.
Far Post	The goal post that is farthest away from the kicker.
Forwards	The people on a team who take most of the shots and do most of the scoring.
Foul	An illegal play or movement by a player.
Free Kick	A free kick is given to a team when the other team commits a foul . the ball is placed on the ground to be kicked from the spot where the foul occurred. A free kick gives a team a chance to pass or shoot the ball while all the players on the other team must remain at least ten yards away from the ball until it has been touched.
Goal	When the ball completely crosses the goal line between the posts. No part of the ball can be in contact with the line.
Goal Box	The small box, it extends six yards to the side of each goal post and six yards forward into the field of play in front of the goal. The ball is placed at the front corner of the goal box on goal kicks. Also called goal area!
Goalkeeper	The only player allowed to play the ball with his hands (Only within the penalty area). The keeper’s job is to stop the ball from going into his goal and then to move the ball forward to a teammate.
Goal Kick	A free kick taken by the defending team when the attacking team last touches the ball before it crosses the goal line.
Goal Line	The line between the two corner flags on each end of the field.
Goal Mouth	The area immediately in front of the goal.
Goal Posts	The two vertical bars that support the crossbar. Also called uprights.
Halfbacks	The players who play between the defenders and forwards. They are offensive players when their team is attacking and are defensive players when their team is defending.
Half-line	The line across the middle of the field which divides it in half.
Half-time	A game is divided into two equally timed halves. After the first half is up, a short break is taken and the teams switch sides of the field and the goal they are defending.
Half Volley	A ball kicked as soon as the ball starts rising from a bounce.
Heading	Propelling the ball by hitting it with the head.
Instep Drive	A kick or shot taken with the part of the foot where the shoe laces are located.
Juggling	Performing several techniques in combination in order to keep the ball from hitting the ground. Used to teach ball control.
Linesman	The person, near one of the touch-lines, who waves his flag to signal the ball being out of bounds or a player being offside.
Marking	Covering or guarding a particular opponent.
Mid-field	Area of the field crossing the half-line and extending to the penalty box on each half of the field.
Mid-fielders	Players positioned in the middle of the field who form the link between offensive and defensive play.
Near Post	The goal post nearest to the kicker.
Net	The plastic or string-like thing that is tied to the goalposts.
Offense	The part of a team attempting to score.
Offside	Being ahead of the ball and having fewer than two opponents between you and the opponent’s goal when the ball is played to you. You cannot be offside when: (a) You are in your own half of the field; (b) you are receiving a throw-in or a goal kick; (c) In the referee’s judgement, you are not attempting to gain an advantage by being in an offside position – i.e. You are not automatically offside just by being in an offside position.
Off-the-Ball Movement	Movement of players who are not in possession of the ball. (Done to create passing and scoring opportunities for teammates.)
Opponent	The person or people on the other team.
Pass	Using part of your body to hit the ball to a teammate.
Penalty Box	The larger box, which includes the goal box extends eighteen yards to the side of each goal post and eighteen yards forward into the field of play. The keeper may use his hands to play the ball within this area. A foul committed by the defense within this area may result in a penalty kick. Also called the "penalty area" or "the area" or " the box."
Penalty Kick	Awarded after the defense has committed a foul within the penalty area. It is taken from the twelve yard line and only the goalkeeper and the shooter are allowed within the penalty area when the shot is taken. Once played the ball is live.
Pitch	The field.
Quarter	The game is divided into equal quarters for younger players and for recreational league play to allow a period of rest and re-organization. Usually, a two-minute allowance is given at the end of the first and third quarters. A longer break is given at half-time.
Referee	The person who controls the soccer game and blows his whistle when the ball goes out of play or a foul is committed.
Restarts	The process of starting play again after it has been stopped; for example, after a goal is scored or the ball is out of play.
Score	A ball that goes under the crossbar and between the goalposts and is completely across the goal line.
Screening (Shielding)	Keeping your body between the ball and an opponent trying to take it away from you.
Shot	An attempt to score a goal.
Shoulder Charge	(See Charging!) Leaning your shoulder against your opponent’s shoulder in an attempt to move him off the ball so that you can gain possession of the ball.
Side Volley	A ball played while it is still in the air.
Slide Tackle	Gaining possession of the ball by kicking it from your opponent’s feet while you are sliding on the ground.
Stopper	The name of a position; usually applied to a single central defender playing in front of a sweeper.
Strikers	The forwards in the middle of the forward line who are trying to score and who usually take the most shots on goal.
Substitute(s)	Player(s) in excess of the number that are allowed on the field. They are sent into the game periodically at the discretion of the coach.
Sweeper	Some teams utilize a sweeper. The sweeper is the defender who does not mark a particular player but plays behind the fullbacks to back them up and to "sweep" the ball from danger.
Tackling	Using the feet to take the ball away from an opposing player.
Tactics	Strategy used and plays made in an attempt to outplay the opposing team.
Throw-in	When the ball goes out of bounds across the touch-line, it must be put back into play. This is done by means of a throw-in. The ball is held behind the head with both hands and is brought straight forward and thrown into play. The player throwing the ball in must keep both feet on the ground until the ball is thrown. The team that did not last touch the ball before it went over the touch-line is awarded the throw-in.
Touch-lines (Side-lines)	The lines on the long side of the field which indicates the boundary of the field. A ball must be completely beyond the line in order to be out of bounds.
Trapping	The act of gaining control of a moving ball by stopping it with a part of the body.
Tripping	Causing an opponent to fall by hitting his feet out from beneath him.
Volley	Kicking the ball while it is still in the air.
Wall Pass	This is a play designed to move around an opponent. A player passes the ball to a teammate while running forward past an opponent. As soon as the teammate receives the ball it is passed directly back to the player. This is a give and go play.
Wing	Either the forward parts of the field toward the sideline or the forward who plays on that part of the field.

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