SOCCER FOOTBALL

Northern Advocate, 24 September 1927, Page 10

SOCCER FOOTBALL

NEWS AND NOTES X J ‘ (By “Critic.”) • (“Critic” is prepared to answer through this column any queries on the laws of Association football, the same to be in this, office not later than tbo Saturday previous to the' query being dealt with, name to be sub- ', anitted.) ; * THE IMPORTANCE OP BALL /■;; CONTROL. Realising the great importance of ball ■control in connection with the game of Football, I have, intentionally given this article the place of ;honour, and in doing so I wish to make it' dearly understood that what I have written in this and following, articles /is from careful study of the game as ■ played in jfrew Zealand and at, Home. v t Vltt dealing with ball control we get to / the, foundation of the game. 5 What is ball control, and how can it be acquired? Ball control,, in the firsl . place, is 'being able to trap a ball and move off quickly in any direction whicli 4he player should desire with the least possible waste of time, and with the knowledge that he is prepared for any eventuality which may occur, knowing that he is master of the ball. A swerve of the body may be necessary when travelling at top speed to > round an opposing player, but should ' the player be unable to execute this movement with a fast-running ball, the result is that his opponent has frequently got the ball rid of the danger before the attacker can recover his balance. Then we have the fast wing ,anen to contend with. . wonderful turn of speed is use|less unless they can take the bull along them. In many instances I have seen sides sacrifice all for speed, bui lose* out simply because these players were nofc capable of controlling the ball ,’ To be able to control the on the move is in many cases quite an effort to many players, because they are unable -to use the inside or the outside either foot with a sympathetic touch . that will just push the ball forward ; siflififiiejitly to allow it to b e touched with either foot as the stride of the player may allow. To gain control over the ball a back must become thoroughly efficient al trapping the ball. The forward, on .the other hand, rare' ■ ly has to trap the ball, as he has sup porta behind placing the ball forward 'tojblm. Therefore, his duty is to gath er sufficient speed to enable him to take 'as ft .passes. Judgment of pace is a : wonderful asset in this reject. • The main points, therefore, in ball , control are body balance and- dribbling, ? and-the former is only acquired by conffcistent training, whilst the latter is attained by assiduous ball practice. The • player who can dribble , a ball at top speed will find that by placing flags or pegs at short distances apaat and dribbling round them, at the same time keeping the ball to his toe, his ball control will improve very quickly. — ... flrtiltw'.

INSTRUCTIVE HINTS ABOUT HEADING.

- ’ A surprisingly large number of play l | ers, says Colin Reid, are so weak in ■' heading that I will endeavour to give ■ - a few useful hints on this important de- , ' • partment of the game. 'A player should never head the ball - while he is standing on the ground. ’ Just a fraction of a second before headv fug he should jump to meet it. Another < respect in which many make a mistake as in taking their eyes off the ball just before meeting it. Right up to the ini, stant of -Impact the player should keep his eyes;on the ball, both for the sake ; . ’ of accuracy and because it will help I him to head with the proper part oi the head, viz,, the forehead. y-l ■ The player who 'loses sight of the - ball has a tendency to duck, and so "• meets the ball with the crown of the ’ head, which very often is a painful , process. There are times when something more than ordinary heading ia ’ required, when the side or even the f back of the head must be used. This is not so simple, and requires consider able practice u The muscles of the neck play an im- ; , ; portant part in being able to head pro I perly, and the ball should be actually hit by the head, especially if it has jfeA-vi-to be turned in a new direction, and this can only be done by a quick moves''. meat. a The arms should be spread out on |L either side, partly for balance, partly mjk to counteract the instinctive tempta■l* tion to use the arms to ward off an opl|.,,ponent who is also jumping for the ball, ffi|K;-j; i l)uring the last four years Association football has shown remarkable progress IH Greymouth, In 1923 it was not playII T .ed at all the schools, but this year there H |tAre six secondary and eight primary R taking part in the competitions. is played in several schools ontlving districts, but because of distance from the town these ijP '■’aehqols \eauuot enter in the competiv thjjjis*. is-also coming into favthe adults, and it is expected ’ tbai J ', therewill be more first-grade ' / next year. The defeat of the West Coast side ;‘r to .boost the game there, I? British immigrants on