Surfaces of a Soccer Ball

General Contact Surfaces of the Soccer Ball

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Identifying the contact surfaces of the soccer ball is particularly useful when teaching youth the correct location for a body part to meet the ball to properly perform a certain skill, such as shooting, passing, and receiving.

Characterizing the contact surfaces of a sphere in two dimensions can be a bit problematic since, no matter what the position of the ball, or the position of the observer, a player still sees the “front” of the ball.

Since perspective is so important, coaches should always demonstrate any given contact surface of the ball while facing in the same direction as the players, i.e., coaches at the front of the team would have their back to the players, being careful not to block their view.

Players should be tightly grouped, facing forward.  There should be no circle of players surrounding the demonstration.   For each skill, simply point to the correct part of the ball and identify the surface area by name.  Then proceed to demonstrate the appropriate body part and connect that part to the ball.   (For example, see:  19 Surfaces of the Soccer Shoe.)

The Front of the Ball

Center  (Dead center, middle, sweet spot; The intersection of the horizontal axis (midline, equator) and the vertical axis.)

Examples:  Instep drive (passing, shooting), heading; front-block tackle

 

Top  (North)

Examples:  Dribbling, such as the “pull back;” warm up such as “Irish Jig Toe Tappers”

 

Upper Middle

Examples:  Dribbling, such as the “roll over“; Sole of the foot receive (“wedge”)

 

Above the Midline

Examples:  Attacking headers, top-spin; volley, half-volley, side volley, flying side volley

 

Upper Right (Upper-right Quadrant)

Examples:  Dribbling, fakes & feints, volleys

 

Right Side  (East)

Examples:  Dribbling, outside of the left foot pass, inside of the right foot pass; throw-in right hand

 

Lower Right (Lower-right Quadrant)

Examples:  Dribbling, speed dribbling, inside of the right foot bending ball, outside of the left foot bending ball

 

Below the Midline

Examples:  Defensive headers, goalie directed drives

 

Lower Middle

Examples:  Dribbling, chipping, stab chip, lofted passes, goalie punts

 

Bottom  (South)

Examples:  Flick chip, lobs, juggling

 

Lower Left (Lower left Quadrant)

Examples:  Dribbling, speed dribbling, outside of the right foot bending ball, inside of the left foot bending ball

 

Left Side  (West)

Examples:  Dribbling, inside of the left foot pass, outside of the right foot pass; throw-in left hand placement

 

Upper Left (Upper-left Quadrant)

Examples:  Dribbling, volleys

 

The Back of the Ball, as Perceived from the Front

Back Center

Example:  Back-heel

 

Back Upper Right

Example:  Dribbling, such as a right-foot “chop”

 

Back Upper Left

Example:  Dribbling, such as a left-foot “chop”

 

Soccer Coaching Tips:

• The surfaces identified above are generalizations for instructional purposes.  In reality, of course, the ball may be struck anywhere to achieve a particular result.

© John C. Harves