rt, and gloves to protect his or her hands. A standard field, as regulatedby the Federation Internationale de Football Association (or FIFA), has a length between100 and 130 yards, and a width of between 50 and 100 yards. The rules of play for soccer have deliberately been kept simple. The referee makes mostof the decisions, and attempts to encourage fair play. The game starts off with a kick off,and the teams are allowed to pass, dribble, juggle, head, kick, and shoot the ball to placeit down the field, and (hopefully, or eventually) into their opponent’s goal. If the ball iskicked off the field over the length of the field, the other team is given a throw-in, wherethe ball is thrown over the player’s head, and back onto the field. If the ball is kicked overthe goal, or across the width of the field, either a corner kick results (by the offensiveteam, where the ball is placed on the corner of the field and kicked into play) or thedefensive team is awarded a goal kick, where the ball is placed on the corner of the goalbox, and kicked back into play. If a goal is scored, the ball is taken back to the center ofthe field, and the team scored against kicks off. Other penalties include direct and indirect free kicks, and penalty kicks. For offenses suchas shoving and tripping, either a direct free kick (offenses not in the goal box) or a penaltykick (inside the goal box) is awarded. Both allow goals to be made directly from thekicks. If a minor offense is being punished, then an indirect free kick is given, form whicha goal cannot be scored.Most soccer games have 45-minute halves, and the clock is not stopped except forinjuries or deliberate time wasting. In professional soccer, only three to five substitutionsare allowed per half. Generally, more are allowed in lower leagues.Soccer is now recorded as being the fastest growing sport in America at high school andcollege levels. There are also an estimated 13 million girls and boys...
