GLOSSARY
OF SOCCER TERMS
Ballistic: stretching
with movement.
Center: to pass
the ball from the side of the field into the middle of the field.
Charge: legally
upsetting an opponent's balance by shoulder-to-shoulder contact.
Clear: a throw
or kick by the goalkeeper or a kick by the defender in an attempt to get the ball away (clear) from the goal area.
Combination play: passing
combinations executed by two or more players. The most common example is the wall pass.
Cross: center
the ball from the wing to in front of the net.
Defender: primarily
a defensive player who assists the goalkeeper in protecting the goal area.
Dribble: a way
of advancing the ball by a series of short taps with one or both feet.
Dynamic: moving.
Far post: side
of the goal or goal post farthest from the ball.
Forward: primarily
an attacking player.
Goalkeeper: the
last line of defense. The goalkeeper is the only player who can use his/her hands within the field of play, although only
within the penalty area.
Half-volley: kicking
the ball just as it is rebounding off the ground.
Halfback: another
name for a midfielder.
Hands (Handling): illegal
act of intentionally touching the ball with the hands or arms.
Heading: a method
of scoring, passing, or controlling the ball by making contact with the head.
Linkman: another name for a midfielder.
Lob: a high, soft kick which
lifts the ball over the heads of the opponents.
Marking: guarding
an opponent. To "mark up," for example, is to guard opponents for throw-ins.
Midfielder: a player
who is primarily responsible for moving the ball from the defenders to the forwards.
Near post: side
of the goal or goal post closest to the ball.
Obstructing: preventing
the opponent from going around a player by standing in the path of movement.
One-touch pass: a
pass made without trapping the ball first.
Overlap: the
attacking play of a defender or midfielder going down the touchline past his or her own winger.
Pitch: another
name for the field of play.
Pressure: action
of a defender to restrict the time and space available to an offensive player.
Save: the goalkeeper stops an
attempted goal by catching or deflecting the ball away from the goal.
Screen: retaining
possession and protecting the ball by keeping your body between the ball and opponent.
Set play: a planned
offensive movement to be executed at a free kick.
Shielding: another
name for screen.
Sliding tackle: attempting
to take the ball away from the opponent by sliding on the ground and using the feet or legs to block and hold the ball.
Static: stretching
against muscle and holding as opposed to bouncing.
Striker: a central
forward position with responsibility for scoring goals.
Sweeper: a defender
who roams either in front of or behind the defensive line to pick up stray passes.
Tackling: attempting
to or taking the ball away from an opponent when both players are playing the ball with their feet.
Takeover: a 2
vs. 1 combination play in which the two offensive players move toward each other and the ball is transferred from one player
to the other.
Touchline: The
line that defines the side of the playing field. Note - the touchline is part of the field.
Through pass: a
pass that goes between two players and behind the defense.
Trap: controlling the ball by
means of the feet, thighs, or chest.
Two-touch pass: a
passing technique in which one touch is used to control the ball and the second touch is used to pass it.
Volley: kicking
the ball while it is in flight. A half-volley is kicking the ball after only one bounce.
Wall pass: a pass
to a teammate, followed by a return on the other side of the opponent. Also called "give-and-go."
Wing: an area of the field near
the touch line.
Winger: player, usually a forward, who plays outside on either the right
or left wing.
