How to play association football, etc

24
ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL
desired direction. Judgment is essential and can be culti-
Heading a ball.
vated only by practice. Backs and inside forwards
(including the centre) should specially strive after
proficiency in. beading, which renders the former safer in de-
fence and the latter more effective in goal-getting.
There is risk of bodily injury when two or more players
,make to head a ball simultaneously; but if the heading is
done shoulder to shoulder, the risk is almost nil. The reasons
are obvious. The shoulder-to-shoulder position renders it less
easy for the heads of opponents to come into violent contact,
and also makes it impossible for the players to meet in such
a
way that the organs of the body may sustain serious injury.
Penalty-kicks and corner-kicks should, as well as the other
Practise corner-kicks
parts of the game, form a subject of study and
and penalty-kicks.
regular practice.
There is no objection to regarding a practice game as a
joke or a diversion, but an important game has to be taken
Play in
seriously. Such a match must be entered upon in
earnest from
earnest and carried through in that spirit right- on
start to finish.
till the final blow of the referee's whistle. Careless-
ness at the start of a game may lead to consequences which
will make all the difference between winning and losing the
match.
All plavers should acquire the habit of patient perseverance,
even amid circumstances that seem hopeless. Possible defeat
should never be thought of except as a stimulus to renewed
efforts. Many an important match is won and lost during
the closing minutes of play. Therefore never consider your-
self beaten. The match does not finish till the last blow of
the referee's whistle.
The selection of the captain of a team is a matter of no
little importance, An able captain can be of great service
Choice of a
to his side, not only by his active playing assistance,
captain.
but also by his sound advice and kind encouragement.
The captain need not be the most brilliant player in a team.
His most essential qualifications are experience and amiability.
The former attribute, combined with a thorough understand-