Soccer:
Its Elementary and Its Popular
An object to kick.
A foot.
A goal.
The elements of soccer
are really very simple which is one reason
it is the most widely played sport in the
world. Unlike basketball, no elevated hoop
is necessary. A goal can be as simple as
a defined space—the area between two
trees or across a line drawn in chalk on
a street. Unlike baseball, no equipment
beyond a ball is required. Unlike American
Football, the rules of soccer are few (17
to be exact) and relatively easy to understand.
The roots of soccer can
be traced back to the Han Dynasty in second
century China. The game tsu chu, or “kicking
a ball,” was included in military
physical training. An elaborate game of
tsu chu was played on the emperor’s
birthday. Teams would attempt to kick a
feather-filled ball through a small goal
that consisted of a net attached to bamboo
poles. The stakes were high. Legends say
the winners were treated to a feast while
the losers were sometimes beheaded.
Kemari was played in Japan
dating back to the seventh century. In this
circular game, players had to pass the ball
to each other without letting it touch the
ground, similar in some ways to what we
call hacky sack or footbag.
In 16th century Italy,
a game called calico was played on holidays.
Teams would gather in the city squares of
Florence and Venice and compete in this
game that involved kicking as well as handling
the ball. Each team had 27 players who wore
ornate costumes.
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