Soccer and Basketball - Essay Example

?SOCCER AND BASKETBALL – A COMPARISON Sports and basketball are now considered to be two of the most popular sports in the world. Althoughbasketball originated in the United States and soccer in Europe, both are becoming increasingly popular all over the world. This paper seeks to compare and contrast both types of sports and find similarities and differences between them. The paper will examine the use of the ball in the two sports, the number of players and their positions, the roles of the sports and their durations. SOCCER AND BASKETBALL – A COMPARISON 2 Soccer and Basketball – A Comparison Soccer and basketball are among the two most popular sports in the world. While basketball had always been a favorite American game, it was only recently that soccer became a favorite American pastime. This is probably due to the fact that basketball originated from the US while soccer has its origins in Europe. The present craze over football can be attributed to the influence of the World Cup. Although both games have the same objective of getting the ball into the goal post in soccer and the net in basketball, there are many other similarities and differences between the two sports. Although leather balls are used in both soccer and basketball, there are several differences between them. The two sports are different in the type of balls they use and the ways they use the balls. The soccer ball’s circumference is 27-28 inches while the basketball’s circumference in the NBA is 29.5 inches. The ball used in soccer is a thickly-padded and smooth with black and white pentagonal sections. However, basketballs are orange with thin symmetrical lines. The primary rule in soccer is that players are not allowed to use their hands. Only the goalkeepers are allowed to use their hands. In addition, soccer players can use their heads and their trunks of their bodies. They must try to kick the ball into the opposing team’s goal post by moving the ball without touching it with their hands. If a player touches the ball with his hands, then the other team gets a free kick. On the other hand, basketball is a game where “two teams of players each try to score by shooting a ball through a hoop elevated 10 feet above the ground” (Basketball Basics, 2011). Basketball players dribble with their hands. If basketball players touch the ball with other parts SOCCER AND BASKETBALL – A COMPARISON 3 of their bodies, then it is considered a foul. Basketballs can be advanced by bouncing it while running, walking or passing it to a teammate. If a player kicks the ball in basketball, the referee blows the whistle and the other team gets the ball. Therefore, each game uses different parts of the body and the objective in both sports is to outscore the opponents. The only way to score a goal in soccer is by hitting the ball across the goal line and every goal is worth a point. Conversely, in basketball, each goal is worth two points. Points are scored by shooting the ball into the opponent team’s net. In both soccer and basketball, the team with the most points at the end of the game wins. Both soccer and basketball are considered team sports as there are several people playing the games at once. While soccer has eleven players in a team, basketball has five who are allowed to play at one time. However, a soccer team can have 50 players on the roster but a basketball team can only have about 12 and 15 players. In soccer, the players are divided between four positions: defenders, forwards, midfielders and goal keepers. Usually each team has 2-3 defenders or fullbacks who try to block the opposing team’s players from scoring. They play closest to their goal post that their goalkeeper defends. Conversely, forwards play closest to the opponent’s goal post which is guarded by the opposing goalkeeper. There are normally three forwards who play in front of the rest of the team and are responsible for a team’s scoring. Their primary function is to score goals for their team. The 2 – 4 midfielders in a team “share the responsibilities of the defenders and the forwards since they must both win the ball back and create opportunities up front” (Robinson, 2011). In playing both defense and offense, they cover the greatest distance in a game. The midfielder’s main purpose is to break up the opposing team’s attacks by stealing the SOCCER AND BASKETBALL – A COMPARISON 4 ball back from the opposing team, create opportunities for attack and score when the opportunity presents itself. The goalkeeper positions himself directly in front of the goal post and tries to prevent the opposing team’s players from kicking the ball into the goal post. He is the only player who is allowed to grab the ball with his hands. In contrast, there are five basketball positions. They are point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward and center. There are two guards, two forwards and one center. The point guard is one of the most important basketball positions. Irwin M. Fletcher claims that “The point guard is traditionally the best ball handler and possesses leadership skills” (Basketball Positions, 2011). He brings the ball up in court and like a coach and directs the offense. This player is usually the team’s best dribbler and passer and thus assists other players in scoring. The shooting guard shares similar characteristics with the point guard but does not bring the ball up the floor. In most cases, the shooting guard is the team’s best scorer and therefore takes the most shots. The small forward is the most versatile player with good skills at passing, shooting, defending and rebounding. The small guard is best known for scoring and ball handling abilities and is usually the most talented player among the five. The power forward is best known for defense and rebounding and is normally bigger and stronger than the other players. This player does not normally take many long shots but stays close to the basket and guards the basket. Hence, the power forward plays the defence. The center, usually the tallest player in the team, is chiefly responsible for blocking shots, defending the opponent’s center and scoring a lot of points. SOCCER AND BASKETBALL – A COMPARISON 5 Soccer games are 90 minutes long. They are divided into two halves of 45 minutes each. There is a 15-minute break between the two halves. Allowance is made for time lost through substitution of players, removal of injured players from the field and any other cause. Basketball, on the other hand, lasts for 48 minutes. The game is divided into four quarters and the teams are allowed to take breaks at any moment of the play. If the game ends with a tie, then additional time is allowed to ascertain the winner. Since both soccer and basketball have several stoppages due to fouls, penalties and timeouts, the games may last much longer than the play time. Unlike basketball, soccer has always been a recreational sport for many years. The professional approach to soccer in the US took off after the country hosted the World Cup in 1994. Soccer received another boost when the US Women’s Team won the World Cup in 1999. On the other hand, the US has been the most successful nation in Olympic basketball. Both the men’s teams and the women’s teams have won numerous titles in the Olympic basketball games. Sports are an integral part of the American culture. Sports are directly associated with education in the US. Most high schools and universities have their own sports teams. Inter college and inter university matches are held every year in many cities. Many Americans are now becoming professionals in different sports events. With so much focus on sports, many teams are now emerging as champions in international sports meets. The women’s football team, the men’s and women’s basketball teams have made great strides in the Olympics. The day will come when the US emerges as a leader in several sports including basketball, soccer and baseball. SOCCER AND BASKETBALL – A COMPARISON 6 References Fletcher, Irwin M. (2011, March). Basketball Positions/Made Manual . Retrieved from www.mademan.com>Sports>Basketball Basketball Basics (2011). The Rules, Concepts, Definitions, and Player. Retrieved from www.breakthroughbasketball.com/basics/basics.html/ Robinson, Joshua (2011). Positions on the Soccer Field. How to Play Soccer- Positions, Rules, Basics and Formations. Retrieved from www.worldsoccer.about.com/od/soccer101/u/Basics.htm Read More