1 American Futbol Soccer is one of the fastest growing sports in America today.

Through clubs organizations, school teams and even the professional leagues, the sport of soccer is rapidly taking over the United States sport culture. Commonly seen as a sport of kickball, the sport of futbol is so much more. A group of eleven individuals gather onto a field to work as one in order to complete a simple goal. Using teamwork the players maneuver the ball across the field in hopefulness of putting the ball in the back of the net for the win. Although soccer may not be perceived as the most complex sport, there are several rules to be followed, hand signals to understand, phrases to learn, and tactics to master. Soccer is a way to connect to others using trust, teamwork, and the ethics hard work. Everyone must pull his or her own weight in order to succeed both on and off the field. According to CSA (Charlotte Soccer Academy) Director of coaching Mark Thornton, Soccer is more than a simple kick around; the game of soccer exercises the mind to think quickly and intelligently about the current situation, and future plays to be made. Ideas such as What to do with the ball? Where to place the ball? and even How long to hold onto the ball (Thorton). Thornton goes on to explain, Being aware of your surroundings is crucial to not only to yourself, but fellow teammates on the field as well (Thornton). The game of soccer requires you to always be two steps ahead of everyone else on the field, for the pace of the game is determined by the quickness of the mind. When asked about the effects the game has on players, Thornton explains, Soccer is a game of confidence, trust, and teamwork. Confidence is a essential, Thornton explains, Without confidence a player lacks all the necessary skills to play the game.

2 Trust is of ought most importance, for trusting teammates is the key to success. Finally Without teamwork the 11 individuals that take the field are meaningless, the entire purpose of the game is, using trust 11 teammates are able to move together as one incorporating everyones most prized skills, intertwining them as whole around the field (Thornton). Consequently Thornton communicates the importance of brainpower on and off the field. While observing soccer match the average person may simply see the kicking around of a soccer ball on a field. However the complexity of the game is so much more. While observing A Marvin Ridge Boys Varsity soccer game one is able to see the use of hand motions to signal to fellow players, as well as the mouthing of words and even facial expressions with the eyes to pinpoint where the ball is wanted. Through extensive words being shouted such as drop, square, side, and split players have a sense of their own vocabulary commonly known by players throughout the team. Players use a common language to communicate though one another during vigorous activity on the field. Terms such as goal assist overlap goal-kick corner-kick throw-in are just of the few of the hundreds of terms soccer players use to describe plays, movements, and tasks that take place on and off the field. Through the waving of arms in numerous directions, the soccer players give a sense of where and when they would like the ball to be placed by their teammates. Through the use of head shaking and eyebrow raising the eleven players on the field use simple movements to communicate to their fellow teammates. Movements and signals like these may be hard to notice during the watching of a game however if one were to take the time to look

3 closely everyone would be able to see the true complexity found on the soccer field and communicated between the players on the field. Other observations that were made included the advertisement of the game. Though banners as well as chalk written messages on the sidewalk. The soccer match took on numerous ways to get their name out there, hoping for fans, friends and parents to come support them during their game. When asked about how the team goes about communicating with one another off the field Dylan Griffin explains, the team uses group text messages to plan even such as pre dinner meals and outings that consist of pick up games or even watching other schools compete. Griffin says, The group messages really bring together the team making us so much more than a group of boys we bond and form into a family of brothers (Griffin). He than suggested that the team even has their own Twitter account Named Marvin Ridge Mens Soccer and Instagram where the team post game times and pictures of past matches. Griffin explains we hope that creating social network sites will inform people about our games and will attract fans to come out and watch us at game time Tuesday and Thursdays nights (Griffin). I played soccer from the time I was 5 years olds until I was 18 says former soccer player Jessica Richburg. As a 4-year high school varsity athlete and a former Charlotte Soccer Academy player, Richburg grew up loving, living and breathing the rules and tactics of the game. When asked about the rules of the game Richburg explains. There are so many more rules about the game of soccer than you would think from offside, to knowing the lining of the fields, the rules and regulations one must know are endless. Richburg was asked to give a brief overview of the rules where she contently explained the gist of the game is simple keep your

4 hands off the ball unless youre the goalie. Keep the ball in bounds and use any if not every part of your body to control the ball. Richburg than goes on to explain, during to forty-five minute halves three referees will supervise the game as twenty-two players go at it. Hands must be kept by ones sides at all time and elbows kept down. Only the strength of ones shoulders may be used to push against the opposing athlete, anything else will result in a foul. Fouls, lead two either a drop ball or indirect, and direct kicks. A drop ball consists of two athletes going head to head as a referee drops the ball between the middle of them. Direct kicks are free kicks at a goal from outside the 18-yard box, while an indirect kick consist of the ball being touched by an athlete before being booted at the goal. Next Richburg targeted the means of positions forwards stand at the top of the circle their main job is to finish the ball, behind them stands midfield consisting of center, left and right. Midfields are the powerhouse keeping the flow of the came consistent. Next we see the defense consisting of 4 strong individuals that help protect the goalie. Finally we have the goalie that protects the net from all shots taken on goal. Like Mark Thornton, Richburg was than asked as to what she thought the goal of the game of soccer was, other of course than to win. Richburg explained. From the time I was a little girl soccer was a chance for me to prove all that I had and all that I could be. Though the game I grew not only as an athlete but a young girl, I gained confidence on the field resulting in a form of confidence that would last me a lifetime. I made bonds with teammates that lead to friendships of a lifetime. Lastly Richburg explained, I gained a love and a passion for a game. Soccer taught me that hard work was essential for success on and off the field, and with hard work success would eventually come.

5 Commonly seen as a sport of kickball, soccer is able to demonstrate so much more. Through the use of their very own discourse community the game of soccer contains its own language consisting of terms, motions, and even hand signals to successfully communicate with fellow teammates on and off the field. The use of this language is simply to complete the team goal of putting the ball into the back of the net, however several other goals such as teamwork, trust, and confidence building are also targeted in this discourse community. The sport of soccer successfully demonstrates the importance of character building on and off the field. Through the making of social networks and group text messages the team advertisements help promote team bonding resulting in not a team but a family. All in all credit should be given to the sport of soccer. Futbol is a discourse community that targets the building of character, exercises the mind, and brings individuals together to meet a common goal, that goal being success.

6 Works Cited Griffin, Dylan. Personal interview. 7 Nov. 2012. Richburg, Jessica. Personal interview. 6 Nov. 2013. Thornton, Mark. Personal interview. 7 Nov. 2013