Saeed Al Jaberi

This is an essay I wrote for my 1105 English writing class. It talks about the history of Soccer, and the development of the Soccer balls over time. Please feel free to read the essay and ask me if you have any questions.

                                                                  Soccer Never Changes

            Dressed in his soccer uniform, Emmanuel was in the living room sipping tea with his dear mother when his father walked in and sat down. He poured some hot tea in a cup, and gave it to his father. He took the cup and looking at his jersey said, “Kids of your age are very lucky. You have actual soccer balls now.” Emma asked him about what he meant, and how different it was in the old days. He replied back by saying, “We used to make soccer balls from old banana peels, but do not get me wrong, we still enjoyed it.”

            Emma sat down speechless for a moment before realizing that he is actually going through a similar experience as his father’s with the unconventional Soccer ball. Emma comes from a a very African poor country, Ghana. The country was not very modern as it is now, so people were poorer and soccer was not very popular back then. Emma remembers playing soccer every morning in the school with older kids. Yes, they played soccer, but they did not use a soccer ball, instead, they crushed water bottles and used them as soccer balls. However, when they would not find water bottles, they would use soda cans, and it would usually be a Coca Cola can. Later in the day when he is home, he would walk for roughly twenty minutes to his friend’s house to play soccer using real soccer balls. They had real soccer balls because their father was a professional soccer player, who really wanted his kids to follow his path.

            Although there was a difference between the soccer balls they played with in the morning at school and those they played with in the evening in the neighborhood, he still did not feel that there was a change in the game. Emma thinks that soccer is played for reasons that have nothing to do with how sophisticated the equipment is. One can play soccer with his or her friends, or he might play alone in a very nice stadium, or even play with a Pepsi can under the sun. As for him, he plays soccer because he likes running while pushing something in front of him and also he likes opposing the cool breeze. This feeling provides a shelter that he prefers whenever possible. The idea of playing the game might be different from a person to another, however it is not affected by how advanced the technology is. Soccer has not changed since its creation in the 1800s, and he cannot imagine it changing. The idea of using soccer balls in a sport has been around for so long. It is believed that the Chinese used animal skins to make balls for a game called “Tzu Chu.” This game is very similar to today’s soccer as the players in this game had to kick the ball inside a net that is being held between two posts. It is also believed that Egyptians, ancient Greeks, and Romans played similar games that included kicking some type of a ball.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            Soccer is played for the spirit of the game. People get together in one place to play soccer for the fun of it. It does not matter what language you speak, what color is your skin, or where do you come from. What matters is whether you have the desire to play or not. Soccer is an international game played by more than 208 countries from all around the globe. Countries play against each other, and in many cases, the players would not be able to communicate on the playground, but still, they find a way to express what they feel.

            Ronaldinho (a Brazilian player) was playing for the Brazilian team, Atletico Mineiro against the Moroccan team, Raja Casablanca in the 2013 Fifa Club World Cup (world cup only for clubs). Ronaldinho lost against the Raja players, however the Raja players held a huge respect for Ronaldinho, but they were unable to directly communicate with him. This is utterly indescribable, please watch the video below:

                                                       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            The spirit of soccer hasn't changed over time, but the game itself became more international and more popular. More importantly, the equipment evolved and advanced. Starting in the twentieth century, manufacturers started making soccer balls out of rubber. Prior to the modern day, soccer balls would depend upon the size and shape of the pig’ bladder and never be the same shape or size. They had so many problems as the balls were not uniformly shaped, so players did not expected them to go where they intended them to go. They were not very reliable, instead, they moved in ways that were very random and bizarre. But still, people used these annoying balls because soccer is greater than to be constrained to not using perfectly circular and neat balls. Soccer’s purpose is to have fun in the first place, but also to get people together. It is a language that unifies people from all around the world. This is the soccer people have played since the 1800s and it is the same soccer people are playing today.

            Franklin Foer says: “Soccer isn't the same as Bach or Buddhism. But it is often more deeply felt than religion, and just as much a part of the community's fabric, a repository of traditions.” That is the main reason why soccer is hard to change, or shall I say will never change. None the less, the game’s equipment will develop and will keep changing because change is part of the humans’ lives and what people generally like.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            In 1862, an inflatable rubber bladder was invented by H. J. Lindon, which revolutionized the manufacture of the soccer balls. Now, Soccer balls are stronger and can endure much more pressure while maintaining its overall shape. This is certainly the biggest improvement on the ball, which led to even further developments. It was inevitable that the size and weight of the soccer balls had to be standardized as to maintain a fair international game. In 1872, the English Football Association agreed on the weight and size of the soccer ball as to be 13-15 ounces with a circumference of 27 to 28 inches. Nothing has changed from that day until this day except for the materials used to make the soccer balls. Up until now, most soccer balls were made from rubber bladders, and from leather-covered inner tubes. Hand-made soccer balls were very beautiful and astonishing; however, they were not very reliable and safe. It was not very unusual for a team to stop a game because of damaged ball. The result of the first World Cup played in 1930 between Argentina and Uruguay was believed to be greatly affected by the quality of the ball used in the match. The early 1940s was a time of further change in the history of the soccer ball. Improvements were made to strengthen and enhance control of the ball by adding a carcass made from strong materials inserted between the bladder and the outer casing.

            The "Buckeyball" is the name of the soccer ball designed by R. Buckminster Fuller. This soccer ball is the model, which current companies use to make new soccer balls. Soccer balls have continued to develop from that day on. Astonishing balls were invented such as Team Geist (World cop 2002), Fevernova (World cup 2006), and Jabulani(World cup 2010). Although soccer balls are made for the game itself, many people around the world use them for other purposes. Some use it just for decoration, others might use for public free-styling to earn some money. Watch the video below for a freestyler using s soccer ball unconventionally:

                                                    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            It was one of the extremely hot summer days when Emma was walking towards his house, coming from the mosque. His friend, Khadim greeted him on the way. After greeting Emma, he said: “I saw your brother, Senya playing Soccer after Zuhr prayer alone in your house barefooted. How does he do that?” He smiled and told him that they were used to doing that. There are two main reasons his friend was shocked. First of all, it is because Senya was playing barefooted at a time when it was probably 50 Celsius, which is approximately 110 Fahrenheit. Secondly, he was surprised because Senya was playing alone, randomly shooting the ball to the walls of the house. Now, how is this compared to the idea of soccer you have? What Senya and Emma used to do is still called soccer, but only with tougher circumstances and less equipment.

            How fancy the equipment they use is not what determines if they will be enjoying Soccer, instead, it is how much they really want to enjoy it that will determine if they are going to. He remembers when he used to run away from home to play soccer at the far end of the gigantic neighborhood they lived in. He did not have any means of transportation nor shoes to play with. He played barefooted with re-sewn t-shirts, but he still enjoyed it and would choose it over anything in the world. Kids nowadays, require many types of equipment such as shin-guards, running shoes, cleats, uniforms, socks, and the list goes on. But, they still play the same game played by older generations.

            Despite the fact that it only weighs 450 grams (approximately 1 pound), this piece of rubber has changed the lives of many people including myself forever. People have been running after this sneaky ball and competing against each other. No matter how developed this ball might get the idea behind kicking or playing with this ball will hopefully remain the same.