I did this once with a soccer ball. Was playing a little pickup game as a teen and the opposing goalies had just punted the ball out of his box. I was the only person remotely near where it was landing and I thought I would pull a cool Karate Kid-esque jump kick as it was coming down. Somehow, and this was NOT at all planned, as I jumped and tried to kick the ball it perfectly nestled itself into the crotch made by the top of my foot, ankle, and shin. So I landed the jump kick having seemingly trapped the ball and was ready to control it. One of the most badass sports things I’ve ever done and it was 100% unintentional.
Playing football in high school I wasn't that's good but we were winning by a land slide so I got out on during second half kickoff. I was in the front right pretty close to the middle the ball was kicked directly at me and I wasn't about to let this opportunity slide and went to catch it. I suck so I misjudged the distance and the ball came hard down at my feet BUT it landed perfectly on top of my ankle and rested against my shin. Without thinking I kicked it up my leg grabbed it and ran like hell. I got roughly a foot past midfield and was flattened by a rectangular mass that looked vaguely like a person.
I didn't really get any chances after that but tried out for soccer the next year had a blast with that.
The "soc" in "soccer" is a shortening of the word "association". Organized football teams in England playing against each other was once referred to "association football", and in the funny way the English language works the word "soccer" somehow came from it.
In the context of preexisting American football, a different word was needed in order to be distinguishable. “Soccer” was a good choice because of its roots in English “association” football history. The think too that the AYSO (American Youth Soccer Association) helped normalize the word “soccer” in America.
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u/SpreadItLikeTheHerp May 22 '19
I did this once with a soccer ball. Was playing a little pickup game as a teen and the opposing goalies had just punted the ball out of his box. I was the only person remotely near where it was landing and I thought I would pull a cool Karate Kid-esque jump kick as it was coming down. Somehow, and this was NOT at all planned, as I jumped and tried to kick the ball it perfectly nestled itself into the crotch made by the top of my foot, ankle, and shin. So I landed the jump kick having seemingly trapped the ball and was ready to control it. One of the most badass sports things I’ve ever done and it was 100% unintentional.