Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1906-01-30
FOOTBALL.
The following has been received by
the Wausau high school, and it explains
itself:


in connection with the Wisconsin
Teachers association a committee of
five was appointed with instructions to
disseminate information concerning
game of association (socker) football
and to obtain an expression of opinion
from the principals of this state upon
the desirablility of introducing this
game into our high schools. In ac-
committee submits the following:
The British Football association, from
which the game derives its name, was
organized in 1868. The game is very
popular in the United Kingdom where
1t is no unusual thing for $4,000 specta-
tors TO witness an important contest.
1t has recently been introduced into
American colleges. Harvard and
Columbia already have strong teams
while Chicago and Northwestern uni
versities have decided to make it a
regular college game.
Association football is played with a
round ball by teams of eleven players
on field so to 100 yards wide by 100
to 130 yards long. Goals are scored by
kicking the ball under cross bar eight
feet from the ground and between two
uprights eight feet high and eight yards
apart, placed in the middle of the ends
of the field of play. The team scoring
most goals win the contest.
At the beginning of play the eleven
men line up as follows : A goalkeeper,
2 full-backs, half-ba and for
wards. The duty of the forwards is to
attack the opponents goal, while the
goalkeeper and backs are defense men.
The goalkeeper may use his hands or
any other part of his body to defend his
goal but must not run carrying the ball.
All other players must not Intentionally
use either hands or arms in playing the
ball or in interfering with an opponent.
The referee tosses a coin and the
winning captain may take the kick off
or choice of goals. He usually takes the
latter and the centre forward of the
opposing team kicks off. In general
this kick off should not be a long drive;
on the other hand, it should be pass
with the foot to some open spot where
another player of the same side can get
the ball. This man in turn makes
another pass to some member of his
team who has advanced into an exposed
position and so the ball is worked up
the field until the forwards have got
within striking distance of their oppon-
ents' goal when one of them tries to kick
it through. A typical play would be as
follows: The centre would pass the
ball forward and to the right along the
ground where the inside right wing
man could get 1t by sprinting and
would himself run straight forward
past the opposing centre. The inside
right who received it would kick it for
ward between the opposing centre and
inside left wing man where his own
centre who last played Il would again
receive it. The inside right wing
would advance, following the ball,
while the centre, upon receiving it,
would pass diagonally forward across
the field to his own outside right who
by that time had gone forward into
position to receive it. When the left
opposing half back advanced to attack
the outside right the latter would pass
it to the inside right who would
advance couple of steps and immedi-
ately pass out again to the outside
right, behind the left half back. Then
the opposing left full back would
attempt to break up this combination
play and advance to intercept the out
side right who would again be going up
the side of the field. Just before reach
ing this full back the outside wing
would transfer the ball to the inside
right who would not middle" the ball,
that is, kick it across the field directly
in front of the opponents goal where
his centre and two left wing men
would be ready to rush it through By
such combination as the one Just
described, goal is frequently scored
without the opponents ever having
got foot on the ball. The next attack
would be made by the centre giving
the ball to the left wing man who
advances it in the same manner and the
right wing is given slight rest from
the previous eXertion. A good centre
plays to his right and left wings alter
nately or nearly so.
If at any time in the course of the
play above outlined it is found that
nearly all of the opposing team 90 to
the side against which the attack is
directed, it will be good policy for one
of the forwards to make a long, high
pass clear across the field to the left
wing and advance rapidly into position
to receive the ball when il is "middled"
by a player on that wing. To break up
these combination plays the opposing
defense men may block the ball or
block an opponent, leaving his other
men to tako care of the ball. The
latter is the better plan, especially for
halfbacks In case one of these oppos-
ing defense men succeeds in stopping
the ball, he passes it to one of his
forwards and the attack it Immediately
transferred to the other end of the
field OF course it is out of the question
to outline all the combinations that
might occur as the ball is being
advanced but enough has been said to
show that there is ample opportunity
for the cultivation of team work, while
there is much left to individual initia-
tive. 1t must also be evident that
cool, quick, clear headed little fellow
may be the best player on a team.
Weight counts in blocking opponents
but the little fellow may refuse to be
blocked by lodging around his big
adversary. In general defense men
try to check the opposing forwards
while tha lattar ebonld NOT a How tbap,