Abstract:
An athletic training device for training athletes is provided. The athletic training device comprises a training ball having an outer cover and an inner air bladder. A predetermined amount of silicon is positioned between the outer cover and the inner air bladder wherein the silicon covers a least a portion of the inner air bladder.

Description:
The present application claims the benefit of priority of provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/633,249, filed on Feb. 8, 2012, entitled “Training Ball”. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to an athletic training device and, more particularly, the invention relates to an athletic training device having a layer of silicone injected between an outer cover and an inner air bladder. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Soccer is unique in a number of respects, the most notable of which is that when the ball is in play, no one but the goalie can touch it with his or her hands. But it differs also in that regardless of their position, all 22 players on the field must develop, and use, a wide variety of individual skills. Every player must develop the ability to run fast and for a long time; to stop, start, and change direction in an instant; to anticipate the flight and movement of the ball; and, in general, to move fast and react quickly. Anything that helps to develop, refine, teach, and hone these skills and abilities will produce a better player whether that player is a middle-school student, a boy or girl, a young man in a recreational league, or a pro. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention is an athletic training device for training athletes. The athletic training device comprises a training ball having an outer cover and an inner air bladder. A predetermined amount of silicone is positioned between the outer cover and the inner air bladder wherein the silicone covers a least a portion of the inner air bladder. 
     In addition, the present invention includes a method for training athletes. The method comprises providing a training ball having an outer cover and an inner air bladder, positioning a predetermined amount of silicone between the outer cover and the inner air bladder, and covering at a least a portion of the inner air bladder with the silicone. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating an athletic training device, constructed in accordance with the present invention, with a silicon layer positioned between an outer cover and an inner air bladder; and 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating the athletic training device, constructed in accordance with the present invention, with the outer cover removed. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the present invention is an athletic training device, indicated generally at  10 , providing a training ball  12  having a layer of silicone  14  positioned or injected between an outer cover  16  and an inner air bladder  18 . In a preferred embodiment, the training ball  12  of the athletic training device  10  of the present invention can be produced in two basic varieties or versions. 
     The first version of the training ball  12  of the athletic training device  10  of the present invention injects about four (4 oz.) ounces of a silicone material  14  under the outer cover  16  such that the injected silicone layer  14  covers only a portion of the inner air bladder  18 . In other words, the silicone layer  14  is positioned on one side of the training ball  12  but not the other resulting in a slightly heavier training ball  12  that moves faster, but moves erratically due to the off-balance weight distribution. The off-balance weight distribution of the training ball  12  makes the training ball  12  more difficult to anticipate or control, and forces the player to reverse direction more quickly and more frequently. The training ball  12  of the first version of the athletic training device  10  requires more refined skills on the part of the player(s) practicing with it, and thus helps to develop those skills. A production version of the training ball  12  incorporates the partial silicone layer it into the manufacture of the athletic training device  10  for soccer players of all ages and levels. 
     In an embodiment of the first version of the training ball  12  of the athletic training device  10  of the present invention, the silicone  14  can cover less than one-half of the inner bladder  18 . In another embodiment, the silicone  14  can cover more than one-half of the inner air bladder  18 . The amount of silicone  14  actually positioned between the outer cover  16  and the inner air bladder  18  is dependent on the amount of weight and off-balance desired by the manufacturer, coach, and/or player. Additional silicone  14  can be injected or removed at the point of play depending on the desires of the training coordinator. 
     A second version of the training ball  12  of the athletic training device  10  of the present invention features a complete, evenly applied, spherical layer of silicone  14  between the outer cover  16  of the training ball  12  and the inner air bladder  18  of the training ball  12 . In this version of the training ball  12  of the athletic training device  10 , the training ball  12  is heavier and faster, just as the initial version was, but also moves, flies, rolls, and bounces in a “true” manner. 
     Among the advantages of the training ball of the athletic training device  10  of the present invention are its benefits in developing greater foot speed and agility in soccer players of all ages and levels, as well as promoting a keener sense of anticipation with regard to the movement of the training ball  12 . Further, because the production of the training ball  12  involves a relatively simple intermediate step in the production process, i.e., the injection of the silicone layer  14  between the outer cover  16  and inner air bladder  18  of the training ball  12 , it is possible to produce the training ball at a relatively minimal cost with the “raw material” being any soccer ball constructed with an outer cover  16  and an interior air bladder  18 . The prospect of offering two alternative, broadly similar but slightly different versions of the training ball  12  is another advantage in terms of marketing. Given the popularity of soccer, both within the United States and around the world, the market for the athletic training device  10  is virtually unlimited, and soccer players of all ages and levels, as well as their coaches and parents. 
     The foregoing exemplary descriptions and the illustrative preferred embodiments of the present invention have been explained in the drawings and described in detail, with varying modifications and alternative embodiments being taught. While the invention has been so shown, described and illustrated, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that equivalent changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention, and that the scope of the present invention is to be limited only to the claims except as precluded by the prior art. Moreover, the invention as disclosed herein may be suitably practiced in the absence of the specific elements which are disclosed herein.