An article of footwear, comprising: an upper and a sole; the upper including a gripping system configured to contact a ball; wherein the gripping system includes a first gripping member and a plurality of gripping members (507, 508, 509, 510), each gripping member (507, 508, 509, 510) of the plurality of gripping members (507, 508, 509, 510) having an outward tilting gripping surface (523, 525, 527, 529), an inward tilting gripping surface (524, 526, 528, 530), and a transition zone (532, 533, 534, 535) defining a boundary between the outward tilting gripping surface (523, 525, 527, 529) and the inward tilting gripping surface (524, 526, 528, 530), the transition zone (532, 533, 534, 535) being a region of twist along the gripping member (507, 508, 509, 510), each gripping surface (523, 524, 525, 526, 527, 528, 529, 530) of the gripping members (507, 508, 509, 510) of the plurality of gripping members (507, 508, 509, 510) having a transition region with a first portion of the gripping surface located clockwise of the transition region and being tilted in a first direction, and a second portion of the gripping surface located counter-clockwise of the transition region and being tilted in a second direction, wherein the first direction is different than the second direction, such that, in a direction from a first end of the gripping members (507, 508, 509, 510) of the plurality of gripping members (507, 508, 509, 510) to a second end of the gripping members (507, 508, 509, 510) of the plurality of gripping members (507, 508, 509, 510), the inward tilting gripping surfaces (524, 526, 528, 530) are shrunk and the outward tilting gripping surfaces (523, 525, 527, 529) are enlarged; the plurality of gripping members (507, 508, 509, 510) including a second gripping member including a second gripping surface, the second gripping member being disposed outward from the first gripping member including a first gripping surface, the second gripping surface of the second gripping member having a first portion tilted in the first direction and a second portion tilted in the second direction. an upper and a sole; the upper including a gripping system configured to contact a ball; wherein the gripping system includes a first gripping member and a plurality of gripping members (507, 508, 509, 510), each gripping member (507, 508, 509, 510) of the plurality of gripping members (507, 508, 509, 510) having an outward tilting gripping surface (523, 525, 527, 529), an inward tilting gripping surface (524, 526, 528, 530), and a transition zone (532, 533, 534, 535) defining a boundary between the outward tilting gripping surface (523, 525, 527, 529) and the inward tilting gripping surface (524, 526, 528, 530), the transition zone (532, 533, 534, 535) being a region of twist along the gripping member (507, 508, 509, 510), each gripping surface (523, 524, 525, 526, 527, 528, 529, 530) of the gripping members (507, 508, 509, 510) of the plurality of gripping members (507, 508, 509, 510) having a transition region with a first portion of the gripping surface located clockwise of the transition region and being tilted in a first direction, and a second portion of the gripping surface located counter-clockwise of the transition region and being tilted in a second direction, wherein the first direction is different than the second direction, such that, in a direction from a first end of the gripping members (507, 508, 509, 510) of the plurality of gripping members (507, 508, 509, 510) to a second end of the gripping members (507, 508, 509, 510) of the plurality of gripping members (507, 508, 509, 510), the inward tilting gripping surfaces (524, 526, 528, 530) are shrunk and the outward tilting gripping surfaces (523, 525, 527, 529) are enlarged; the plurality of gripping members (507, 508, 509, 510) including a second gripping member including a second gripping surface, the second gripping member being disposed outward from the first gripping member including a first gripping surface, the second gripping surface of the second gripping member having a first portion tilted in the first direction and a second portion tilted in the second direction.