A lateral is also known as a backward pass, pitch, or pitch-out. A ball that goes parallel to or away from the opponent's goal line after leaving a player's hand. A handoff is a ball that is passed from one player to another without first leaving the first player's hands. Lateral passes are useful because they can be given away safely while giving the offense some time on the ball. Handoffs are useful when you want your team to get the ball into open field quickly. On average, men's professional soccer players contact the ball approximately once every two seconds during play. Women's pro soccer tends to be less physical than its male counterpart, with players contacting the ball about once every three seconds. Professional soccer is a fast-paced game with many changes of direction; as such, it requires players to be flexible enough to respond to events as they unfold. In conclusion, there is not much of a difference between lateral and handoff soccer. Both types of passes are useful tools for creating opportunities in soccer. It all depends on what type of situation you find yourself in. If you need to delay your opponent or give your team some time on the ball, a lateral pass might be the best option. Otherwise, a handoff is perfect.