SSFS Soccer: Present

Over the decades, there has undeniably evolved a particular program vocabulary, not necessarily exclusive to SSFS as to soccer circles in general. This alphabetized section is intended to serve as a kind of living dictionary containing the growing collection of unique terms along with their respective definitions with which program members are expected to be familiar.

arc (arching)
Lateral movement (East/West or right/left), generally in a slight curve rather than a straight line.

bangu
A term made famous in Brazil. The player in possession of the ball drives to the touch line, cutting it back sharply on the ground to a centrally located attacking trailer forcing the keeper to get caught pegged to the near post.
bicycle
A precarious move that involves a player inverting his position to strike the ball while in the air with his feet above his head.
chilena
Often called a "rainbow" in English, a "chilena" is a delicate move that involves flicking the ball up and over one's own body from back to front.
counter
Often referred to as "counter attack". The ability to deliberately react explosively from a defensive stance or posture by capitalizing on a sudden offensive opportunity.
cycle
The ability for a player or group of players to move in and out and back to a specific area without staying stationary. This is usually done while awaiting an offensive set-piece, like a corner kick. Cycling is a means of shedding one's defensive mark.
defensive third
The 33% portion of the field closest to one's defending goal. As the most dangerous part of the pitch in which to play, the risk factors are high, and as such play within the defensive third should be kept as clean and simple as possible.
draw (i.e., your line)
After stepping out of one's position, "draw your line" is often the term used to remind a player that the shortest distance between himself and his vacated position is a straight line.
enganche
Originating from Latin, this Spanish term comes from the verb "enganchar" or "to hook". The enganche, often donning the #10 jersey, is a withdrawn forward/playmaker, playing in front of one's own midfield yet neither in alignment with the strikers. Often checking back to receive the ball with his back to the attacking goal, the enganche likes to then hook, often inward, and continue the attack. This position was made most famous by Argentina's Diego Maradona in the 1980's.
fade
Similar to "withdraw", this non-urgent term urges members to pull back and get numbers behind the ball.
feign
This is a fancy word used in soccer that is the equivalent of "decoy". For example, a player who "feigns" to his right, fakes going in that direction.
foil
This is a literary term. Traditionally, a foil is a secondary character whose purpose is to emphasize the traits of the main character by comparison or contrast. In soccer, a foil does just that, deliberately employing oneself in such a manner as to maximize another teammate's skill(s) or opportunity, for example being the player who returns the "give" of a classic give-and-go.
goal-side
"Goal-side" is a positional term used to refer to a player, generally in a defensive circumstance, though not exclusively, who finds himself between his marking assignment and one's defending goal -- in other words, closer to his own goal than his threatening opponent.
gol de honor
The "gol de honor" or "goal of honor" is the one that disallows the opponent from claiming a shutout.
gol olímpico
An exceptionally rare occurance, the "gol olímpico" is the result of scoring directly from a corner kick.
half-volley
The ability to strike a ball coming out of the air at the exact moment it touches the ground.
ice
As in "ice the play" or "ice it", this term draws from its cool image. It generally implies terminating a threat as quickly as possible, allowing members to therefore regroup and reorganize.
K.I.S.
Pronounced kiss, this acronym is used to imply a conservative and safe approach at play. It stands for Keep It Simple.
let
Whether in reference to the ball or a player, "let" means allowing the aforementioned to go through unimpeded so that another party might assume responsibility.
middle third
The 33% portion of the field located in the middle of the pitch, roughly from the top of one 18 yard box to the top of the other. It is said that games are won and lost in the middle third; the greatest battles occur here. The team that dominates the middle third often is the victor.
moral victory
The consiliatory term often claimed by a losing team who nonetheless played the better soccer.
negative space
All space behind the ball.
nutmeg
Sometimes referred to simply as a "meg", a "nutmeg" is a cheeky play in which a player in possession of the ball deliberately passes it through the legs of an opposing marker. In Spanish this term is called a "caño", or "pipe" -- as in passing it through the pipes (i.e., legs). Performing a nutmeg is often considered an act of showmanship and may result in retaliatory play by the often offended/embarrassed opponent.
offensive third
The 33% portion of the field furthest from one's defending goal. It is the area where goals are generated. Offensively speaking, it is where the greatest risks can be taken.
ojo
This Spanish word meaning "eye", and often said while simutaneously pointing to one's eye, means "be careful"; in other words "watch out."
overlap
Generally used in reference to a player, overlapping implies one player (position #1) crossing over another (position #2) en route to a newly established third position. To be more precise, overlapping is a tactic used to move defenders and midfielders into attacking positions by running behind or around a teammate with the ball in order to get open for a pass. The overlap is done in tandem, often initiated by a winger who deliberately moves away from the sideline towards the center of the field to create space for a teammate, often a wide defender or midfielder, to advance and receive the ball undefended along the touchline.
over run
This term demands that a recovering player by-pass the location of the ball, as a direct result of it already being challenged by another teammate. By running beyond the play, the player "over running" ensures proper defensive support behind the play, in the event the aforementioned challenging teammate loses the battle.
pinch (i.e., in, out, up and/or back)
This term is used for correcting positional details. "Pinch in" means that a player should move slightly toward the center of the field. "Pinch out" means that said player should adjust by moving slightly toward the nearest sideline. "Pinch up" means that a player should move forward slightly, while "pinch back" means that a player should slightly withdraw towards one's own goal.
pitch
The "pitch" is simply the British term for "field."
press
The decision taken to intentionally put pressure on the opposing team.
restraining line
The demarked invisible line established by the coach that informs the strikers, when in a defensive posture, to not cross but instead wait for the opponent to approach (often the top of the central arc). A restraining line is often implemented to help maintain team shape and/or establish a defense that, like a lure, invites the opponent to step up, making them more susceptible to a sudden counter.
rotate (swing or switch)
All three of these terms refer to the ball and/or play. To rotate, swing or switch the ball/play means to begin the process of changing the side of the field on which the ball/play currently finds itself. Ball/play rotation, swinging and switching should generally occur in at least two passes, at angles, not one long and direct one.
scissors
Related to the bicycle kick, but less precarious, a scissors kick involves a player striking the ball while in the air with his feet and his body parallel to the ground.
seam
The space that exists between two players. This term is often coupled with the word "split", as in "split the seam." Splitting the seam means to pass the ball through two players en route to a receiveable teammate on the other side.
second ball
The second ball is the one that follows a 50/50 challenge and generally determines authentic possession for either team. It is particularly important to win the second ball after long clearances, like goal kicks, keeper punts or simply desperate long and/or aerial balls.
sector
Any designated portion of an imaginary grid that spans the entire soccer pitch as determined by the alignment or formation of a given team. It is vital that each player understand which grids are first and foremost his responsibilities in both defending as well as attacking.
shift or slide
This order refers to positional, and often defensive, posture. It directs players to move laterally (East/West or right/left), generally in a slight arc rather than a straight line.
split
This term is often coupled with the word "seam", as in "split the seam." Splitting the seam means to pass the ball through two players en route to a receiveable teammate on the other side.
square
This term implies a supportive position perfectly parallel, be it vertically or horizontally, to the play. Since both player and ball movement should always occur at angles, use of the term "square" is highly discouraged.
stage
A "stage" as determined by the coach, is a segmented period of time within a particular game (i.e., Stage 1 might imply from the opening whistle to the 10 minute mark). Multiple announced stages can be effective ways to maintain game focus over the course of a full match.
stick
This is a physical term which can mean two different things. "Stick to a player" means simply to continue marking him closely (i.e., stick to him like glue). Whereas "stick" or "stick him" implies getting heavily involved in the mix in hopes of strong and immediate dispossesion of the ball. While it is not a term meant to bring harm to anyone, it does carry a bit of a harsh image.
strong side
The "strong side" of the field is the half, divided East/West or right/left, on which the ball finds itself currently. It is clearly where the majority of attention is placed and players found at the moment.
target area
As it sounds, the target area is the space from where most goals finalize. The target area is an invisible area whose epicenter is demarked by the penalty spot. This area, more an arc than a circle, is defined at its base by the six yard line, extending outward from the two goalposts and arching along the top of the eighteen yard box. When generating high percentage, goal-scoring opportunities, it is essential that the ball and attacker(s) work their way simultaneously, yet interdependent of one another, into the target area.
track
Similar to "follow", this term can refer to the tracking of a play, player or ball. "Track back" is often employed to encourage players to physically follow the flow of play rather than get caught merely watching.
triangulate
The ability to work in threes -- the key number combination in soccer. Triangulation promotes angled play while helping avoid "square" situations.
volley
The ability to strike the ball directly out of the air before it touches the ground.
weak side
The "weak side" of the field is the half, divided East/West or right/left, on which the ball does not currently find itself. It is clearly where the majority of attention is not placed nor players found at the moment, making it therefore the ideal place to exploit a sudden shift or change of direction of play.
withdraw
This command is often given when it is felt that there is too much press or offensive forechecking occuring, or there is a perceived imbalance in team shape. It implies that players should pull back towards their own goal, maintaining or regaining team shape along the way, with the end, though immediate, result of establishing a more defensive posture.