Method of play and training device for development of soccer skills

Abstract

A method of play and soccer skill training device that is played outdoors. The device can be used to develop basic soccer skills such as ball handling, passing, and shooting accuracy as well as advanced skills such as strategy and teamwork. The method and apparatus of the invention which can be used with a soccer ball comprises a plurality of arches extending upwardly from the ground level through which a soccer ball is passed with the feet or head.

What is claimed is as follows:  
     
         1 . A training device for development of soccer skills which can be used with a soccer ball on a field of ground comprising at least one rod and a complementary number of means for supporting the at least one rod in an upright arching position, said means for supporting the at least one rod in an upright arching position being operable independent of a fastener.  
     
     
         2 . The training device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one rod is flexible and each end of the rod is insertable and releasable from one of an upper opening in the means for supporting.  
     
     
         3 . A training device for development of soccer skills which can be used with a soccer ball on a field of ground comprising: 
 a. a flexible rod, and    b. means for supporting the flexible rod in an upright arching position, said means for supporting the flexible rod in an upright arching position being operable independent of a fastener.    
     
     
         4 . A training device for development of soccer skills which can be used with a soccer ball on a field of ground comprising: 
 a. a flexible rod with a first end and a second end, and    b. means for supporting the flexible rod in an upright arching position, 
 i. said means for supporting the flexible rod in an upright arching position being operable independent of a fastener,  
 ii. said means for supporting comprising a pair of tubes,  
 iii. each of said tubes being disposable uprightly in the ground at a predetermined distance from one another, and  
 iv. each of said first end and said second end being respectively slidably insertable into an upper opening in one of said pair of tubes.  
   
     
     
         5 . The training device of  claim 4 , wherein each end of the flexible rod is releasable from the upper opening.  
     
     
         6 . The training device of  claim 4 , wherein at least one end of the flexible rod is slidably releasable from the means for supporting upon being subjected to a separating force exceeding a threshold level.  
     
     
         7 . The training device of  claim 4 , further comprising a lubricant disposed on at least one of at least one end of the flexible rod and at least one of said pair of tubes to promote slidable release of the rod from the means for supporting.  
     
     
         8 . The training device of  claim 4 , further comprising means for limiting the depth to which at least one of the first end and the second end of the flexible rod can be inserted into the upper opening in one of said pair of uprightly disposed tubes.  
     
     
         9 . The training device of  claim 8 , wherein the means for limiting comprises at least one spacer plug suitable sized and adapted for use within the tube to limit travel of the rod therein.  
     
     
         10 . The training device of  claim 4 , wherein each of said tubes comprises a tube wall with a hole disposed proximate to the upper opening, said hole being adapted for use to receive a hook for removal of each of said tubes from the ground.  
     
     
         11 . A training device for development of soccer skills which can be used with a soccer ball on a field of ground comprising: 
 a. at least one flexible rod with a first end and a second end; and    b. a complementary number of means for supporting the flexible rod in an upright arching position, 
 i. said means for supporting the flexible rod in an upright arching position being operable independent of a fastener,  
 ii. said means for supporting comprising a pair of tubes,  
 iii. each of said tubes being disposable uprightly in the ground at a predetermined distance from one another, and  
 iv. each of said first end and said second end being respectively slidably insertable into an upper opening in one of said pair of tubes and at least one end of the flexible rod is slidably releasable from the means for supporting upon being subjected to a separating force exceeding a threshold level.  
   
     
     
         12 . A method of play for development of soccer skills which can be used with a soccer ball and a training device on a field of ground for at least one player comprising: 
 a. assembling the training device by erecting a plurality of spaced apart gates through which the soccer ball may be played including 
 i. slidably inserting one of a first end and a second end of one of a plurality of flexible rods in to one of a plurality of means for supporting said one of the plurality of the flexible rods in an upright arching position independent of a fastener and slidably inserting the other of the first end and the second end of the one of the plurality of the flexible rods in to the one of the plurality of the means for supporting said one of the flexible rods in an upright arching position independent of a fastener, and  
 ii. repeating the previous step at least one time equal in number to the number of said plurality of spaced apart gates reduced by one;  
   b. consecutively numbering each of the plurality of spaced apart gates with at least one primary number;    c. identifying at least one series of primary numbered gates in sequence; and    d. passing the soccer ball through each of the at least one series of primary numbered gates in sequence.    
     
     
         13 . The method of play for development of soccer skills of  claim 12 , further comprising reducing potential injury from a snagging contact with any one of the flexible rods of the plurality of spaced apart gates by releasing said one of the flexible rods from the means for supporting upon being subjected to a separating force exceeding a threshold level.  
     
     
         14 . The method of play for development of soccer skills of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 a. spacing each one of said plurality of spaced apart gates along one of a plurality of transit lines that (a) passes through said one of said plurality of spaced apart gates, (b) is generally parallel to an upper surface of the ground, and (c) is perpendicular to a plane containing said one of said plurality of spaced apart gates;    b. aligning a first set of at least two of said plurality of spaced apart gates to lie proximate to a common plane;    c. aligning a second set of at least two of said plurality of spaced apart gates in such a way that the transit line of one of said at least two of said plurality of spaced apart gates is collinear with the transit line of another of said at least two of said plurality of spaced apart gates, wherein the transit lines of the second set are perpendicular to the common plane of the first set without extending along the transit lines of the first set; and    d. passing the soccer ball through one of (a) one of said plurality of spaced apart gates lying proximate to a common plane and then through one of said at least two of said plurality of spaced apart gates having collinear transit lines, and (b) one of said at least two of said plurality of spaced apart gates having collinear transit lines and then through one of said plurality of spaced apart gates lying proximate to a common plane, 
 whereby, the at least one player can pass the soccer ball through an askew series of spaced apart gates to develop soccer skills.  
   
     
     
         15 . A method of play for development of soccer skills which can be used with a soccer ball and a training device on a field of ground for at least one player comprising: 
 a. assembling the training device by erecting seven spaced apart gates through which the soccer ball may be played including 
 i. slidably inserting one of a first end and a second end of one of seven flexible rods in to one of seven means for supporting said one of the seven flexible rods in an upright arching position independent of a fastener and slidably inserting the other of the first end and the second end of the one of the seven flexible rods in to the one of the seven means for supporting said one of the seven flexible rods in an upright arching position independent of a fastener, and  
 ii. repeating the previous step six times to complete the assembly of the seven spaced apart gates;  
   b. spacing each one of seven spaced apart gates along one of a plurality of transit lines that (a) passes through said one of said seven spaced apart gates, (b) is generally parallel to an upper surface of the ground, and (c) is perpendicular to a plane containing said one of said seven spaced apart gates;    c. aligning a first set of three spaced apart gates to lie proximate to a common plane;    d. aligning a second set of spaced apart gates consisting of two in number in such a way that the transit line of one of said second set of spaced apart gates is collinear with the transit line of the other of said second set of spaced apart gates, wherein the transit lines of the second set are perpendicular to the common plane of the first set without extending along the transit lines of the first set; 
 e. aligning a third set of spaced apart gates consisting of two in number in such a way that the transit line of one of said third set of spaced apart gates is collinear with the transit line of the other of said third set of spaced apart gates, wherein the transit lines of the third set are perpendicular to the common plane of the first set without extending along the transit lines of the first set and the second set;  
   f. passing the soccer ball through one of (a) one of said first set of spaced apart gates, then through one of said second set of spaced apart gates, and then through one of another of said first set of spaced apart gates and one of said third set of spaced apart gates, and (b) one of said second set of spaced apart gates, then through one of said first set of spaced apart gates, and then through one of another of said second set of spaced apart gates of spaced apart gates and one of said third set of spaced apart gates, 
 whereby, the at least one player can pass the soccer ball through an askew series of spaced apart gates to develop soccer skills.  
   
     
     
         16 . The method of play for development of soccer skills of  claim 15 , further comprising at least two players intermittently touching the soccer ball interpolatively between successive passes through at least two of the spaced apart gates.  
     
     
         17 . A method of play for development of soccer skills which can be used with a soccer ball and a training device on a field of ground for at least one player comprising: 
 a. assembling the training device by erecting a plurality of spaced apart gates through which the soccer ball may be played including 
 i. slidably inserting one of a first end and a second end of one of a plurality of flexible rods in to one of a plurality of means for supporting said one of the plurality of the flexible rods in an upright arching position independent of a fastener and slidably inserting the other of the first end and the second end of the one of the plurality of the flexible rods in to the one of the plurality of the means for supporting said one of the flexible rods in an upright arching position independent of a fastener, and  
 ii. repeating the previous step at least one time equal in number to the number of said plurality of spaced apart gates reduced by one;  
   b. spacing each one of said plurality of spaced apart gates along one of a plurality of transit lines that (a) passes through said one of said plurality of spaced apart gates, (b) is generally parallel to an upper surface of the ground, and (c) is perpendicular to a plane containing said one of said plurality of spaced apart gates;    c. aligning a first set of at least two of said plurality of spaced apart gates to lie proximate to a common plane;    d. aligning a second set of at least two of said plurality of spaced apart gates in such a way that the transit line of one of said at least two of said plurality of spaced apart gates is collinear with the transit line of another of said at least two of said plurality of spaced apart gates, wherein the transit lines of the second set are perpendicular to the common plane of the first set without extending along the transit lines of the first set;    e. numbering each of the plurality of spaced apart gates with at least one primary number;    f. identifying at least one series of primary numbered gates in sequence; and    g. passing the soccer ball through each of the at least one series of primary numbered gates in sequence, 
 whereby, the at least one player can develop soccer skills while reducing potential injury from a snagging contact with any one of the flexible rods of the plurality of spaced apart gates which can be released from the means for supporting upon being subjected to a separating force exceeding a threshold level.  
   
     
     
         18 . The method of play for development of soccer skills of  claim 17 , further comprising passing the soccer ball through one of (a) one of said plurality of spaced apart gates lying proximate to a common plane and then through one of said at least two of said plurality of spaced apart gates having collinear transit lines, and (b) one of said at least two of said plurality of spaced apart gates having collinear transit lines and then through one of said plurality of spaced apart gates lying proximate to a common plane, whereby, the at least one player can pass the soccer ball through an askew series of spaced apart gates to develop soccer skills.  
     
     
         19 . A method of play for development of soccer skills which can be used with a soccer ball and a training device on a field of ground for at least one player comprising: 
 a. assembling the training device by erecting a plurality of spaced apart gates through which the soccer ball may be played including: 
 i. imbedding a plurality of means for supporting in to said ground at a spaced distance from each other with a primary set of said plurality of means for supporting disposed along a first path and at least one secondary set of said plurality of means for supporting disposed along a second path, wherein each of the at least one second path is transverse to the first path;  
 ii. slidably inserting one of a first end and a second end of one of a plurality of flexible rods in to one of the plurality of means for supporting said one of the plurality of the flexible rods in an upright arching position independent of a fastener and slidably inserting the other of the first end and the second end of the one of the plurality of the flexible rods in to the one of the plurality of the means for supporting, and  
 iii. repeating the previous step at least one time equal in number to the number of said plurality of means for supporting reduced by one;  
   b. consecutively numbering each of the plurality of spaced apart gates with at least one primary number, said numbering alternating between gates consisting of means for supporting disposed in the first path and gates consisting of means for supporting disposed in the second path;    c. identifying at least one series of primary numbered gates in sequence; and    d. passing the soccer ball through each of the at least one series of primary numbered gates in sequence.