A sports ball is one of the top pieces of equipment that is used in numerous sports. With the popularity of countless sports that are played across the world, the number of balls manufactured and used amounts to millions and billions. Sports balls are mostly spherical objects that come in different sizes, shapes, plays, and uses.
The movements involved with different sports balls include shooting, dribbling, kicking, throwing, catching, and much more.
VARIATIONS OF SPORTS BALL GAMES
The most popular sports in the US are ball games. Let’s discuss what types of sports are majorly played with different types of balls!
I discovered that only a few solo sports make use of balls – which is not surprising as the true essence of ball games is that it is meant to be played with more than one or multiple people or other sports equipment. Solo recreational activities such as bowling and golf use balls – both sports differ in the size of the balls. In golf, a very small-sized, white ball that has several tiny dimples is used to play. It is struck with a golf club into a hole to make a shot.
Now coming on to two-player sports, these include popular indoor and outdoor fitness sports such as squash, racquetball in which small, rubber balls are used that are bouncy.
Most team sports such as American football, soccer, basketball, rugby, handball, etc. are ball games. These sports balls are larger and different techniques are used to play these sports. In American football and soccer, the ball is played with the movements of the legs and the feet while basketball, rugby, volleyball, and handball are played with hands and arms. Bat and ball games differ from only ball games. Some popular examples include cricket and baseball. These group sports are played with balls that are small in size and hard in texture for a better grip and throw.
HOW TO PERFECT YOUR BALL CONTROL?
As discussed above, there are many distinct structures and sizes of balls – and of course, what type of sport you are playing determines the sports ball. Mastering your sports ball may take some time and practice.
First, let’s talk about American football and soccer since for these sports you need perfect ball skills – such as flawless ball control and movements. In my opinion, playing a ball with your feet and legs is harder than using your hands and arms! If you are practicing alone – juggling is the best technique for mastering your ball control. But here’s the catch, juggle with both your feet as you need to direct the ball from one foot to another for optimal results. If you are training with someone, ask them to give you all types of high passes and keep practicing till you are consistent with it.
For sports such as basketball where you have to dribble and shoot or pass the ball, dribbling the ball is an essential part of the game. While dribbling the ball, try running as it makes it harder for the opponent to catch the ball. Your movements and positioning are key when it comes to dribbling and shooting. Position yourself in the direction of where you are moving for example, towards the goal, and make sure that your upper body is bent down when you’re dribbling the ball!
For smaller balls that are used in bat and ball games, perfecting your ball is done through regular training. Whether you are bowling or batting, you need to learn how to control the ball. For a batsman, the speed of the ball is important to note and the intensity of the hit should be measured before moving the bat. You also need to see the direction of where you are throwing the ball – to restrict the fielding team from catching the ball or in the case of cricket, not let the ball hit the wicket behind you. There are a lot of factors to consider when playing bat and ball sports. As for the one bowling, your hand movements should be perfect and the swing should be in line with the throw.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION ABOUT SPORTS BALLS
Q. What do you call ball sports?
Ball sports are the most famous sports that are played around the world. These are divided into different categories such as bat and ball games, net and wall sports, and invasion games.
Q. What is the biggest sports ball?
In terms of the common spherical balls that are used in different sports, the largest ball is a basketball.
Q. Who invented the ball?
Surprisingly, no one knows who invented the ball.
Q. What was the first ball sport?
The Mayan ballgame of Pitz is assumed to be the first ball sport – it was first played around 2500 BCE.
Author’s Opinion
The invention of the sports ball is believed to have begun in the ancient days when people used to throw rocks or different items such as coconuts. This led to the creation of sports balls that are the backbone of many sports and games played around the world. These come in different sizes, shapes, and materials which serve different purposes for play and I think that’s quite interesting if you think about it. A lot of sports wouldn’t have even existed if it weren’t for sports balls!
