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122-732: Flint City Bucks is an American soccer team based in Flint, Michigan , United States. Founded in 1995, the team plays in USL League Two . The club was founded in 1995 as the Mid-Michigan Bucks , playing in Saginaw , and began playing in 1996. In 2004, the club changed its name to the Michigan Bucks following a move to Plymouth . In 2008, they moved to Pontiac . In 2019, they moved to Flint and changed their name to

244-628: A stele of c.  375–400 BCE in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens appears on the UEFA European Championship trophy. Athenaeus , writing in 228 CE, mentions the Roman ball game harpastum . Phaininda, episkyros and harpastum were played involving hands and violence. They all appear to have resembled rugby football , wrestling , and volleyball more than what

366-521: A 1–0 victory over Cascade Surge took them to the Conference finals, where they were defeated 2–0 by Spokane, but it still promised better things for the men from Washington state . 1998 was the best season yet in Yakima's history. For the second year in a row they finished the regular season second to Spokane Shadow , but the playoffs were a different story – a 1–0 win over Seattle BigFoot in

488-588: A 1–1 tie in the semi-finals sent the Bucks to the Championship game for the second consecutive year where they once again played against Southern Conference champions Laredo Heat. The game stood at 0–0 after extra time. During the penalty shootout striker Kenny Uzoigwe suffered leg cramps and was unable to take his spot kick, and had to be substituted. His replacement, Ian Daniel , had his kick saved by Laredo goalkeeper Ryan Cooper; teenager Felix Garcia then scored

610-590: A 3–3 draw in regulation time. Head coach Joe Malachino was named PDL coach of the year, the second Bucks coach to receive the honor. The Bucks missed the playoffs for the first time in 2001, beaten into third place in the Great Lakes Division by Chicago Fire Reserves and West Michigan Edge , but did manage to progress to the second round of the US Open Cup for the third year in a row, knocking out amateur side Chaldean Arsenal before losing to

732-470: A 5–2 win over Yakima Reds . The Bucks were beaten in the final by the Chicago Sockers . The Bucks also made it to the third round of the US Open Cup in 2000. They won 3–0 over Maryland-based amateur side Jerry D's , and defeated MLS's New England Revolution 1–0, with Chad Schomaker scoring the winning goal in the 90th minute, before losing their next game on penalty kicks to Miami Fusion after

854-493: A French XI team in 1920, and also made up most of the England team against a Scottish Ladies XI in the same year, winning 22–0. Despite being more popular than some men's football events, with one match seeing a 53,000 strong crowd in 1920, women's football in England suffered a blow in 1921 when The Football Association outlawed the playing of the game on association members' pitches, stating that "the game of football

976-416: A berth in the US Open Cup for the third straight year, but fell in the first round against USL League 2 side Cleveland City Stars . The Bucks finished first, 8 points clear of Cleveland in the standings. Despite a strong regular season, they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by Kalamazoo Outrage, who scored an 86th-minute equalizer to force extra time, and ended the game at 3–1. Kenny Uzoigwe

1098-442: A caution ( yellow card ) or dismissal ( red card ). A second yellow card in the same game leads to a red card, which results in a dismissal. A player given a yellow card is said to have been "booked", the referee writing the player's name in their official notebook. If a player has been dismissed, no substitute can be brought on in their place and the player may not participate in further play. Misconduct may occur at any time, and while

1220-714: A community-oriented independent supporter group that participate in LGBTQ+ advocacy , community service, and philanthropy. The River Rats are a member of the Independent Supporters Council. This list comprises players who went on to play professional soccer after playing for the team in the Premier Development League, or those who previously played professionally before joining the team. Association football Association football , more commonly known as football or soccer ,

1342-574: A competitive game, and involved the kicking of a mari , a ball made of animal skin. In North America, pasuckuakohowog was a ball game played by the Algonquians ; it was described as "almost identical to the kind of folk football being played in Europe at the same time, in which the ball was kicked through goals". Phaininda and episkyros were Greek ball games. An image of an episkyros player depicted in low relief on

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1464-505: A deadlock; some competitions may invoke replays . A game tied at the end of regulation time may go into extra time, which consists of two further 15-minute periods. If the score is still tied after extra time, some competitions allow the use of penalty shoot-outs (known officially in the Laws of the Game as "kicks from the penalty mark") to determine which team will progress to the next stage of

1586-693: A five-game unbeaten streak, and continued on through the month of June with five wins in six games. The Bucks secured their fourth divisional title, but fell in the conference final game to the Chicago Fire Reserves. In the US Open Cup, the Bucks beat USL Pro Select League Long Island Rough Riders , before losing 4–0 to the New York/New Jersey Metrostars in Round 3. In 2004, the Mid-Michigan Bucks became

1708-400: A goal has been scored or not; this was brought in to prevent controversy. Video assistant referees (VAR) have also been increasingly introduced in high-level matches to assist officials through video replays to correct clear and obvious mistakes. There are four types of calls that can be reviewed: mistaken identity in awarding a red or yellow card, goals and whether there was a violation during

1830-714: A group of their supporters met at the Soggy Bottom Bar in Flint. At this meeting, they formed the River Rats. The River Rats have established their " curva " in section 11 of Atwood Stadium , also known as the Rats Nest. On match days, the River Rats gather at Soggy Bottom Bar for a pre-game provocation before marching a half-mile through Carriage Town to the Atwood Stadium turnstiles. The River Rats are

1952-441: A hat trick, and reached their first PDL championship game by overcoming Western Conference champions Orange County Blue Star with two goals from Kenny Uzoigwe . The Bucks defeated Laredo Heat 2–1 with goals from Kenny Uzoigwe and Ty Shipalane to take their first ever national championship, after 11 years of play. As reigning PDL champions, the Bucks started 2007 in good form with an 11-game unbeaten run, with only three draws. In

2074-640: A latex bladder for pressurisation, but modern balls at all levels of the game are now synthetic. As the Laws were formulated in England, and were initially administered solely by the four British football associations within IFAB , the standard dimensions of a football pitch were originally expressed in imperial units . The Laws now express dimensions with approximate metric equivalents (followed by traditional units in brackets), though use of imperial units remains popular in English-speaking countries with

2196-477: A lowly 5th in the table behind champions Willamette Valley Firebirds . Things turned around superbly in 2000, however, as Yakima ran away to take their first ever Northwest Division title, six points clear of second place Spokane Shadow . The playoff were a massive success; a 2–0 win over Spokane took them to the Conference championship game, where they duly dispatched the Colorado Comets 1–0 to move onto

2318-529: A meeting attended by representatives from Eton , Harrow , Rugby , Winchester and Shrewsbury schools. They were not universally adopted. During the 1850s, many clubs unconnected to schools or universities were formed throughout the English-speaking world to play various forms of football. Some came up with their own distinct codes of rules, most notably the Sheffield Football Club , formed by former public school pupils in 1857, which led to

2440-426: A penalty kick. Other markings define the position of the ball or players at kick-offs , goal kicks, penalty kicks and corner kicks. A standard adult football match consists of two halves of 45 minutes each. Each half runs continuously, meaning that the clock is not stopped when the ball is out of play. There is usually a 15-minute half-time break between halves. The end of the match is known as full-time. The referee

2562-601: A playoff spot. Junior Garcia was the top scorer in the entire PDL, with 15 goals, and was subsequently named the national MVP , the first time that honor had ever been given to a Yakima player. On 25 September 2008, the Reds' management announced that the club was folding and withdrawing from the USL, citing the economic climate and the financial difficulties being suffered by the ownership group, Irwin Research & Development , as

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2684-416: A relatively recent history of metrication (or only partial metrication), such as Britain. The length of the pitch, or field, for international adult matches is in the range of 100–110 m (110–120 yd) and the width is in the range of 64–75 m (70–80 yd). Fields for non-international matches may be 90–120 m (100–130 yd) in length and 45–90 m (50–100 yd) in width, provided

2806-436: A run of winning results was frustrating. A pair of 4–0 wins – one over Cascade Surge , one over Abbotsford Rangers  – were the highlights of the year, but in the end their lack of confidence and their spotty form left them third in the table behind Abbotsford, and just out of the playoffs again. However, their two star goal scorers, Cameron Mertens and Christopher Sardon , did net an impressive 16 goals between them,

2928-576: A similar ancient game ( cuju , or tsu chu ) was played by women during the Han dynasty (25–220 CE), as female figures are depicted in frescoes of the period playing tsu chu . There are also reports of annual football matches played by women in Midlothian , Scotland, during the 1790s. Association football, the modern game, has documented early involvement of women. In 1863, football governing bodies introduced standardised rules to prohibit violence on

3050-468: A testament to Yakima's improved fortunes in front of goal. However, Yakima's fortunes took a turn for the worse in 2007. The team won just three games and scored just 21 goals all season, and eventually finished a full 29 points adrift of divisional champions BYU Cougars . Their wins – 2–1 over Cascade Surge at home, 1–0 over Ogden Outlaws on the road in Utah, and 5–3 over Spokane Spiders at home on

3172-527: A total match time of 90 minutes. With an estimated 250 million players active in over 200 countries and territories, it is the world's most popular sport. The game of association football is played in accordance with the Laws of the Game , a set of rules that has been in effect since 1863 and maintained by the IFAB since 1886. The game is played with a football that is 68–70 cm (27–28 in) in circumference . The two teams compete to score goals by getting

3294-564: A truce to the nation's civil war in 2006 and it helped further reduce tensions between government and rebel forces in 2007 by playing a match in the rebel capital of Bouaké , an occasion that brought both armies together peacefully for the first time. By contrast, football is widely considered to have been the final proximate cause for the Football War in June 1969 between El Salvador and Honduras . The sport also exacerbated tensions at

3416-432: A variety of positions in which the outfield (non-goalkeeper) players are strategically placed by a coach, these positions are not defined or required by the Laws. The basic equipment or kit players are required to wear includes a shirt, shorts, socks, footwear and adequate shin guards . An athletic supporter and protective cup is highly recommended for male players by medical experts and professionals. Headgear

3538-468: A win at Marquette Stadium until the end of June with a 4–2 victory over Spokane Shadow . It was not until the end of the season that the Reds began putting up any kind of resistance, and they finished their campaign with back-to-back wins 4–2 over Fresno Fuego and 5–2 over Abbotsford Rangers , but it was too little too late. The year ended with Yakima fourth of four in the Northwest. The 2005 season

3660-415: Is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players each, who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a ball around a rectangular field called a pitch . The objective of the game is to score more goals than the opposing team by moving the ball beyond the goal line into a rectangular-framed goal defended by the opposing team. Traditionally, the game has been played over two 45-minute halves, for

3782-468: Is governed by FIFA . Under FIFA, there are six continental confederations: AFC , CAF , CONCACAF , CONMEBOL , OFC , and UEFA . Of these confederations, CONMEBOL is the oldest one, being founded in 1916. National associations (e.g. The FA in England) are responsible for managing the game in their own countries both professionally and at an amateur level, and coordinating competitions in accordance with

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3904-410: Is marked by the goal line, two lines starting on the goal line 16.5 m (18 yd) from the goalposts and extending 16.5 m (18 yd) into the pitch perpendicular to the goal line, and a line joining them. This area has a number of functions, the most prominent being to mark where the goalkeeper may handle the ball and where a penalty foul by a member of the defending team becomes punishable by

4026-438: Is not a required piece of basic equipment, but players today may choose to wear it to protect themselves from head injury. Players are forbidden to wear or use anything that is dangerous to themselves or another player, such as jewellery or watches. The goalkeeper must wear clothing that is easily distinguishable from that worn by the other players and the match officials. A number of players may be replaced by substitutes during

4148-405: Is positioned on each goal line, midway between the two touchlines. The inner edges of the vertical goal posts must be 7.32 m (24 ft) apart, and the lower edge of the horizontal crossbar supported by the goal posts must be 2.44 m (8 ft) above the ground. Nets are usually placed behind the goal, but are not required by the Laws. In front of the goal is the penalty area. This area

4270-816: Is quite unsuitable for females and should not be encouraged." Players and football writers have argued that this ban was, in fact, due to envy of the large crowds that women's matches attracted, and because the FA had no control over the money made from the women's game. The FA ban led to the formation of the short-lived English Ladies Football Association and play moved to rugby grounds. Women's football also faced bans in several other countries , notably in Brazil from 1941 to 1979, in France from 1941 to 1970, and in Germany from 1955 to 1970. Restrictions began to be reduced in

4392-506: Is recognisable as modern football. As with pre-codified mob football , the antecedent of all modern football codes , these three games involved more handling the ball than kicking it. Association football in itself does not have a classical history. Notwithstanding any similarities to other ball games played around the world, FIFA has described that no historical connection exists with any game played in antiquity outside Europe. The history of football in England dates back to at least

4514-593: Is the dominant region in women's football, with the United States winning the most FIFA Women's World Cups and Olympic tournaments. Europe and Asia come second and third in terms of international success, and the women's game has been improving in South America. Association football is played in accordance with a set of rules known as the Laws of the Game . The game is played using a spherical ball of 68–70 cm (27–28 in) circumference, known as

4636-455: Is the official timekeeper for the match, and may make an allowance for time lost through substitutions, injured players requiring attention, or other stoppages. This added time is called "additional time" in FIFA documents, but is most commonly referred to as stoppage time or injury time , while lost time can also be used as a synonym. The duration of stoppage time is at the sole discretion of

4758-435: Is thought to have been borrowed from the slang of Rugby School . Initially spelt assoccer (a shortening of "association"), it was later reduced to the modern spelling. This form of slang also gave rise to rugger for rugby football, fiver and tenner for five pound and ten pound notes , and the now-archaic footer that was also a name for association football. The word soccer arrived at its current form in 1895 and

4880-404: Is to score goals; defenders , who specialise in preventing their opponents from scoring; and midfielders , who dispossess the opposition and keep possession of the ball to pass it to the forwards on their team. Players in these positions are referred to as outfield players, to distinguish them from the goalkeeper. These positions are further subdivided according to the area of the field in which

5002-421: The football (or soccer ball ). Two teams of eleven players each compete to get the ball into the other team's goal (between the posts and under the bar), thereby scoring a goal. The team that has scored more goals at the end of the game is the winner; if both teams have scored an equal number of goals then the game is a draw. Each team is led by a captain who has only one official responsibility as mandated by

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5124-527: The Caribbean and Oceania regions (except Australia ) have yet to make a mark in international football. When it comes to men's national teams, Europeans and South Americans continue to dominate the FIFA World Cup, as no team from any other region has managed to even reach the final. These regional trends do not hold true for the women's game, as the United States women's national team has won

5246-534: The Victoria Highlanders , 6–0 to Vancouver Whitecaps Residency , and 6–0 to Abbotsford, who were clearly keen to make up for their earlier humiliation. They finished the year second from bottom in the Northwest, saved from the wooden spoon only by the Spokane Spiders . Vinicius Oliveira was clearly the Reds' standout player, hitting 10 goals and providing 3 assists in his 14 appearances for

5368-635: The 1960s and 1970s. The Italian women's football league was established in 1968. In December 1969, the Women's Football Association was formed in England, with the sport eventually becoming the most prominent team sport for women in the United Kingdom. Two unofficial women's World Cups were organised by the FIEFF in 1970 and in 1971 . Also in 1971, UEFA members voted to officially recognise women's football, while The Football Association rescinded

5490-675: The Bucks became the first USL League Two (then known as the Premier Development League) team to defeat an MLS team in the US Open Cup when they beat the New England Revolution at Foxboro Stadium . They won their first PDL championship in 2006, defeating the Laredo Heat 2–1. They defeated the Kitsap Pumas 1–0 at Ultimate Soccer Arenas to win the 2014 PDL championship. In 2016, they defeated

5612-620: The Calgary Foothills FC 3–2. On August 3, 2019, the Flint City Bucks defeated Reading United AC for their fourth national championship in their inaugural season at Flint's historic Atwood Stadium. The Bucks organization entered the competitive soccer landscape in 1996, competing in the USISL Premier League . Almost immediately, the Mid-Michigan Bucks were a competitive outfit. They finished third in

5734-572: The Central Northern division in their debut year, making it all the way to the final Premier Six tournament, and despite being beaten by the San Francisco Bay Seals and eventual national champions Central Coast Roadrunners , they nevertheless set themselves up to be a successful team in years to come. The Bucks won their first divisional title in 1997, eight points clear of second place Detroit Dynamite with 12 wins on

5856-730: The Conference Semifinals. They also reached the third round of the US Open Cup, after defeating the Austin Lone Stars and Minnesota Thunder , but were eliminated by the Tampa Bay Mutiny of the MLS. In 2000, the Bucks took their second PDL Great Lakes title in a row and their third overall, finishing 27 points clear of second-place Dayton Gems . The Bucks received a bye to the national playoff semi-finals, and secured their first ever championship game berth with

5978-576: The FIFA Women's World Cup four times, more than any other women's team. Football is played at a professional level all over the world. Millions of people regularly go to football stadiums to follow their favourite teams, while billions more watch the game on television or on the internet. A very large number of people also play football at an amateur level. According to a survey conducted by FIFA published in 2001, over 240 million people from more than 200 countries regularly play football. Football has

6100-910: The Football Association, the Scottish Football Association , the Football Association of Wales , and the Irish Football Association . FIFA , the international football body, was formed in Paris in 1904 and declared that they would adhere to the Laws of the Game of the Football Association. The growing popularity of the international game led to the admittance of FIFA representatives to the IFAB in 1913. The board consists of four representatives from FIFA and one representative from each of

6222-467: The Game while the ball is in play. The offences that constitute a foul are listed in Law 12. Handling the ball deliberately, tripping an opponent, or pushing an opponent, are examples of "penal fouls", punishable by a direct free kick or penalty kick depending on where the offence occurred. Other fouls are punishable by an indirect free kick . The referee may punish a player's or substitute's misconduct by

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6344-475: The IFAB Laws. Each team consists of a maximum of eleven players (excluding substitutes ), one of whom must be the goalkeeper . Competition rules may state a minimum number of players required to constitute a team, which is usually seven. Goalkeepers are the only players allowed to play the ball with their hands or arms, provided they do so within the penalty area in front of their own goal. Though there are

6466-430: The Laws of the Game in connection with the match to which he has been appointed" (Law 5), and whose decisions are final. The referee is assisted by two assistant referees . In many high-level games there is also a fourth official who assists the referee and may replace another official should the need arise. Goal line technology is used to measure if the whole ball has crossed the goal-line thereby determining whether

6588-748: The Laws of the Game. The most prestigious senior international competitions are the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Women's World Cup . The men's World Cup is the most-viewed sporting event in the world, surpassing the Olympic Games . The two most prestigious competitions in club football are the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Women's Champions League , which attract an extensive television audience worldwide. The final of

6710-479: The Laws of the Game: to represent their team in the coin toss before kick-off or penalty kicks . The primary law is that players other than goalkeepers may not deliberately handle the ball with their hands or arms during play, though they must use both their hands during a throw-in restart. Although players usually use their feet to move the ball around, they may use any part of their body (notably, "heading" with

6832-503: The Michigan Bucks, coinciding with their permanent move from Saginaw to metro-Detroit and a new logo. They opened the season with two five-goal victories over Indiana Invaders and West Michigan Edge, and went on to lose only three regular season games all year. The Bucks' trip to the playoffs ended with a 3–2 defeat to Boulder Rapids Reserve in the first game. Knox Cameron was the Bucks' most prolific striker, scoring 15 goals for

6954-547: The New England Revolution 7–1. The Bucks finished in second place behind the Chicago Fire Reserves again in 2002. In the playoffs, they progressed to the Conference Final, where they lost on penalties to eventual national runners-up Boulder Rapids Reserve . In 2003 there was a coaching change, as former San Jose Clash star Dario Brose was replaced by Don Gemmell . The Bucks began the year with

7076-590: The Northwest Division, but finished their first year of national competition with just 4 wins, a distant fifth behind divisional champions Hawaii Tsunami . 1996 was better for the Reds, missing out on playoffs on goal difference, finishing third behind Everett Bigfoot and the San Fernando Valley Golden Eagles . Yakima made their first trip to the playoffs in 1997 after finishing the regular season second to Spokane Shadow ;

7198-493: The Reds, they were outclassed a long way from home in Pennsylvania, as Harrisburg ran out 5–1 winners. June was a more difficult month for Yakima, as they went from back-to-back victories to a trio of defeats to Spokane, BYU Cougars and Ogden Outlaws . To their credit, the Reds regrouped for a final push and, following their hard-fought 1–0 win over rivals Vancouver Whitecaps Residency , were one of three teams heading into

7320-467: The US Open Cup, they lost 4–2 to Richmond Kickers in the first round. The Bucks finished the regular season by winning their sixth divisional title. After defeating the St. Louis Lions in the playoff semi-final, the Bucks retained their Conference title with a 3–0 win over Chicago Fire Premier, returning to the national stage for a second consecutive year. A penalty shootout victory over Brooklyn Knights after

7442-543: The United States. A notable exception is New Zealand, where in the first two decades of the 21st century, under the influence of international television, "football" has been gaining prevalence, despite the dominance of other codes of football, namely rugby union and rugby league . The term soccer comes from Oxford "-er" slang, which was prevalent at the University of Oxford in England from about 1875, and

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7564-482: The back of a Vinicius Oliveira hat trick, and then annihilating the Abbotsford Mariners 6–1 in the next game, with Oliveira again the catalyst, hitting four goals. This was as good as it got, though, and normal service was resumed shortly thereafter. The Yakima defense leaked goals, letting Tacoma get their revenge by scoring four, and then allowing 18 goals in three consecutive games as they lost 6–1 to

7686-452: The ball into the other team's goal (between the posts, under the bar, and fully across the goal line). When the ball is in play, the players mainly use their feet, but may also use any other part of their body, such as their head, chest and thighs, except for their hands or arms, to control, strike, or pass the ball. Only the goalkeepers may use their hands and arms, and that only within the penalty area . The team that has scored more goals at

7808-460: The ban that prohibited women from playing on association members' pitches in England. Women's football still faces many struggles, but its worldwide growth has seen major competitions being launched at both the national and international levels, mirroring the men's competitions. The FIFA Women's World Cup was inaugurated in 1991: the first tournament was held in China, featuring 12 teams from

7930-410: The beginning of each playing period with a kick-off until the end of the playing period, the ball is in play at all times, except when either the ball leaves the field of play, or play is stopped by the referee. When the ball becomes out of play, play is restarted by one of eight restart methods depending on how it went out of play: A foul occurs when a player commits an offence listed in the Laws of

8052-425: The beginning of the Croatian War of Independence of the 1990s, when a match between Dinamo Zagreb and Red Star Belgrade degenerated into rioting in May 1990. Women's association football has historically seen opposition, with national associations severely curbing its development and several outlawing it completely. Women may have been playing football for as long as the game has existed. Evidence shows that

8174-404: The buildup, direct red card decisions, and penalty decisions. The ball is spherical with a circumference of between 68 and 70 cm (27 and 28 in), a weight in the range of 410 to 450 g (14 to 16 oz), and a pressure between 0.6 and 1.1 standard atmospheres (8.5 and 15.6 pounds per square inch ) at sea level. In the past the ball was made up of leather panels sewn together, with

8296-572: The champions of these two club competitions would contest the Intercontinental Cup to prove which team was the best in the world. In the 21st century, South America has continued to produce some of the best footballers in the world, but its clubs have fallen behind the still dominant European clubs, which often sign the best players from Latin America and elsewhere. Meanwhile, football has improved in Africa , Asia and North America , and nowadays, these regions are at least on equal grounds with South America in club football, although countries in

8418-425: The course of the game. The maximum number of substitutions permitted in most competitive international and domestic league games is five in 90 minutes, with each team being allowed one more if the game should go into extra-time; the permitted number may vary in other competitions or in friendly matches . Common reasons for a substitution include injury, tiredness, ineffectiveness, a tactical switch, or timewasting at

8540-581: The current Flint City Bucks . Starting in 2019, they began playing their home matches at Atwood Stadium . From 2008 through 2018, the team played its home matches at the soccer-specific Ultimate Soccer Arenas , one of the few teams to play regularly on a full-size indoor soccer field. Throughout their existence, the Bucks have been one of the most successful amateur soccer teams in the United States, qualifying for eleven U.S. Open Cups , winning eleven divisional championships, and four national titles—the first team to reach that mark in USL League Two. In 2000,

8662-429: The divisional semi-finals was followed by a resounding 4–1 win over Okanagan Challenge in the Divisional final, and although they lost 4–2 to eventual national champions San Gabriel Valley Highlanders in the regional final, the performance was indicative that Yakima were beginning to grow into a regional powerhouse. Or so they thought. 1999 was disappointing for Yakima as they suffered a turnaround in form and finished

8784-453: The eighth century. The modern rules of association football are based on the mid-19th century efforts to standardise the widely varying forms of football played in the public schools of England. The Cambridge rules , first drawn up at the University of Cambridge in 1848, were particularly influential in the development of subsequent codes, including association football. The Cambridge rules were written at Trinity College, Cambridge , at

8906-420: The end of a finely poised game. In standard adult matches, a player who has been substituted may not take further part in a match. IFAB recommends "that a match should not continue if there are fewer than seven players in either team". Any decision regarding points awarded for abandoned games is left to the individual football associations. A game is officiated by a referee , who has "full authority to enforce

9028-405: The end of the game is the winner. There are situations where a goal can be disallowed, such as an offside call or a foul in the build-up to the goal. Depending on the format of the competition, an equal number of goals scored may result in a draw being declared with 1 point awarded to each team, or the game goes into extra time or a penalty shoot-out . Internationally, association football

9150-415: The exploits of the previous year, 2001 was disappointing for the Reds, as they finished 5th of six in the Northwest Division behind champions Calgary Storm , and with just 5 wins all season. The 2001 season was the catalyst for a general decline in Yakima's form. 2002 was worse as they finished rock bottom of their division, again with just 5 wins all season. Yakima were better in 2003, but still missed out on

9272-432: The final day of the season – were scant reward for the Yakima fans who endured watching their team lose 8 straight games from mid-June to the end of July, including a 5–0 walloping by Tacoma Tide . Only Puerto Rican striker José García offered any striking potency, leading the goal scorers list with 3 for the season. 2008 saw great excitement with the return to Yakima of one of its most famous sons, Jake Sagare , who

9394-423: The final games with a genuine shout at the playoffs. A dominant 4–1 win over Abbotsford Mariners in the penultimate game – in which Garcia scored 2 goals and had 2 assists – left Yakima facing Tacoma Tide in a winner-take-all final game. Unfortunately for the Reds, Tacoma took the home field advantage all the way to a 6–2 victory, which left Yakima a close third in the Northwest table, just missing out on

9516-420: The forehead) other than their hands or arms. Within normal play, all players are free to play the ball in any direction and move throughout the pitch, though players may not pass to teammates who are in an offside position. During gameplay, players attempt to create goal-scoring opportunities through individual control of the ball, such as by dribbling , passing the ball to a teammate, and by taking shots at

9638-528: The formation of a Sheffield FA in 1867. In 1862, John Charles Thring of Uppingham School also devised an influential set of rules. These ongoing efforts contributed to the formation of The Football Association (The FA) in 1863, which first met on the morning of 26 October 1863 at the Freemasons' Tavern in Great Queen Street , London. The only school to be represented on this occasion

9760-531: The four British associations. For most of the 20th century, Europe and South America were the dominant regions in association football. The FIFA World Cup , inaugurated in 1930 , became the main stage for players of both continents to show their worth and the strength of their national teams. In the second half of the century, the European Cup and the Copa Libertadores were created, and

9882-695: The game in a specific position, there are few restrictions on player movement, and players can switch positions at any time. The layout of a team's players is known as a formation . Defining the team's formation and tactics is usually the prerogative of the team's manager . There are 17 laws in the official Laws of the Game, each containing a collection of stipulations and guidelines. The same laws are designed to apply to all levels of football for both sexes, although certain modifications for groups such as juniors, seniors and people with physical disabilities are permitted. The laws are often framed in broad terms, which allow flexibility in their application depending on

10004-425: The goal, which is guarded by the opposing goalkeeper. Opposing players may try to regain control of the ball by intercepting a pass or through tackling the opponent in possession of the ball; however, physical contact between opponents is restricted. Football is generally a free-flowing game, with play stopping only when the ball has left the field of play or when play is stopped by the referee for an infringement of

10126-404: The highest global television audience in sport. In many parts of the world, football evokes great passions and plays an important role in the life of individual fans , local communities, and even nations. Ryszard Kapuściński says that Europeans who are polite, modest, or humble fall easily into rage when playing or watching football games. The Ivory Coast national football team helped secure

10248-687: The instigation of Alcock. England is also home to the world's first football league , which was founded in Birmingham in 1888 by Aston Villa director William McGregor . The original format contained 12 clubs from the Midlands and Northern England . Laws of the Game are determined by the International Football Association Board (IFAB). The board was formed in 1886 after a meeting in Manchester of

10370-759: The lack of a crossbar, rules which made it remarkably similar to Victorian rules football being developed at that time in Australia. The Sheffield FA played by its own rules until the 1870s, with the FA absorbing some of its rules until there was little difference between the games. The world's oldest football competition is the FA Cup , which was founded by the footballer and cricketer Charles W. Alcock , and has been contested by English teams since 1872. The first official international football match also took place in 1872, between Scotland and England in Glasgow , again at

10492-614: The men's tournament is the most-watched annual sporting event in the world. Association football is one of a family of football codes that emerged from various ball games played worldwide since antiquity. Within the English-speaking world, the sport is now usually called "football" in Great Britain and most of Ulster in the north of Ireland, whereas people usually call it "soccer" in regions and countries where other codes of football are prevalent, such as Australia, Canada, South Africa, most of Ireland (excluding Ulster), and

10614-597: The national stage. In the final four, Yakima went down on the wrong end of a comprehensive 5–0 scoreline to the Mid Michigan Bucks , and they even lost the consolation game 5–2 to Westchester Flames , but to finish fourth in the country was a huge achievement. To add to the honors, Nate Nelson was named PDL Defender of the Year, and Hector & Teresa Vega received the Organization of the Year honor. After

10736-534: The nature of the game. The Laws of the Game are published by FIFA, but are maintained by the IFAB. In addition to the seventeen laws, numerous IFAB decisions and other directives contribute to the regulation of association football. Within the United States, Major League Soccer used a distinct ruleset during the 1990s and the National Federation of State High School Associations and NCAA still use rulesets that are comparable to, but different from,

10858-510: The next stoppage of play. The referee's decision in all on-pitch matters is considered final. The score of a match cannot be altered after the game, even if later evidence shows that decisions (including awards/non-awards of goals) were incorrect. Yakima Reds The team played its home games at Marquette Stadium . The team's colors were red and white. The Yakima Reds joined the USISL Pro League in 1995, and were placed in

10980-426: The offences that constitute misconduct are listed, the definitions are broad. In particular, the offence of "unsporting behaviour" may be used to deal with most events that violate the spirit of the game, even if they are not listed as specific offences. A referee can show a yellow or red card to a player, substitute, substituted player, and to non-players such as managers and support staff. Rather than stopping play,

11102-470: The original thirteen laws of the game. The sticking point was hacking, which a twelfth club at the meeting, Blackheath FC , had wanted to keep, resulting in them withdrawing from the FA. Other English rugby clubs followed this lead and did not join the FA, and instead in 1871, along with Blackheath, formed the Rugby Football Union . The FA rules included handling of the ball by "marks" and

11224-432: The pitch does not become square. In 2008, the IFAB initially approved a fixed size of 105 m (115 yd) long and 68 m (74 yd) wide as a standard pitch dimension for international matches; however, this decision was later put on hold and was never actually implemented. The longer boundary lines are touchlines , while the shorter boundaries (on which the goals are placed) are goal lines . A rectangular goal

11346-437: The pitch, making it more socially acceptable for women to play. The first match recorded by the Scottish Football Association took place in 1892 in Glasgow . In England, the first recorded game of football between women took place in 1895. Women's football has traditionally been associated with charity games and physical exercise, particularly in the United Kingdom. Association football continued to be played by women since

11468-437: The player spends the most time. For example, there are central defenders and left and right midfielders. The ten outfield players may be arranged in any combination. The number of players in each position determines the style of the team's play; more forwards and fewer defenders creates a more aggressive and offensive-minded game, while the reverse creates a slower, more defensive style of play. While players typically spend most of

11590-400: The players and spectators by holding up a board showing this number. The signalled stoppage time may be further extended by the referee. Added time was introduced because of an incident which happened in 1891 during a match between Stoke and Aston Villa . Trailing 1–0 with two minutes remaining, Stoke were awarded a penalty kick. Villa's goalkeeper deliberately kicked the ball out of play; by

11712-402: The playoffs, despite enjoying several impressive wins. A 5–1 thumping of Calgary Storm Prospects was the highlight of the year, and they eventually finished the season in third place. 2004 was difficult for Yakima. Four straight defeats at the beginning of the season set the level for the rest of the season; somewhat shockingly, Yakima's home form was quite atrocious, and they failed to pick up

11834-466: The reasons. However, on 17 November 2008, the club announced that a last-minute takeover of the club's ownership had taken place by local businessman Perry Piercy , and that the Reds would continue to compete in 2009. Unfortunately for Yakima, the optimism and enthusiasm at being afforded a last-minute reprieve did not translate to positive results on the pitch; they struggled all year, ultimately winning just three regular season games. The first victory of

11956-416: The referee may allow play to continue if doing so will benefit the team against which an offence has been committed. This is known as "playing an advantage". The referee may "call back" play and penalise the original offence if the anticipated advantage does not ensue within "a few seconds". Even if an offence is not penalised due to advantage being played, the offender may still be sanctioned for misconduct at

12078-419: The referee. Stoppage time does not fully compensate for the time in which the ball is out of play , and a 90-minute game typically involves about an hour of "effective playing time". The referee alone signals the end of the match. In matches where a fourth official is appointed, towards the end of the half, the referee signals how many minutes of stoppage time they intend to add. The fourth official then informs

12200-440: The respective six confederations. The World Cup has been held every four years since; by 2019 , it had expanded to 24 national teams, and 1.12 billion viewers watched the competition. Four years later , FIFA targeted the 32-team 2023 Women's World Cup at an audience of 2 billion, while about 1.4 million tickets were sold, setting a Women's World Cup record. Women's football has been an Olympic event since 1996 . North America

12322-544: The rules. After a stoppage, play recommences with a specified restart. At a professional level, most matches produce only a few goals. For example, the 2022–23 season of the English Premier League produced an average of 2.85 goals per match. The Laws of the Game do not specify any player positions other than goalkeeper, but a number of specialised roles have evolved. Broadly, these include three main categories: strikers , or forwards, whose main task

12444-552: The season came at the end of May, a 2–0 victory at home over the Spokane Spiders , but by that time Yakima had already lost four, including a 4–0 hammering by the Seattle Wolves on the opening day of the season, and an 8–2 thrashing by Portland Timbers U23's where the Oregonians were 4–1 ahead at half time. Mid-June was Yakima's high spot, when they won two-games back to back, unexpectedly thrashing Tacoma Tide 4–1 off

12566-402: The season, including 2 hat tricks. Paul Snape, who had played for the team for many years, was appointed head coach in 2005, but the first few games of his tenure were rocky: three consecutive wins were followed by a four-game winless streak. The Bucks would turn things around with ten consecutive wins from mid June to the end of the season. Dube and Ryan McMahen netted 18 goals between them on

12688-599: The season. They made it to the national semi-finals, beating Grand Rapids Explosion , Kalamazoo Kingdom and Des Moines Menace before eventually falling 2–0 to the Central Coast Roadrunners in the final four. The Bucks also made their debut in the US Open Cup with a 3–2 victory over USISL D3 Pro League side Wilmington Hammerheads , before losing to the A-League 's Rochester Ragin' Rhinos in

12810-561: The second round. At the end of the season, Steve Burns was named PDSL Coach of the Year. The Bucks finished second to Detroit Dynamite in 1998 with a 11–5–1 record, and again made the regional finals, losing 3–2 to finalists Jackson Chargers after victories over Indiana Invaders and the Dynamite in the divisional playoffs. The Bucks won the Great Lakes division of the newly renamed PDL in 1999, but lost 2–1 to Sioux City Breeze in

12932-554: The sexes are so widely divided are all on the side of emancipation , and I look forward to the time when ladies may sit in Parliament and have a voice in the direction of affairs, especially those which concern them most." Honeyball and those like her paved the way for women's football. However, the women's game was frowned upon by the British football associations and continued without their support. It has been suggested that this

13054-501: The third round. The Bucks suffered a drop in form, losing three of four games, including a 0–3 loss away at the Indiana Invaders, but enjoyed a four-game unbeaten run at the end of the season including a 6–1 win over West Michigan Edge in the final regular season match. In the playoffs, they defeated Colorado Rapids U23's 4–1 in the semi-finals, and Chicago Fire Premier 4-0 to take the Conference title with Nate Jafta scoring

13176-447: The time it was recovered, the clock had run out and the game was over, leaving Stoke unable to attempt the penalty. The same law also states that the duration of either half is extended until a penalty kick to be taken or retaken is completed; thus, no game can end with an uncompleted penalty. In league competitions, games may end in a draw. In knockout competitions where a winner is required, various methods may be employed to break such

13298-538: The time of the first recorded women's games in the late 19th century. The best-documented early European team was founded by activist Nettie Honeyball in England in 1894. It was named the British Ladies' Football Club . Honeyball is quoted as, "I founded the association late last year [1894], with the fixed resolve of proving to the world that women are not the 'ornamental and useless' creatures men have pictured. I must confess, my convictions on all matters where

13420-422: The tournament or be the champion. Goals scored during extra time periods count towards the final score of the game, but kicks from the penalty mark are only used to decide the team that progresses to the next part of the tournament, with goals scored in a penalty shoot-out not making up part of the final score. In competitions using two-legged matches , each team competes at home once, with an aggregate score from

13542-613: The transmission of cuju outside of China, especially the form of the game popular in the Tang dynasty , the period when the inflatable ball was invented and replaced the stuffed ball. Other East Asian games include kemari in Japan and chuk-guk in Korea, both influenced by cuju . Kemari originated after the year 600 during the Asuka period . It was a ceremonial rather than

13664-439: The two matches deciding which team progresses. Where aggregates are equal, the away goals rule may be used to determine the winners, in which case the winner is the team that scored the most goals in the leg they played away from home. If the result is still equal, extra time and potentially a penalty shoot-out are required. Under the Laws, the two basic states of play during a game are ball in play and ball out of play . From

13786-644: The way to the playoffs, while Kevin Taylor was named PDL Defender of the Year. The Bucks stuttered in the playoffs, this time losing the Conference final to eventual national champions Des Moines Menace . In 2006, Dan Fitzgerald replaced Paul Snape as head coach. Four wins in their opening four games took the Bucks back to the US Open Cup after a 2-year break, and once again they upset higher-league opponents, beating Pittsburgh Riverhounds 2–0 in round 1, and overcoming Cincinnati Kings in Round 2, before eventually going down 4–1 to Major League Soccer's Columbus Crew in

13908-669: The winner for the Texans. Prior to the 2008 season the Bucks moved into the brand new $ 17-million Ultimate Soccer Arenas in Pontiac, Michigan , making them one of the few teams to play regularly on a full-size indoor soccer field. Prior to this, the Bucks were without a regular home field for several years, and played games at numerous different venues in Michigan. The Bucks had another successful regular season in 2008, losing only one game all year, 1–0 at home to Toronto Lynx. They received

14030-516: Was Charterhouse . The Freemasons' Tavern was the setting for five more meetings of The FA between October and December 1863; the English FA eventually issued the first comprehensive set of rules named Laws of the Game , forming modern football. The laws included bans on running with the ball in hand and hacking (kicking an opponent in the shins), tripping and holding. Eleven clubs, under the charge of FA secretary Ebenezer Cobb Morley , ratified

14152-533: Was first recorded as in exercise in the Zhan Guo Ce , a military history from the Han dynasty . Cuju players would pass the ball around, having to avoid it touching the ground at any point. It was then passed to a designated player, who attempted to kick it through the fengliu yan , a circular goal atop 10–11 meter poles. During the Han dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE), cuju games were standardised and rules were established. The Silk Road facilitated

14274-419: Was first recorded in 1889 in the earlier form of socca . Kicking ball games arose independently multiple times across multiple cultures. The Chinese competitive game cuju ( 蹴鞠 , literally "kickball"; also known as tsu chu ) resembles modern association football as well as a mix of basketball, and volleyball. This is the earliest form of a kicking game for which there is historical evidence. The game

14396-504: Was motivated by a perceived threat to the "masculinity" of the game. Women's football became popular on a large scale at the time of the First World War , when female employment in heavy industry spurred the growth of the game, much as it had done for men 50 years earlier. The most successful team of the era was Dick, Kerr Ladies F.C. of Preston, England . The team played in one of the first women's international matches against

14518-416: Was not much better for Yakima, although at least the win tally increased to four: all their wins came at home, twice against Abbotsford Rangers and twice against Spokane Shadow . To be fair to the Reds, most of their games were tight 1–0, 2–1 or 3–2 scorelines, so in many respects Yakima could consider themselves unlucky to not have achieved more, but their inability to finish out games from leading positions

14640-518: Was the Bucks' top scorer, with 10 goals, while his partner Nate Jafta contributed 9 assists. The Bucks reached the fourth round of the 2012 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup after defeating the MLS Chicago Fire in the third round in extra time. They lost to the USL championship 's Dayton Dutch Lions in the fourth round, also in extra time. Prior to the Bucks' inaugural season in Flint, Michigan ,

14762-400: Was their downfall, and they eventually finished third in the table, out of playoffs once more. Jared Auckland and Santa Maria Rivera-Valdovinos were the team's top scorers, with 4 each. There was more of the same in 2006, although with the expansion of the division Yakima did enjoy a few more wins. However, inconsistency remained the Reds main problem, and their inability to string together

14884-464: Was to lead the Reds' lineup all year. The Reds started 2008 like a rocket, winning five of their first six games, including impressive wins over Spokane Spiders and Tacoma Tide , the latter of which featured a brace from on-form striker Junior Garcia . Yakima's dominant early-season form also saw them qualify for their first ever US Open Cup , and they were drawn away in the first round to reigning USL2 champions, Harrisburg City Islanders . Sadly for

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