Soccer Ball Revolutionized

The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) World Cup 2010 soccer ball, the Jabulani, changed the speed of soccer forever. When kicked, the ball could reach speeds up to fifty miles per hour--up from the thirty miles per hour reached by previous balls. Unlike other models, the Jabulani had no stitching which caused the aerodynamics to change. Whether fans realize it or not, sport balls are vital to any game. For example, a basketball produced by InfoMotion Sports Technologies has an interior circuit board installed to gather data on dribbling and shooting. The data from the circuit board is transmitted wirelessly to a computer which analyzes a player's performance. It measures the angle of release, ball rotation, and many more components crucial to a basketball player's skills. This ball was designed for the purpose of creating a "perfect practice." Currently, this new sports technology is being used by five top-20 college basketball programs. The company plans next to create a soccer ball with the same technology by 2012. If the Jabulani made shooting faster, the InfoMotion Sports Technologies soccer ball will make shooting more accurate.