ABSTRACT
This chapter evaluates findings of impact in the sports using an ovoid shaped ball. Kicking the ovoid ball presents a different task to that of the spherical ball as impact characteristics will differ when contacting different parts of the ball. Impact between the foot and the ball is the key to kicking performance. Everything that happens before impact is an attempt to optimize impact conditions such as the speed, movement direction and angle of the foot. Progressive overload is an important conditioning principle and this can be achieved for kicking impact in a number of ways. Increasing kick length is an obvious one, although as has been established, players can still kick a ball with more force than is necessary simply to reach the target, so control of loads using this method can be an issue for shorter distances.
