Fairfax Media has reported that football manufacturer Sherrin is designing a new ball aimed at helping improve accuracy.

The ball will reportedly be a slightly different shape to the traditional ball and will feature a "sweet spot" painted on it, which will produce the most accurate kick if struck in the right spot.

However, the ball will be used in training only and is not being touted as a possible replacement to the traditional ball.

The new Sherrin is being created as a training tool for all levels of football, from juniors all the way through to the elite level.

"We've been working specifically on the accuracy of kicking becoming an issue in the game," managing director of parent company, Russell Corporation, Chris Lambert, said.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 25: Sherrin footballs are placed to be collected by Kangaroos players during a North Melbourne Kangaroos training session at the Arden Street Ground on March 25, 2010 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Mark Dadswell/Getty Images)
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 25: Sherrin footballs are placed to be collected by Kangaroos players during a North Melbourne Kangaroos training session at the Arden Street Ground on March 25, 2010 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Mark Dadswell/Getty Images)

"We are working on a couple of concepts.

"It could be a six-year-old in juniors just learning to kick for the first time, or it could be an AFL goalkicker whose accuracy is down.

"It won't exactly look the same ... the ball will look a little bit different.

"That's where we are headed with a range of things over the next two to three years, trying to enhance various different types of skills.

"It's all about making better players ."

 

The traditional Sherrin ball was first manufactured in a small factory in Collingwood, Victoria and has not changed since.

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53 COMMENTS

  1. ‘The ball will reportedly be a slightly different shape to the traditional ball’ … ‘However, the ball will be used in training only and is not being touted as a possible replacement to the traditional ball.’

    If the new ball which is supposed to be easier kick accurately is not used in games how does that help anyone? Training with a ball the has a different shape to the ball used on game-day could only be detrimental when compared to training with the game-day ball.

    Kicking/marking/handpassing/bouncing with a soccer ball is much easier than with a Sherrin but obviously practising with a soccer ball is not going to make one better with a Sherrin.

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