Learning Foosball
Content from rec.sport.table-soccer FAQ4 v 1.2a
Learning Foosball: a Guide for Beginners and Intermediates
(C) 1995 Robert Uyeyama http://www.foosballheaven.com/
Permission granted to foosmanchu.com to publish in modified HTML format.

A fact which may come as a surprise (a welcome one) to many is that foosball/table-soccer is played on a competitive (read: "professional") level. There are several "tours" which exist, and these tours organize various regional, national, and even "world" championships! For example, in the United States, there is the well-established United States Table Soccer Association (USTSA) and the nascent American Table Soccer Federation (ATSF). These organizations are manufacturer-based. In other words they are not player organizations, but rather promotional organs sponsored by the table manufacturers: USTSA for Tornado (303 933-1170), and ATSF for Dynamo/Striker (800 527-6054). Contact these phone numbers for more information on regular draw-your-partner events in your area, as well as for upcoming national and regional events-- go see tournament foos today!

The older tours were played on Tournament Soccer (TS), Dynamo, and Hurricane tables in the 60's and 70's, but now the quality of the newer brands of tables has much improved, prompting some players to label the older tables as mere "toys". So if you haven't played on a Tornado or Striker, you really are missing a lot, and perhaps even learning wrongly that some things are not possible on a foosball table. For example, the "modern" balls tend to be made of a very durable plastic (urethane), causing the balls not to dent and therefore they will always roll completely straight. The shapes and even fastenings for the men have changed so that catching, kicking, and tic-tac-ing are much easier; what is tic-tac-ing? Imagine passing rapidly between the men on your three bar for up to several minutes on end-- the sound the ball makes as it bounces between the men gives this motion its name. Other improvements include very flat playing fields, individually adjustable table legs, smoother bearings, lighter rods, counterweighted men, etc. Most people which switch over to these tables do not like them at first, but within a few weeks of playing, the verdict is unanimous: no one would dream of going back to playing seriously on their "old" table, sentimental feelings aside.

So the purpose of this file, and indeed the newsgroup itself, is to promote the sport of foosball. This particular file is important, because by encouraging new players to begin playing, and encouraging the large bulk of non-competitive experienced players to enter competitive play, we will certainly make a great step towards that goal.

Happy Foosing,

Rob Uyeyama,
uyeyama@hawaii.edu