Background of the Invention

[oooi] The present invention relates to a soccer training system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device to provide a visual target for a soccer player kicking a goal.

[0002] Soccer is the most widely played and viewed sport worldwide. Learning to play soccer involves developing a variety of skills. Hand, eye, leg, and body coordination are crucial to success in the sport. Many ball handling skills must be developed, including "shooting." Scoring in soccer is achieved by kicking the ball into an opponent's goal. Naturally, like all goal-oriented sports, the goal is protected by a goalkeeper, whose job is to prevent the ball from reaching the goal. One of the most common mistakes made by beginning soccer players "goalkicking", is to aim for the goalkeeper. It is only natural to focus on a target, and the goalkeeper often provides such a target for the fledgling player.

[0003] In soccer and other sports, aiming and focusing on a target is often critical success. For example, in soccer, in order to successfully kick a ball into the goal, a soccer player may visually focus on a specific spot in order to prevent the goalkeeper from blocking the shot. For example, soccer players often focus shots on a particular portion of the net in order to kick the soccer ball in a desired direction. By aiming and focusing on a small, specific spot, rather than the entire goal, the player increases his or her chances of scoring a goal.

[0004] Current soccer training targets are of various types. However, such devices lack one or more desirable features that make the target ergonomic, easily portable, and inexpensive to manufacture.

[0005] In light of these difficulties, there exists a long felt need for a soccer training target, and a method for improving kicking using the same.

Summarv of the Invention

[0006] The present invention is directed to a ball target for use in sports training. The ball target includes an upper member having an attachment member. The attachment member is for attaching the upper member to a fixed object. The ball target further includes a target panel removably disposed on the upper member by a fastener.

[0007] The fastener may be a first magnetic component attached to one of one of the upper member and the target panel, and a second magnetic component attached to the other of the upper member and the target panel. The first magnetic component is attracted to the second magnetic component by a magnetic force. The first magnetic component may be a magnet and the second magnetic member may be another magnet. Alternatively, the first magnetic component may be a magnet and the second magnetic member may be a ferromagnetic material. Alternatively, the first magnetic component may be a ferromagnetic material and the second magnetic component may be a magnet.

[0008] The attachment member may be a carabiner, a hook and loop fastener, a buckle, a snap, a tie, a clamp, a strap, a clip, or the like. The upper member may have at least one aperture to receive the attachment member.

[0009] The upper member may have a front surface and a rear surface, and the target panel may have a front surface and a rear surface. The first magnetic component may be disposed on the rear surface of the upper member and the second magnetic component may be disposed on the front surface of the target panel.

[ooio] The upper member and the target panel may be manufactured from a polymeric material. The first magnetic component may include a plurality of individual magnets and/or the second magnetic component may include a plurality of individual magnets.

[ooii] A sports training method for improving kicking or throwing accuracy is also provided. The method includes the step of providing a ball target having an upper member and a target panel removably disposed on the upper member by a magnetic fastener. The method further includes the steps of attaching the upper member of the ball target to a fixed object by an attachment member and attaching the upper member to the target panel by the magnetic fastener. Finally, the method includes the step of throwing or kicking a ball aimed at the target panel, wherein, when the ball contacts the target panel, the target panel breaks away from the upper member to indicate that the ball made contact with the target panel. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0012] The invention will be described in conjunction with the following drawings wherein like reference numbers refer to like elements and wherein:

[0013] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a magnetic ball target in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, shown in an assembled condition;

[0014] FIG. 2 is another isometric view of the magnetic ball target of FIG. 1, shown in a disassembled condition;

[0015] FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the magnetic ball target of FIG. 1;

[0016] FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of the magnetic ball target of FIG. 1;

[0017] FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view of the magnetic ball target of FIG. 1, taken along lines 5A- -5A of FIG. 2, shown in the disassembled configuration of FIG. 2;

[0018] FIG. 5B is another cross-sectional view of the magnetic ball target of FIG. 1, taken along lines 5B- 5B of FIG. 3, shown in the assembled configuration of FIG. 3;

[0019] FIG. 6A is a side elevation view of the magnetic ball target of FIG. 1, shown with a user kicking a ball towards the target; and

[0020] FIG. 6B is a side elevation view of the magnetic ball target of FIG. 1, shown after a user has kicked a ball at the target.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment

[0021] Referring now to the drawing figures, wherein like reference numbers refer to like elements throughout the several views, there is shown in FIGS. 1-4, 5A and 5B a ball target 10 for use in sports training in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] The ball target 10 includes an upper member 12 having an attachment member 14. The attachment member 14 is for attaching the upper member 12 to a fixed object 16 (see FIGS. 6A and 6B). The ball target 10 further includes a target panel 18 removably disposed on the upper member 12 by a fastener 20.

[0023] The fastener 20 includes a first magnetic component 22 attached to one of one of the upper member 12 and the target panel 18, and a second magnetic component 24 attached to the other of the upper member 12 and the target panel 18. The first magnetic component 22 is attracted to the second magnetic component 24 by a magnetic force. The first magnetic component 22 may be a magnet and the second magnetic member 24 may be another magnet, or the first magnetic component 22 may be a magnet and the second magnetic member 24 may be a ferromagnetic material, or the first magnetic component 22 may be a ferromagnetic material and the second magnetic component 24 may be a magnet.

[0024] The attachment member 14 may be, for example, a carabiner, a hook and loop fastener, a buckle, a snap, a tie, a strap, a clamp, a clip, or the like.

[0025] The upper member 12 may have a front surface 26 and a rear surface 28, and the target panel 18 may have a front surface 30 and a rear surface 32. The first magnetic component 22 may be disposed on the rear surface 28 of the upper member 12 and the second magnetic component 24 may be disposed on the front surface 30 of the target panel 18.

[0026] The upper member 12 may have at least one aperture 34 to receive the attachment member 14.

[0027] The upper member 12 and the target panel 18 may be manufactured from a polymeric material.

[0028] The first magnetic component 22 may include a plurality of individual magnets 36 and/or the second magnetic component 24 may include a plurality of individual magnets 38.

[0029] Finally, as can be seen in FIGS. 6A and 6B, a sports training method for improving kicking or throwing accuracy is provided. The method first includes the step of providing a ball target 10 having an upper member 12 and a target panel 18 removably disposed on the upper member 18 by a magnetic fastener 20. The method continues with the steps of attaching the upper member 12 of the ball target 10 to a fixed object 16 by an attachment member 14 and attaching the upper member 12 to the target panel 18 by the magnetic fastener 20. Finally, the method continues with the step of throwing or kicking a ball 40 aimed at the target panel 18, wherein, when the ball 40 contacts the target panel 18, the target panel 18 breaks away from the upper member 12 to indicate that the ball 40 made contact with the target panel 18.

[0030] It is to be understood that the disclosure teaches just one example of the illustrative embodiment and that many variations of the invention can easily be devised by those skilled in the art after reading this disclosure and that the scope of the present invention is to be determined by the following claims.