Visual Acuity
As soccer is a sport of almost constant motion for all players and the ball, dynamic visual acuity is of greater importance than static visual acuity. Static visual acuity is what is being tested in the eye doctor’s office when you read the acuity chart on the wall. Dynamic visual acuity is tested by having the athlete read a chart while either they, the chart, or both they and the chart are in motion.
Techniques for improving dynamic visual acuity:
1. Get hold of a record player with speeds of 33, 45, and 78 RPM. Cut out various headline-size letters from a newspaper and tape them to various parts of a record that you no longer listen to. Turn on the record player at the
33 RPM speed, disengage the record arm and read out the large letters as they turn. Pick one large letter in the center of the record and see it clearly for five minutes. After one week of practice, change the letters and increase the speed to 45 RPM. Repeat as above and then increase the speed to 78 RPM.
2. You will need a mini-tramp. Cut out various headline-size letters from a newspaper and tape them to a wall at a height from one foot below eye level to a height of two feet above eye-level when standing on the mini-tramp.
While bouncing on the mini-tramp at a distance of ten feet from the wall, try to read the letters. Pick one large
letter in the center of the wall and see it clearly for five minutes. After you master this with headline-size letters try
to also master this with small size letters from the newspaper.
3. The above two techniques can be combined so that you will be trying to read the letters spinning on the turntable while bouncing on the mini-tramp.
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