The Veloce Reaction Ball ($10) can best be described as six golf ball sized sponges glued together.  The odd shape gives the ball an inconsistent bounce and roll pattern.  It forces the player to react to the ball and not anticipate the movement.  It is not something that everyone needs.

The ball is made of medium density closed cell foam.  This gives it enough weight to have a good feel and fast movement.  It appears to be delicate, but it has held up reasonably well.  We do see a problem if it gets overly wet or if it is used on rough surfaces.  We have already found some small gouges.  This has not significantly impacted the use of the ball, but it will degrade over time.  Sunlight often dries out this type of material, so the ball should be kept in its shipping box or at least in the trainer’s/player’s bag when not in use.

The reaction ball has limited value.  It is mainly a goal keeper training tool focusing on the odd bounce.  A player or coach rolls the ball to the keeper.  The odd shape should make the bounce unpredictable.  Unfortunately, because the bulges are symmetrical, it doesn’t.  On tall grass or soft ground, the ball tends to roll on the top of the bulges or on the valley between the bulges.  On hard ground and short grass it works better.  This is a training tool that requires practice before it can be used effectively.

There are a number of ways that the reaction ball can be used.  At 4 inches, it is much smaller than even a size 3 ball.  This forces the keeper to pay more attention.  Some of our trainers use tennis balls for the same reason.  We found that a single bounce works much better than rolling the ball.  This reduces the rotational momentum and increases the probability of an off-center bounce.  It has limited value beyond the keeper.  The material would not hold up to kicking on the ground.