Transition from size 5 to size 4

Many guys who just started learning panna and freestyle has frequently asked me about this and I thought it will be a good idea to share some knowledge and my experience regarding the balls for panna/freestyle..

So basically, size 5 ball is for freestyle (Doing tricks like around the world, blocking, crossover, etc). Size 4/4.5 on the other hand is for panna and groundmoves.

for me, i have been training with a normal size 5 football at this stage, as ALL PANNA COMPETITION uses a size 4/4.5 low bounce ball, i decided to get myself one so that I can practice with it and get use to the smaller size ball. The decision to change wasn't easy, just like the other Singaporeans I grew up playing with only a size 5 ball and I was afraid that I could not get used to it, but i would recommend those who just started out to get themselves a size 4 ball to practice on. Don't worry, it is possible to adjust to both sizes with lots of practice. There were days where I practice panna, freestyle and played street soccer with different size ball all in a single day.

Since we are on the topic of size 4 balls, many people actually asked me what kind of size 4 should they get. Ideally, I would recommend you guys to get a monta street ball as most competition abroad uses the ball. HOWEVER, it is not easy to get it in Singapore and even if you manage to find it, the ball sells at a high price since it is rare in singapore. On the other hand, I would recommend you guys to buy a size 4 futsal ball which is low bounce. Personally I have tried many of these futsal ball and i would recommend balls from Adidas and Mitre. As many of you guys know, I have often come for jams and competition with this white ball that looks very old, that is actually my FIRST EVER size 4 ball and it has been with me more than 2 years. I have done many training with it and even played street soccer too. The grip is perfect and it is very durable. However I have heard from many that it is getting a bit hard to find low bounce futsal ball these days. SO, as a last resort, if you cannot find any of the above recommended, I would suggest you guys to get a size 4 match ball(which is not low bounce). I have actually tried two of these such balls from the above brands and honestly I do feel that the grip is perfect, the only down side to this ball is that it is very bouncy as expected. In a panna match, the area is very small and players have to be able to have very good control to play panna in such a small area, so for beginners it might be a little hard to play with a normal bounce ball.

So I hope this will help you guys when finding your next ball and for those who just joined the panna community, I hope this help provide you with some knowledge on the ball and you will be able to find the perfect ball for your training.