Button Football Honor

Recreational Activities

Requirements

1. Define what button football is. Tell a brief history of how this sport came about.

   Answer: Button football (table football) is a tabletop game in which each player commands buttons/pieces that represent the soccer players, driving them with a mallet to 'kick' a small ball toward the opponent's goal. It originated in Brazil, in 1922, in Rio de Janeiro, when Geraldo Cardoso Décourt learned and popularized the pastime using clothing buttons (larger ones as defenders, smaller ones as attackers, and the smallest as the ball). In 1928 Décourt created 'Football Celotex,' and in 1930 he published the first official set of rules. The sport developed in the following decades, gained state federations and the Brazilian Table Football Confederation (CBFM), with regional, national, and even world championships played to this day. — A typically Brazilian sport, with a tradition in families and schools. Each button is a different 'piece' — formerly made from clothing buttons (hence the name), today professional sports plastics. Geraldo Décourt created the system with buttons on felt fields. The CBFM (Brazilian Confederation) has regulated it since 1962. Pernambuco, Rio, and SP have a strong tradition. The sport requires technique, strategy, and training — it is not just luck.

2. Know at least 2 game modes that can be played with button football.

   Answer: 1) Modalidade Bola 12 toques: cada jogador tem direito a 12 toques de palheta por posse para mover botões e chutar — partida tradicional do Brasil. 2) Modalidade Bola 3 toques: rápida, jogador limitado a 3 toques antes de passar a vez — favorece técnica precisa. Existem ainda variações regionais como Pelé, Disco e Carteado, mas as duas principais oficiais são Bola 12 e Bola 3. — The CBFM makes the modes official. 12 Ball is the traditional one — a strategic match with elaborate plays. 3 Ball is more technical and fast — it favors those with millimeter precision. Regional variations include 'Pelé' (Pernambuco, more free-form) and 'Disco' (with a disc-type button, not spherical). Each mode has its own championship. Knowing the modes is fundamental to taking part in official tournaments well.

3. Know and explain some basic rules before starting a button football match.

   Answer: Regras básicas: 1) Time = 11 botões (10 jogadores + 1 goleiro). 2) Mesa oficial em feltro verde com gols. 3) Cada jogador tem 1 palheta para impulsionar botões. 4) Tempo de partida = 10 min cada tempo (Bola 12) ou 5 min (Bola 3). 5) Sortear quem começa. 6) Bola pode ser tocada apenas 1 vez por toque. 7) Falta perde a posse. 8) Gol vale 1 ponto. Tabela e árbitro essenciais. — Rules formalize the game. The official CBFM table measures 2x1m in green felt. Buttons have regulated weight and size. The mallet is the only way to touch — touching a button without the mallet is a foul. The goalkeeper has mobility restricted to the area. A tie leads to overtime or penalties. Knowing the rules avoids arguments in official tournaments. Beginners can improvise a table at home, but competitions require the CBFM standard.

4. Make a list of the equipment needed to hold a button football match.

   Answer: Equipment: 1) Green felt table (official 2x1m, or improvised). 2) Two teams of 11 buttons each (22 total). 3) Small ball (12mm). 4) Two mallets (one per player). 5) Two small goals with nets. 6) Score markers. 7) Stopwatch/clock. 8) Player cards (optional). A basic set for beginners costs R$50-150; a professional one R$500+ properly throughout the study. — Equipment defines the level of play. An improvised table (a dining table with felt stapled on) works to get started. Official CBFM buttons are heavy and calibrated. Plastic or metal mallet — each player prefers one. The ball can be small plastic or rubber. Goals with nets give a realistic look. A complete professional set becomes a large investment for serious Brazilian and worldwide championships.

5. Name some types of raw materials that can be used in making a button piece.

   Answer: Materials used in making the pieces (buttons): 1) Injection-molded plastic (acrylic, ABS, polyethylene) — the most common in modern official buttons. 2) Mother-of-pearl and bone — used in classic old buttons. 3) Polyester resin — good weight and durability. 4) Synthetic ivory — luxury pieces. 5) Transparent acrylic — a modern look. 6) Wood — handcrafted pieces. Each material defines the weight, durability, and cost of the final piece. — Material defines the quality of the button. Injection-molded acrylic (official CBFM) has standardized weight (3-5g), an ideal center of gravity, and durability. Mother-of-pearl was the standard until 1970 — it broke easily. Polyester resin allows vibrant colors and custom shapes. Synthetic ivory is rare, vintage. Wood is handcrafted and too light. Beginners start with basic injection-molded plastic and later move up to pro buttons.

6. Describe the following terms in button football:
   • Throw-in taker
   • Beater
   • Bus
   • Nutmeg
   • Sideline
   • Penalty kick
   • Direct and indirect free kick
   • Foul
   • Drop ball

   Answer: 1) Botonista: the player, the person who plays button football. 2) Batedeira (striker): the button used to strike the ball (to shoot), with the tip that drives the disc. 3) Ônibus (bus): a large, wide button used mainly defensively, to close off spaces and protect the goal. 4) Furada (whiff): the error when trying to kick the ball, when the striker passes over or beside it without hitting the disc. 5) Lateral (throw-in): the play made when the ball goes out over the sideline of the field, put back into play from the side where it went out. 6) Pênalti (penalty): a kick from the penalty mark, awarded when there is a foul inside the defensive area. 7) Tiro livre direto e indireto (direct and indirect free kick): a kick after a foul; in the direct one the player may shoot straight at the goal and the goal counts, in the indirect one the ball must touch another button before going in for it to count. 8) Falta (foul): any irregularity or play against the rules, which stops the game and gives possession to the opponent. 9) Bola prensada (sandwiched ball): a situation in which the ball is trapped/stuck between two opposing buttons that are touching, with no room to move. — Glossary of button football. 'Botonista' is the practitioner (a proud title). Batedeira/Ônibus are jargon for buttons with specific functions. 'Furada' is a frustrating error. Penalty, fouls, and throw-ins follow rules similar to real soccer. The sandwiched ball (sandwich) is a deadlock situation between 2 buttons. Knowing the vocabulary distinguishes a beginner from an experienced practitioner in any Brazilian tournament.

7. On average, how long does a button football match last?

   Answer: Em média, uma partida dura 20 minutos no total: 2 tempos de 10 minutos cada na modalidade Bola 12 toques (oficial CBFM). Na modalidade Bola 3 toques, é mais rápida: 2 tempos de 5 minutos (10 min total). Há intervalo de 5 minutos entre os tempos. Pode haver prorrogação se houver empate em finais de campeonato — 2 tempos de 5 minutos extras. — Regulation time follows the CBFM standard. 20 minutes is compatible with attention span and fatigue (precision requires concentration). 3 Ball is shorter because each touch counts — long matches would be exhausting. An official stopwatch keeps the pace. A tie in the elimination phase goes to overtime or penalties (3 kicks each). Tournaments may hold several matches per day, requiring mental stamina.

8. What is the official measurement of the table for button football? Make a demonstrative diagram of the field, citing the markings and measurements that are necessarily required to play this game.

   Answer: Medida oficial CBFM: 2,00m de comprimento x 1,00m de largura, em feltro verde. Marcações: linha central, círculo central (raio 25cm), área grande (1,32m x 0,46m), área pequena/área do gol (0,40m x 0,15m), marca do pênalti (a 22cm do gol), gol (30cm x 8cm de altura). Diagrama mostra todas linhas brancas pintadas no feltro com tinta acrílica. — The CBFM table has proportions derived from the real soccer field (1:50). White lines on green felt are standardized. Small goals with nets leave the right mark. Penalty marks provide balance. Beginners can improvise with a dining table and white tape. In official tournaments, a nonstandard table invalidates the game. The diagram must include all the marks with exact dimensions.

9. Make and craft a complete button football team with any material of your choice. Design an identifying emblem for your team.

   Answer: Você fabrica 11 botões (10 de campo + 1 goleiro) com qualquer material (plástico injetado, resina, MDF, ou comprado pronto). Cada botão deve ter peso similar (3-5g). Pinte com cores e número do time. Desenhe emblema único — escudo com nome do clube, mascote ou símbolo, cores predominantes. Aplique no centro do gol ou em cartão. Time completo + emblema é peça de orgulho. — Crafting a team is a creative exercise. Simple materials: cork stoppers with paint, MDF cut into a circle, plastic from a bottle cap. Buttons should have a similar weight for balanced movement. Painting with durable acrylic paint. The emblem reflects the team's identity — it can be inspired by a real Adventist team (Universal SP, Brasília Cobras) or created from scratch. Present it with the club's pride.

10. Take part in at least one match or sign up for a button football competition organized by your region, writing a brief report on what happened in the game(s).

    Answer: You sign up for a regional/Adventist club championship (or organize a match at home among friends), take part, and at the end write a brief report (1-2 pages) with: date and place, participants, mode played, rules followed, final score, notable plays, your technical assessment of the performance, and lessons learned. Present it to the examiner for evaluation, properly, always throughout the study. — This requirement takes the player out of theory. Regional championships exist in Rio, SP, PE. An Adventist club can organize its own internal tournament. At home, among Pathfinders, it counts too. The report trains observation and synthesis. Personal lessons (what to do better next time) are an important part. Presenting it with good writing demonstrates the integration between sports practice and written expression.