The Adventures of a Soccer Ball

Written by Amira Tanbakji

Dear Diary, today I was extracted from my home in a
tree! I went through a small pipe and landed in a bowl. I
don’t know what will happen next but I’m excited, an
adventure awaits!
Dear Diary, today I was packaged and placed into a
truck! A bunch of my friends also came with me. The
ride was fast and fun, I wonder where we are going?
Dear Diary, the truck took me to a factory! SOme
parts of me were separated so that I could be entirely
rubber instead of only 30%, and then I went through this
machine. It felt like a rollercoaster!
Dear Diary, today I took a nice shower and got all cleaned
up. My liquid body turned into a gooey texture, like slime
or putty. It was so cool! The process is called coagulation!
Dear Diary, today I was glued together with something
called synthetic foam! The synthetic foam made me a
lot stronger and thicker, and I was rolled into a sheet by
another machine!
Dear Diary, after being rolled into a sheet, I was formed
into a sphere! I learned that it is called a bladder. I can’t
wait to see what happens next, this journey is so
exciting!
Dear Diary, another part of me which was formed into a
sheet was made into a sphere again! This time it will be
the lining! It was sprayed with a sticky adhesive layer.
Dear Diary, a machine cut me into the shapes of many
hexagons and pentagons today. The hexagons and
pentagons will become part of the lining soon, I can’t wait
to see what happens!
Dear Diary, today one of the workers at the factory
stitched the hexagons and pentagons together! The
process was done by hand and it was so fascinating!
Dear Diary, all of the hexagon and pentagon patches were
sewn together to create the lining. I was placed inside the
lining as the bladder, and then I was inflated by a pump! It
was amazing!
Dear Diary, today, another part of my sheet was cut.
This sheet is much stronger than the previous ones, it’s
made out of synthetic leather! It was cut into pieces
that will form a shell!
Dear Diary, today the pieces of of my shell were colored
and a design was printed on them! The printer put several
layers of paint to get the right colors. I love these designs
and logos!
Dear Diary, my shell was finally placed onto the bladder
and lining! It was glued together using a polyurethane
based adhesive. I was also inflated again! It seems like
we are almost done!
Dear Diary, look at what I have become! Can you guess
what I am now? Ta-da, I have become a soccer ball! This
is so awesome, I can’t wait to bounce around and be on
fields!
Dear Diary, today I was packaged again and put into a
truck! I arrived at a sports store! One of the workers
placed me on a shelf, I wonder who will buy me?
Dear Diary, my day has finally come! Today a kind little
boy named Jimmy took me home from the sports
store! I’m so excited for what’s to come! So much more
fun lies ahead!
Dear Diary, today was possibly one of my best days! I
was at the field with Jimmy and his friends, and we played
soccer! Jimmy’s team won by two points, it was so much
fun, even though I got a little dirty.
Dear Diary, today Jimmy’s dog played with me in the
backyard! His name is Cookie. He chewed on my stitching
a little but I’m fine! I like playing with him, I had a great
time!
Dear Diary, Jimmy has become more interested in music
than sports as he got older, so he doesn’t play with me
much anymore. His younger sister Sadie and her friends
do though, I had fun with them today!
Dear Diary, it’s been many years since Jimmy first
brought me home, and I’ve grown old. I have deflated to a
point where I can’t be blown up again. I wonder what will
happen to me.
Dear Diary, I have the best news! Jimmy’s mom cleaned me
up and used me as a flower pot! She put very pretty
flowers inside the pot, she called it upcycling! I am so happy
I get to stick around!
 Glossary
Extracted: Removed or taken out

Coagulation: the action of a liquid changing to a semi-solid state

Synthetic foam: a mass of air-filled bubbles, which have a lower

density than oil or water

Bladder: anything inflated or hollow

Lining: A layer of material covering the inside surface of something

 Glossary
Adhesive: able to stick fast to a surface or object

Synthetic leather: substitute for leather made artificially

Polyurethane: a synthetic resin

Shell: the hard cover or exterior of something

Upcycled: reused
 Resources
Hoslch, L. W. (2013, February 4) Rubber Tree

Britannica. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/plant/rubber-tree

N.A. (N.A) The Life Cycle of a Soccer Ball

EPA. Retrieved from

https://slco.org/uploadedFiles/depot/publicWorks/recycling/teacher_resources/lifecycle/Life%20Cycle%2
0of%20a%20Soccer%20Ball.pdf

N.A (N.A) Lifecycle of a Soccer Ball

EPA. Retrieved from

https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-09/documents/the_life_of_a_soccer_ball.pdf

Woodward, A. (N.A) Soccer Ball

MadeHow. Retrieved from http://www.madehow.com/Volume-5/Soccer-Ball.html