A football teaching aid comprises a football (20) having a number of differently coloured target areas (21, 22, 23, 24) marked on the surface of the football (20), each indicating an area on the surface of the football (2) to be struck to send the football (20) along an associated flight path. Thus, in practice, a football coach can direct a player to strike the football (2) in one of the coloured target areas (21, 22, 23, 24), which is easily identified by the player, to achieve a desired shot.