I just have one question. It may be silly, but I'm gonna ask it anyway. I've watched a few professional training sessions. During the games of keepaway (monkey in the middle) the players in the middle are holding bunched up jerseys (or pennies) in one of there hands. It doesn't seem that they are just holding them until they put them back on. It's almost like they've been told to hold something in there hand, while playing, to challenge their balance or something. Can anyone provide any insight on this?
It's keepaway. Once they get the ball from the other players, they switch. It's easier to switch places by holding a penny, than by wearing the penny. It takes too much time to take the pennies on and off so they just hold them.
I've seen players also drape them around their neck as if wearing a necklace. A little easier on the knuckles, I'm sure.