Abstract: A ball having a modified surface for training includes an inflatable bladder that includes an inner surface that defines an inflation chamber and an outer ground contacting layer that is disposed on an outer surface of the bladder. The ground contacting layer includes at least one protrusion that is formed during the manufacture of the ball. The protrusion extends radially outward from surrounding portions of the ground contacting layer so as to create a local modified surface area that imparts different bounce properties (bounding pattern) to the ball than the surrounding ground contacting layer portions, thereby causing the ball to have an unpredictable bounding pattern depending upon which portion of the ball strikes the ground.