identify the direct object.
players usually kick or "head" the ball to their teammates on the field
ball
teammates
field
none
The direct object in the sentence is "ball".
The direct object in the given sentence is "the ball."
To identify the direct object in the given sentence, you need to understand what is being acted upon or affected by the verb. In this case, the verb is "kick" and "head." Ask yourself the question "what is being kicked or headed?"
The answer is "the ball." Therefore, "the ball" is the direct object in this sentence.