Fun Games

[Val]

What are some of your favorite fun games? Games that are not necessarily the best for one-touch control or shooting, but that are just fun and that get kids excited.

I watched the following at a camp I observed this week, and the trainers (who were English university lads training and traveling here for the summer) played with U14s or so and that I tried with my U11 girls, and both groups really like the game.

The game is called Get Out of Jail.

There is a 5x5 yard square coned off just to the side of the goal. Coach is in goal and players line up 15-20 yards away. Player dribbles up to goal and shoots. If he scores, he goes back to the end of the line. If he misses, he collects his ball and goes into jail. Hitting the post/crossbar is considered a miss. If he shoots on goal and the coach saves, the coach takes the ball and punts it. If the player drops or cannot catch the ball, he goes into jail. If he catches the ball, everyone in jail is freed and goes back into the shooting line.

Just a lot of fun. Obviously, for your more skilled players, you can punt the ball higher to make the catch difficult. For your weaker players, an easier punt and they have the opportunity to be the hero. Last Sunday, my girls could have played that all session long.

Anyone got any others?

[ian.curry]

We loved Takedown Bulldogs for a couple of seasons.
Basically British Bulldogs but instead of tagging - you must take the man down.

Crossbar challenge a good one for whilst you are setting up the next session.
Scoring from the corner flag, 18 yard line and 6 yard line of the touchline also a skill practice that they love to play and chill out doing.

[ali.turner]

My youngsters really enjoy a dynamic stretch routine that we do. We call it the four R's. The kids are all jogging around a defined area (10x10 depending on numbers). The first R is for Paul Robinson (obviously the best keeper in the world) and on the shout of "Robinson" the kids all have to jump in the air and pretend to catch a ball, the next is "Rio" and the kids have to jump and head an imaginary ball, the "Rooney" is a mock strike bringing their leg across their bodies (do both legs) and the final one is "Ronaldo" where all the kids have to drop to the floor like they've been fowled and then get up again quickly. The last one is just a bit of fun but it's the one they most enjoy and the theatrics are great.

You could also involve a ball as a progression and have the kids throw it in the air and catch it and then roll it out in front of them to continue dribbling. If they are old enough they could do headers but for the mock strike I just get them to roll the ball in front of them with the sole of their foot then pretend to strike it.

[Jerzy]

I picked this a couple of years ago when I was watching a clinic put on by some English trainers (maybe the same AYSO trainers) and my kids had been involved. They came running up to me asking that could we please play Bum". The next day one of my parents told me that her kid had enjoyed playing Bum Ball, and that maybe I'd want to try it out for practices.

As I said, these were English guys, and it turns out (when I asked them to explain the game) that they were saying Bomb, or Bomb ball. Once we got over the language difference, this is a fine game.

Two lines, maybe 20 yards apart with a ball (o) in the middle. I always use my newest brightest ball for that.

| ___x______x______x____x____ |

..................o

| ___________________________ |
........x.........x.........x......x

Divide the lot into two groups, with a lot of balls. Then it's kind of like marbles, you have to knock the ball in the center across of the other's team line with your balls that you kick. If the ball crosses a line, it is a bomb and it explodes and everyone on the losing team has to die as dramatically as possible. A lot of fun.

One good progression, I name my keepers in advance of the game so they can get some work in, and this makes a good training game in that the keepers can roll their balls at the target ball.

[lanesra]

Originally Posted by ian.curry

We loved Takedown Bulldogs for a couple of seasons.
Basically British Bulldogs but instead of tagging - you must take the man down.

I'm getting old but I've forgotten what British Bulldog is, and what do you mean by taking the man down? Do you really tackle him?

And I guess this answers one of the great questions, do the English call the call British Bulldog? I guess they do. LOL

[ian.curry]

Basically - the large group start at one end, with the aim of getting to the other end(20 yards away) without getting tagged.
My lads started playing 'takedown' at 13. It's not swinging around the neck, punching to get them down, more like a rugby tackle - with 5 or 6 involved to get the big lad(me!) down properly.
It's a great physical exercise that involves aggression with fun, and they do love it sometimes.

[Val]

Originally Posted by Jerzy

I picked this a couple of years ago when I was watching a clinic put on by some English trainers (maybe the same AYSO trainers) and my kids had been involved. They came running up to me asking that could we please play Bum". The next day one of my parents told me that her kid had enjoyed playing Bum Ball, and that maybe I'd want to try it out for practices.

As I said, these were English guys, and it turns out (when I asked them to explain the game) that they were saying Bomb, or Bomb ball. Once we got over the language difference, this is a fine game.

Two lines, maybe 20 yards apart with a ball (o) in the middle. I always use my newest brightest ball for that.

| ___x______x______x____x____ |

..................o

| ___________________________ |
........x.........x.........x......x

Divide the lot into two groups, with a lot of balls. Then it's kind of like marbles, you have to knock the ball in the center across of the other's team line with your balls that you kick. If the ball crosses a line, it is a bomb and it explodes and everyone on the losing team has to die as dramatically as possible. A lot of fun.

One good progression, I name my keepers in advance of the game so they can get some work in, and this makes a good training game in that the keepers can roll their balls at the target ball.

I watched some Brazilians yesterday do this game, and the kids really liked it, even up to U17s. I'll have to give it a try.

[kenteagle]

If you look in Coaches Chalkboard under World Cup my kids still enjoy it after 2 seasons.

[lanesra]

Originally Posted by kenteagle

If you look in Coaches Chalkboard under World Cup my kids still enjoy it after 2 seasons.

Good game, I played that as well.

And as I've been gone a while, let me welcome you to the forums. Glad to have your contributions.

[djasha68]

Head tennis is always a fav.

Try this game at your next session. 2 teams, 1 GK. 1 team stands behind the goal collecting the balls until it is their turn. Other team has 1 member who throws the ball (then will swap over immediately) for team mates to volley or half volley. If keeper catches the ball and does not drop then teams swap over. My U15 boys love this game...

Anyone remember tin soldiers as kids?

Basically it was a street game, one guy with a ball, rest of kids along a wall, then you would hit the ball as hard as you could, if you hit players they were out, last one left was winner. Great when you nearly knocked someone out with a powerful shot.. Those were the days, jumpers down and just play, no interfering adults.

In my street when I was a lad, we used to have garages between houses, 2 together with metal doors. Just wide enough for a car, so we had one door pulled up(thats the goal) and the other door was down which was the neighbours. As I was about 7/8 it used to seem quite a big goal, we used to play with those balls that were really light and swerved everywhere. The noise you made when you hit the neighbours door was really annoying for all the adults, spent many a hour playing footy in my drive during Summer Holidays.