Location
This game can be played on a basketball court, a soccer field, tennis court, street soccer field, or any open space. It is easiest on a field or playing space that has line markers. To create a custom sized field outdoors, use stakes and string to mark the field into rows. Also set a goal marker on each end. Indoors you can use masking tape to tape the string to the floor in lines. It also makes a nice beach game using a large beach volleyball. Just draw your lines in the sand!
Energy level
High
Description
Played like foosball (also known as table soccer) this game is a less strenuous form of soccer that almost anyone can play.
Resources
soccer ball or kickball (To slow the game down a little and made it easier to play, use a large beach volleyball field
Preparation
If the field is not marked off into lines do so in such a way that there is one goalie for each team and the other players are evenly distributed across the field. Players must stay within their marked off boundary. The more narrow the field, the less they will have to run from side to side.
What to Do
- Divide the group into two teams.
- Allocate the area between lines on the field so that the players are evenly distributed across the field with 2 or three players inside each area. Alternate areas between teams. All of the members of one team face toward the opposing team’s goal. (see diagram to the right) Rows can be very close or several feet apart, depending on the size of the chosen field area.
- Players may move freely to the right or to the left, but they may not move forward or backward at any time. Players must remain inside their designated area between the two lines.
- Play and score the game just like regular foosball. A point is scored for each time the beach ball or balloon goes over the opposing team’s goal-line or hits the wall.
- If a ball is kicked out of bounds, it is tossed back into the game by any player.
- A coin toss decides the 1st serve.
- The goalie on the serving team tosses the ball into play with his hands.
- Other players try to kick the ball into the opponents goal.
- If a player steps out of his boundary box, the ball goes to the opposing team.
- If a goal is scored, the team last scored upon gets the serve.
- The opposing team also gets to serve after a ball is out of play, or after a neutral dead ball.
- You can decide whether the goalie can use hands or not to block goals. Use of hands makes it much easier to block.
- The first team to score 10 goals wins.
Variations
- For an indoor foosball variation using balloons and chairs see Air Foosball
- Use your table soccer / foosball table for this lesson.
Take It to the Next Level
- What is our goal as a church (or youth group / cell group)
- In our group, each of us has areas of responsibility. Sometimes these areas are shared. Our area of responsibility will be based on God’s calling, his gifts, and even our personal interests. Whenever something falls into our area, we are responsible for handling it. What is the result of someone not handling their area in this game? How does it affect others on the team? How is this similar or different to the body of Christ?
- In our own group, do we ever step into other people’s areas of responsibility? Why do we do so? What are some of the possible consequences of stepping into other people’s areas of responsibility? (They don’t have the opportunities to develop their own gifts and skills for ministry, we may neglect our own area, we burn out, we lose focus)
- What are some of the areas we need to cover in order to achieve our goal or goals as a group?
- What do you see as an area you can take responsibility for in our group? Why do you see yourself in this area? How will serving in this area help you to grow and develop your own gifts?
Action Point
Find your area and commit to covering that so that as a group we can achieve our goals!
Scripture
I Corinthians 12 – The Body of Christ
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