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How You Can Enjoy Soccer With Just a Few Friends
Any English boy that grew up at school playing football in the playgrounds at lunch time has surely played more different variations of the game than they can remember. When the lunch time bell went there would be the inevitable rush to lay claim for space on the playing field for an impromptu game of football. Of course, with no referees or goalposts these games would often have to form their own improvised rule set. Even now, years after leaving school, I still enjoy the various football mini-games with some friends. It has developed into its own subculture and language and I'm it sure can seem confusing to newcomers.
To Americans looking to play football, or soccer as they call it, the regional variations in small pick-up games may seem a little strange. In truth, these games are played far more than the 11-a-side format played professionally. Small three, five and six-a-side matches are much quicker and easier to play as they don't require so much space and can be played with just a few players. In this article I thought I'd run through some of the different games of football that I've played, with the intent of showing that football can be played with just a few people for fun, and doesn't always have to be that gruelling 90 minute match.
Headers and volleys is a casual game that can be played with as little as three players, only requiring one goal. One player plays in goal, and then the rest play outfield. The idea is that the outfield players must score a goal using only a header or a volley. There are far more variations of headers and volleys than I could list but that is the general idea of the game. It is usually a competition between the players and the keeper.
In the rules that I typically play if the kicker misses the target or the goalkeeper catches the ball before it bounces then they must switch and the keeper is allowed back out onto the pitch. The game is typically played for fun as a pick up with a few friends. There are variations where players have a set amount of lives, which can be lost by missing the target or being caught by the goalkeeper. Once their lives run out then they have lost. It is a fun game and can be used to practise two particularly difficult skills to execute consistently.
Another game that is common to play with just a few people is 'one touch, two bounce'. The object of this game is to keep the ball in the air using just one touch of the ball per player while only allowing the ball to bounce twice between touches. Players are not allowed to touch the ball before it has been kicked by a different player. The game can be played in a HORSE fashion, whereby each player collects a letter should they make a mistake. Once a player collects all the letters then they are out. The winner is the last player left. A mistake is made when a player kicks the ball so that it is impossible for another player to get to it. A fun game and can be played with almost any number of people.
If you're feeling more competitive you could try a quick 3v3 game. Usually in a pick-up game of 3v3 small goals will be used and there will be no goalkeeper assigned. It is fast paced and focuses on quick touches and good close control. It can be great fun and again, no formal goalposts are needed, a few jumpers will do. These small games have given rise to the popular phrase, jumpers for goal-posts. This refers to a quick informal game among friends, often using variations on the goalkeeper position such as monkey rush or stick goalkeeper. Monkey rush is where the keeper is allowed to play on pitch like normal but still able to handle the ball around the goal. A stick keeper must stay on his line. These variations are often used to balance teams when there are an uneven number of players, with the numerically superior team having the stick goalkeeper.
Hopefully I've shown that playing football does not need to be what you see on television and that it is a really flexible game that is enjoyable with almost any amount of players. So next time you're bored find a ball and some friends and go practise your headers and volleys, you may even notice improvements next time you play a match.
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