Beach Soccer 4v4 with Kick-Ins
A school version of beach soccer on small fields: teams of 4 with a rotating goalie, kick-ins instead of throw-ins, no slide tackles, and double points for a goal scored on a volley or header. Students work on aerial play, quick decisions and fair play.
How to play
- Set up 3 fields about 27 x 16 yards with cones and small goals; play in the sand pit if you have one, otherwise on the blacktop with a soft ball.
- Make 6 teams of 4 in pinnies; the extra student on each field referees and rotates every game.
- Explain the adapted rules (3 min): sideline and corner restarts are kick-ins, the ball can bounce and much of the play is in the air, and nobody goes to ground to tackle.
- 4-minute warm-up: in each team, a keep-away circle using touches in the air where the ball may not roll more than 6 ft.
- 6-minute games: a regular goal is worth 1 point; a volley or a header off an aerial pass is worth 2. After each game, teams rotate fields.
- Play 3 games and finish with 2 minutes in which each team names the best sportsmanship moment from their opponents.
Rules
- No slide tackles and no shoulder charges: win the ball on your feet.
- The goalie may use hands only inside the marked area, and a new goalie takes over after every goal conceded.
- Bicycle and scissor kicks are allowed only if nobody is within 6 ft.
Variations
Easier
Play 4v4 plus a neutral player who is always on offense, and aerial goals count the same as others.
Standard
4v4 with kick-ins and double points for aerial goals.
Harder
The ball may not touch the ground twice in a row on your own half, or you lose possession.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: the student plays as a goalie-distributor in a fixed zone, throwing the ball out, and scores double if their pass leads to a goal.
- Hearing impairment: the referee uses arm signals and a colored pinnie to show fouls and restarts.
- Lower skill level: the student may control the ball with a hand once per possession before playing it with the feet.
Learning goals
- Make quick decisions in tight spaces with an airborne ball.
- Apply adapted rules of a beach sport with good sportsmanship.
- Take on the referee role responsibly.
Equipment for a class of 25
- soft balls: 3
- small goals: 6
- pinnies: 24
- cones: 12
Teacher tip
A soft, slightly underinflated ball is a good stand-in for sand because it bounces less and stings less on volleys.
PatioLab has "Beach Soccer 4v4 with Kick-Ins" and 2499 more activities ready to drag into your lesson and run from your phone in the gym.
More activities like this
More main activities for High School
1-2-3-2-1 Running Pyramid Intervals
An interval workout where the fast segments build from 1 to 3 minutes and back down, with half that time as jogging recovery.
1-on-1 Self-Pass Volleyball
One-on-one games on narrow 10 x 20 foot courts where each player must self-pass before sending the ball over.
10-20-30 interval running in pairs
The 10-20-30 method strings together 30 seconds of easy jogging, 20 at a moderate pace and 10 at top speed, in five-minute blocks.
1v1 Ball Volley Matches
1v1 ball volley: singles games on a small court with a low net, hitting the ball over the net and allowing one bounce.
2-on-1 Fast Break with a Chasing Defender
Two attackers push a fast break against a defender waiting at the basket while a second defender chases from behind with a few yards' head start against them.
2-on-1 Through Three Defensive Zones
Pairs of attackers cross the court through three zones, each with a defender who cannot leave it, and finish with a shot on goal.