Mini Colpbol 3v3 Small-Sided Games
Three-on-three colpbol games on four mini courts with small goals and no goalkeepers, rotating opponents every four minutes. Students work on team play, striking at goal, and following the rules in a co-ed, no-contact sport.
How to play
- Set up 4 mini courts about 50 by 30 feet with cones and a small goal at each end. In front of each goal, mark a 6-foot crease with cones that nobody may step in.
- Form 8 teams of 3 (the extra student referees and rotates each game). Each team wears one pinnie color.
- Rules: the ball is struck with the hand or forearm, never caught, no one touches it twice in a row, and it may bounce. Goal: the ball enters the goal off a hand strike.
- No goalkeepers: defend by getting in the way without touching opponents. After a goal, the team that was scored on restarts from its crease.
- Games last 4 minutes. On the whistle, winners move up a court and losers move down; ties are decided by who scored last.
- Play 5 games. Before the last one, give teams 1 minute to agree on a strategy, like 'one player always stays back'.
Rules
- No catching, kicking, or touching the ball twice in a row.
- No contact with opponents: defend with your body position, no pushing or grabbing.
- Nobody steps inside the 6-foot crease in front of the goals.
- A goal only counts if at least two attacking players touched the ball.
Variations
Easier
Allow two touches in a row and use wider goals.
Standard
Three vs three with adapted colpbol rules.
Harder
All three players must touch the ball before scoring, or goals count only off a bounce shot.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: play on court 1 with a larger, lighter ball; the student's strike counts as a legal pass even if the ball bounces twice.
- Hearing impairment: use hand signals for court changes and the start of each game.
- Lower fitness: add a fourth player to that team who subs in and out freely.
Learning goals
- Apply basic colpbol rules in real game play.
- Work with teammates to move the ball toward the goal.
- Accept the result and respect opponents in the rotation system.
Equipment for a class of 25
- colpbol ball: 4
- small goals: 8
- cones: 32
- pinnies: 24
Teacher tip
The up-and-down court system balances games on its own; watch that contact doesn't creep into the top courts and give the student referee their own whistle.
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