Three Cone Gates: Score by Passing Through

A possession game with two teams where you score by passing the ball by hand to a teammate through any of three cone gates spread across the field. Since gates can be crossed from either side, the team must read which gate is open and switch play quickly.

How to play

1. Passing on the move in pairs with free movement around the field (2 min).
2. Set up three 2-meter cone gates around a field of about 80 x 65 feet; two teams of six or seven in pinnies (1 min).
3. Play: score when a pass goes through a gate and a teammate catches it on the other side. The ball carrier may take no more than three steps (4 min).
4. New rule: no scoring twice in a row at the same gate (2 min).
5. Pause for each team to agree on a strategy in 30 seconds, then a final minute of play (1 min).

Rules

• No grabbing the ball out of someone's hands: only intercept passes.
• Stay 3 feet away from the ball carrier.
• Nobody can stand still inside a gate to block it.
• With large teams, run two games at once on separate fields.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: plays as a fixed wildcard in the center who always attacks and cannot be defended.
• Visual impairment: sound ball and a partner who tells them where the nearest gate is.
• Autism: is assigned a home gate and a partner to combine with.

Learning goals

• Read open spaces and switch the direction of play.
• Offer passing lanes through support and off-ball movement.
• Agree on and apply a simple team strategy.

Equipment for a class of 25

• balls: 2
• cones: 12
• pinnies: 14

Teacher tip

It is a good warm-up before any invasion sport: if the unit is handball or basketball, use that ball and its step rule.

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