CHINESE SOCCER

Type of the game:

Sport game

Group size:

For larger groups (around ten at both sides) + referee

Where to play

This game should be played in a gym but it is also possible to play it at some outside field.

Rules:

At the beginning players divide into two teams and in that teams into two groups.

First group of each team defend the goal, which is the entire wall behind them. Second group (around five players from each team) comes to center court. Their aim is to make the ball hit the wall behind the guards of the opposite team.

The guarding group along the wall must continue to hold hands as they defend their wall against the oncoming ball. They defend by kicking the ball away while still holding hands.

A goal is scored if the ball hits the wall behind the defenders at knee level or below, or if the defenders break their grip on each other in order to kick the ball away. If the ball hits wall at higher than knee level, there is no score and no penalty for breaking grip.

The center players can hit the ball only with their fists, and stop it with any part of their bodies. They cannot pick it up. They have to play it where it lies, which is usually close to the floor.

Body-contact is limited (as in basketball). The referee may give free shots on goal as the penalty for rough play or personal fouls.

These rules mean that the center players spend much of their time bent over at the waist so they can reach the ball. When the referee calls “change,” the centre players join one end of the defending line and the next five players from the other end of the defending line come to the center.

Tips:

For the center players, it is very physically demanding, so they should rotate out every three to five minutes. This game requires a large group of people and has the advantage of keeping them all in play at once. The game could be really active so the referee should watch out carefully and calm more aggressive players to pretend any injury.

Reflection:

People got into game very quickly because it does not require any special skills. It is suitable for everybody and it doesn’t give any bigger advantage to usual sport players. It requires two forms of team work: one in the field, similar to the other ball games, and second as the guards, where people need to cooperate to protect the whole wall.