Setting: Intramurals
Season: Fall
Activity Goal
Participants engage in a fun activity in a fall environment to build healthy relationships and social connections with others.
For participant safety, please review the contents of the Beyond the Walls: Safety Considerations page for information on Safety Standards, Fall Safety Considerations, and Outdoor Playing Areas and Surfaces.
Equipment
- Cones/pylons
- 1 pinnie per participant (two colours to denote the two teams)
- Soccer balls or colourful large dodgeballs
Preparation
Plan ahead by identifying and generating ideas through planning sessions with intramural student leaders to identify fun games that provide opportunities for mass participation and can be adapted for play outside during fall such as Crab Walk Soccer and variations. Have intramural leaders consider:
- Available equipment suitable for outdoor fall use.
- Available outdoor spaces to run the activity.
- Rules and safety standards for the activity area and games.
- Designing and running an appropriate dynamic warm-up.
- Setting up the goal area using additional cones/pylons.
- Dividing participants into teams to promote maximum participation for all.
- Designating officials for the game.
How to Play
- Review the safety rules and activity instructions with participants prior to the activity.
- Establish the boundaries for the designated playing area using cones or pylons and share them with participants.
- Inspect the activity area and eliminate potential hazards (e.g., rocks, rough surface).
- Have each team designate a goalie.
- Demonstrate a crab walk to account for participants who may be unfamiliar with the movement.
- During play, only the feet may make contact with the ball, no hands. If the hands are used, a penalty kick will be awarded to the opposing team.
- The leader starts the game and resumes play after each goal by dropping the ball at centre field between opposing teams.
- If the ball goes out of bounds, the ball is tossed back into play by the official.
Adaptations
Consider these tips to maximize the challenge and the fun for participants.
- Increase the size of the playing area to increase the challenge.
- Use a smaller ball which will require more footwork and will be harder to manipulate and control.
- Increase the frequency of substitutions to decrease the level of difficulty.
- Increase the number of players per team.
- Play with a larger, lighter ball such as a beach ball or elephant skin ball.
- Play in a team format that requires a minimum number of passes (3) before scoring is allowed.
Modifications
Consider these tips to maximize inclusion and fun for all participants.
- Consider inclusive approaches to increase or decrease the challenge to find a role for every participant and to encourage full participation.
- Invite participants to consider ways to reduce or modify the movement required to ensure inclusion and success for all.
- For participants with mobility challenges, adjust the game's rules and invite the whole group to think of a way to make the game more static, so everyone is playing at the same level.
- For participants with a visual impairment, you could play with a ball that makes noise.
