Football, or sometimes called association football or simply football, is a sport played by two teams, each with 11 players.
There are millions of football players scattered across the globe, and some play professionally and some recreationally. The team sport is played on a rectangular field that players call a pitch with goals on both ends.
However, what if you CAN’T go to a pitch and play football?
The main alternative is your own backyard. Why? Because it has the same environment as the pitch but in a smaller version. Read on to know how to make your backyard a mini-pitch and some other fun information.
Preparing for Football Training in Your Backyard
It's sometimes hard when you or your little football star can’t go out and play on the pitch. Converting your backyard into a small pitch while playing backyard football is a good, and some would argue better, alternative.
Here are some things to consider for backyard football:
1. Equipment
I know you’re very excited to play backyard football, but you need to grab essential equipment before that. Here are some of those pieces of equipment:
Traffic cones
Traffic cones are great tools to mimic the placement of opposing players. Erratically place the cones as players have unpredictable movement. It’s a great way to improve your ball control.
Boundary walls
It would be best to have safety nets and boundary walls placed around your backyard when training or playing. You don't want to disturb your neighbors or damage any property.
Football ball
Of course, you can’t play football in your backyard without football balls. It’s the most crucial piece of equipment in a player’s training. Get a ball that can withstand the wear and tear you’ll be giving to it.
Backyard football training with Open Goaaal is more fun and enjoyable.
As their motto states, “there should be an Open Goaaal in every football player’s backyard!” They have an extensive collection of football balls that comes in different colors and sizes.
Football Goal
Lastly, if you’re aiming to be a striker, you need to improve your accuracy. Football goals are great tools for that. You can place a weather-proof one in your backyard and start aiming for it.
2. Gears
Next on the list is your gear. As always, you need to dress for the occasion, and you need to dress accordingly during a backyard football session.
Shoes
You always wear cleats when you play on the football field. Although it’s good to wear a pair during a backyard football training with Open Goaaal, they aren’t required.
Still, wearing a pair of cleats during a backyard session can increase your familiarity with the footwear and enhance your footing. If you don’t like to wear them, pick training shoes instead that are sturdy and weather-proof.
Shin guards
Shin guards are pieces of protective gear you wear in front of your shins. Shin guards or pads decrease an injury by being a shock absorber. They protect the soft tissues and bones found between your knees and feet.
It's made from fiberglass, metal, foam rubber, and other materials. You want a light yet durable one as football involves a lot of running, and the ball can fly at incredible speeds.
3. Clothing
Lastly, you need to choose the correct clothing. You want a loose-fitting shirt that’s very breathable as you’ll be sweating a lot during the backyard football session.
Also, football shorts should be above the knee but not short like running shorts. Lastly, it would help if you had long socks that can cover your shin guards.
4. Skills
You need to consider the skills you want to improve during backyard football training with Open Goaaal. Here are some examples:
Kicks
With the correct equipment, you or your kids can improve your kicks and shots. You can practice their scissor kick, back kick, or penalty shots in the comfort of your backyard.
Juggling
Juggling is an important skill you need to learn as a football player. It’s keeping the ball in the air and using your head, knees, or feet to bounce it up.
Passing
During backyard football training with Open Goaaal, passing is an important skill to learn and improve. Use traffic cones and place them about ten yards. Pass the ball to reach the ten-yard mark.
If you have passed it, add five yards until you have reached 40 yards or up to your backyard’s length.
Dribbling
Dribbling is the skill where you need to run while you have the ball and defend it from the opponents. The best way to train this skill in your backyard is with the help of your friends or siblings. They can run near you and try to get the ball from you, imitating an opposing player.
As a substitute, you can have your dog do it. It’s practical, especially if your dog loves to play with a ball.
Football Variations
If you and your friends want to pause on playing backyard football, you can play other football variations instead. Here are some of the popular ones out there:
1. Football Golf
Football golf is one of the backyard football games that you can play in your backyard. It’s a hybrid of football and another sport, like the others on the list. The game’s gist is very straightforward. You lay flat items, like cardboard, as a marker.
Then you need to kick the football ball near where the cardboard is placed.
Like golf, you need to count the kicks you took to reach the marker. This game is a great way to practice your aim and control.
2. Football Tennis
If you want to play tennis, but you don’t have rackets, why not play football tennis? It’s a combination of two fun and intense games which need excellent footwork and strategy. Like tennis, you can play this game as singles or doubles.
Moreover, you need to have a net, either made with two chairs and a rope or a low-hung badminton net.
The backyard football game generally follows tennis rules. However, you can tweak and twist it to your liking and make it challenging.
3. Football Marbles
A game of marbles is a fun way to pass the time but imagine it bigger and with football balls. That’s what the game of football marbles is all about.
The game is typically played with two or more players, and each player has their own ball. The first player will kick their assigned ball, and the second one will try to hit it with their ball. If you hit the ball, you’ll get one point.
4. Swamp Football
The last of the backyard football games I’ll tackle is swamp football or sometimes called swamp football. It sounds a bit gross, but trust me, it’s a great game to play with your friends.
The game originated in Finland, and it’s played like regular football, but it’s typically played in shallow swamps or bogs. The Finns use the game as a military exercise or for their athletes. The game is great for bolstering your resistance and gets you in tiptop shape faster.
This game is perfect if you have a swamp near your backyard. Still, you can play swamp football in a muddy backyard, especially when it’s raining. However, be extra careful about picking up some debris that can harm you while playing.
The Key Takeaways
Now that you’re equipped with valuable knowledge, you can start planning your backyard football session. With many devoted hours in training in a football field and your backyard, you can become a fantastic football player.
