Sowling (Soccer and Bowling)

Skill: Kick, Run, Trap
Time Required: 15
Activity Type: Physical
Group Size: Large Group, Medium Group, Small Group
Age Group: 6 - 9yrs, 9 - 12yrs, 13+ yrs
Play area: Gymnasium (large indoor space), Outdoor - Field
Safety Considerations: Remove any safety hazards and obstacles from the activity area.
Remind participants to be aware of their surroundings and to keep their head up.
Equipment: Soccer Balls
Pylons (plastic bowling pins), or bottles with some liquid or sand in them to help them stand
Rope (optional)
Objective:
Participants try to knock down all of they bowling pins (pylons) as fast as they can.
Other Skills:
Coordination
Set up:
Scatter sets of 3 pylons (bowling pins) in an open space. Place one at the front, and two behind that one, to form a small pyramid.
Use a line on the floor or use a rope (or pylons) to mark the "kicking" line. This line should be around 15-20 metres in front of the closest pylons.
Divide participants into groups of 2-4.
Each group will be standing behind the line with a soccer ball.
Step by Step:
1. The goal for each group is to knock over and collect the most pylons.
2. One participant on each group will start with a soccer ball.
3. When the activity begins, the participant with the soccer ball will kick it towards a set of pylons.
4. If they knocked down pylons, they will run to the pylons they knocked down and collect them along with their soccer ball. Participants must dribble their soccer back with their feet - no hands!
5. They will bring the pylons back to their group and pass the ball to the next participant in their group.
6. The next participant will kick the ball towards other pylons.
7. If a participant does not knock down any pylons, then they run and collect the soccer ball and pass it back to their group.
8. When a participant is collecting their soccer ball (and pylons), they are allowed to stop another team's soccer ball.
9. They can only do it one time, and then they have to collect their soccer ball and go back to their group.
10. The group to collect the most pylons at the end wins.
Variations:
- Participants are not allowed to stop other group's soccer balls, and if they do, they lose any pylons they collected on their turn.
- Each pylon will have a beanbag placed on top. Each group will have their own colour of beanbag. The goal is for groups to knock over pylons with other groups' beanbags on top.
- Divide participants into 2 groups. One group will be the kickers and the other group will be the defenders. The defenders will stand with the pylons, and the kickers will stand behind the kicking line. The kicking team will kick their soccer ball and try to knock down the pylons, while the defending team protects the pylons and tries to stop the soccer balls from knocking them down. After a participant has kicked their ball, they will run and retrieve it and go back to their kicking line and kick again. Try to ensure that participants with a disability understand the point of the game.
Adaptations for Blindness/Visual Impairment: Try to ensure that participants with a disability understand the point of the game.
Consider using Braille cards (visit http://webstore.cnib.ca/home.aspx)
Match a participant who is blind with a guide runner.
Sources: Developed for the Leisure Information Network.