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Practice games

Spider Keepers

Pairs hold hands like a spider and defend their gate together while rolling or throwing at other gates.

Practice 10 min 8 to 12 players Cage Half pitch Hall 2018 to 2021

Everyone's a Keeper Lift each other

At a glance

  • A 3 m cone gate for each pair, spread around the area and facing different ways. Each pair holds hands like a spider in front of it.
  • Every pair has a ball. Either spider rolls or throws it at another pair's gate, still holding hands.
  • The spiders save with their free hands. Whoever saves throws the ball out at a new gate.
  • Every 90 seconds the spiders swap sides, so each one saves with the other hand.
  • Progress 1: Throws only, no rolls.
  • Progress 2: Catch it and throw straight back out: no steps, no holding on to it.

If it's not working: Make the gates wider and use bigger balls.

Spider Keepers: set-up1231 throw at a gate, 2 spiders save, 3 throw it out.20 m by 25 m
  • players
  • throw or roll
  • 1in this order

Every pair plays at once, three of the pairs shown. A pair holds hands like a spider in front of its 3 m cone gate. A child from another pair throws or rolls at the gate, a spider saves with a free hand, and the saver throws the ball back out.

Full details: set up, how to play, tips and age tweaks

Set up

  • Set out one cone goal per pair, spread across the area and facing different ways.

8 to 12 in pairs; 25 m by 20 m.

How to play

  • Each pair defends their own gate together, holding hands like a spider.
  • Either spider rolls or throws a ball at any other gate.
  • Spiders save with any free hand but must not let go of each other.
  • After a save, the saver throws the ball out at a new gate.
  • Every 90 seconds, the spiders swap sides, so each one saves with the other hand.

Keeping everyone moving

Every pair is keeping all the time. No queues.

Make it easier

  • Make the gates wider and use bigger balls.

Make it harder, step by step

  1. Throws only, no rolls.
  2. Catch it and throw straight back out: no steps, no holding on to it.

Three things to say

  • Move feet sideways together.
  • Talk to your partner.
  • Hands ready.

Words that work: "Brilliant teamwork!", "Brave stretch!", "Lovely talking to your partner!"

Colts habit

Lift each other by cheering your partner's save.

Both feet

Shuffle both ways.

Heads up

Spot a gate that is open.

For your birth year

Pick a birth year to show the tweak for that group.

2020 to 2021
Rolling only.
2018 to 2019
Underarm throws.
2016 to 2017
Use Handball Havoc instead.

A young leader can run this one, with an adult coach beside them.

Safety: Keep gates at least 5 m apart. Watch for tangled hands.

Keeping score: Each pair counts saves against their own last round.