Carnmoney Colts Academy badgeCarnmoney ColtsAcademy Join

Practice games

Pinball Wizards

3v3 inside a square with a bumper on each side who plays the ball back in for whoever passed to them.

Game 18 min 8 to 12 players Cage Half pitch 2016 to 2018

Pass, Receive, Heads Up Off the Ball Lift each other Work hard

At a glance

  • 20 m square. 3v3 inside, with a bumper (B) standing outside each of the four sides.
  • The team with the ball passes to a bumper, who plays it straight back in to a player on the passer's team. That is 1 point.
  • Bumpers play for whichever team passes to them. Defenders cannot tackle a bumper.
  • Every 90 seconds, the bumpers swap places with inside players.
  • Progress 1: A point only counts if the next pass goes to a different bumper.
  • Progress 2: Bumpers play one touch only.

If it's not working: Bumpers can take two touches.

Pinball Wizards: set-upBBBB1231 pass to B, 2 B plays it back in, 3 one point20 m by 20 m
  • team on the ball
  • defenders
  • Bbumper
  • pass
  • 1in this order

3v3 inside the square, all six drawn, with a bumper player, B, standing on each side. The blue team passes to the right bumper, who plays it straight back in to a blue teammate. That chain is one point. Bumpers play for whichever team passes to them.

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

Set up

  • Mark a 20 m by 20 m square.
  • Put one bumper player on each side of the square.
  • Two teams of 3 play inside.

3v3 inside, 4 bumpers (one per side), 20 m by 20 m.

How to play

  • The team with the ball scores a point for each bumper chain: pass to a bumper, and the bumper passes back in to a player on the passer's team.
  • Bumpers play for whichever team passes to them. Defenders cannot tackle a bumper.
  • Every 90 seconds, bumpers swap with inside players.

Keeping everyone moving

Bumpers receive and pass often. All roles change every 90 seconds, so nobody stands out. Nobody is ever out.

Make it easier

  • Bumpers can take two touches.
  • No tackling for 5 seconds after a bumper pass.

Make it harder, step by step

  1. A point only counts if the next pass goes to a different bumper.
  2. Bumpers play one touch only.

Three things to say

  • Move to get free for the bumper's return.
  • Pass to the bumper's front foot.
  • Receive and turn.

Words that work: "Brave pass through the gap!", "Great bumper, you set them up!", "You worked hard to get free!"

Colts habit

Points go to the team, and bumpers share in every point.

Both feet

Bumpers pass back with the practice foot for a bonus point.

Heads up

Know where the free bumper is.

For your birth year

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

2018 to 2019
2v2 inside, bumpers take 2 touches.
2016 to 2017
3v3 inside, one-touch bumpers.

Safety: Bumpers stay on their line. No slide tackles.

Keeping score: Each team counts chains in 90 seconds and tries to beat its own total.