4 Rock Race | Invasion Game.... with a spin!

Looking for a invasion game that is unique and challenges students to develop effective defensive and offensive strategies? Want to play a game that allows students to switch from offence to defence at the drop of a hat?

4 Rock Race incorporates all of this in an exciting format allowing for maximum participation from your students and thoughtful planning and team huddles. These discussions on strategies will allow for student autonomy and peer-to-peer learning when identifying the skills and tactical understanding needed in order to be successful in invasion games! This activity has the opportunity for many modifications and when you add it the ‘Make it harder’ modifications, this game turns into soccer, AFL Football and Gaelic Football all in one with a Capture-the-flag flare.

An absolute hit with students of all ages, give this one a try today!

What do you need?

Out Door Space
Soccer Pitch (Rocks)
4 Soccer Balls
Sashes/ Tags

What is the goal of the game?

Collect all four soccer balls (Rocks) and have them in your goals
Defend your soccer balls from opposition team
Learn and implement invasion game tactical and technical skills

How do you play?

Split the class into two equal teams- one team wears sashes
2 soccer balls need to be in the middle of the soccer goals at both ends. These are the ‘rocks’. The team that collects all four rocks and places them in their soccer goal, wins the game.

Teams are required to attack the other team’s soccer goal to retrieve the rocks and also defend their soccer balls from being taken
Students can not be tagged in their half of the field- students can only be tagged when they pass the halfway line of the soccer pitch. Once a student walks over the halfway line they can not run back.

The only time a student can be tagged anywhere on the field is when they are running back to their base with an opposition rock.
Students are not allowed to pass the rock to another teammate at any point
Students defend their rocks by tagging the opposing team when they run into their base when a student is tagged, the tagged student has to walk all the way back to their soccer goal with their hands in the air making everyone aware they are temporarily out of the game.

When students make it back to their goals, they touch their goalposts and then are allowed back into the game
If a student is tagged whilst running with a captured rock, the rock is returned back to its original place and the student has to walk back with their hands in the air

How can you modify it?

Make it easier!

Just start with one ball at each end
Make the field smaller

Make it Harder!

You are allowed to pass the rock
You are allowed to kick the rock
Once you are tagged you are eliminated

What are the main skills being utilised?

Fundamental Movement Skills:

Locomotor- run, jump, dodge, lunge, side step, leap
Stability- turning, balance, stopping, bending, stretching

Tactical Skills:

Scanning the field of play to make decisions
Looking for gaps on the field to avoid being tagged
Cooperative play, supporting teammates
Following rules and structures of a game
Critical thinking through decision-making

5 Reasons Why Invasion Games Are Beneficial For Young Students?

Physical Fitness: Invasion games promote cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength, endurance, and agility. According to a study published in the Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, participation in invasion games significantly improves physical fitness levels among students (Dyson & Griffin, 2013).
Skill Development: These games require a combination of fundamental movement skills, such as running, jumping, throwing, and catching, as well as specialized skills like dribbling, passing, and shooting. A study in the Journal of Sports Science & Medicine found that regular participation in invasion games enhances motor skills and coordination in children (Faigenbaum et al., 2013).
**Teamwork and Cooperation: **Invasion games emphasize teamwork, cooperation, and communication among players. Students learn to work collaboratively towards a common goal, develop leadership skills, and understand the importance of respecting teammates and opponents. Research published in the European Physical Education Review highlights the positive impact of invasion games on social development, including teamwork and cooperation (Harvey, 2018).
Decision Making and Tactical Understanding: Invasion games require players to make quick decisions under pressure and anticipate opponents’ moves. Through gameplay, students develop tactical awareness, problem-solving skills, and strategic thinking abilities. A study in the Journal of Teaching in Physical Education demonstrates that participation in invasion games enhances students’ decision-making skills and game understanding (Harvey & Jarrett, 2014).
Psychological Well-being: Engaging in invasion games can also positively impact students’ psychological well-being by reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. Physical activity, such as playing invasion games, releases endorphins, which are natural mood elevators. A meta-analysis published in the Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology confirms the association between physical activity and improved mental health outcomes (Mammen & Faulkner, 2013)