BACKYARD LEAGUE OPTIONS
Week One
Grid Set Up:
[This is the area to be used in Week 1]
It is about 22m x 20m with 4 x 5m wide “fields”, with small gaps between fields for children to run back down and teacher to walk up
and down.
Colour coding your fields is also important and makes it easier for the kids.
5m
.5m
Beginning the Lesson/Program
Ask: “How many people do they need to have a game of footy?”
Answer: “We are here today to show you how you can play a game with just you and your mate or any number of
players.”
WARM UP
 Student’s line up in even lines behind coloured markers at one end only (A good way to split them is to have the
Girls line up behind the Green and Orange and the Boys behind the Blue and Red).
 Use 2 or 3 balls in each line. The front person runs into their field, down to the try line and scores a try. Encourage
correct grip and try scoring. Once they have scored, they then run back down the small channel and pass off to the
next person in the line without a football and join the end. You can have 2 – 3 kids running per group at the one
time
 This also allows the children the chance to identify their fields ‘boundaries’ while completing a simple skill.
Progression: 1 (always finish with them scoring a try at the line)
Ask: “Is it really that easy to score a try in a game of rugby league?”
Answer: “No. because there are defenders on the other team”
Ask: “What can we do to get around/past a Defender?” (we are playing Tag/Tip only)
Answer: “Side Step, Dummy pass, Grubber Kick, Chip Kick, Change of Pace etc
Get kids out to give good demonstrations (or do it yourself) - Practice these dry (no defenders)
 It is a good idea to get the kids to only do 1 skill at a time eg, first everyone practices’ steps, then dummy
passes etc.
 It’s a good idea to start with the simplest skills first and progress onto hard/more advanced skills
Progression: 2
 Rugby league is a team sport, so now lets practice some passing
 Pass in 2’s down the field towards scoring their Try. (emphasizing the need to pass backwards).
Progression: 3
 Send half the group from each marker to the other side of the grid to become defenders.
Once this is reached there are many options/variations available to offer students. (Again it is
important to start with an easy option and progress with the abilities of your groups)
Progression and Further Variations
(These are a guide but it is important to show a number of options to the kids)
Now using any of the skills they have just learnt they can use!
1attacker v 1 defender
2 attackers v 1 defender
1 attacker v 2 defenders (4 handed touch)
Now pull out middle markers and have 2 fields 10m wide. (if separated into 2 groups of boys & girls at the
beginning you will now have 1 field of boys & 1 of girls)
2 attackers v 2 defenders (2 handed touch)
4 attackers v 2 defenders (start with 1 chance. Once they are ready introduce some chances. 2 or 3)
4 attackers v 4 defenders (with chances) Now to get to mini game, give both sides chances before they exit the field.
So once team ‘A’ have defended for 3 tags, they immediately get 3 chances to try and score a Try against team
‘B’.
Other options you can try along the way are
2 attackers v 2 defenders (1 chance)
2 attackers v 2 defenders (3 chances)
3 attackers v 2 defenders (2 hand touch)
2 attackers v 3 defenders (4 handed touch)
4 v 4 (1 chance)
4 v 4 (3-6 chances, play the ball)
Last progression (with time permitting. This would be around the 45 -50min mark) is to pull all of the middle
markers out and have 1 field 20m wide.
Conclusion:
“Chances” you will notice we use ‘chances’ in our session. This is used to make sure a team gets full use of the ball.
So if there is a mistake (where in a ‘real’ game the ball would be handed to the other team) that team keeps the
ball and just loses 1 chance. This allows each team to get the ball for the full amount of chances even with
mistakes. Once the kids progress and decrease the amount of errors they may like to have this changed so if you
make a mistake the ball IS handed over to the other team.
Different types of “Chances”
Play the ball (like on TV), Tap it on their foot or knee, do a push-up, sit-up etc. It can be anything that shows
BOTH teams that “another chance” has been started.
“Defenders” once you introduce “chances” it is important to teach the kids about ‘getting onside’ after a chance is lost.
So once they stop the team for a chance they need to move back away from the ball to allow the team to restart
their next chance. (Otherwise it can become messy as everyone is in the way. Unless you make a special rule
with the kids to stop this happening) 1 option is to get the kids to come back 5 BIG steps.
Explain to kids you have shown them a number of variations of how to play footy. Different numbers, area and different
rules that constitute a chance or tackle. Explain that in week 2 they will be playing more of their own games AND they
will be making the rules and governing them in the games. (Off the BYL Matrix)
Week TWO
Grid Set Up:
This field is around the size of the 4fields from week 1; about 20m – 25m
Orange try lines
Green side lines
Blue defenders
Red attackers
Warm up
Even lines behind the 4 Blue cones and 4 Red cones. (you can have boys and girls again if needed)
- Red starts with 1 ball at the front of each line (4 footys total)
- On ‘Go’ the 4 red leaders and 4 blue leaders run around their respective coloured cones and into the field. This
creates a 4v4. (Each attacker has their OWN footy)
- They then return to their coloured cones and joint the end of the line. Attackers hand footys to leaders first.
- Once each child has had 1 – 2 turns, swap the footys to the other side. (This way children are still running the same
direction in the field and around the same coloured cones)
Progression 1
- Remove 2 footballs. This creates the chance to pass, dummy, and kick for their team mates etc. So it is now a 4v4
with only 2 footys. 1 Chance only. (another option is to remove 1 defender so it is easier for the attacking team)
- Remove another ball. 1 chance. 4v4 with only 1 ball so it is now getting to feel like a real game.
- Now introduce chances for one team (asking the children how many they would like)
- Then allow both teams to have the same amount of chances. Now you have a mini game started.
Progressions and Variations of RULES
Now Stop the game and bring all the children into the middle of the field.
Explain they need to establish rules - Using the Backyard League Matrix
This is also a time to point out to the kids that no one likes to lose by lots of points (the kids will agree with
this) so when the teams are picked they need to be fair and even. Or the “Really Good” team will have no other
teams that want to play them by the end of the session.
-
What constitutes the tackle? 2 hands, 4 tag etc.
How many chances?
Can you kick? Any chance or just the last?
How many players each side?
What rule can you change if there is an odd number? Eg. Team with less players get an extra chance
Boys and girls separate games
1 girl must touch the ball during every play
Girls can only be tagged by Girls. BUT Girls can tag the boys.
Each player must be involved during a play
Defenders can’t move forward until the ball has been past to 2, 3 or 4 players etc
Now split the kids into 4 teams, give them 10 seconds to come up with their Rugby League team name.
Give 2 teams – 1 Ball and 10 – 20 markers & allow them to make up their own fields & start playing. (For your first
attempt at this you can help & even set them up parallel to each other so you can easily supervise)
Conclusion
By the end of session 2 the kids should have had the chance to have made up some rules, changed them to suit the
game & be in charge of controlling their own games without the Teacher or Development Officer being out on the field.
This is where you can vote for or nominate some class leaders to be in charge of their teams. (Importantly! This does
not have to be the “best” player from the team)
Also able to make up their own field and organise back into their teams to play again the following weeks
The more time/sessions the kids are able to get out and practice these drills/games the further they will progress with
their skills.
Weeks Three and Four


Teacher gives Students the Backyard League Matrix, 4 – 12 markers and a football per group.
This is where your team “leaders” can collect the equipment from you to set up.

Prompt the Students to establish their area and do a warm up – (anything that has the kids running around
and moving, Stepping, passing etc is fine)

Ask the kids what they could do for a warm up?
 Try scoring,
 stepping,
 kicking,
 1 v 1, 1 v 2 and 2 v 2.
 Anything else the kids may come up with.
Students to play as per Week 2 – Change rules every 5 mins or at the end of games if desired.
Change Teams after 10 mins. (If needed you can set up the same field format you used to start session 2)
Students to see this as PRACTICE for the Week 5 Intra School Day.
PLEASE REMEMBER ITS ALL ABOUT FUN
Week Five
Intra School Day
If possible to have all or some of the classes at once Kids put into teams of 5 (or whatever suits best) and play each other in round robin draw.
Non-competitive, Non-tackle Fun Day/afternoon.
If you have to stick with the 1 class per time slot, break the class into 4 even teams and play a round robin draw
within the class. You could then have all class winners to play off at lunch or one afternoon.
This could also be capped off with our NRL One Community Eat Well, Play Well, Stay Well presentation showing
the students some healthy options of life and why it is important to learn while they are at school.