Your Backyard is Your Stage
Backyard Field Hockey can be played with two or more players and asks you, the players, to collaborate in designing your own game that’s challenging and fun for everyone. So, while you stay at home, grab your sisters, brothers, mom or dad, create your game and play!
Over the coming month four expansion packs will add even more fun to your Backyard Field Hockey games starting with eight brand new Hero Power cards featuring four U.S. Men’s National Team and four U.S. Women’s National Team athletes that will be released next week.
The Hero Power Cards allow players to assume the super strengths of one of four U.S. Men’s National Team or four U.S. Women’s National Team athletes. Using the Hero Power Cards players might suddenly be transformed into a clinical goal scorer or defender that is so hard to beat that opponents are best served giving them a wide berth. In addition to the USMNT and USWNT Hero Power cards, the expansion pack includes a blank template for players to create their own Hero Powers.
The cards can be used in any number of ways including picking your own Hero Power, picking for another player or picking at random. Some will add challenge to the player in possession of the Hero Power while others will present more of challenge to opponents. Either way, the cards are sure to add a variety of fun problems to games for players to solve.
How, when and where the Powerplay Challenges are used is entirely up to the players. One option would be to use the skill challenges to replace what would be penalty corners or strokes in the full game; they could be used before the start of the game to establish the score with both teams attempting three challenges each and goals being awarded for successfully completing the challenge; or, they could be played as a standalone game for one or more players. If players are up for a challenge, they can rotate the smaller, modifiers wheel to make the task harder.
The Win the Moment Cards challenge players to find a way to win. Choose your favorite card or pick one at random, assign teams and play!
Can you find a way to close the gap if you start in a losing position? Can you build on your lead to finish the game in style? If you are playing with teams of two or more, what will you do if your team has to play a player down? How will you take advantage if you have the extra player? Does this change if the score changes? The Win the Moment Cards ask players to explore answers to these questions and more.
The Goalkeeping Get Up and Goal Scoring Dice invite players to add variety to their practice whether that be in the backyard or on the practice field. Roll the dice and go play!
The Goalkeeping Get Up Dice challenges goalkeepers to get on to their feet and ready to face a shot as quickly as possible. Their position on the ground and the number of goes they get are guided by the roll of the dice. The dice can be incorporated into any exercises or games that the goalkeeper or coach can think of and as such can be a great tool to add more fun, challenge and variety to existing practices.
The Legacy Hero Power Cards feature U.S. Olympians who laid the foundation for the current generation. The men's Legacy Hero Power Cards feature Los Angeles 1984 Olympians Nigel Traverso and Manzar Iqbal along with Atlanta 1996 Olympians Steve Danielson, the most capped indoor and outdoor USMNT athlete, and Larry Amar. The women's feature Seoul 1988 and Atlanta 1996 Olympian Tracey Fuchs; Beijing 2008 Olympian Kate ‘Tiki’ Barber; and triple Olympians Katelyn ‘Falgo’ Ginolfi and Lauren Crandall, who both represented Team USA in the Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympic Games.