Jorkyball: Two-a-side Soccer in a Cage

The sport of Jorkyball has humble beginnings. It began in a garage in Lyon, France in 1987 — most likely when four blokes were sitting around bored and decided to have a little kick around. Over the course of the past two decades the game has grown. It now is played by more than 15,000 people in a half dozen countries in Europe and it recently was introduced in the United States.

The game is not unlike traditional soccer only it is played with two players on each team and the pitch is an artificial surface in a cage that is about 50 square meters. Picture a squash or a racquetball court and you get the idea.

Each team consists of a forward and a back which is decided before the match starts and at the end of each set the roles must be reversed. Each match consists of three sets and the winner of each set is the first to score seven goals. Because the court and goals are small, Jorkyball is reputed to be “fast and frantic,” which seems hard to believe when you read the rules about fouls and throw-ins.

Here’s a look at this week’s odd game. It looks like a good way to develop your ball skills. Too bad it is illegal to slam your opponent into the cage. Carnage is always fun.

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Category: World Football