| If your soccer team is looking for a fun alternative to | | | | guards. |
| traditional grass field tournaments, a beach soccer | | | | Fields are 25 yards by 30 yards (30 x 40 for some of |
| tournament may well be the answer. The game is fun | | | | the adult divisions). Goals also vary in size depending |
| and fast-paced with lots of scoring in a relaxed and | | | | on age-group, from 6 feet x 8 fee to 7 feet x 18 feet. |
| friendly atmosphere. | | | | When the ball goes out over the side lines, it can be |
| How to Play Soccer on the Beach | | | | put back into play with either the hands, like a regular |
| Soccer on sand differs most from soccer on grass in | | | | throw-in, or with the foot. |
| the element of dribbling. Since dribbling on uneven sand | | | | Any fouls committed lead to a free kick on goal, which |
| is almost impossible, there is a premium on moving the | | | | has to be taken by the player who was fouled (unless |
| ball through the air. Most shots are either headers, or | | | | the kick is awarded for handball, in which case any |
| quick lift and kick-type shots which require some | | | | player can take it). |
| technical skill to pull off. There is an emphasis on | | | | There are no goal kicks in beach soccer. Keepers |
| attacking play with no offside and no tackling allowed. | | | | have to put the ball back into play with a throw. |
| Beach Soccer History | | | | Games are divided into three 12-minute periods. |
| Long popular in Brazil, where many of the country's | | | | Beach Soccer Tournaments |
| countless great players first learned to play on the | | | | One of the largest beach soccer tournaments in the |
| beaches of Rio de Janeiro, beach soccer has been | | | | United States is the North American Sand Soccer |
| growing in popularity in the United States ever since | | | | Championships, which takes place in Virginia Beach, |
| the early 1990s, when the rules were first formalized. | | | | VA each June. Since its inception in 1994, the |
| Soon after that, a professional beach soccer tour was | | | | tournament has grown from just 28 teams to over |
| established that featured a number of international | | | | 950 teams, which come from all over the US and |
| stars including Eric Cantona, Michel, Romario, Junior and | | | | overseas. |
| Zico. | | | | Other big events include the Cape Express Beach |
| FIFA embraced the sport in 2004 and, in 2005, | | | | Blast in Atlantic City, NJ and the Soccer in the Sand |
| sanctioned the first ever Beach Soccer World Cup. | | | | series, which hosts several tournaments all over the |
| The tournament was played in Brazil, and won by a | | | | US and Canada. While many of the best-known |
| French team that was coached by Eric Cantona. | | | | tournaments cater to the traditional soccer |
| Now, even mountainous, land-locked Switzerland has a | | | | demographic of families with soccer-playing children, |
| successful Pro Beach Soccer team, which perhaps | | | | others cater deliberately to a young adult audience. |
| shows just how far the sport has come in less than | | | | Cash prizes in some of the open divisions and sales |
| 20 years. | | | | pitches extolling the wonderful night life a resort has to |
| Beach Soccer Rules | | | | offer might suggest a twenty-something audience |
| Teams usually consist of five players (four plus the | | | | over one where families with young children might feel |
| goalkeeper) and, because playing in the sand is so | | | | at home. Whatever your age, though, if you like playing |
| strenuous, players substitute on the fly for short shifts. | | | | soccer, there is a good chance you will love playing |
| There is no limit to the number of substitutions. | | | | soccer on the beach. |
| Shoes are not allowed but socks are, as are ankle | | | | |