Apparatus and method for playing a soccer skills-enhancing game

Abstract

A goal for a soccer skills-enhancing game is configured for practicing a chip shot, and includes an upper frame defining an aperture for receiving a ball vertically downward therethrough, and a lower frame for resting on a playing surface. Support members are operatively connected between the upper and lower frames to form a vertical space therebetween. A see-through wrap of fabric or plastic is wrapped around an outer side of the support members, encircling the vertical space to form the vertically-disposed goal. The goal preferably includes a bag, or net, attached to and held in an open position around the upper frame for catching a ball received through the aperture. The upper and lower frames may be hexagonally shaped. A game apparatus includes at least one goal and a ball. A method for playing the game includes scoring points for chipping or deflecting the ball into the bag.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A goal for a soccer skills-enhancing game played with a ball, the goal comprising:
 an upper frame defining an aperture for receiving a ball vertically downward therethrough;   a lower frame for resting on a playing surface;   a plurality of support members operatively connected between said upper frame and said lower frame to form a vertical space below said aperture that is laterally defined by said plurality of support members; and   a wrap positioned around an outer side of each of said plurality of support members and between adjacent support members of said plurality, said wrap encircling said vertical space.   
     
     
         2 . The goal of  claim 1 , further comprising a bag for catching said ball received through said aperture, wherein an upper perimeter defining an opening of said bag is operatively attached to said upper frame and held in an open position around said aperture, said bag hanging down from said upper frame and into said vertical space. 
     
     
         3 . The goal of  claim 1 , wherein each of said upper frame and said lower frame is formed in a hexagonal shape. 
     
     
         4 . The goal of  claim 2 , wherein each of said upper frame and said lower frame is formed in a shape of a polygon, said upper frame and said lower frame each comprising an equal number of corners and connecting portions, said connecting portions of each of said upper frame and said lower frame forming sides of each said polygon located between adjacently positioned pairs of said corners. 
     
     
         5 . The goal of  claim 4 , wherein each of said corners is formed from two horizontally disposed legs of an angled T-connector, wherein a pair of said connecting portions are adjacently connected on each of said upper frames and said lower frames via said two horizontally disposed legs of said angled T-connector. 
     
     
         6 . The goal of  claim 5 , wherein each of said plurality of support members is attached to said upper frame via a downwardly projecting leg of one of said angled T-connectors of said upper frame and to said lower frame via an upwardly projecting leg of one of said angled T-connectors of said lower frame. 
     
     
         7 . The goal of  claim 4 , further comprising a plurality of sleeves fixedly attached to said bag in a spaced arrangement along said upper perimeter, each of said connecting portions of said upper frame being inserted through one of the plurality of sleeves to hold said bag in said open position around said aperture. 
     
     
         8 . The goal of  claim 7 , wherein said connecting portions of said upper frame are removably attachable to said angled T-connectors of said upper frame. 
     
     
         9 . The goal of  claim 2 , further comprising attachment members for attaching said bag to said upper frame, each attachment member having a first end fixedly attached to said upper perimeter of said bag and a second end releasably attachable to said first end, said second end being wrapped over and around said upper frame and releasably attached to said first end to hold said bag in position around said aperture. 
     
     
         10 . The goal of  claim 1 , wherein said wrap further includes a sleeve aligned with one of said plurality of support members, said one of said plurality of support members being inserted through said sleeve. 
     
     
         11 . The goal of  claim 1 , wherein said wrap is one of a mesh, a semi-transparent fabric, and a see-through plastic. 
     
     
         12 . The goal of  claim 2 , wherein said wrap is a see-through perforated polyester PVC, and said bag comprises a mesh material. 
     
     
         13 . The goal of  claim 4 , wherein said lower frame has a contact surface for resting on said playing surface, said contact surface including at least a lower surface of said corners of said lower frame. 
     
     
         14 . A soccer skills-enhancing game apparatus, comprising:
 at least one goal; and   a ball;   said at least one goal comprising:
 an upper frame defining an aperture for receiving said ball vertically downward therethrough; 
 a lower frame for resting on a playing surface; 
 a plurality of support members operatively connected between said upper frame and said lower frame to form a vertical space below said aperture that is laterally defined by said plurality of support members; and 
 a wrap positioned around an outer side of each of said plurality of support members and between adjacent support members of said plurality, said wrap encircling said vertical space. 
   
     
     
         15 . The soccer skills-enhancing game apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising a bag configured and sized for catching said ball received through said aperture, wherein an upper perimeter defining an opening of said bag is operatively attached to said upper frame and held in an open position around said aperture, said bag hanging down from said upper frame and into said vertical space. 
     
     
         16 . A method of playing a soccer skills-enhancing game utilizing a ball and at least one goal, the method comprising:
 positioning said at least one goal on a playing surface, said at least one goal including an upper frame defining an aperture for receiving said ball vertically downward therethrough, a lower frame for resting on the playing surface, a plurality of support members operatively connected between said upper frame and said lower frame to form a vertical space below said aperture that is laterally defined by said plurality of support members, a wrap encircling said vertical space, and a bag configured and sized for catching said ball received through said aperture, wherein an upper perimeter defining an opening of said bag is operatively attached to said upper frame and held in position around said aperture such that said bag hangs down into said vertical space; and   scoring points by a first team in a round of play, said round of play beginning with a first player of said first team chipping said ball toward said at least one goal and ending with an earlier occurring one of said ball being caught in said bag and said ball touching said playing surface.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said scoring points by said first team includes one of: chipping, by said first player, said ball directly into said bag of said at least one goal without said ball touching a second player of said team; chipping said ball such that said ball hits said wrap, and chipping said ball such that said ball hits said upper frame and bounces up from said at least one goal. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said scoring points further includes: by said first player, chipping said ball such that said ball hits said upper frame and bounces up and then, by said second player, deflecting said ball that bounces up from said goal in midair with any part of a body of said second player other than an arm or a hand and into said bag of said at least one goal. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further including determining a score for said first team during said round of play based on a point system, including awarding a highest number of points for said first player chipping said ball directly into said bag, a second highest number of points for said second player deflecting said ball into said bag, a third highest number of points for said ball hitting said upper frame in said round of play without being caught in said bag, and a fourth highest number of points for said ball hitting said wrap or said lower frame in said round of play without being caught in said bag; repeating a round of play for a second team and determining a score for said second team during said round for said second team based on said point system; and repeating said round of play for said first team and for said second team until one team of said first team and said second team wins said soccer skills-enhancing game by reaching or exceeding a predetermined winning score. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein winning said soccer skills-enhancing game includes said one team reaching or exceeding said predetermined winning score during said round of play ending with said ball being caught in said bag.