The One Magazine team take to the pitch for a game of football with a difference
Bubble football is the latest craze that’s rapidly growing in popularity – and it’s easy to see why! Perfect for groups of friends, children’s parties, stag & hen-dos, corporate events and more, bubble football caters for anyone looking for a fun-filled energetic activity whether you’re into football or not.
So what exactly is bubble football all about? Take a regular game of football, and then put each player inside a giant inflatable bubble with just their legs poking out of the bottom, almost like a human bumper car. The results – hilarious! If you’ve ever dreamt of wrapping yourself in bubble wrap and bouncing off of your friends (let’s be honest, a lot of us have) then this is the sport for you.
On arrival you’re asked to read and sign a disclaimer to ensure you’re fit to play and to make sure you’re aware of the do’s and don’ts so that everyone has as much fun as possible without the risk of injury. It’s then a case of gathering around for a briefing and an introduction to the bubble suits. The bubbles have straps inside that sit comfortably over your shoulders like a rucksack, and two handles in front of you to hold onto to keep you in full control. The bubble suits provide a bouncy protective cushion to keep you from harm and absorb a lot of the impact, so you can focus on the fun stuff without fear.
Bubble suits on, teams decided and anticipation levels through the roof, it was time for our first match. In the briefing we were told to always hold onto the handles in front of us during the game and be prepared to be knocked over at all times. As soon as the whistle was blown, it was pretty clear why. Unlike a regular football match, both teams start lined up against opposite walls with the ball waiting in the centre spot. When the whistle is blown, both teams are allowed to run into the middle leading to a mass of bouncing bubbles all battling for the ball. Tackling for the ball in a conventional sense is pretty much impossible as you can’t reach each other’s legs; therefore the only way to get the ball is to knock your opponent out of the way.
With human bubbles bouncing around everywhere, getting the ball proved to be a real challenge. The biggest challenge however, was getting back up off the ground – especially as the session went on and we got more tired. This just added to the hilarity, and laughing too much just leads to falling back down. A vicious cycle of hilariously exhausting entertainment!
Although football is the main focus of the session, the bubbles lend themselves to a variety of other amusing games to mix things up and add to the fun. We tried the old favourite, British Bulldog, where one volunteer waits in the middle as the rest of the group try to get from one end of the hall to the other. If you get knocked over you then go into the middle too until there’s just one person left. Another favourite was King of the Ring – a last man standing style game with the last remaining person left on their feet winning a prize which in our case was a bottle of champagne.
We opted for an hour long session, and initially were worried that the session would feel a bit short and we’d be left wanting more. What we didn’t quite expect was just how much energy it takes to bounce off of each other for that amount of time, and come the end of the session, although we were having so much fun that we wanted to carry on, we were absolutely exhausted!
There’s a variety of packages to choose from starting at just £250 for a minimum of ten people for an hour session (that’s just £25 per person!) which also includes your own souvenir video and group photo, plus a suitable prize for the last man standing.
It’s easy to see that the team at Exe Bubble Football love what they do, and that really rubs off on you when taking part. Professional, friendly and fun, its smiles all round guaranteed. Whatever the occasion, I challenge anyone who gives it a go not to leave in fits of laughter after their session.
Find out more about Exe Bubble Football and how you can book your bubble football event, by visiting www.exebubblefootball.co.uk
Words & Photos: Jake Tucker
