An experimental new sport ...
Concept Rendering
Description:
Ironcross is played with a solid rubber lacrosse ball fully covered in cloth hockey tape for grip. Goals are scored by throwing the ball through the opponent's 18-inch goal ring. Players carry the ball by hand and can run with it and pass it around to their teammates freely. The only constraint is that pushing, shoving, grabbing, and holding onto the ball carrier above the waist are all allowed, and a player must turn the ball over if restrained or knocked down.
Motivating Principles:
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Bipedalism: Ironcross follows the same basic gameplay structure as soccer. However, ironcross lets players pick the ball up, and unlike many other sports, doesn't impose dribbling or other restrictions.
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The Ball: The same weight as a baseball but slightly smaller, an ironcross ball is the perfect weight, size, and texture for precision-throwing and for carrying while running.
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Safety: Gameplay demands a turnover mechanism. By keeping out hitting and full-fledged tackling, we're testing a massive hypothesis: we can have a game with the same basic physical nature as football, but without some of its riskier biomechanics.
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Accessibility: The precision-nature of hand-throwing the ball means that we can eliminate expensively-equipped goalies by making the target smaller. All it takes is four or more players with basic protective gear, and you can form a team.
Current Status:
Right now, ironcross is a conceptual sport. We're looking for players, volunteers, and a management partnership to beta-test the game in Ottawa. Alternately, if you want to try it on your own, gather a group of friends to toss the ball or play a pick-up game, or organize a larger group to create a local team, and then send us any video/photos or share your experience to post on Facebook and Instagram. Our website contains the most up-to-date rules. Adapt the rules as needed, and share any suggestions for improvements or adaptations that you ve made.
Links:
© 2026 Patrick Richard