Our Story

Hi, my name is Norman. I’m a veteran public school teacher and former youth soccer coach of 20 years.  As a coach, I found that a grid overlay on top of a white board helped my youth soccer players better visualize positions, spacing and learn basic football tactics.  I used pieces from an old checkers game to represent the players.  With that I was able to teach my players about passing lanes, offsides, and basic football tactics. 

Later, I thought it would be cool to add dice to represent player and ball movements and soon Goal Zone started to take shape.  I brought a prototype to my middle school classroom.  Here on “Fun Friday” I had my test lab to refine the rules of Goal Zone Board Game.  Because my class periods are only 47 minutes, we did not have a full 90 to play two full halves.  I had to modify the game, so the game could be played quickly.  As a result, to win the first player to score 1, 2 or 3 goals wins, depending on how much time you have to play.

My middle school students go absolutely nuts over this game.  I love watching shy and quiet students break out of their shell and banter and trash talk other students while using dice to win challenges and to shoot on goal in this “head to head” competition.  

I thought I was done when I had the prototype for my students for “Fun Friday,” but my students would always ask me, “Where can I buy this game?”  This is when I decided to take Goal Zone Board Game to the next level.  I partnered with The Game Crafter, an independent game manufacturer in Madison, Wisconsin.  I’m a patriot and I am proud to say Goal Zone Board Game is made in the USA.  We proudly support US labor.  Please support us and I guarantee your friends and family will love this game.