Pickup
The operating model for pickup football that’s at the center of our Secret.
Purpose
Secret Game exists to keep football simple, open, and fun.
Our goal is to carve out space where people can play together regardless of experience or background, while preserving the spontaneity, creativity, and competition that makes pickup special.
Game Mechanics
Games are organized by the community. Anyone can host by posting a field, date, and time in Signal.
Check out our Signal read-me (Coming soon) for how to pitch or RSVP to a game.
Matches flex to the number of people and the space available, with teams formed on arrival. Players call their own fouls, respect the flow of play, and take shared responsibility for keeping the match fair and moving. +1s are welcome, but those who bring them are responsible for setting the tone.
Signal is only for Secret games and community announcements. If you want to promote your own thing, visit our Discord.
Organizing Philosophy
Like the broader community, the game is organized horizontally. There are no fixed teams or hierarchies, just a shared commitment to making it work and to looking out for one another.
Everyone contributes: scouting fields, setting up, breaking down, making teams, curating the playlist, and shoveling snow. On the pitch, we create space for each other to try things and make mistakes. Communication is part of the game, but coaching is not.
Secret Game grows through the people in it. The system is open by design, but depends on everyone taking ownership of the culture and experience.
What Defines Secret Game
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Decentralized governance
- Shared responsibility
- Creativity and spontaneity
- Openness and inclusivity