The Physical Activity (PA) configures a mechanism of great importance for today's society. It contributes to raising awareness about the significance of movement in the well-being and health of the population. Through an active and healthy lifestyle, potential pathologies in the youngest can be prevented, obtaining benefits not only for physical health but also for psychological and behavioral aspects among students (1, 2). To achieve this, the educational system relies on a powerful tool: Physical Education (PE).

Over the past few years, PE has undergone modifications in its curricular elements (3) to become a more comprehensive model, adapting to modern times and addressing the educational needs posed in the 21st century (4). To adjust to these changes and requirements, PE teachers must seek new formulas to motivate their students, adapting basic content in their classes, such as motor skills or games and sports (5).

The primary purposes of the PE area within our country's educational system encompass physical-motor development, the creation and recreation of physical culture, and the comprehensive development of individuals (4); To achieve these aims, an element such as games is available. Games are understood as human activities that undergo modifications depending on the society or culture in which they develop. Through games, students expand their knowledge via physical-motor, cognitive, affective-emotional learning, teamwork, and value education (6–9). Similarly, play holds a very valuable cultural value from the perspective of those who engage in it, making it a powerful tool for Physical Education teachers to achieve holistic child development (10, 11). Given that sociomotor sports, containing a social component, fit perfectly into Physical Education classes, they foster valuable attitudes and social skills (10).

On the other hand, sport is considered one of the primary tools within PE to achieve its pedagogical objectives (12). Educational sport is one of the basic and most developed contents in PE (13). It should distance itself from high-performance sports by reducing competitiveness (14), focusing on transmitting values, and reinforcing regular practice of physical-sporting activity among students (15, 16).

However, certain sports considered “traditional,” characterized by excessive competition or regulation, fail to motivate students (17–19). In the same line, Gil-Madrona et al. (10) note that popular sports activities are very present in a child's motor biography, making it less likely to surprise and motivate them in PE classes. Therefore, alternative, inclusive, and challenging sports should be proposed to achieve maximum student participation, regardless of their abilities (20–22). From this necessity, arise sports known as “alternative sports” (AS). AS lacks a universally accepted definition due to a lack of standardization of their peculiar and individual characteristics encompassing all of them (23). AS share common elements such as active student participation, value transmission, flexible regulations, and the use of innovative, original, and alternative equipment (24–26), sidelining competitiveness and results to be more appealing to students (27).

Therefore, Feu (24) recommends the inclusion of this type of sport in PE classes. They describe it as a more educational approach since all students start from the same level of knowledge about the game and a more equal motor competence to generate new motor situations and, consequently, new learning.

Consequently, AS could be defined as those departing from the standard using physical-sporting practice, alternative materials, facilities, etc., as fundamental elements to achieve educational objectives and value transmission, enhancing student motivation, emphasizing cooperation over competition, thus promoting healthy lifestyle habits and an active lifestyle (13, 28, 29).

On the other hand, classifying these sports is somewhat complicated because, depending on their understanding, the type of sport, implements to use, time, participation, etc., various classifications exist, such as those by Ellis (30), Almond (31), or Méndez-Giménez (32), among others.

To locate this new proposal, Méndez-Giménez's (32) classification, a modification of Almond's proposal in (31), will be used. It proposes classifying sports into: invasion sports, wall or barrier sports, divided court sports, striking and fielding sports, moving target sports, and fixed target sports with or without opposition.

The AS arise from the need to foster “sports for all,” diverging from the traditional archetype dictated by the requirements in high-performance sports and federative guidelines, wherein only those with better physical abilities fit (33). Consequently, AS prioritize cooperation, values, satisfying experiences, and, notably, the promotion and practice of PA (13). Furthermore, they modify rules or norms, as well as structural elements of traditional sports, to achieve comprehensive student development (27, 34).

Contemporary society demands the application of methodologies, adequate resources, training … in short, seeking alternatives to ensure that learning resonates with students and, thereby, achieve comprehensive individual development (35). Teachers design their sessions based on their experiences, training, available facilities… (36). Therefore, similar to other authors (25), it is proposed and defended to utilize AS in the educational context.

The application of different sports, termed “alternative,” yields a series of benefits supported and confirmed in scientific literature. Firstly, they provide physical benefits by increasing physical-sporting activity during the play of certain alternative sports compared to traditional ones (37–40). Additionally, concerning co-education and gender equality, through Quidditch (41, 42) or Korfball (43, 44), it has been demonstrated that social stereotypes decrease, providing more opportunities than other more traditional sports. Along the same lines, through Pinfuvote, it has been shown to contribute to the development of sporting attitudes and values, cooperation, teamwork, and, of course, healthy lifestyle habits (45–48).

Moreover, increased physical activity has been found in co-educational classes, with girls' participation standing out in playing Korfball (49) and Kinball (40). Related to this, students have preferred co-educational orientation in PE classes (50). Conversely, in other studies, it has been demonstrated that boys practice more in the sports field, regardless of the type of sport (51).

Furthermore, it has been evidenced that the use of an alternative sport vs. a traditional one favors student participation and motivation in PE classes (13, 52), additionally enhancing aspects related to involvement and motivation when applying teaching models like the Sports Education Model (SEM) (53).

Due to the surge of AS in the Physical Education classroom such as Ringol (20), Twincon (22), Goubak (21), Unihoc (29), Pickleball [Barranca-Martínez, Hernández-Beltrán, & Gamonales (54)], Brokenball (55), or Artzkirol (56) among others, the following is proposed in this document: to describe and detail the characteristics of a new alternative sport to be used in Physical Education classes and thereby achieve the acquisition of new learning and motor behaviors. Since, in each different game situation, one can appreciate the operation of different logics based on the structure of the game, its internal logic, or the possible relations of cooperation or opposition (57). Therefore, split-court sports have highlighted the constant interaction among players, thus promoting the development of cognitive and tactical skills. Likewise, wall and court sports challenge spatial perception and foster quick decision-making in the face of unpredictable rebounds. Hence, this proposal is highly suitable for generating motor learning by blending skills from both sports and utilizing key aspects of both types of sports.

However, in physical education, there are other sporting alternatives, ambivalent and with optimal playability, such as motor triads, which are those sports games that intermix 3 opposing teams, generating the phenomenon of the paradox of being able to cooperate with one team at a specific moment of the game or, on the contrary, oppose and collaborate with the opponent (58, 59). This alternative also holds high educational value by fostering communication among participants to achieve the teaching-learning process (60) and involving decision-making processes with a playful sense (61).

Cornerball is presented as a hybrid recreational-sporting modality that blends two very characteristic types of sports: court-divided sports and wall sports. Both share common principles; they aim to send the mobile object to an opponent's area to gain an advantage or prevent its correct return (63).

Specifically, court-divided sports involve players positioned face-to-face, separated by a net (line, rope, or a “dead” zone), aiming to send the object over it to gain an advantage or hinder the opponent's return (64). Similarly, wall sports involve sending an object against a wall, exchanging hits indirectly (after contact with the wall), making it challenging for the opponent to return (64).

The shared principles between these two sports include alternative participation (no possession dispute over the object), opposition (one or more opponents with opposing intentions), spaces (separated in court-divided games or shared in wall sports where the wall is crucial for gameplay), game objectives (making the object touch the ground twice or having the opponent take it out of the field boundaries), the object itself (varying in sizes or materials), or the use of implements (utilizing one or both body segments) (64, 65).

Moreover, the sporting gesture of hitting (defensive and offensive) is a common technical element in both sports (64). In terms of shared tactical aspects, there is a need to send the object to a distant area of the field (66), move the opponent to a specific zone, leaving the field open, or exploit the opponent's weaknesses (64).

This document aims to showcase the development and implementation of a new alternative sport by modifying the main variables that make up the general structure of sports games (object, implements, net, spaces, time, players, and rules) (64).

Physical Education, much like the educational system, must progress, change, and adapt to the shifts and advancements occurring in today's society. Employing new methodologies, resources, or innovative teaching approaches to motivate students and capture their attention during classes is crucial. This ensures they can undergo an adequate teaching-learning process and, consequently, acquire the necessary knowledge to navigate contemporary society. It is from this need that Alternative Activities (AAs) emerge as a key content to teach in Physical Education (PE), fostering the holistic development of individuals.

Thus, the alternative sport Cornerball is presented as a game directly applicable within physical education classes. This sport enables the exploration of diverse motor situations and various social contexts.

Cornerball not only contributes to physical and motor benefits but also enhances fundamental physical capacities. It develops perceptual-motor abilities by addressing spatial-temporal control and bodily coordination, foundational elements supporting overall coordination and equilibrium.

Ultimately, there's an expressed need for further research and interventions in Physical Education classes to demonstrate the utility of these alternative sports. This aims to underscore the necessity of integrating them into the teaching-learning process to facilitate the acquisition of new knowledge and skills.