Pick & Drop & Pick It If You Can
Key Focus: Scanning On & Off the ball
Layout: Mark out a large rectangle with 4 Zones
Mark out two Dens at opposite ends of the large grid
Pick and Drop:
 Two teams ( Yellow and Blue) aim to run to opponent’s
ball grid to pick up stationary balls and solo back to
their own den as shown
 Opponents may challenge opposition from picking
balls up
 See which team can retrieve all the balls from their
opponent’s grid
Variation:
Pick It If You Can
 2 Teams of 5/6 Aside play against each other in a large
grid 15m x 15m
 6/8 balls are placed at random about the play area
 On signal one team attempts to pick ball up while the
other prevent them
 See which team can achieve the most pick ups in a set
time
Variation:
1 Repeat above but players must mark each other
Pick and
Drop
Den
Den
4 Zones
Game 1
Cone Target Ball
Key Focus: Kicking with A ‘HARD FOOT’
Equipment:
10/15 Cones, Domes to mark out 5 Zones, 10 footballs
Layout:
 3 Teams x 4/5 Aside Nos. 1 to 3
 Large rectangle with 5 zones
 Place 10/15 cones in middle zone - 5m x 15m for players in
two outer zones to aim at
 Leave next 2 zones 10m x 15m as No Man’s Land
 2 Teams Nos. 1 & 2 go to outer zones with 5 balls each
 Team 3 remains out side the middle zone to count and
replace the knocked down cones
 Change roles after 1 min. i.e. Team 1 go to middle zone, while
Team 3 go to outer zone etc.
 Use different foot after each change
 1 point is scored for each cone knocked down
Key points:
 This is an excellent game for encouraging players to use a
‘Hard Foot’ i.e. top of lace for kicking with power.
Game 2
2
Strike Away:
Key Focus: Close control & ‘Shielding’ a Ball
Layout:
 Large Grid 15m v 15m
 Each child has a ball
Organisation:
 All the players dribble about a large grid
 As they dribble they attempt to strike away any balls close to them
 Players try and protect balls by using their bodies as shields to screen the ball.
Score:
 Give all players 5 Points to begin.
 They lose a point every time they are dispossessed and gain one every time they hit a ball
away.
Winner:
 The player with the most points at the end of a set time e.g. 2 minutes
Variation:
 Have 3 – 4 players without a ball who attempt to gain possession
 Players who lose a ball must attempt to gain possession of another ball
 Which player can keep possession the longest without loosing their ball?
3
Game 3
Zone Solo
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Mark out a grid with 3 zones as shown.
Place 4 small scoring areas in the corners.
Select 3 Teams – red, blue & white
Two teams ( blue and white) play 3 a-side against each other
while red defends the middle zone
Blue play one way and white the other into opposing grids
When white crosses the middle zone they play 3 v 3 on the blue
Each member of the team in possession must solo three times
before they pass
There aim is to solo through the middle zone and score in the end
zones (corners)
A goal is scored by a player soloing into their scoring grid – they
retreat to their own half.
The other team then take possession and start a new attack in
the opposite direction
Play each game for 3 minutes and then change roles
Which team can score the most goals ?
Variation:
 Allow one member of the team in the middle to defend from any
where
 Only two attacking players are allowed to pass the middle zone
4
Key Focus:
Soloing Under pressure
Blue
White
Game 4
Block Around The Clock
Key Focus: Blocking a Ball
Layout:
 5/6 Numbered players stand in a circle formation
 Every other player has a ball.
 The rest help to retrieve loose balls
 The aim is for No. 1 to start inside the circle and move around
attempting to block - foot/bounced ball and punt kicks (Depending on
skill level) from those players with the ball
K
K
K
K
K
 No. 2 begins as No. 1 has made 3 blocks
 Start with first player again but go the other way as you block
 Tip: Demand that those kicking the balls do so gently initially in order to
help the ‘blockers’ block the balls.
Variation:
 Have 6/8 players in 2 lanes 5m apart and between each other, zig zag
style facing each other in front of goals with a ball each
K
Blocker
K
K
K
K
 ‘Blockers’ one at a time move down the line blocking each ball in turn
 The final player, about 10m from goals, in the line aims to score a goal
while the Blocker dives to block
Game 55
STRIKE 1,2, 3
Key Focus: Goalkeeping Skills
Quick Reactions
Equipment:
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6 poles, 4/6 medium size balls, Two cones
How to Play?
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One player G1 acts as a goal keeper and stands between three cones 4/6 m
apart.
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Three other players stand between ‘gates’ (two poles 3/5 m apart) with a ball
each.
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They aim to score by playing the ball past the 2 cones on their side etc.
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The ‘Gates should be 10/15m from the goalie and opposite each side of the
triangle.
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One other player stands behind these players and act as Retrievers.
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The Strikers are numbered 1, 2, and 3.
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The coach calls out the numbers to the Strikers i.e. ‘2’, ‘1’ etc.
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When their number is called they strike for goal i.e. attempt to play the ball
through their goals i.e. the side of the triangle opposite them etc.
Variation:
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The strikers may roll , kick or strike the ball depending on skill level.
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The game can be made more challenging by moving the goalie’s goal further
away from the ‘gates’ or making the goals and ‘gates’ smaller.
Scoring:
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The goalie scores by striking the ball through the appropriate ‘gate’
opposite.
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The Strikers may score by hitting the ball past the goalie.
Key Points:
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Goalie – React quickly to the call by keeping on your toes at all times.
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Get your feet behind the ball.
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Kickers – Watch the ball when kicking. Decide where you hope to kick the
ball.
GATES
Coach
calls out
Nos.
Retriever
Game 6
Triple Circle Pass ball
Make 3 circles with a radius of 30/20/10m
Place one defender (Black) inside smallest circle and 4
in outside circle. These players must remain in their
own circles
Place 4 attackers (Red) around inside circle and the
same on the very outside
The 4 inside attackers must stay in their own circle
while the 4 outside attackers must remain outside the
outside circle
The aim is to play the ball either past the inside
defenders to another attacker or to one of your
attackers on the outside by passing to the outside
defenders
This game develops spatial awareness as the player on
the ball must decide which is the best passing option at
all times by not only scanning near but far i.e. outside
players if inside attackers are marked
Attackers must constantly move into better receiving
positions depending on the defensive position of the
defenders
Defenders must be aware of their attackers at all
times depending on the player with the ball
The outside defenders must work as a team to defend
the outside attackers
Make up your own scoring system
7
Key Focus: Scanning On & Off the ball
Goal
10m
20m
30m
Game 7
Find a Goal
10 Players in pairs in grid 30m x 20m
Each pair sets out two cones (same colour), 2m apart
Punt/strike ball to each other through goal-cones
Move and repeat around five sets of goals to finish
When a ball is passed through one goal the receiver solos
off to another and passes through, the receiver must
anticipate which goal the ball carrier is going to
and be ready to receive the pass
Who can score 5 Goals first?
Pick two players to act as goalkeepers. They move and
block goals, the other players must find the free goals to
make a score.
Modification - Cross Fire
Key Focus: Punting For Accuracy
Find
another
Goal
Goal
Find
another
Goal
One player from each pair moves outside the grid and
returns passes to their partner inside the grid through the
goals (make them wider if needed)
Change roles after a set time
Use both feet or strike from both sides in above games
Game 8
8
ROTATE THE DEFENDER
Key Focus: Passing – Lateral support on the ball
and the angle of the pass.
HOW TO PLAY:
 Start with 5 players in each area
 Use an area approx. 15m x 15m or bigger for
hurling
 4 attackers stay outside the area, 1 defender
inside the area
 Change the defender every 30 seconds
 Attackers must move along the line to make an
angle for the passer to complete their pass
 Players should play 5 consecutive punt/strike
passes to score 1 point (Bigger grid – 30m x
20m)
Attacker
Exercise 2: Modification:
 Introduce another defender to the grid
 Introduce another attacker to the grid
 Coach nearest defender to pressurise the ball
while the other defender anticipates the pass
 Progress to having all the players inside the
grid – 4 v 2 etc.
9
Attacker
Ten Passes
Or
30 sec. in middle
Defender
Attacker
Attacker
Game 9
Tower Ball Game 1
Target Scoring Game
HOW TO PLAY:
•
4 Attackers attempt to out wit a defender by passing
the ball to the attacker in the most advantageous
position for a shot on target i.e. to knock down a
cone. They must remain out side a small grid or
circle area at all times (4m x 4m or bigger for
striking).
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NB. This is the main principal of attack in most
invasion games and should be emphasised as often
as possible.
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One defender attempts to protect his goals (a cone
inside a large hoop in the middle of the grid) by
keeping his body between the goal and the ball at all
times. S/he is not allowed in side the hoop.
NB.
This is the main principal of defence in most invasion
games and should be coached frequently.
•
Key Focus:
Simple Attack / Defence
Principles
Work
the Ball
Around
The Zone
Defender
GOAL
Knock down
the Cone
Allow very young children throw the ball initially
before challenging them to hand pass/fist/ground
kick/punt and finally strike.
Game 10
Your Number’s Up
Age group: 8+
Equipment:2 Sets of bibs, Cones to mark out
grids 30m x 20m
Layout:
 2 Teams of 10, split into 2 Teams of 5 each
 Nos. them 1 & 2 Yellow & 1 & 2 Blue
 Nos. Players in teams 1 to 5
 When a player’s number is called e.g. 1’s from
both sets of teams play against each other
 2 Numbers may be called at a time
 Uneven team numbers could be called given
one team a numeric advantage e.g. ‘Yellow
2.3, & 4’ v ‘Blue 2 & 5’ etc.
Variation: 1
 Add goals at either end for players to score
Key Focus: Keeping Focused,
Reactions
5
4
3
2
5
4
3
2
1
1
2
3
4
5
1
1
2
3
4
5
Game 20