Accuracy and duels

Organisation

• Give your players the chance to design their own mini-golf course using any resources available to them
• Can they design nine different “holes” where they have to hit targets?
• Players then play in pairs 1v1 to see who can complete the course in the fewest shots, or who wins each hole out of nine
• Encourage your players to work together to be creative, inventive and resourceful 

Ways to make the exercise easier

• Create the holes on a normal pitch, where children just have to pass accurately to hit the targets

Ways to make the exercise harder

• Create holes that have obstacles to go over, under, around, etc., so that children have to use different techniques to succeed

Great questions to ask the players

• Can you find ways to lift the ball when you need to?
• Can you think about how hard you kick the ball each time?
• Can you be creative when you design your own course?
• Can you design a course for others to play on?

Safety tips

• You should check the course before play begins to make sure it is safe and nothing can fall over
• Create a safe playing area

Organisation

• Organise two teams of equal numbers and give each player a number, the same on both sides. Create a pitch with two goals, one on each side, and players start standing beside their own goal in a designated area away from the goalposts
• You call out a number and the players run onto the pitch to play 1v1
• You can also call out a second number so that it becomes 2v2 or 3v3 or 4v4
• You can also call out two different numbers so that different players from each team come on to the pitch (team 1 is the first number, team 2 is the second number)
• The goalkeepers can also have the same number

Ways to make the exercise easier

• Try to match up the children with a partner of equal ability

Ways to make the exercise harder

• You can challenge the weaker players to take on the better players by your choice of numbers

 Great questions to ask the players

• Can you be the first player to reach the ball and gain possession?
• Can you be positive and attack the goal?
• If you are second to the ball, can you be patient and try to block the route to goal or hold your opponent up until you have a chance to try and tackle or pinch the ball?

Safety tips

• Make sure the area is clear before you call out new numbers
• Create a safe playing area

Organisation

• Organise two teams of 6v6 and divide the pitch into three zones, with 2v2 in each of the zones, plus you can add a goalkeeper for each team later
• Teams have to play through the zones to score
• Players are restricted to their own zone
• Rotate players through each zone after a goal is scored

 Ways to make the exercise easier

• One team can have extra players in a zone or zones
• Players can play a longer pass to the end zone if possible

 Ways to make the exercise harder

• One team has fewer players in a zone or zones
• Players have to pass through each zone before they can score

 Great questions to ask the children

• Do you always have to play forward from the middle zone?
• Can you try to find positions in your zone to support the player on the ball?
• Which zone do you prefer to play in and why?

Safety tips

• Create a safe playing area