Different exercises, same goal

 Organisation

• Organise a pitch for two equal teams of up to 7v7
• One team plays handball and the other plays normal football
• It’s two games in one: when a team loses the ball, the opponents immediately play their game, either picking it up to play handball or putting it on the ground to play by foot
• This game highlights when the ball changes hands (the transition game) and helps players to recognise when attack becomes defence and defence becomes attack

Ways to make the exercise easier

• Have fewer players and use a bigger pitch

Ways to make the exercise harder

• Use a smaller pitch

Great questions to ask the children

• What’s the first thing you think of when your team wins the ball?
• Can you try to intercept the ball?
• When you win the ball, can you immediately try to create space as a team?

Safety tips

• Players can only intercept the ball if they are defending against football – they cannot tackle an opponent with the ball in his or her hands

Organisation

• Organise a pitch for players to play 4v4 or 5v5
• Players play and score by keeping possession or running into end zones
• A team can score by making five successive passes without losing the ball or crossing the end line with the ball in its control
• If the other team wins the ball, it tries to do the same

Ways to make the exercise easier

• Start by playing throw and catch
• Reduce the number of passes needed to score a point

Ways to make the exercise harder

• Increase the number of passes needed to score a point

Great questions to ask the children

• Can you try to make the pitch as big as possible by spreading out as a team?
• Can you show me how you can communicate as a team?
• Can you recognise opportunities to pass forwards and cross the line?

Safety tips

• Create safe zones between each playing area

Organisation

• Organise two equal teams of 6v6/7v7/8v8
• Start with normal rules; let the players decide how to restart the game
• Ask the players to referee their own games
• Ask the players to make their own team formation
• If there are more than two teams, then rotate every few minutes or make multiple pitches
• Try to use large goals, if possible
• If you have an odd number, it’s fine to play with uneven teams, or one player can be a floater and play for both teams
• To encourage forward passes, the team with the ball must reach the attacking half within ten seconds – if it doesn't, play restarts from the opponents' goalkeeper

Ways to make the exercise easier

• Give one team more players

Ways to make the exercise harder

• Make one team play with fewer players
• Reduce the time allowed to reach the opponents’ half to five seconds

Great questions to ask the children

• Can you discuss and agree on your formation as a team?
• Can you try to play the pass forwards as soon as possible?
• In which areas of the pitch can you take risks on the ball?

Safety tips

• Create safe zones between pitches