Warm-up: 7v7 game football and handball
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
Skill development: 4v4 possession game and 5v5 line football
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
Game application: 9v9 game
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