Warm-up: Quick reaction
Organisation
- All players involved, players react to the coach’s commands
- Watch for physical signals or listen for verbal signals
- Players must react quickly and move in a particular direction
- Players can also run with a ball at their feet
- Look for sharp reactions and correct decision-making from your players
Ways to make the exercise easier
- Allow players to listen and watch at the same time
- Call in a sequence rather than random instructions
Ways to make the exercise harder
- No verbal instructions, just visual cues or demonstrations
- Players to directly race an opponent
- Players have to do the opposite to the instruction – i.e. forwards means backwards, left means right etc.
Great questions to ask the children
- Can you try to be the first player to react and not follow others?
- Can you be light on your toes and ready to move quickly?
- Can you accelerate over the first 2-3 metres?
Safety tips
- Players should make sure they keep their heads up and stay aware of others around them
Skill development: 2v2 shooting
Organisation
- Organise two teams of no more than 8v8
- Two players at a time play as goalkeepers and strikers
- They shoot for goal from their own half in a 2v2 match
- If they score, then the opponents rotate for another pair on their team
- If they miss the target and the ball goes astray, then they have to retrieve it before they can rejoin the game
- The game continues 2v1 or maybe even 2v0 if both players miss the target consecutively
- A fast‑moving game with lots of shots and opportunities to shoot different ways and make great saves
- Keep score and the first team to ten goals wins
Ways to make the exercise easier
- Reduce the distance between the two goals
- Players can volley the ball after dropping it from their hands
Ways to make the exercise harder
- Increase the distance between the goals
- Play the same game but 1v1
Great questions to ask the children
- Can you show me how to shoot and keep the ball low?
- Can you show me how you shoot with power?
- How important is it to hit the target?
Safety tips
- Make sure all players stay focused and aware of shots being taken
- Waiting players should stay on either side of the goal – two metres away from the posts
Game application: 4v4 with flexible goalkeeper
Organisation
- Organise mini-pitches of 4v4 – the nearest defender to goal can be the goalkeeper
- Set the players challenges to score different ways (a one-touch finish, a volley, a header, etc.)
- See if players can work out the ways to make the perfect “set up” to score
- Allow players time to find their own solutions
- If there is more than one pitch, then rotate teams so that they all play each other
Ways to make the exercise easier
- Play with no goalkeepers
- Give one team an extra player
Ways to make the exercise harder
- Add a fixed goalkeeper on each team
- Make one team play with fewer players
Great questions to ask the children
- Can you show me how to shoot and keep the ball low?
- Can you show me how to volley and keep the ball low?
- Can you show me different ways to set up a one-touch finish?
Safety tips
- Create safe zones between pitches