Use your head

Organisation

• Players play 2v2 on their own mini-pitches and follow a throw-head-catch sequence to try and score in their opponents’ goal
• Players can also try to keep the ball in the air between them before scoring
• Players can move pitch every three minutes to play against different opponents 

Ways to make the exercise easier

• Players can start with throwing and catching before introducing the heading

Ways to make the exercise harder

• Players can only intercept the ball by heading it 

Great questions to ask the children

• Can you move off the ball in order to receive the next pass?
• Can you cushion your header to your partner?
• Can you head with power when trying to score?

Safety tips

• Play throw-head-catch for two to three minutes, then alternate with volley and catch
• Create a safe playing area

Organisation 

• Organise mini-pitches for 2v2 with attacking headers, two goals and a halfway line
• Players serve each other and head towards the goal
• Opponents can act as goalkeepers or head it straight back if the ball is still high in the air and can be attacked
• Players get a double goal for heading the ball straight back into the goal
• After three minutes, the winners move up a pitch and losers move down a pitch

 Ways to make the exercise easier

• Opponents can only save the ball with their body and not their hands

Ways to make the exercise harder

• You can only score from a double header
• You can make the pitch bigger

Great questions to ask the children

• Can you try to serve from in front of your partner?
• What direction is best for an attacking header?
• What part of the ball should you head to make it go downwards?

Safety tips

• Create a safe playing area

Organisation

• Organise your players into teams of 6v6 and create mini-pitches
• If a team is waiting, they can also play 3v3 to keep them active
• Just let your players play
• Learn through play and different challenges of facing new opposition
• Let the children referee their own games
• A headed goal counts double, a diving header counts three 

Ways to make the exercise easier

• One team can have extra players if you have uneven numbers or a weaker team

Ways to make the exercise harder

• You can only score with a headed goal

 Great questions to ask the children

• Can you cross the ball to encourage headers?
• Can you attack the ball from crosses?

Safety tips

• Create a safe playing area