Adjusting to changing team sizes

Organisation

• Organise two teams of 5v5 and start with 5v1 on the pitch
• The team in possession has to complete five or more passes as a team and the defending team can then bring on the next player. Each time a new player is added, start from 0 and try to reach the required number of passes. See which team can complete the full number of passes the quickest, all the way up to 5v5
• Play the game by throwing and catching and then with feet

 Ways to make the exercise easier

• Make the area larger

 Ways to make the exercise harder

• Make the area smaller

 Great questions to ask the children

• Can you spread out as a team and try to use all the available space?
• Can you call for the ball?
• Can the defenders try to delay passing for as long as possible?

 Safety tips

• Defenders can only intercept the ball when it is being thrown or caught
• Create a safe playing area

Organisation

• Start with 6v3 and three waiting.  Time the team with six players on how long they take to score against three, four, five, then six players
• Both teams have a turn at starting with six players, the quickest team to score the four goals wins
• Add 30 seconds to their time for each goal they concede!

 Ways to make the exercise easier

• You can start with 6v1 and build up to 6v4 maximum

 Ways to make the exercise harder

• You can put conditions on the type of goal scored
• You can say that a different player has to score each goal

 Great questions to ask the children

• How can you take advantage of having extra players on your team?
• How important is it that we don’t let the other team score?
• If you are defending when outnumbered, how can you delay a goal for as long as possible?

 Safety tips

• Create a safe playing area

Organisation

• Start with 5v5 or 6v6 with or without goalkeepers
• After a team scores a goal, the other team loses a player
• After each goal, players continue to leave the pitch until one team has no players left. The team left on the pitch wins
• The winners stay on to face a new team and repeat

 Ways to make the exercise easier

• One team can start with more players
• Play with no goalkeepers

 Ways to make the exercise harder

• Play with goalkeepers
• One team can start with fewer players – a good way to challenge the best players
• If a goal is scored when a team is down to three or fewer players, the team can have a player back on

 Great questions to ask the children

• How important is the first goal?
• Can you decide amongst yourselves which player has to leave the pitch?
• Can you try to score a goal when your team has fewer players?

 Safety tips

• Create a safe playing are