Dribbling, shooting and teamwork

Organisation

• Create mini-pitches for 2v2  games
• For each pitch, four players play and four rest, then rotate
• Each game starts with one team passing the ball to the opponents
• Play normal rules and let the players referee their own games

Ways to make the exercise easier

• You can start with 2v1, making it easier for the two

Ways to make the exercise harder

• Use smaller goals
• Limit the number of touches per player

Great questions to ask the players

• Can you dribble 1v1 when you have the chance?
• Can you find a good position to support your partner when he/she has the ball?
• Can you defend as a pair?

Safety tips

• Create safe zones between each mini-pitch

Organisation

• Split the class into groups of no more than six if possible
• Set up dribbling and shooting areas for each group
• Create a race each time to see who can score first

Ways to make the exercise easier

• Start with no goalkeepers
• Have fewer cones to dribble round

Ways to make the exercise harder

• Have more cones to dribble round
• The first player to score wins a point for his/her team
• If a player touches a cone with the ball, he/she has to start again
• Challenge the players to dribble and shoot using their weaker foot only

Great questions to ask the players

• Can you show me how you dribble like a professional?
• Can you try to use both feet when you dribble?
• Can you follow up any rebounds from the goalkeeper?

Safety tips

• Create safe zones between each area
• The players should start on the coach’s signal

Organisation

• Set up a pitch with two teams and four goals
• Maximum of six players per team
• To begin with, each team can only score at one end
• Then, the teams can score in any goal
• Add a second ball to increase the intensity and number of goals scored
• If you have more than one pitch, rotate teams

Ways to make the exercise easier

• One team can have more players

Ways to make the exercise harder

• Limit the number of touches per player
• Limit the goals they can score in
• To win a point, a team has to score in two or four different goals consecutively without conceding a goal

Great questions to ask the players

• Can you be clever and find space to receive the ball near an empty goal?
• Can you look up when you have the ball and recognise where there is space to score?
• How can you defend as a team when you lose the ball?

Safety tips

• Create safe zones between each mini-pitch