Exploiting goal-scoring opportunities

Organisation

• Group of players start in the middle of four goals with goalkeepers
• Players take a shot at the goal, then complete agility task before moving to the next goal in a clockwise direction
• You might use four players behind goals to collect and return balls if there are no nets
• You can make four players at a time race to complete the circuit first and with as many goals as possible

 Ways to make the exercise easier:

• Take shots closer to the goal
• Strike the ball when it is not moving

Ways to make the exercise harder:

• Take shots further away from goal
• Strike a moving ball

 Great questions to ask the children:

• Can you think about the type of shot – power or accuracy?
• Can you take advantage of any rebounds?
• Can you try to shoot with both feet?

Safety tips:

• Make sure all players move in a clockwise direction
• Make sure goalkeepers concentrate on shots and the areas are clear

Organisation

• Organise mini-matches of 3v3, but each pitch is different
• Pitch 1 has one goal each end, pitch 2 has two each end and pitch 3 has three each end
• Children move from one pitch to another to work out the best way to score goals on each pitch
• All pitches are one-directional

 Ways to make the exercise easier:

• Goals can be as big as possible

 Ways to make the exercise harder:

• Goals can be made smaller or different sizes

 Great questions to ask the children: 

• Can you adjust quickly to each pitch? 
• Can you work out the best way to score on each pitch?
• Can you work out the best way to defend on each pitch to protect the goal/goals?

 Safety tips:

• Create a safe zone between each pitch

Organisation

• Two teams of six to play in a formation
• One goalkeeper, two defenders, one midfielder, two attackers
• Also allow the players to make up their own formation and see how it works
• After two or three minutes, ask the players to rotate their positions so they all get to play in all positions during the match
• At the end of the game, ask them which position they liked best and why

 Ways to make the exercise easier:

• One team can have more players than the other

 Ways to make the exercise harder:

• One team has fewer players than the other

Great questions to ask the children

• What qualities do you think certain positions need?
• Which position do you think you are best at and why?

Safety tips:

• Create a space between pitches if more than one game at a time