Pass-receiving drill with half-sized games

Organisation 

• Organise players into groups of four, with their own space and two balls per group.
• Each player takes a turn to complete types of passes back to the outside players.
• You can vary the challenges according to the ability of the players.
• The player in the middle works for a minute then swaps with another player.

Ways to make the exercise easier

• Make the area smaller.
• Players can wait between passes.

Ways to make the exercise harder

• Give all three players on the outside a ball, and increase the intensity.

Great questions to ask the children

• Can you be on your toes in the middle and move into every pass?
• Can you decide as the ball comes towards you how you will pass it?
• Can you call for the ball when you are ready to receive it?

Safety tips

• Players on the outside should wait for the call before they pass the ball.

Organisation

• Organise two teams of 5v5 including goalkeepers.
• Divide the pitch into three areas: a large middle area for 3v3 and two 6-metre areas in front of each goal, which are for the attacker from each team.
• Players play 3v3 in the middle area and can only shoot from this area.
• The front attacker can try to score from rebounds or deflections and can also combine with the middle‑zone players to set them up.

Ways to make the exercise easier

• Start with no goalkeepers.

Ways to make the exercise harder

• Require the players in the middle area to shoot with their first touch.

Great questions to ask the children

• Which techniques can you use to shoot with power?
• Can you try to pass the ball into the net from distance?
• Can your attacker score from any rebounds before the goalkeeper collects the ball?

Safety tips

• The attacking player should always face play so they can see the ball.

Organisation

• Organise two teams of 4v4 including goalkeepers, plus two floaters who play in the middle zone.
• Divide the pitch into three equal zones.
• Play a normal game, but when teams play through the middle zone, they have to complete three passes in the 5v3 situation before they can release an attacker into the end zone to try to score.
• Don't forget to rotate the goalkeepers and floaters.

Ways to make the exercise easier

• Scrap the requirement of three passes in the middle zone before releasing the attacker.

Ways to make the exercise harder

• Require five passes to be completed in the middle zone before the attacker can be released.
• Let one defender chase the attacker in the end zone.

Great questions to ask the children

• Can you break from the middle zone in a position to take an early shot?
• If you approach from a wide angle, which is the best area to shoot into?
• If the goalkeeper makes a save, can you reach the rebound before the defender?