Recognise the situation

Organisation

• All players involved, players react to the coach’s commands
• Watch for physical signals or listen for verbal signals
• Players must react quickly and move in a particular direction
• Players can also run with a ball at their feet
• Look for sharp reactions and correct decision-making from your players

Ways to make the exercise easier

• Allow players to listen and watch at the same time
• Call in a sequence rather than random instructions

Ways to make the exercise harder

• No verbal instructions, just visual cues or demonstrations
• Players to directly race an opponent
• Players have to do the opposite to the instruction – i.e. forwards means backwards, left means right etc.

Great questions to ask the children

• Can you try to be the first player to react and not follow others?
• Can you be light on your toes and ready to move quickly?
• Can you accelerate over the first 2-3 metres?

Safety tips

• Players should make sure they keep their heads up and stay aware of others around them

Organisation

• Organise two teams of no more than 8v8
• Two players at a time play as goalkeepers and strikers
• They shoot for goal from their own half in a 2v2 match
• If they score, then the opponents rotate for another pair on their team
• If they miss the target and the ball goes astray, then they have to retrieve it before they can rejoin the game
• The game continues 2v1 or maybe even 2v0 if both players miss the target consecutively
• A fast‑moving game with lots of shots and opportunities to shoot different ways and make great saves
• Keep score and the first team to ten goals wins

Ways to make the exercise easier

• Reduce the distance between the two goals
• Players can volley the ball after dropping it from their hands

Ways to make the exercise harder

• Increase the distance between the goals
• Play the same game but 1v1

Great questions to ask the children

• Can you show me how to shoot and keep the ball low?
• Can you show me how you shoot with power?
• How important is it to hit the target?

 Safety tips

• Make sure all players stay focused and aware of shots being taken
• Waiting players should stay on either side of the goal – two metres away from the posts

Organisation

• Organise mini-pitches of 4v4 – the nearest defender to goal can be the goalkeeper
• Set the players challenges to score different ways (a one-touch finish, a volley, a header, etc.)
• See if players can work out the ways to make the perfect “set up” to score
• Allow players time to find their own solutions
• If there is more than one pitch, then rotate teams so that they all play each other

Ways to make the exercise easier

• Play with no goalkeepers
• Give one team an extra player

Ways to make the exercise harder

• Add a fixed goalkeeper on each team
• Make one team play with fewer players 

Great questions to ask the children

• Can you show me how to shoot and keep the ball low?
• Can you show me how to volley and keep the ball low?
• Can you show me different ways to set up a one-touch finish?

Safety tips

• Create safe zones between pitches