Protect the ball

Organisation

• Players are split into two teams and each player pairs up with an opposite colour
• One player protects a space (a hoop or space made with markers) and the other player tries to move into it
• Swap the players over, so they can challenge different opposition
• Place an object in the space and see if one player can protect it, while the other tries to pick it up 
• Each pair then has a ball, and when the coach blows the whistle, players can take the ball anywhere on the pitch and try to keep possession of it
• When the whistle goes again, the players freeze and the team with the most footballs in their possession are the winners

 Ways to make the exercise easier

• Make the space to move into bigger

 Ways to make the exercise harder

• Reduce the size of the space
• Have more players protecting the same space

 Great questions to ask the children

• If you are defending the space, can you always see the attacker?
• If you are attacking the space, can you make clever moves to trick the defender?
• In what ways can you protect the ball when you run with it on the pitch?

Safety tips

• Make sure the players remain in the pitch area when they scatter

Organisation

• Organise four teams of four, plus four goals and a central area
• Play 4v4 in the middle, with one team protecting its ball so it cannot be touched or taken, both with hands and then by foot. The other two teams act as goalkeepers
• When the coach shouts “go”, a team has to take its ball and try to score in any goal
• Attackers then swap with one team of goalkeepers and the exercise is repeated
• Each colour can count its goals, so you have a winning team

 Ways to make the exercise easier

• Have only one goalkeeper in each goal

 Ways to make the exercise harder

• Ask the players to shoot from a longer distance

 Great questions to ask the children

• Can you keep your body between the ball and your opponent?
• Can you keep the ball close to you at all times?
• Can you change direction with the ball?

Safety tips

• Make sure the goalkeepers are ready when you shout “go”

Organisation 

• Organise your players into eight teams of three or four, and create four mini-pitches
• Each team starts seated in a line in the centre of the field
• Each team appoints a captain; the four teams then choose their opposition and pitch and go and play
• After five minutes, all teams return to the middle in their lines
• Winning teams can select their new opposition and pitch and go and play
• Captains can also be responsible for refereeing on their pitch
• Each team has to keep its own count of how many goals it scores in total, or how many wins it has, so that you can crown a winning team at the end of the session

 Ways to make the exercise easier

• Give some teams one or more extra players, if you have uneven numbers or weaker teams

 Ways to make the exercise harder

• Give a team fewer players

 Great questions to ask the children

• Can you decide the rules of the games?
• Can you help your captains to referee each game?
• Can you play fairly and with respect for your opponents?

Safety tips

• Create a safe playing area