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Practice games

Cone Knockers

Guard your own cone and knock over your partner's with a pass from outside their ring.

Practice 12 min 4 to 16 players Cage Half pitch 2016 to 2020

Brave 1v1 Be brave Lift each other

At a glance

  • Pairs, a ball each, in a 10 m by 8 m zone with two tall cones 6 m apart. Each cone is ringed by discs, and each child guards one.
  • Pass your ball from outside the discs to knock your partner's cone over. You both attack and guard at the same time.
  • Nobody steps inside a ring of discs. Guard with your feet, not your hands.
  • Play 60 seconds and count the pair's knocks. Then the child in the bib moves to the next zone for a new partner.
  • Progress 1: A knock only counts after a fake.
  • Progress 2: Knocks must also be with the practice foot.

If it's not working: Bigger cones and smaller rings.

Cone Knockers: set-up1231 pass from outside the ring,2 block it, 3 fire back.8 m by 10 m
  • player
  • partner in bib
  • run
  • pass
  • 1in this order

One pair's zone. Each child guards a tall cone with a disc ring round it that nobody steps inside. One child passes at the far cone from outside its ring, the partner shifts their feet across to block it, and fires straight back at the other cone with their own ball.

Full details: set up, how to play, tips and age tweaks

Set up

  • Mark a 10 m by 8 m zone for each pair.
  • Put 2 tall cones about 6 m apart.
  • Ring each cone with discs to make a 2 m no-step circle.
  • Number the zones 1, 2, 3 and so on, and give one child in each pair a bib.

Pairs. Each pair has a 10 m by 8 m zone, set out side by side. With more than 4 pairs, set the zones out in two rows.

How to play

  • Each child guards their own cone.
  • Try to knock your partner's cone with your ball, passing from outside their circle.
  • Nobody may step inside a circle.
  • Protect your cone by moving your feet, not your hands.
  • Count the pair's total knocks in 60 seconds.
  • Then the child in the bib moves to the next zone for a new partner, and you play again.

Keeping everyone moving

Both players attack and defend all the time. There is no restart line and no waiting.

Make it easier

  • Bigger cones and smaller rings.

Make it harder, step by step

  1. A knock only counts after a fake.
  2. Knocks must also be with the practice foot.

Three things to say

  • Dribble close before passing.
  • Keep one eye on your own cone.
  • Get your body across quickly.

Words that work: "You went for it, brave!", "Super hard work guarding!", "Well done cheering your partner on!"

Colts habit

Lift each other with the pair's total.

Both feet

Knock with the practice foot for a bonus.

Heads up

Watch your cone and theirs.

For your birth year

Pick a birth year to show the tweak for that group.

2020 to 2021
8 m by 6 m zone, a big cone and a small circle.
2018 to 2019
As written.
2016 to 2017
Add a 2v2 version with 2 cones each.

A young leader can run this one, with an adult coach beside them.

Safety: Use soft cones. No shots from far away at faces. Leave 2 m between zones.

Keeping score: The pair tries to beat its own last total, never another pair's.