Big Touches
Your child pushes the ball a big touch ahead and sprints onto it, mixing close touches with big ones.
At a glance
- Warm up in a clear lane about 15 giant steps long: jog it, pushing the ball with the laces, not the toe. 3 lengths.
- Push and sprint: your child pushes the ball a big touch ahead into space and sprints onto it. 6 runs.
- 3 plus 1: 3 close touches, then one big touch and a sprint. Keep switching between control and speed for 2 minutes.
- Curve run: run with the ball in a big curve, then straighten up and sprint. 4 runs.
- Progress 1: Head up: you hold up fingers and your child shouts the number while running with the ball.
- Progress 2: Chase: you start 3 giant steps behind and chase while your child pushes the ball and sprints.
If it's not working: Jog onto each big touch instead of sprinting.
Full details: set up, how to play, tips
Set up
- Warm up for 5 minutes: jog and some gentle dribbling.
- A clear lane about 15 giant steps long.
Garden, park.
How to play
- Laces jog: your child jogs the lane pushing the ball with the laces, not the toe. 3 lengths.
- Push and sprint: push the ball a big touch into space with the laces and run onto it. 6 runs.
- 3 plus 1: 3 close touches, then one big touch and a sprint. Switch between control and speed. 2 minutes.
- Curve run: run with the ball in a big curve, then straighten up and sprint. 4 runs.
Make it easier
- Jog onto each big touch instead of sprinting.
- Push the ball a shorter way, about 2 giant steps ahead.
Make it harder, step by step
- Head up: you hold up fingers and your child shouts the number while running with the ball.
- Chase: you start 3 giant steps behind and chase while your child pushes the ball and sprints.
- Practice foot: push and run using the practice foot.
- Longer push: bigger touches into space, but always catching it before it runs away.
Three things to say
- Bigger touches out in front when there's space.
- Laces, not toe.
Colts habit
Work hard: little and often beats one long go.
Both feet
Do a round with the practice foot only.
Heads up
Look up between touches.
For your birth year
Pick a birth year to show the tweak for that group.
- 2016 to 2017
- Push and sprint 8 times.
- 2018 to 2019
- Push and sprint 6 times.
Safety: Pick a clear, flat space, look out for traffic and hazards, and stop if anything hurts. Soft ball indoors.
Keeping score: Not counted. Tick the drills they did today.