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Practice games

X and O's

Noughts and crosses with your feet: run out, drop a bib in a square, run back.

Warm-up 10 min 4 to 12 players Cage Half pitch 2016 to 2019

Moving Well Work hard

At a glance

  • A 3 by 3 board of cone squares, and a board for every 4. A blue pair on one side, a yellow pair on the other, 3 bibs each.
  • One runner per pair at a time: run out, drop a bib in a square, run back, and your partner goes.
  • Three of your bibs in a row (across, down or diagonal) ends the round. Clear the board and go again.
  • All 3 bibs down and no line? The next runner moves one of their own bibs to an empty square.
  • Progress 1: Dribble a ball out to the board, drop your bib in a square, then dribble back.
  • Progress 2: Use balls instead of bibs: dribble one out, stop it in a square, then run back.

If it's not working: Put the board about 5 metres from the start so each run is short.

X and O's: set-upbibs in the squares1231 run out, 2 drop your bib in a square, 3 run back20 m by 20 m
  • blue pair
  • yellow pair
  • run
  • 1in this order

One board of several: a 3 by 3 grid of squares marked with cones, a pair either side, each pair with three bibs (drawn as small ovals in the pair's colour). One runner per pair at a time runs out, drops a bib in a square and runs back, and their partner goes. Once all three of a pair's bibs are down and nobody has a line, the next runner moves one of their own bibs to an empty square. Three in a row across, down or diagonal, then reset the board and play again.

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

Set up

  • Set up a 3 by 3 board of cone squares, and a board for every 4 children.
  • Two pairs per board, blue and yellow, each with 3 bibs.

Bibs, cones and balls. One board for every two pairs, so a group of 12 uses three boards.

How to play

  • One runner from each pair goes at a time: run out, put a bib in one of the squares, run back, and your partner goes.
  • The aim is to get 3 of your bibs in a row: across, down or diagonal.
  • Once a pair has all 3 bibs down and nobody has a line, their next runner picks up one of their own bibs and moves it to an empty square.
  • Play short rounds and clear the board after each, so everyone runs many times.

Keeping everyone moving

Run a board for every two pairs, and reset after each round rather than playing on to the end.

Make it easier

  • Put the board close to the start, about 5 metres away, so each run is short.
  • Teammates can point and call out which square to use before each runner sets off.

Make it harder, step by step

  1. Dribble a ball out to the board before you put your bib down, then dribble back.
  2. Each pair has 3 balls and dribbles one out to stop in a square, instead of putting a bib down.

Three things to say

  • Look at the board before you run.
  • Sprint out, sprint back.
  • Help your partner pick a square.

Colts habit

Lift each other: shout the next square to your teammate.

Both feet

Dribble out with the practice foot.

Heads up

Look at the board before you run.

The Colts change: Run a board for every two pairs, and reset after each round rather than playing on to the end.

Safety: Keep the area clear of bags and bottles. Stay on your feet, no slide tackles. No heading.