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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 6 to 12 players Cage Half pitch 2016 to 2019

Moving Well Work hard

X and O's set-up, from the Irish FA Grassroots Resource Booklet

Set up

  • Set up 9 boxes in a 3 by 3 grid with cones.
  • Divide players into 2 teams, each with 3 bibs or cones.

Balls, bibs and cones. Playing area set up with 9 boxes. Players divided into 2 teams.

How to play

  • One player at a time goes from each team to put a cone or bib in one of the squares.
  • The aim is to get 3 in a row: horizontal, vertical or diagonal.
  • Play short rounds and reset the boxes, so everyone runs many times.

Keeping everyone moving

Run several boards at once in small teams of 3 so nobody waits, and reset after each round rather than playing on to the end.

Make it easier

Make it harder

  • Players dribble a ball to the start of the playing area before putting the cone or bib down.
  • Each group has 3 balls and players put a ball into the squares instead of cones or bibs.

Three things to say

  • Running, speed, acceleration and slowing down.
  • Running with the ball under control at speed.

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 several boards at once in small teams of 3 so nobody waits, 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.

Keeping score: Not needed. Short rounds, then reset.