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Practice games

Dribble the Line

A game where carrying the ball past players is the only way into the other half.

Game 22 min 6 to 14 players Cage Half pitch 2016 to 2021

Me and My Ball Be brave

At a glance

  • Two teams in bibs, a goal at each end and a halfway line. 3v3 on 20 m by 15 m, 5v5 on 30 m by 20 m. The coach has the spare balls.
  • Play a normal game, but the ball must be dribbled over the halfway line, not passed over it.
  • Each time a player dribbles past an opponent, the coach shouts Brave! and adds 1 to one total for both teams.
  • Goals are cheered, not counted. When the ball goes out, the coach plays a new ball in.
  • Progress 1: No passing in your own half.
  • Progress 2: A team can only shoot after one of its players has dribbled past an opponent.

If it's not working: Make the pitch bigger.

Dribble the Line: set-upChalfway121 dribble over halfway, 2 past a defender: Brave!20 m by 30 m
  • attackers
  • defenders
  • Ccoach
  • run
  • dribble
  • 1in this order

A normal small-sided game, shown as two against two. The attacker has to dribble the ball over the halfway line, never pass it, and beats a defender on the way, so the coach shouts Brave! and adds 1 to the shared Brave Total. The coach stands on the touchline at halfway with the spare balls, ready to play a new one in.

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

Set up

  • Put goals in the middle of each short end and a cone at each end of the halfway line.
  • Teams start in their own half.
  • The coach stands on the halfway line on the touchline with the spare balls.

Suggested training sizes: 20 m by 15 m (3v3), 30 m by 20 m (5v5), 40 m by 30 m (7v7). Per pitch: 4 corner cones, 2 halfway cones, 2 small goals (or 4 cones making two 2 m gates), bibs, 6 spare balls with the coach.

How to play

  • Play a normal small-sided game, but the ball must be dribbled (not passed) over the halfway line.
  • Every time any player beats an opponent by dribbling past them, the coach shouts Brave! and adds 1 to one Brave Total shared by both teams.
  • Goals are celebrated but not added up.
  • When the ball goes out, the coach plays a new ball in straight away.
  • With two pitches, teams swap opponents every 4 minutes by the clock, never by result.

Keeping everyone moving

New ball from the coach straight away. Two pitches if numbers are large.

Make it easier

  • A bigger pitch.
  • A free dribbler who is always on the team with the ball.

Make it harder, step by step

  1. No passing in your own half.
  2. A team can only shoot once one of its players has dribbled past an opponent.

Three things to say

  • Get on the ball and dare to take someone on.
  • Clap anyone who tries, whichever team they are on.
  • Win it back straight away if you lose it.

Words that work: "Brave!"

Colts habit

Be brave: one Brave Total shared by both teams.

Both feet

A Brave point counts double when the beating touch is with the practice foot.

Heads up

Look for the space before you cross halfway.

For your birth year

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

2020 to 2021
3v3. Skip the halfway rule and simply celebrate every dribble.
2018 to 2019
5v5 as written.
2016 to 2017
7v7. Add no passing in your own half.

Safety: Stay on your feet. Spare balls kept off the pitch.

Keeping score: The shared Brave Total, beaten next week.