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Practice games

Next Door

Also called Support Triangles

Always stand next door to the ball, never across from it, so your teammate has two passes to choose from.

Practice 12 min 4 to 16 players Cage Half pitch Hall 2016 to 2019

Off the Ball Lift each other Work hard

At a glance

  • A 10 m square with a disc on each corner. Three players on three corners, one with the ball. A fourth player stands in the middle in a bib.
  • Pass along a side to the player on the next corner, never across the middle.
  • When the ball moves, the player now across from it runs to the empty corner, next door to the ball.
  • The middle player walks and blocks. If they touch the ball or it leaves, restart with a spare. Swap the middle player each minute.
  • Progress 1: The middle player can run and try to win the ball.
  • Progress 2: Two touches only: one to control, one to pass.

If it's not working: No middle player at first: just pass and fill the empty corner.

Next Door: set-up121 pass along a side, 2 run next door to the ball.10 m by 10 m
  • corner players
  • middle player
  • run
  • pass
  • 1in this order

One group's square. The ball goes along the top side to the next corner, never across the middle. The player now across from the ball runs along the bottom side to the empty corner next door to it. The middle player in the bib tries to block the next pass.

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

Set up

  • Mark a 10 m by 10 m square with a disc on each corner, one square per group of four.
  • Three players stand on three corners with one ball. The fourth corner is empty.
  • The fourth player wears a bib and stands in the middle.
  • Keep squares at least 3 m apart, with spare balls between them.
  • Spare players make a group of five with two in the middle.

Groups of 4, so 4 to 16 children. One 10 m by 10 m square per group.

How to play

  • Pass along a side of the square to a teammate on the next corner. Never pass across the middle.
  • When the ball moves, the player now across from it runs to the empty corner next door to the ball.
  • The middle player walks and tries to block passes and touch the ball.
  • If the ball is touched or leaves the square, grab a spare and start again.
  • Swap the middle player every minute so everyone has a go.

Keeping everyone moving

Every pass means someone moves, and the middle player swaps every minute. A spare ball restarts play at once. No lines.

Make it easier

  • No middle player at first: just pass and fill the empty corner.
  • Bigger squares, 12 m by 12 m, and the middle player walks.

Make it harder, step by step

  1. The middle player can run and try to win the ball.
  2. Two touches only: one to control, one to pass.
  3. Take the discs away and keep making triangles anywhere in a 15 m box.

Three things to say

  • Be next door to the ball, never across from it.
  • Move while the ball is rolling, not after it arrives.
  • Stand where you can see the passer's eyes past the middle player.

Words that work: "Great triangle!", "You moved before the ball arrived!", "You gave your friend two passes!"

Colts habit

Lift each other: always give your teammate a pass to make.

Both feet

Pass to your left with your left foot and to your right with your right.

Heads up

Look where the middle player is before you pass.

For your birth year

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

2020 to 2021
Try Gate Hop instead.
2018 to 2019
12 m squares, and the middle player walks and only blocks.
2016 to 2017
10 m squares, and the middle player may run and win the ball.

Safety: Keep squares at least 3 m apart so balls don't roll into another group.

Keeping score: Each group counts its passes in a row and tries to beat its own best.