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Practice games

Shake Your Shadow

Also called Lose Your Marker

Lose the shadow who follows you everywhere, then call for a pass from a server on the edge.

Practice 12 min 6 to 15 players Cage Half pitch Hall 2016 to 2019

Off the Ball Work hard Be brave

Shake Your Shadow: set-up 20 m by 20 m

Servers stand round the edge with a ball; a receiver takes their shadow away, darts back and calls for the pass.

Set up

  • Mark a 20 m by 20 m square with a disc on each corner.
  • Split the group into three equal roles: servers, receivers and shadows.
  • Servers stand around the outside of the square, each with a ball.
  • Each receiver has a shadow in a bib. Both start inside the square.
  • Spare children become extra servers.

6 to 15 children in threes. 20 m by 20 m.

How to play

  • Receivers move around inside the square. Their shadow sticks close to them.
  • Lose your shadow with a sudden stop, a turn or a burst of speed.
  • When you are free, call and show a hand to any server.
  • Receive the pass, pass it back, then go and find a different server.
  • Shadows follow and stay close, but they don't tackle.
  • After 90 seconds, rotate: servers become receivers, receivers become shadows, shadows become servers.

Keeping everyone moving

Receivers and shadows never stop moving, servers pass all the time, and roles rotate every 90 seconds. Nobody waits and nobody is ever out.

Make it easier

  • Shadows walk while receivers run.
  • A bigger square, 25 m by 25 m, so there is more room to get free.

Make it harder, step by step

  1. Shadows may try to touch the ball as it arrives.
  2. Shadows may touch the ball, and receivers turn and pass to a different server.
  3. Receivers get two touches only: one to turn, one to pass.

Three things to say

  • Take your shadow away, then sprint back towards the ball.
  • Call and show a hand the moment you are free.
  • Open your body so you can see the ball and your shadow.

Words that work: "Brilliant, you lost your shadow!", "Great call, loud and early!", "Brave to ask for it with a shadow close!"

Colts habit

Work hard: keep moving until you are free.

Both feet

Receive with the foot furthest from your shadow.

Heads up

Check where your shadow is before you call.

For your birth year

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

2020 to 2021
Not used. Try Find the Space instead.
2018 to 2019
Shadows follow but never touch the ball, and servers pass as soon as they hear a call.
2016 to 2017
Shadows may try to touch the ball, and receivers pass on to a different server.

Safety: Shadows follow, they never hold or push. Everyone looks up before sprinting across the square.

Keeping score: Each receiver counts their clean receives in 90 seconds and tries to beat it next turn.