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Practice games

Double Trouble

3v3 to goals with two balls in play at once, so you attack with one and defend against the other.

Game 16 min 6 to 12 players Cage Half pitch 2017 to 2020

Win It, Keep It, Score Lift each other Be brave

At a glance

  • 3v3 on 20 m by 15 m, blue against yellow, with a pop-up goal at each end and no keepers. Two balls start in the middle.
  • Both balls are live. Score in the other team's goal with either one, and attack with any ball you win.
  • After a goal, the team that let it in dribbles that ball out from their goal. A ball that goes out is dribbled back in.
  • Play 4 minutes, then change pitches or teams.
  • Progress 1: Two touches only.
  • Progress 2: Two touches only, and every goal needs a pass before the shot.

If it's not working: Start with one ball. Bring the second ball on after a minute.

Double Trouble: set-up1231 shoot, 2 the other ball attacks, 3 run back.15 m by 20 m
  • blue team
  • yellow team
  • run
  • dribble
  • shot
  • 1in this order

3v3 with both balls live at the same time. One blue shoots at the top goal while a yellow dribbles the other ball at the bottom goal, so a blue has to run back and defend at the same moment their team is scoring. All six children shown.

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

Set up

  • Mark a 20 m by 15 m pitch.
  • Put a pop-up goal on each short end.
  • Give each team a bib colour and put 2 balls in the middle.

3v3 on 20 m by 15 m. With 12 children, run 2 pitches.

How to play

  • Play 3v3 with both balls live at the same time.
  • Score in the other team's goal with either ball, and attack with any ball you win.
  • After a goal, the team that conceded restarts that ball with a dribble from their goal.
  • If a ball goes out, dribble it straight back in.
  • Play 4 minutes, then change pitches or teams.

Keeping everyone moving

With two balls, every child is always either attacking or defending. There are no keepers and no waiting.

Make it easier

  • Start with one ball. Bring the second ball on after a minute.
  • Use wider goals.

Make it harder, step by step

  1. Two touches only.
  2. Two touches only, and every goal needs a pass before the shot.

Three things to say

  • Looking up to see both balls.
  • Choosing which ball to go for.
  • Switching straight to defending.

Words that work: "Great switch!", "Brave to go for it!", "Nice help for your mate!"

Colts habit

Lift each other, call Ball! to warn a teammate.

Both feet

Score with either foot.

Heads up

Where is the other ball?

For your birth year

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

2017
4v4 on 25 m by 20 m.
2020
Use a bigger pitch, and the coach restarts balls.
2018 to 2019
As written.

Safety: Two balls raise the risk of bumps, so keep 3v3 and pop-up goals pegged down.

Keeping score: Each child counts how many times they helped win a ball back and tries to beat it next round.