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Practice games

Pirate Crew

Win the ball with a teammate within two big steps and the coach shouts Crew! for a treasure point.

Game 20 min 8 to 12 players Half pitch 2016 to 2017

Win It, Keep It, Score Off the Ball Lift each other Work hard

At a glance

  • 4v4 (5v5 or 6v6 with more children) on 30 m by 20 m, blue against yellow, a goal at each end. The coach watches from halfway.
  • Play a normal game. When a team wins the ball, the coach checks if a teammate is within two big steps of the child who won it.
  • If one is, the coach shouts Crew! and that team scores a treasure point. A goal is one point too.
  • After a goal, the team that let it in dribbles out from their goal.
  • Progress 1: Two teammates must be within two big steps of the child who won it.
  • Progress 2: As well, a Crew point only counts if your team then makes a pass.

If it's not working: Make it three big steps instead of two.

Pirate Crew: set-upC1231 win it, 2 a teammate two big steps away, 3 Crew!20 m by 30 m
  • blue team
  • yellow team
  • Ccoach
  • dribble
  • 1in this order

A blue dribbles forward and a yellow steps in and wins the ball. A second yellow is within two big steps of the one who won it, so the coach watching from near halfway shouts Crew! and yellow gets a treasure point. All eight children shown.

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

Set up

  • Mark a 30 m by 20 m pitch and put a goal at each end.
  • Give each team bibs.
  • The coach stands near halfway to watch.

4v4 on 30 m by 20 m. With more children, 5v5 or 6v6 on 40 m by 30 m.

How to play

  • Play a normal game.
  • When a team wins the ball, if a teammate is within two big steps of the child who won it, the coach shouts Crew! and the team gets a treasure point.
  • Goals count one. Crew points count one.
  • After a goal, the team that let it in dribbles out from their goal. No throw-ins.

Keeping everyone moving

Every defender is needed to help.

Make it easier

  • Make it three big steps instead of two.
  • A bigger pitch.

Make it harder, step by step

  1. Two teammates must be within two big steps of the child who won it.
  2. As well, a Crew point only counts if your team then makes a pass.

Three things to say

  • One player closes down the ball.
  • A second helps close by.
  • A third blocks the pass.

Words that work: "Great crew!", "Brave closing down!", "Well done helping!"

Colts habit

Lift each other by being the helper.

Both feet

Win the ball with either foot.

Heads up

Look for who needs help.

For your birth year

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

2016 to 2017
4v4, 30 m by 20 m. With more players, 5v5 or 6v6 on 40 m by 30 m.

Safety: No pushing or pulling. Win the ball with feet only.

Keeping score: Each child counts how many crew points they helped with, compared with last time.