Carnmoney Colts Academy badgeCarnmoney ColtsAcademy Join

Practice games

Surprise Ball

3v3 with no restarts: when the ball goes dead, the coach rolls a new ball into space and whoever reaches it attacks.

Game 16 min 6 to 8 players Cage Half pitch 2016 to 2020

Win It, Keep It, Score Leading Be brave

At a glance

  • 3v3 on 20 m by 15 m, blue against yellow, with a pop-up goal at each end. The coach stands at the side with a bag of balls.
  • To start, and whenever a ball goes out or a goal goes in, the coach shouts Surprise! and rolls a new ball into empty space.
  • Whoever reaches the new ball first attacks with it, and the other team defends. Score in the other team's goal.
  • The nearest player puts the old ball in the bag. Play 4 minutes, then swap ends.
  • Progress 1: No shout: the coach just rolls the new ball, so everyone has to watch the coach.
  • Progress 2: Two touches only.

If it's not working: The coach rolls the new ball slowly into the middle.

Surprise Ball: set-upC1231 goal, 2 the coach rolls a new ball, 3 race to it.15 m by 20 m
  • blue team
  • yellow team
  • Ccoach
  • run
  • throw or roll
  • 1in this order

A goal has just gone in at the top. No kick-off: the coach at the side line shouts Surprise! and rolls a new ball from the bag into empty space, and the nearest blue and yellow race to it. Whoever gets there first attacks. 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 and put a pop-up goal at each end.
  • The coach stands at the middle of a side line with the ball bag.
  • Put one ball in play.

3v3 on 20 m by 15 m. Older children can play 4v4 on 30 m by 20 m.

How to play

  • Play 3v3 to goals.
  • No kick-offs or throw-ins: to start, and whenever a ball goes out or a goal goes in, the coach shouts Surprise! and rolls a new ball into empty space.
  • The new ball is anyone's. Whoever gets it first attacks, and the other team defends.
  • The nearest player puts the old ball in the bag.
  • Play 4 minutes, then swap ends.

Keeping everyone moving

No restarts at all, so there is no standing around, and the new ball makes every child switch roles at once.

Make it easier

  • The coach rolls the new ball slowly into the middle.
  • Use larger goals.

Make it harder, step by step

  1. No shout: the coach just rolls the new ball, so everyone has to watch the coach.
  2. Two touches only.

Three things to say

  • Reacting fast to Surprise!
  • The nearest player goes for the ball and a teammate gets between the ball and our goal.
  • Heads up after winning it.

Words that work: "Quick feet!", "Brave to get there first!", "Great shout to your team!"

Colts habit

Leadership, tell a teammate I've got ball, you get back!

Both feet

First touch on the new ball with either foot.

Heads up

Look for where the ball will land.

For your birth year

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

2020 to 2021
3v3 in a small pitch, rolled gently.
2018 to 2019
As written.
2016 to 2017
4v4 in 30 m by 20 m, with new balls rolled anywhere.

Safety: Roll the ball, never throw it at head height. Keep spare balls outside the pitch so nobody trips.

Keeping score: Each child counts how many Surprise! balls they got to or helped win, compared with their last game.