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Practice games

Surprise Ball

No restarts: every time the ball goes dead, the coach rolls a surprise ball into space and whoever gets it attacks.

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

Win It, Keep It, Score Leading Be brave

Surprise Ball: set-up 20 m by 30 mC

A normal game with no kick-offs or throw-ins; when a ball goes out or a goal goes in, the coach rolls a new one into any empty space from the side.

Set up

  • Mark the 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 or 4v4; 20 m by 15 m (younger) to 30 m by 20 m (older).

How to play

  • Play a normal game to goals.
  • No kick-offs or throw-ins: when a ball goes out or a goal goes in, the coach shouts Surprise! and rolls a new ball into any empty space.
  • The new ball is anyone's. Whoever gets it first attacks.
  • A child collects the old ball to the bag on the way back into play.
  • 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 to the middle.
  • Larger goals.

Make it harder

  • The coach rolls it towards the team that just scored, so the team that conceded must defend straight away.
  • Add a small goal on each side.

Three things to say

  • Reacting fast to Surprise!
  • The nearest player goes for the ball and a teammate gets goal-side.
  • 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.