New coach guide · Open this session in the builder to change it
2017s: Pass, Receive, Heads Up
12 players · 2 coaches · cage · habit: work hard
| Minutes | Block | Game |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 10 | 3v3 | |
| 10 to 40 | Station 1 and Station 2, 15 minutes each | Station 1: Passing Boxes, Station 2: Move in 2's |
| 40 to 60 | Match | A match |
0 to 10 min 3v3
Set up two small pitches with a goal at each end. As children arrive they go straight in: 1v1, then 2v2, then 3v3. Coaches feed a spare ball in from the side the moment one goes out. No throw-ins or corners: dribble it in or pass it in, to keep it fast. The match is the warm-up.
10 to 40 min Station 1 and Station 2, 15 minutes each
Two groups of about 6. Group 1 starts on Station 1, group 2 on Station 2. Swap at 25 minutes. A coach at each station.
Station 1
Passing Boxes
Pass into a box, take a touch into the joined box, pass on and follow your pass.
Set up
- Set out four 5 by 5 boxes, two side by side and the other two opposite, 10 to 15 m away.
- Divide the players into two groups.
Stage 1: play it
- Player A passes to player B. Player B takes a touch into the joining box and passes to the next player in the opposite group.
- Players follow their pass.
- Set up several areas so groups stay small.
Stage 2: progress it
Players take touches with different parts of the foot: inside left, inside right, outside left, outside right.
Stage 3: progress it
Change the direction of the pass.
Keeping everyone moving: Several areas with groups of three, so nobody waits.
Three things to say
- Passing technique.
- Receiving technique.
- Movement and angles to receive the ball.
You need: balls, bibs, cones
From the Irish FA Grassroots Resource Booklet
Station 2
Move in 2's
Pairs pass and receive, then the mover visits other cones, then plays 1-2s and swaps.
Set up
- Mark a 20 by 20 grid with a cone for each pair.
- In pairs, one player stands at the cone and the other moves 5 to 10 m back.
Stage 1: play it
- Players pass the ball to each other, practising passing and receiving technique.
- One player stays at the cone. The other receives a pass from their partner, passes back, then goes to another player and repeats. After 1 to 2 minutes rotate roles.
Stage 2: progress it
The mover receives a pass, keeps the ball, dribbles to another player at a cone, passes, gets the ball back and repeats.
Stage 3: progress it
The player on the cone passes to their partner, they play a 1-2 and swap roles. The player on the ball dribbles to another cone player and repeats.
Three things to say
- Passing and receiving technique.
- Communication, head up and observation.
- Movement and angles to receive the ball.
You need: balls, cones
From the Irish FA Grassroots Resource Booklet
40 to 60 min Match
A match
One big pitch, 6v6 with goalkeepers. Kick-ins or dribble-ins instead of throw-ins, to keep the touches up. A spare ball comes in the moment one goes out. One coach refs, the other feeds spare balls from the side.
Equipment for the whole session
- balls
- bibs
- cones
Habit of the week: Work hard
Say it at the start, watch for it all session, name one moment on the walk off.
Reminders
- Drinks when moving. The huddle is the walk off: one moment of the habit, with the child's name.
- A ball at every foot. Nobody stands without one for 30 seconds.
- No queues and nobody is ever out.
- Talk under 30 seconds. Show it, don't tell it.
- Every game has stages: start at stage 1 and move on when it is working.
This week at home
For parents: Spy Socks, a Pass, Receive, Heads Up game for the garden or the park.