New coach guide · Open this session in the builder to change it
2019s: Me and My Ball
12 players · 2 coaches · cage · habit: be brave
| Minutes | Block | Game |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 10 | 3v3 | |
| 10 to 40 | Station 1 and Station 2, 15 minutes each | Station 1: Back to Back, Station 2: Stadium Tour |
| 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
Back to Back
Practice for beating a player in a 1v1 with a quick change of direction.
Set up
- Call the two ends End A and End B. Put the ball on the middle of End A's line.
- The two players stand back to back in the middle of the pitch: Player 1 faces End A, Player 2 faces End B.
Stage 1: play it
- Player 1 shouts Go! and both players run to the end they are facing and around its marker cone.
- Player 1 collects the ball at End A and tries to dribble it over End B's line, while Player 2 comes back from End B to defend.
- Swap who faces the ball every turn, and change partners after 5 turns each.
- Each player counts their own successful dribbles out of 5 and tries to beat that number with the next partner.
Stage 2: progress it
A narrower pitch (5 m).
Stage 3: progress it
The attacker must do a fake or change of direction before crossing.
If it's not working: The defender only moves side to side.
Keeping everyone moving: Every pair has its own pitch and both players run every go.
Three things to say
- Run at the defender to make them stop.
- Change direction when they commit.
- If you lose it, run straight back and have another go.
You need: cones (6 per pair), ball (1 per pair)
Station 2
Stadium Tour
Dribble round the grid and race to the stadium the coach calls, with traffic-light challenges on the way.
Set up
- Mark a 25 by 25 grid with the 4 corners marked out as stadiums or destinations.
- Every player has a ball.
Stage 1: play it
- Players dribble the ball around the grid using both feet and different parts of their feet.
- When the coach calls a stadium, all players have 5 seconds to get into that stadium with their ball.
- Late to the stadium? Five toe taps, then carry on.
Stage 2: progress it
The coach calls out or holds up cones: orange is traffic (toe taps), red light is foot on the ball, green is dribble faster, open sunroof is throw the ball in the air and catch or take a touch.
Stage 3: progress it
Change the challenges as they move around the grid.
Stage 4: progress it
The coach picks a stadium secretly. On Go, every player picks a stadium, then the coach reveals it. Anyone in the wrong stadium does five toe taps.
Stage 5: progress it
Add 2 blockers who keep their ball but also try to get the other players' ball. If a blocker gets your ball, five toe taps and back in.
Keeping everyone moving: At Colts, late to the stadium means five toe taps and carry on. Nobody is out.
Three things to say
- Soft touches to control the ball when dribbling.
- Head up when dribbling around the area.
- Decision making.
You need: ball each, cones, coloured cones for the calls
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
- cones (6 per pair)
- ball (1 per pair)
- ball each
- coloured cones for the calls
Habit of the week: Be brave
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: Catch Me, a Me and My Ball game for the garden or the park.