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2021s: Brave 1v1
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: Dragon's Egg, Station 2: Sleeping Giant |
| 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
Dragon's Egg
Shield your egg in your cave while dragons fly between caves trying to touch it.
Set up
- Cone out a 15 m square.
- Scatter hoops (caves) about 3 m apart.
- Put a ball (egg) in each hoop with a child next to it.
- 2 or 3 children wear dragon bibs, with no ball.
Stage 1: play it
- Keep your egg in or near your cave, using your body and the sole of your foot.
- Dragons fly between caves and try to touch an egg with their foot.
- If a dragon touches your egg, swap straight away: the dragon keeps the cave and you become the dragon.
- Play 60-second rounds.
- New dragons are picked by lucky dip each round.
Stage 2: progress it
Dragons may team up on one cave.
Stage 3: progress it
The egg must keep moving.
If it's not working: Dragons hop.
Keeping everyone moving: Swapping is instant, nobody is out, and dragons are always moving.
Three things to say
- Side-on, with your body between the dragon and the ball.
- Small sole rolls away from the dragon.
- Keep your eyes on the dragon.
You need: hoop and ball (1 each, except the dragons), bibs (2 to 3), cones (4)
Station 2
Sleeping Giant
Creep your ball close to the sleeping giants, then escape when they wake.
Set up
- Cone out a 20 m square.
- Put 4 discs in the middle to make a 3 m cave.
- Give every child a ball.
- Two giants in bibs (adults the first time) lie asleep in the cave.
Stage 1: play it
- Children dribble around the square and creep their ball close to the cave.
- The coach whispers, The giants are waking!
- The giants get up and try to take a ball, using feet only.
- Children turn and escape with the ball.
- If a giant takes your ball, do 5 sole taps and they hand it back straight away.
- After 45 seconds the giants sleep again. New giants are picked by lucky dip.
Stage 2: progress it
Add a third giant.
Stage 3: progress it
Creep past the cave using the practice foot only.
If it's not working: Giants walk with hands on heads.
Keeping everyone moving: Every child has a ball all the time. Losing the ball means 5 taps and straight back in. Giants change every round.
Three things to say
- Small touches near the giant.
- Eyes up to spot the giants.
- A quick turn away.
You need: ball (1 each), cones (4), discs (4), bibs (2)
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
- hoop and ball (1 each, except the dragons)
- bibs (2 to 3; 2)
- cones (4; 4)
- ball (1 each)
- discs (4)
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: Wall Shield, a Brave 1v1 game for the garden or the park.