New coach guide · Open this session in the builder to change it
2021s: Me and My Ball
12 players · 2 coaches · cage · habit: lift each other
| Minutes | Block | Game |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 10 | 3v3 | |
| 10 to 40 | Station 1 and Station 2, 15 minutes each | Station 1: Knights, Castles and Dragons with a Ball, Station 2: Follow the Leader |
| 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
Knights, Castles and Dragons with a Ball
Practice game for dribbling into safe spaces and escaping pressure.
Set up
- Mark the big square with 4 corner cones.
- Place one 3 m by 3 m castle in the middle of each quarter of the square.
- The 2 dragons wear bibs, have no ball and start in the centre.
- All knights start on the outside edge, each with a ball.
Stage 1: play it
- Knights dribble into any castle and back out, and every visit adds 1 point to the whole group's treasure total.
- Dragons cannot enter castles but try to touch a knight's ball with their foot. A touched knight does 5 toe taps and carries on.
- New dragons every 60 seconds so everyone gets a turn.
- After each round, the group tries to beat its treasure total.
Stage 2: progress it
Knights cannot visit the same castle twice in a row.
Stage 3: progress it
Add a third dragon.
If it's not working: One dragon only.
Keeping everyone moving: Every knight has a ball and there are four castles. A touch means five toe taps, not out.
Three things to say
- Look up to find the castle with no dragon near it.
- Change direction when a dragon comes.
- Shout out the treasure total together.
You need: ball (1 per knight), cones (20), bibs (2)
Station 2
Follow the Leader
A pairs copy-and-escape game that ends with the leader dribbling under pressure.
Set up
- Mark a 25 by 25 grid.
- In pairs, players number themselves 1 and 2. Number 1 is the leader and 2 the follower.
Stage 1: play it
- Number 2 follows number 1 around the grid and copies number 1's movements.
- On the coach's call, 1 must escape from 2, and 2 has to stay close to 1.
- On stop, all players freeze. If player 2 is within touching distance they get a point. If not, player 1 gets a point. Reverse roles.
Stage 2: progress it
Repeat the game with both players dribbling a ball.
Stage 3: progress it
Only the leader has a ball and is chased by their partner without a ball, to mimic a game.
Three things to say
- Realistic football movement.
- Dribbling under pressure, keeping control in tight spaces.
- Awareness of surroundings, dribbling with head up.
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
- ball (1 per knight)
- cones (20)
- bibs (2)
- balls
Habit of the week: Lift each other
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: Dribbler and Bouncer, a Me and My Ball game for the garden or the park.
https://carnmoneycolts.co.uk/game-mb-dribbler-and-bouncer.html