U11–U12 · Coaching decisions
Give a ground restart two visible options
Use a practice restart to help the player on the ball see two different routes and choose one without a rushed kick.
CSV opens in a spreadsheet. Record anonymous group observations and keep the file on your device.
What you might see
At each restart, teammates gather beside the ball or hide behind the nearest opponent. The restarting player kicks into the same blocked lane.
Check the cause first
Options occupy one line
Two teammates can be present without providing two routes. Stand beside the restarting player and check whether both passing lanes are actually visible.
The receiver is ready too late
If players begin moving only after the pass, allow time to show an angle before restarting. Treat preparation as part of play.
Set up a focused activity
Use six players, two balls and eight cones in two 12 × 14 m areas, each with a clear 2 m buffer. Three players work in each area: one restarter and two receivers. Four cones mark the corners. This is a ground-pass practice restart; use the rules of your own competition for match restarts.
Use this as a short part of your practice. Explain one stage, allow several attempts and pause to observe before adding the next stage. Include water and rest whenever needed.
Show two separate windows
Place the ball near one end line. Receivers start at different angles, several metres apart. The restarter points to both clear ground routes before choosing a pass. Allow time to prepare rather than counting down.
Keep the unused option useful
After the pass, the unused receiver moves to support the new carrier. The restarter also steps into a different angle. Make one further pass, then reset and rotate the restarting role.
Represent a closed route
The coach points to one receiving lane as unavailable before the restart. Receivers adjust and the restarter chooses the other clear route. The coach stays outside the passing area; no player needs to stand in the ball’s path.
Apply in 3v3
Join on a clear 20 × 25 m area plus 2 m buffer. For this practice, restart with a ground pass and give opponents room to allow a safe first action. Watch whether support appears before the ball moves.
One cue to try: Show two routes before the ball restarts.
Watch, then choose the next step
- Receivers present different visible passing angles.
- Restarter chooses a clear ground route.
- Unused receiver supports the next action.
If it is too difficult
Keep the receivers stationary and remove the closed-route signal. Let the restarter walk through both options before playing.
When the group is ready
Let receivers adjust their position before the pass, then introduce the single closed-route signal again. Keep enough time to read the picture.
If the first pass succeeds but the next player is trapped, work on the unused receiver’s movement. This practice arrangement is not a statement of any league’s restart laws.
Use the observation sheet to compare what you saw before and after one change. It is a coaching note, not a player score or a promised rate of improvement.
Take the next step
Build it into a complete practice
Build from a Restart includes a full timeline, activity maps and player rotations. Choose the player count, equipment and duration before downloading.
Open Build from a RestartFurther reading
Session Pitch wrote the worked example and decision steps above. These coaching resources informed the general principles:
- How to work on the principles of football — Support, movement and space offer ways to help the player with the ball.
- How coaches can plan for football training — Choose an outcome and plan around the available players, space and equipment.
Reviewed 20 October 2026. Original guidance; not affiliated with or endorsed by the FA or FIFA. These examples have not been evaluated in live coaching sessions.