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Your practice
Direct the first touch away from pressure.
U9–U1060 min8 players24 × 30 mField practice
Bring 8 balls and 16 cones. Use ground play and line targets. Keep water available.
Check the surface, boundaries and equipment before play. Pause or simplify whenever needed. Confirm local youth football rules. Numbered slots replace names.
10–10 minExplore and notice
210–22 minReceive away
322–25 minWater and reset
425–40 minLate signal
540–55 minPut it into play
655–60 minSlow down and reflect
1
Explore and notice
10 min
Begin at walking pace. In shared clear space, carry or share a ball and explore this question: Which first touch gave you more time? Stop on a raised hand.
Check your shoulder before the pass.
Play
Begin at walking pace. In shared clear space, carry or share a ball and explore this question: Which first touch gave you more time? Stop on a raised hand.
Keep ground play only. No heading, sliding or body contact. Pause for water whenever needed.
Organisation
Each player works in their own clear station with one ball. Stop together on the signal.
Easier: Walk through the task without opposition; shorten pass distances and widen the target.
Next step: Add a second choice to explore and notice; ask players to explain the choice.
Move on: Stop the balls, walk to the next area and check all players are ready.
24 × 30 m clear area with a 2 m perimeter buffer. 8 numbered stations, 8 numbered player slots, 8 balls and 4 cones. Each station shares one ball and rotates roles; dashed arrow shows an example travel or pass route. Focus: Direct the first touch away from pressure. Diagram shows starting positions, not fixed player locations.
Keep the numbered stations shown on the map. C = carrier. Round times below are activity time; briefing, rest and transition are separate.
Player
Station
R1 60s
R2 60s
R3 60s
R4 60s
R5 60s
R6 60s
R7 60s
1
1
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
2
2
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
3
3
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
4
4
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
5
5
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
6
6
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
7
7
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
8
8
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
2
Receive away
12 min
Receive away: a partner points to pressure on one side; the receiver touches toward the other.
Check your shoulder before the pass.
Play
Receive away: a partner points to pressure on one side; the receiver touches toward the other.
Keep ground play only. No heading, sliding or body contact. Pause for water whenever needed.
Organisation
4 separate stations. Roles: carrier and receiver / shadow; extra players observe. Advance one slot each round. 2 turns cover every player. A first carrier turn can take up to 60s of activity. Waiting is active observation; add balls or reduce group size if it becomes too long.
Easier: Walk through the task without opposition; shorten pass distances and widen the target.
Next step: Add a second choice to receive away; ask players to explain the choice.
Move on: Stop the balls, walk to the next area and check all players are ready.
24 × 30 m clear area with a 2 m perimeter buffer. 4 numbered stations, 8 numbered player slots, 4 balls and 12 cones. Each station shares one ball and rotates roles; dashed arrow shows an example travel or pass route. Focus: Direct the first touch away from pressure. Diagram shows starting positions, not fixed player locations.
Keep the numbered stations shown on the map. C = carrier · R = receiver / shadow. Round times below are activity time; briefing, rest and transition are separate.
Player
Station
R1 60s
R2 60s
R3 60s
R4 60s
R5 60s
R6 60s
R7 60s
R8 60s
R9 60s
R10 60s
1
1
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
2
2
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
3
3
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
4
4
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
5
1
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
6
2
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
7
3
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
8
4
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
3
Water and reset
3 min
Offer water and rest. Collect balls and walk to the next marked areas. Explain the next task before restarting.
Check your shoulder before the pass.
Play
Offer water and rest. Collect balls and walk to the next marked areas. Explain the next task before restarting.
Keep ground play only. No heading, sliding or body contact. Pause for water whenever needed.
Easier: Walk through the task without opposition; shorten pass distances and widen the target.
Next step: Add a second choice to water and reset; ask players to explain the choice.
Move on: Stop the balls, walk to the next area and check all players are ready.
24 × 30 m clear area with a 2 m perimeter buffer. 1 numbered stations, 8 numbered player slots, 0 balls and 4 cones. Players gather for rest or reflection; no ball is used. Focus: Direct the first touch away from pressure. Diagram shows starting positions, not fixed player locations.
Late signal: the server names an exit as the pass travels; receive toward that exit.
Check your shoulder before the pass.
Play
Late signal: the server names an exit as the pass travels; receive toward that exit.
Keep ground play only. No heading, sliding or body contact. Pause for water whenever needed.
Organisation
4 separate stations. Roles: carrier and receiver / shadow; extra players observe. Advance one slot each round. 2 turns cover every player. A first carrier turn can take up to 60s of activity. Waiting is active observation; add balls or reduce group size if it becomes too long.
Easier: Walk through the task without opposition; shorten pass distances and widen the target.
Next step: Add a second choice to late signal; ask players to explain the choice.
Move on: Stop the balls, walk to the next area and check all players are ready.
24 × 30 m clear area with a 2 m perimeter buffer. 4 numbered stations, 8 numbered player slots, 4 balls and 12 cones. Each station shares one ball and rotates roles; dashed arrow shows an example travel or pass route. Focus: Direct the first touch away from pressure. Diagram shows starting positions, not fixed player locations.
Keep the numbered stations shown on the map. C = carrier · R = receiver / shadow. Round times below are activity time; briefing, rest and transition are separate.
Player
Station
R1 60s
R2 60s
R3 60s
R4 60s
R5 60s
R6 60s
R7 60s
R8 60s
R9 60s
R10 60s
R11 60s
R12 60s
1
1
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
2
2
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
3
3
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
4
4
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
5
1
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
6
2
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
7
3
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
8
4
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
5
Put it into play
15 min
Score by receiving beyond a defender in an end zone with a touch back into play. Use short small-sided games. Restart with a ground pass; defenders allow space at restarts.
Check your shoulder before the pass.
Play
Score by receiving beyond a defender in an end zone with a touch back into play. Use short small-sided games. Restart with a ground pass; defenders allow space at restarts.
Keep ground play only. No heading, sliding or body contact. Pause for water whenever needed.
Organisation
2 pitches. Teams use numbered A/B slots. Odd groups use a neutral who helps the team with the ball. Rotate slot assignments between rounds; everyone plays and each odd-pitch player takes a neutral turn.
Easier: Walk through the task without opposition; shorten pass distances and widen the target.
Next step: Add a second choice to put it into play; ask players to explain the choice.
Move on: Stop the balls, walk to the next area and check all players are ready.
24 × 30 m clear area with a 2 m perimeter buffer. 2 numbered pitches, 8 numbered player slots, 2 balls and 4 cones. A and B are teams; N is the supporting neutral. End lines are scoring targets. Focus: Direct the first touch away from pressure. Diagram shows starting positions, not fixed player locations.
Round-by-round player roles
Round
Assignments
1 · 180s
1: team A (station 1); 3: team B (station 1); 5: team A (station 1); 7: team B (station 1); 2: team A (station 2); 4: team B (station 2); 6: team A (station 2); 8: team B (station 2)
2 · 180s
1: team B (station 1); 3: team A (station 1); 5: team B (station 1); 7: team A (station 1); 2: team B (station 2); 4: team A (station 2); 6: team B (station 2); 8: team A (station 2)
3 · 180s
1: team A (station 1); 3: team B (station 1); 5: team A (station 1); 7: team B (station 1); 2: team A (station 2); 4: team B (station 2); 6: team A (station 2); 8: team B (station 2)
4 · 180s
1: team B (station 1); 3: team A (station 1); 5: team B (station 1); 7: team A (station 1); 2: team B (station 2); 4: team A (station 2); 6: team B (station 2); 8: team A (station 2)
Keep the numbered stations shown on the map. A = team A · B = team B. Round times below are activity time; briefing, rest and transition are separate.
Player
Station
R1 180s
R2 180s
R3 180s
R4 180s
1
1
A
B
A
B
2
2
A
B
A
B
3
1
B
A
B
A
4
2
B
A
B
A
5
1
A
B
A
B
6
2
A
B
A
B
7
1
B
A
B
A
8
2
B
A
B
A
6
Slow down and reflect
5 min
Choose easy-paced movement, then ask: Which first touch gave you more time? Each player can answer with a gesture or one sentence. Check equipment and finish together.
Check your shoulder before the pass.
Play
Choose easy-paced movement, then ask: Which first touch gave you more time? Each player can answer with a gesture or one sentence. Check equipment and finish together.
Keep ground play only. No heading, sliding or body contact. Pause for water whenever needed.
Easier: Walk through the task without opposition; shorten pass distances and widen the target.
Next step: Add a second choice to slow down and reflect; ask players to explain the choice.
Move on: Stop the balls, walk to the next area and check all players are ready.
24 × 30 m clear area with a 2 m perimeter buffer. 1 numbered stations, 8 numbered player slots, 0 balls and 4 cones. Players gather for rest or reflection; no ball is used. Focus: Direct the first touch away from pressure. Diagram shows starting positions, not fixed player locations.