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Your practice
Look for space before moving with the ball.
U860 min8 players20 × 25 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 minSpace scanners
322–25 minWater and reset
425–40 minIsland choices
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 space stayed open longest? Stop on a raised hand.
Look first, then travel.
Play
Begin at walking pace. In shared clear space, carry or share a ball and explore this question: Which space stayed open longest? 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.
20 × 25 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: Look for space before moving with the ball. 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
Space scanners
12 min
Space scanners: freeze on a cue and point to a clear route before moving.
Look first, then travel.
Play
Space scanners: freeze on a cue and point to a clear route before moving.
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 space scanners; ask players to explain the choice.
Move on: Stop the balls, walk to the next area and check all players are ready.
20 × 25 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: Look for space before moving with the ball. 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.
Look first, then travel.
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.
20 × 25 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: Look for space before moving with the ball. Diagram shows starting positions, not fixed player locations.
Island choices: partners move between empty corner islands, never following into an occupied island.
Look first, then travel.
Play
Island choices: partners move between empty corner islands, never following into an occupied island.
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 island choices; ask players to explain the choice.
Move on: Stop the balls, walk to the next area and check all players are ready.
20 × 25 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: Look for space before moving with the ball. 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 or carrying into an empty end zone. Use short small-sided games. Restart with a ground pass; defenders allow space at restarts.
Look first, then travel.
Play
Score by receiving or carrying into an empty end zone. 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.
20 × 25 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: Look for space before moving with the ball. 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 space stayed open longest? Each player can answer with a gesture or one sentence. Check equipment and finish together.
Look first, then travel.
Play
Choose easy-paced movement, then ask: Which space stayed open longest? 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.
20 × 25 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: Look for space before moving with the ball. Diagram shows starting positions, not fixed player locations.