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Your practice
Keep the ball on the side away from an opponent.
U860 min6 players20 × 25 mField practice
Bring 6 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 minShadow shields
322–25 minWater and reset
425–40 minEscape turn
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 turn gave you space to move again? Stop on a raised hand.
Side on; ball on the far foot.
Play
Begin at walking pace. In shared clear space, carry or share a ball and explore this question: Which turn gave you space to move again? 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. 6 numbered stations, 6 numbered player slots, 6 balls and 4 cones. Each station shares one ball and rotates roles; dashed arrow shows an example travel or pass route. Focus: Keep the ball on the side away from an opponent. 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
2
Shadow shields
12 min
Shadow shields: a partner walks a metre away while the carrier turns to keep the ball on the far side.
Side on; ball on the far foot.
Play
Shadow shields: a partner walks a metre away while the carrier turns to keep the ball on the far side.
Keep ground play only. No heading, sliding or body contact. Pause for water whenever needed.
Organisation
3 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 shadow shields; 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. 3 numbered stations, 6 numbered player slots, 3 balls and 10 cones. Each station shares one ball and rotates roles; dashed arrow shows an example travel or pass route. Focus: Keep the ball on the side away from an opponent. 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
1
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
5
2
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
6
3
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.
Side on; ball on the far foot.
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, 6 numbered player slots, 0 balls and 4 cones. Players gather for rest or reflection; no ball is used. Focus: Keep the ball on the side away from an opponent. Diagram shows starting positions, not fixed player locations.
Escape turn: the shadow blocks one exit without touching; the carrier turns toward the other.
Side on; ball on the far foot.
Play
Escape turn: the shadow blocks one exit without touching; the carrier turns toward the other.
Keep ground play only. No heading, sliding or body contact. Pause for water whenever needed.
Organisation
3 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 escape turn; 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. 3 numbered stations, 6 numbered player slots, 3 balls and 10 cones. Each station shares one ball and rotates roles; dashed arrow shows an example travel or pass route. Focus: Keep the ball on the side away from an opponent. 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
1
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
5
2
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
6
3
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
5
Put it into play
15 min
Keep possession then exit across a side line; no pushing or shoulder contact. Use short small-sided games. Restart with a ground pass; defenders allow space at restarts.
Side on; ball on the far foot.
Play
Keep possession then exit across a side line; no pushing or shoulder contact. 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
1 pitch. 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. 1 numbered pitches, 6 numbered player slots, 1 balls and 4 cones. A and B are teams; N is the supporting neutral. End lines are scoring targets. Focus: Keep the ball on the side away from an opponent. Diagram shows starting positions, not fixed player locations.
Round-by-round player roles
Round
Assignments
1 · 180s
1: team A (station 1); 2: team B (station 1); 3: team A (station 1); 4: team B (station 1); 5: team A (station 1); 6: team B (station 1)
2 · 180s
1: team B (station 1); 2: team A (station 1); 3: team B (station 1); 4: team A (station 1); 5: team B (station 1); 6: team A (station 1)
3 · 180s
1: team A (station 1); 2: team B (station 1); 3: team A (station 1); 4: team B (station 1); 5: team A (station 1); 6: team B (station 1)
4 · 180s
1: team B (station 1); 2: team A (station 1); 3: team B (station 1); 4: team A (station 1); 5: team B (station 1); 6: team A (station 1)
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
1
B
A
B
A
3
1
A
B
A
B
4
1
B
A
B
A
5
1
A
B
A
B
6
1
B
A
B
A
6
Slow down and reflect
5 min
Choose easy-paced movement, then ask: Which turn gave you space to move again? Each player can answer with a gesture or one sentence. Check equipment and finish together.
Side on; ball on the far foot.
Play
Choose easy-paced movement, then ask: Which turn gave you space to move again? 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, 6 numbered player slots, 0 balls and 4 cones. Players gather for rest or reflection; no ball is used. Focus: Keep the ball on the side away from an opponent. Diagram shows starting positions, not fixed player locations.