Set up an area made up of 3 x 3 yards squares. Split your players into pairs and put one pair in each square with a ball.
The challenge is for the player with the ball to keep control of it for 10 seconds, using good technique to shield the ball from the other player.
30 seconds is a good amount of time for players to keep the ball so they can use it when outnumbered and waiting for team mates. Please experiment with times if players are finding it too easy or too hard
Try to pair players up evenly – you don’t want to have the biggest player shielding the ball from the smallest member of the group.
“Keep your body between ball and opponent”
“Use touch to keep opponent at arms length”
“Keep the ball close to your body”
in more ways than one
sportplan_netball
in more ways than one
sportplan_football
Deliberate heading is now out of U11 grassroots matches. Here is how to coach chest, thigh and foot control so your players still win the ball in the air.
Long-range goals doubled at the 2026 World Cup as teams sat deep. Here is how to coach when to shoot from distance, the technique, and the follow-up.
Under FutureFit, your Under-9s stay at 5v5, your Under-11s stay at 7v7 and your Under-13s stay at 9v9. Same pitch, same numbers, one more year. Here is how to make sure that year feels like a step forward rather than a repeat.
