Week 12

Outcomes

• ✓Players can move to an open space when their team has the ball.
• ✓Players can shout for the ball when they are free.
• ✓Players understand that bunching around the ball makes it harder to play.

Equipment

• 1 size-3 ball per player
• 24 flat cones
• 4 small pop-up goals
• 1 pinnie per player
• 2 hula hoops

Run of show

1. 1. Arrival Free Play

   5m

   Set up: 20x20 grid. Place 4 hula hoops in corners as 'home bases.' One ball per group of 3.

   How to run it: Groups of 3 try to visit all 4 home bases by passing and dribbling together. No instruction — let them figure out how to cooperate.

   • ›Goal of visiting all 4 bases prompts natural spreading out.
   • ›Watch for the classic age-group swarm and gently note it.
   • ›Let them struggle with cooperation first — it is a discovery.

2. 2. Warm-Up Game — Spread the Seeds

   8m

   Set up: 20x20 grid. All players clustered together in the center (like a seed ball).

   How to run it: Coach narrates: 'Seeds need to spread to grow! On my count, everyone runs to a different corner and stands with a ball!' Players spread out. Then: 'Seeds travel back together and clump!' All run back to center. Repeat, adding a dribble back and forth. Discuss: when we spread out, we have more room!

   • ›Physical spread-out game builds the concept viscerally.
   • ›Cue: 'find space away from your friends!'
   • ›Ask: 'Which felt easier — bunched or spread?' Kids will say spread.

3. 3. Skill Theme Game — Space Finders

   12m

   Set up: 20x20 grid. Teams of 4. One ball per team. Place 4 cone targets in the corners.

   How to run it: Teams dribble together to hit each corner target with their ball. Rule: only the player without the ball can run to the next corner. Player with ball passes to the runner. This forces movement to space. Count how quickly a team can hit all 4 corners.

   • ›Rule forces exactly one kind of off-ball movement: run ahead.
   • ›Cue ball-carrier: 'look for the runner who moved!'
   • ›Cue non-ball player: 'call out and show them your hand!'

4. 4. Small-Sided Games — 4v4 Spread Out

   15m

   Set up: One 20x15 pitch. Two teams of 4. Goals at each end.

   How to run it: 4v4 play (larger team for this session to see team shape). When a team bunches (3+ players within 2 yards), coach calls 'SEEDS!' — that team must spread to corners before resuming. Restart immediately after spreading. This is coaching intervention, not a penalty.

   • ›SEEDS call is educational, not punitive — tone matters.
   • ›Only call it once or twice so it does not interrupt flow.
   • ›Celebrate when a team naturally spreads without being asked.

5. 5. Cool-Down & High-Fives

   5m

   Set up: Circle. Players sit far apart — as wide as possible within the circle.

   How to run it: Ask: 'Why do we spread out?' Take 2-3 answers. Summarize: 'More space means more room to dribble and pass!' Then the Hearts Cheer from across the wide circle. Homework reminder.

   • ›Even in the circle, practice the concept — sit wide.
   • ›Validate every answer with a 'yes, AND...'
   • ›Connect to game: 'When you spread out, the game gets easier.'

Outcomes

• ✓Players call for the ball at least once per game.
• ✓Players occasionally move away from the ball to find space.
• ✓Players celebrate teammates' contributions, not just goals.

Equipment

• 1 size-3 ball per player
• 24 flat cones
• 4 small pop-up goals
• 1 pinnie per player

Run of show

1. 1. Arrival Free Play

   5m

   Set up: 20x20 grid. Three teams identified by pinnie color. One ball per team.

   How to run it: Teams pass and dribble together freely. No goals or targets — just explore playing together. Encourage teams to talk to each other.

   • ›Teams self-organize — observe cooperation level.
   • ›Point out good communication: 'I love how the red team is talking!'
   • ›Keep energy high for festival day.

2. 2. Warm-Up Game — Ball Tag Teams

   8m

   Set up: 20x20 grid. One team (blue) is taggers with a ball. Two teams (red, yellow) run free.

   How to run it: Taggers dribble and try to tag free players by touching them with their hand (not the ball). Tagged players join the tagging team and grab a ball. Last team standing wins a round. Rotate which team starts as taggers.

   • ›Team tagging requires coordination and communication.
   • ›Taggers must call to each other to coordinate.
   • ›Fast rotation so every team tags.

3. 3. Skill Theme Game — 3v1 Circle Possession

   12m

   Set up: Groups of 4 (3 attackers, 1 defender) in a 6x6 yard square. One ball.

   How to run it: 3 players try to keep the ball from 1 defender using dribbling and simple passing. Defenders can intercept and steal. If defender wins the ball, they swap with the last player who touched it. Count consecutive passes or dribbles without losing the ball.

   • ›3v1 is simple enough for this age — clear numerical advantage.
   • ›Cue attackers: 'move away from the defender — find space!'
   • ›The concept is support and movement, not a perfect pass.

4. 4. Small-Sided Games — Team Festival

   15m

   Set up: Three 12x10 mini-pitches. 3v3 round-robin.

   How to run it: 3v3 festival. Introduce 'assist cheer': when a goal is scored, both the scorer AND the teammate who last touched the ball before them take a bow together. Everyone cheers. Coach announces: 'The goal AND the assist are both amazing!'

   • ›Assist cheer teaches that team play has value.
   • ›Recognize and name the assist at the moment of the goal.
   • ›Over time, kids start looking for teammates to score assists.

5. 5. Cool-Down & High-Fives

   5m

   Set up: Circle. Players hold hands briefly then release.

   How to run it: Ask: 'Name one teammate who did something great today.' Go around the circle. Each named player gets group applause. Hearts Cheer.

   • ›Peer recognition builds team culture and is deeply motivating.
   • ›Every player should be named at least once across the session.
   • ›Coach adds any players missed: 'I want to name [player] for...'.