Week 39

Outcomes

• ✓Players can demonstrate power shooting, placement shooting, and dribble-then-shoot.
• ✓Players can perform a shoot-after-turn and a 1v1-to-goal.
• ✓Players can select the right shooting technique for the situation.

Equipment

• 1 size-3 ball per player
• 8 small flat-cone goals (mixed sizes)
• 20 cones
• pinnies

Run of show

1. 1. Arrival Free Play

   5m

   Set up: All goal types from Q3 set up — big goals, small goals, angle goals, close goals. Balls everywhere.

   How to run it: Players free-shoot at any goal. Coach calls out the technique as they shoot: 'Nice placement!' or 'Great power shot!' This is their gallery walk of Q3 techniques.

   • ›Use Q3 vocabulary: power, placement, dribble-to-shoot, angle, 1v1.
   • ›Let them warm up all the skills organically.

2. 2. Warm-Up Game: Q3 Greatest Hits

   8m

   Set up: Open area with all players and a ball each. Coach calls a Q3 game from memory.

   How to run it: Coach calls games from Q3 for 1-minute mini-rounds: 'Traffic Lights!', 'Alien Invasion!', 'King of the Ring!', 'Freeze Tag!'. Players rotate through memories from the quarter. Fun and nostalgic.

   • ›Kids love revisiting games they loved.
   • ›Keep each mini-game exactly 1 minute.
   • ›Build excitement for the finale tomorrow.

3. 3. Skill Theme Game: Skills Carousel

   12m

   Set up: Five stations around the area: 1=Power shoot (far goal), 2=Placement shoot (small goal, close), 3=Dribble-then-shoot (runway), 4=Turn-and-shoot (back to goal), 5=1v1 mini-arena.

   How to run it: Players rotate through all five stations — 2 minutes each. At each station, attempt the technique. Count personal goals across all five. Celebrate after each station rotation.

   • ›Brief technique reminder at each station (one sentence).
   • ›Players should feel expert — they have done all of these!
   • ›Confidence building for the finale.

4. 4. Small-Sided Games: Q3 Championship Warm-Up

   15m

   Set up: Two 3v3 games — played as a 'warm-up championship'. Teams give themselves names.

   How to run it: Teams name themselves (animals, superheroes, anything). Play two 7-minute games. Score tracked by players on a cone/whiteboard. Tomorrow's festival uses the same teams.

   • ›Team names build identity and investment.
   • ›Let players track their own score.
   • ›Preview tomorrow: 'This is your chance to get ready for the Big Festival!'

5. 5. Cool-Down & High-Fives

   5m

   Set up: Teams sit together in their groups.

   How to run it: Each team decides on their team celebration for tomorrow. Practise it twice. Coach gives each team a pep talk. Club cheer together. See you tomorrow!

   • ›Anticipation and investment for the finale session.
   • ›Keep the pep talk brief, warm, and genuine.

Outcomes

• ✓Players can apply shooting skills from all Q3 sub-themes in live games.
• ✓Players can lead and support their team with enthusiasm and sportsmanship.
• ✓Players can reflect on their growth across the quarter with pride.

Equipment

• 1 size-3 ball per player
• 8 small flat-cone goals (mix of sizes and distances)
• 20 cones
• 2 sets of pinnies
• optional: small medals or stickers for every player

Run of show

1. 1. Arrival Free Play

   5m

   Set up: Full festival set-up: all goals, all distances, all angles. Music playing. Maximum atmosphere.

   How to run it: Players arrive and go. Music, energy, freedom. Coach does the world's best commentary: 'AND THE CROWD GOES WILD AS PLAYER NUMBER 7 ARRIVES AT TRAINING!'

   • ›Festival atmosphere from the very first second.
   • ›Every player's arrival is greeted like a superstar.

2. 2. Warm-Up Game: Hearts United

   8m

   Set up: All players with a ball. Coach in the middle.

   How to run it: Coach calls a Q3 game theme — players demonstrate: 'POWER!' = big kick at the big goal. 'PLACEMENT!' = inside foot, small goal. 'DRIBBLE AND SHOOT!' = dribble runway. '1V1!' = challenge the coach. Mix calls every 45 seconds.

   • ›This is a victory lap of Q3 learning.
   • ›Praise recognition of the correct technique on each call.
   • ›Build energy for the festival.

3. 3. Skill Theme Game: Grand Prix Shooting

   12m

   Set up: Five shooting stations (all Q3 types). Players get a 'scoring card' (a small strip of paper with 5 boxes).

   How to run it: Players rotate through all five stations, ticking a box for each goal scored. After two full rotations, compare cards. Most goals across all stations wins their personal Grand Prix. Celebrate each card.

   • ›Scoring cards make it tangible and exciting.
   • ›Every filled box is a win — even partial cards.
   • ›Quick rotations — keep energy at peak.

4. 4. Small-Sided Games: Q3 Grand Finale Festival

   15m

   Set up: Three 3v3 or 4v4 games running simultaneously. Full festival format — goals each end, no goalkeepers. Teams from session 1 reconvene.

   How to run it: Play three 5-minute championship games. Each goal gets announced by the coach with full commentary. At the end of all three games, every player gets a medal or sticker and a personal high-five from the coach. Whole group does their team celebration and the Austin Hearts FC Super Celebration to close.

   • ›Every player must be individually praised with something specific.
   • ›Medals or stickers are for EVERYONE — no exceptions.
   • ›Finishing the quarter on maximum joy is the only goal.

5. 5. Cool-Down & High-Fives

   5m

   Set up: All players in one big circle with their ball.

   How to run it: Coach goes around the circle and tells each player one thing they improved this quarter. Players pass the ball slowly around while listening. Finish with the Austin Hearts FC Super Celebration one final time. See you in Q4!

   • ›Specific, genuine, personal praise for every single child.
   • ›This moment will be remembered — make it count.
   • ›End on love, community, and the joy of the game.