Arrival activities

Arrival activities are the perfect way to start your coaching sessions.

There are a few things that make arrival activities stand out:

• They easily adapt to accomodate constantly changing numbers
• Players can generally run them without coach intervention (allowing you to set up subsequent activities)
• They stop players standing around at the start of a session or aimlessly banging balls at the goal.
• They allow you to maximise your training time and get players focused from the first minute.

If you’ve not been using arrival activities, now’s the time to start. They’re recommended by the FA and many other coaching associations around the world.

Start games strongly

in Arrival activities, Email newsletters, Warm Ups

What I love about my U9s team is that when I come out to warm them up before a match they are all ready and sitting there waiting for me... with a cheer they all descend on the bag of training balls and start warming themselves up. MORE

Dribble turn

in Arrival activities, Warm Ups

This simple and fun activity is perfect for use on match days, allowing you to warm up your players with a quick burst of movement and a focus on technique MORE

One-two work out

in Arrival activities, Passing, Warm Ups

This five minute warm up drill is all about first touch and anticipating the pass. Good for fitness and getting players ready for movement and passing in matches. MORE

Fast feet

in Arrival activities, Warm Ups

A warm-up that will teach your players practise dribbling the ball with two feet and help them to learn how to change direction quickly MORE

Diamonds sharpen skills

in Arrival activities, Warm Ups

This session sharpens an array of soccer skills at the beginning of a season when players need to get their bodies back into balance and refresh their technique on the ball. This is a great session to use for sharpening awareness and coordination. MORE

Bounce and go

in Arrival activities, Warm Ups

A simple warm-up to get your players thinking about speed – both when running without the ball and when dribbling with the ball. MORE

Foot soldiers

in Arrival activities, Ball Control and Footwork, Warm Ups

This simple unopposed warm-up is easy to set up and is perfect to get players in the mood for training or to get their feet moving before a match MORE

Waiting for players

in Arrival activities, Fun soccer games

This session is set up so that as players arrive they can easily join in without you needing to stop or change the session. The arrival activity shown here is geared towards closing down the opposition in midfield. Set up You need balls, bibs and cones in an area 20×20 yards. Numbers build up as... MORE

The best way to start your coaching session

in Arrival activities, Email newsletters

When you are planning out your coaching sessions you need to think about how to make arrival activities work for your team. Depending on their ages the needs of the drill that kick starts the session will be different but one thing will be the same, they need to stretch bodies and be good fun. MORE

Passing pairs

in Arrival activities, Ball Control and Footwork, Warm Ups

Straight from the Fulham Academy training ground, this arrival activity will help develop your team’s ability to use both feet and to pass accurately. MORE

Developing dribbling to pass and receive

in Arrival activities, Soccer dribbling drills, Warm Ups

The idea of the session is to work towards possession with a purpose which includes understanding how to exploit space. So players begin by learing dribbling decisions then passing decisions MORE

Use an arrival activity at the start of training

in Arrival activities, Warm Ups

Arrival activities are an ideal way to kick off training when you are waiting for all your players to turn up – they are set up so you can easily slot players in as they arise without disrupting the session MORE

Rapid shooting

in Arrival activities, Fun soccer games, Shooting

This fun, shooting activity gives all players the opportunity to shoot in a fast paced competitive game. MORE

Clocks

in Arrival activities, Warm Ups

This arrival activity is great for any age group once players have got into the swing of passing one way and running the other. You can use any number of players and add more as they turn up for training. MORE

Changing direction

in Arrival activities, Ball Control and Footwork, Warm Ups

As an arrival activity this works because you can add players as they turn up to training. It develops a high level of skill and movement. It is good for technique and uses both feet. MORE

Triangle keep ball

in Arrival activities, Rondos, Warm Ups

This is a simple 5v2 keep away game made harder by having a triangle in the middle which the two defenders must protect or stay in the middle longer MORE

Two move

in Arrival activities, Small Sided Games, Warm Ups

This simple and fun activity is perfect for use on match days, allowing you to warm up your players with ball control and good touch MORE

Locomotion

in Arrival activities, Passing, Warm Ups

An easily organised warm up suitable for all ages and abilities that will improve communication, passing awareness and decision-making. MORE

Cops and robbers

in Arrival activities, Attacking, Soccer drills and skills, Warm Ups

You can use this fun warm up to teach young players the basics of attacking and defending. Awareness of where players are and the ability to control, pass and stop the ball can all be coached with this drill. MORE

Soccer warm up circuit drill to test core skills

in Arrival activities, Soccer dribbling drills, Warm Ups

This is a good warm-up drill for your soccer coaching sessions – a circuit that tests your players’ basic technique. It’s a really good circuit because it involves everyone, moves quickly and it’s great fun. You’re testing the basic soccer skills of your players – passing and receiving, heading, one-twos, dribbling, and controlling and shooting.... MORE