Staying on the ball – Warm-Up
in Soccer dribbling drills, Warm Ups
Allow your players to develop confidence and technique in this three-part session. By HANNAH DUNCAN MORE
Space Invaders
The Rules
In pairs, players from 3 of the teams stand on either side of the channel and on the coach’s call play one touch passing back and forth. This represents the laser to shoot down invaders.
One of the teams – the invaders – has to dribble through the channel, one player per zone at a time avoiding having their ball hit by the lasers.
If an invader’s ball is hit by a laser, they have been destroyed and leave the channel in that zone.
The invaders must aim to reach the safety zone at the end of the channel. The team with the most invaders reaching the safety zone wins.
If neither team reaches the safety zone, the team that progress the farthest along the channel wins.
Main Objectives
Dribbling and close control, passing accuracy and pace, one-touch passing.
Set Up
Area: 30×10 yard area with cones 5 yards apart along the length
Players: 16, 4 teams of 4
Equipment: 10 balls
Lasers are fired back and forth across the channel.
Dodge the lasers to reach the safety zone.
If your ball is hit by a laser, you are shot down.
What To Call Out
“Commence firing”
“Passers must play one touch”
“Don’t hide your ball between your legs”
Progression
Introduce timing, so the quickest team to reach the safety zone wins or stipulate a maximum amount of time.
Alternatively, allow the passers an extra touch so that they can be more accurate when firing the laser.
Hint
Keep an eye out for cheating in this one, if an invader’s ball is touched, they’re out. Make sure the passers are only using one touch to begin with.
