I Need a Doctor!

I Need a Doctor! is a fun game for six to eight-year-olds. It improves their co-ordination, dribbling skills and ability to make decisions.

Set-up: Create a 20-yard square with two 4×4 “hospitals” marked within the square with flat cones.

Divide your players into two teams. Every player has a ball.

How to play: One team dribbles in the playing area while the other team of attackers attempts to hit them with their ball below the knee.

Players who are hit become “patients” and call “doctor!” while holding their ball above their head.

The dribbling team has two “doctors” who are based in the “hospitals”. 

They can save any of their patients by leaving the hospital and touching them but if either doctor is hit below the knee by a ball, the game is over and the attacking team wins.

Play two minute rounds. If the doctors aren’t hit by a ball, the team with the least number of patients when time is called is the winner.

Make sure your players understand that they must aim below the knee. Encourage the attackers to get close to their targets and use side foot passes aimed at feet rather than powerful shots.