Switch and Score

Objective: Your players will improve their ability to switch play, to play with their heads up and it will speed up their decision making.

Switch and Score is also a good physical work out for the coach!

Age group: U9 upwards.

Equipment: six poles or traffic cones to make goals, one soccer ball, some flat cones, training vests.

Set up: divide your players into two teams of four or five. Differentiate the teams with training vests.

Set up a 30×40 playing area with three goals at each end.

You stand at one end of the pitch behind the goals and an assistant stands at the other end.

How to play:

Each team attacks and defend three of the goals.

There is one rule: you can’t score in a goal if there is someone standing behind it.

So you and your assistant work along the end line, blocking off whichever goal you think will be scored on next.

Players will love making the coaches scamper along the line, trying to stop them shooting!

First to score five goals wins the game.

What to say to your players: ‘Play with your head up’…’Find the empty goal’…’Pass the ball quickly’