Equipment Needed
- 1 ball
- 4 cones
- Pinnies for defenders
Setup
- Set a square or hexagonal grid roughly 10 by 10 yards, adjusted for group size and age.
- Five or six players form the outside of the grid; two players go in the middle as defenders.
Instructions
- Outside players attempt to keep possession using one- or two-touch passing while the two middle defenders try to win the ball or force an error.
- If a defender wins the ball or it's passed out of the grid, they switch with whichever outside player made the mistake.
- Play in short 3 to 4 minute waves, resting 1 minute between waves.
- Count consecutive completed passes as a team target — for example, challenge the group to reach 10 in a row.
Coaching Points
- Support players should always offer a passing angle, not stand still behind the ball carrier.
- Encourage one-touch passing when the passing lane is open and under pressure.
- Defenders should work together to press as a pair rather than chasing individually.
- Scan before receiving — check over the shoulder before the ball arrives.
Variation
Limit outside players to two touches to increase tempo, or reduce the grid size to raise the difficulty for advanced groups.