Week 3 - Football

Skill focus: 1 v 1, first touch, dribbling the ball and passing the ball

Session equipment:

1 football (or similar) per student
30 markers
Bibs/braids to differentiate teams

Download Football - Week 3 activity card to support teaching before and during the sport session.

Fast start - Empty the nest

Equipment

8 markers (to set out the playing area)
8 markers (to set out the 'no-go zone')
1 football per 3 students

Activity set-up

Set out the playing area (25 students = approximately 25m x 25m).
Divide playing area at the centre with a zone (approximately 1m), called 'nogo-zone'.
Divide students into two groups using finger jousting.

How to play

Groups stand opposite each other on both sides of the ‘no-go-zone’ and each group is given the same number of balls.
On the teacher's first signal, each group attempts to clear the balls from their side of the playing area by first controlling the ball and then kicking the ball into the other group's area.
On the teacher's second signal, all action stops then the balls are counted.

CHANGE it!

Students must pass the football to another student before it is cleared from their playing area.

Select the card to download.

Skill development

Activity 1 - Back to back

Equipment: 1 football per pair, 4 marker cones to define playing area

How to play: On ‘Go!’ players standing back to back run around a marker on their goal line then attempt to run the football over their opponent's goal line to score a point.

Students form pairs and collect four marker cones to create their goal lines.

A ball is placed on a goal line at one end of the pitch.
Pairs start back to back in the middle of their pitch.
When the player facing the ball calls out ‘Go!’, both players run to opposite ends of their pitch and around a marker cone.
The player who was facing the ball collects it and attempts to run with the ball over their opponent’s goal line to score a point.
Players take turns facing the ball and calling ‘Go!’

Activity 2 - Circle chase

Equipment: 2 footballs. 1 set of marker cones

How to play: Two footballs are passed around a circle from player to player. The aim is for one ball to catch up with the other.

Students form a circle with markers and direct players to stand between each space.
Two players start with a ball and are separated by several players.
Players pass the ball around the circle, trying to overtake the ball in front.
When a designated student calls ‘Change!’ players must change the direction of the pass.

CHANGE IT

Pass and run — as soon as players pass the ball they run to the next space (in the same direction as the pass).
Increase the size of the circle and introduce a third ball.

Activity 3 - Pass, trap and hit

Equipment: 1 football per player

How to play: Players in pairs attempt to score as many ‘ball hits’ as they can in a row, by passing their football to make contact with their partner’s ball.

Players in pairs, with a ball each, face each other one metre apart.
Players take turns to pass their ball to make contact with their partner’s ball.
The pair with the highest number of 'ball hits' at the conclusion of the station wins.

Activity 4 - Tricky goal lines

Equipment: 1 football per attacking team player, designated playing area, 4 cones to make goals

Forming teams: Students divide themselves into two groups using finger jousting.

How to play: One at a time, attacking players with a football enter the playing area and quickly choose one of two possible goal lines to run over before being dispossessed of the ball.

Organise players into two groups at diagonal points of the playing area.
Attackers line up behind a marker cone with a ball each. The defender must wait for the attacking player to pass through a gate before entering the pitch.
Attackers attempt to run with the ball over a selected line before being dispossessed of the ball.
Scoring:
- one point = the attacker runs the ball over a goal line
- bonus point = the attacker scores a goal.

Swap roles when all attackers have had a turn or after each play.

Modified small-sided games

It's time for competition!

Teams compete against each other in the game outlined below. You can use the 'Football draw' as a guide to organise the competition, across the 4 sessions try to ensure each team has a fair number of games.

Allocate 3 points for a win, 2 points for a drawer and 1 point for a loss for each game played. Record results and points in the School sport program results spreadsheet.

Remember, to give students an update of the leader board each week.

Game - Four goal football

Equipment: Marker cones to define playing area, 1 ball per game, bibs/braids to differentiate teams, 4 mini goals or 8 cones of the same colour for goals.

How to play: Teams play a modified game of football on a pitch with four goals. There are no goalkeepers and no offside rules. The rules on how to score can be determined by the teacher or players to increase fun and participation.

All players must be in their own half for the start and re-start of the game (after a goal).
Play starts with a pass forward from the middle of the halfway line.
A minimum of two players on the team must have touched the ball before a goal can be scored.
Scoring options:
- 1 point = side goals
- 3 points = end goals