Movement skills/concepts

Dribbling with the feet and stealing the ball with the feet.

Set-up

• Large balls, markers, and cones.
• In a defined hard surface or grass area, children work in pairs, with one ball per pair.

Activity

Children select a partner who has similar skills. Each pair decides its own boundaries; a smaller area requires more practice.

Partner 1 begins to travel and dribble the ball within the defined area; Partner 2 attempts to steal the ball by using their feet to trap the ball or tap it away. If Partner 2 gains possession of the ball, they become the attacker and Partner 1 becomes the defender.

Rules include no body contact; gain possession of the ball; don’t kick it away.

Repeat the activity, and include a goal. The object of the game is for the attacking player to

score a goal, while the defender tries to keep the attacker from scoring using the rules above. If the defender gains possession of the ball before the attacker scores a goal, the defender dribbles the ball to a designated spot on the boundary and then becomes the attacker. If a goal is scored, the attacker and defender switch roles.

Can you see …?

• gentle tapping of the ball when dribbling
• head up looking around
• ball control with inside/outside of the foot
• offense – looking for open spaces to move into
• defense – trapping or tapping to gain possession

You could ask …

When you are the attacker, what can you do to keep the ball away from your partner?

When you are defending, what can you do to gain possession of the ball?

Variations

Create your own game: Work with your partner to design a game using the skills of soccer. Consider the rules, how you will score, what the boundaries will be, and a name for your game.

Play two-on-two: Partners play the game they have designed against another pair.