Warm-up: Passing with purpose

WHY USE IT

This three-part session encourages players to be adventurous and pass forward with a purpose, while also working on movement to receive and creating angles.

SET UP

Set up an area relevant to the age and ability of your players. The practice requires anything between eight and 12 players, with four in the middle of the area working in two pairs. The other players begin around the outside of the area as neutrals. Two players around the outside start with a ball.

HOW TO PLAY

The neutral players feed the ball into either one of the pairs in the middle. Each pair then combines independently of one another, before passing the ball back out to another neutral player. If working with younger players, you can mark out squares within the area to encourage them to receive and pass in different spaces.

COACHING POINTS

• Move to receive the pass; try not to be in a straight line with your team-mate
• Receive ball on the back foot (open body)
• Effective communication
• Show intention; get head up to see team-mate