ball tag            

a fun warm up game that works on passing, receiving, vision and communication.

A selection of warm up drills

Age groups: all ages

Number of players: whole team

Set up: the size of the grid will vary depending upon the numbers involved as well as the level of the players but for 10-14 players a 25 x 25 grid would be about right.

Basic game: start with two players each holding a bib.  These two players are “it” in a simple game of tag.  If either of the two “it” players tags another player, the player who was tagged gets the bib and becomes it.  This should get all of the players moving a bit to start.

Progression: next we add two footballs into the grid.  A player who has possession of a football can’t be tagged.  The “it” players don’t try to steal the ball but rather they try to tag a player who doesn’t have a ball.  This is where the passing, receiving, vision and communication come into play.  If a player is being chased and is about to be tagged, a teammate with the ball should pass her the ball in order to give her safety.  This will require the players with the ball looking to see who is in danger of being tagged.  It will also require the players without the ball who are being chased to be running while looking for a ball and calling for it (just like they should be doing in a game).

TIP: With younger or less experienced players you might want to start with them holding the balls and they can throw and catch using their hands and then progress up to using soccer skills.

Summary: while this is a very simple game, it's one that your players will enjoy and will also allow them to work on some extremely valuable ball and communication skills at the same time.