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Head Catch Game

Field size: half field

Number of players: full team, including goalkeepers

Age range: 14-16

Description: Playing area is half the field with the goals moved up to the penalty boxes. Split into two teams of equal number of players. Play a regular game but ball is thrown in the air and players can only take three steps with the ball in their hands and can only score with the head.

This is a good warm up drill. You can play with the goals open and no keepers or with keepers in each goal.  You can also have your team try this drill as a possession game, where keepers play in the field and the team who gets ten passes gets a point rather than trying to head the ball into the goal. This might be useful when you don't have access to soccer goals. But ideally, this is a good drill to work on heading the ball and spreading the ball around the field.

Players can get a good idea of how easy it is to move the ball from one side of the field to the other and from one end to the other when you throw the ball. Get your team to think how hard it would be for the defense to adjust if you could move the ball that quickly with your feet.

This drill is mainly about getting the blood flowing and players warmed up so the team can move into other drills, but it's often a fun way to start practice.

Equipment needed: Cones and practice vests.