Coaching tools › Activities › Possession and passing

Forward or Keep

By Gabe Ramos · U.S. Soccer Coach Educator · Updated November 2026

6v4 toward two mini goals, where every pass forward past a defender is a point and passing back is free. Players learn the most important question in possession: is forward on, and if not, how do we keep it?

Setup

A 30x20 with two mini goals at one end. 6v4. A halfway line.

How it works

• Score in the mini goals. Every pass that goes forward past a defender is a point.
• Passing backward is allowed and free.
• Defenders counter to one mini goal at the other end.

Scoring

Most points in ten minutes.

Make it easier or harder

• Progression 1: Forward passes count only if received on the move.
• Progression 2: Three touches for the attackers.

Coach’s notes

• If It Stalls: Passes forced forward and lost? Two lost forward passes in a row give the defenders a goal.

Why it works

Teams tend to fall into one of two habits: forcing every ball forward, or passing sideways forever. The scoring here rewards the forward pass and keeps the back pass free, so the choice is real.

Listen to the language change. Players stop shouting “go” and start asking “is it on?”

Where it sits

This is activity 75 of 100 in 100 Possession Activities (Theme 8 · Timing of Runs and Playing Forward). The book is ten themes of ten rungs each, from a 3v1 square to a full 9v9 transition game, and every activity has its setup, rules, scoring, two progressions, three coaching points and an animated video like the one above.

All timing of runs drills ›

More like this

Ages 11+ · Possession and passingRun and Through

Pass into the target, run on the pass, finish the lay-off.

Open the activity ›Ages 11+ · Possession and passingTiming Rondo

After four passes, one attacker breaks out toward goal.

Open the activity ›Ages 11+ · Possession and passingBeat the Offside Line

Run behind the line on the pass, never before. Offside is called strictly.

Open the activity ›