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Free activities · By number of playersSoccer drills for 9 players
23 free, with video
Nine doesn’t split in half, but it splits well. Three groups of three, a 6v3 rondo or 4v4 with a neutral all use everybody, and 6v3 is one of the best numbers for teaching possession.
How to split 9 players
- 6v3: Six keep the ball and three press. Three groups of three take turns as the defenders. Support Ahead and Behind and Switch Through the Middle both give the rondo a purpose.
- 4v4 plus a neutral: The neutral plays for the team with the ball, so every attack is 5v4. Change the neutral every few minutes.
- Three groups of three: Shoulder-Check Lines and 2v1 to the Line run in threes. Three grids is a lot to watch, so keep the rules simple.
Two 60-minute sessions for 9 players
Ages 6 to 8
- 10 min: Knockout
- 10 min: Dribbling Gates
- 15 min: Beat the Levels
- 25 min: 4v4 plus a neutral. Cones for goals. Change the neutral every five minutes.
Ages 11 and up
- 10 min: Timing Rondo
- 15 min: Support Ahead and Behind
- 15 min: Switch Through the Middle
- 20 min: 4v4 plus a neutral. Change the neutral every five minutes.
Drills for 9 players, ages 4 to 8
1v1 · 8 min1v1 Four-Goal GameOne attacking line and one defending line, each starting between two small goals.
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1v1, two levels · 10 minBeat the LevelsTwo fields side by side, each split into two grids with a goal at the end.
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Everyone, ball each · 10 minDribbling GatesSeven or eight three-yard gates around the island.
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Everyone, ball each · 10 minKnockoutEveryone dribbles on the island; on KNOCKOUT, protect your own ball while trying to kick everyone else’s off.
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1v1 · 7 min1v1 FieldsTwo small 1v1 fields side by side with pug or cone goals, one line attacking and one defending on each, with the coach standing between them.
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Everyone, ball each · 7 min3 SpeedsTurtle, dog, cheetah. Players dribble around while you call out speeds, switching often.
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Everyone, ball each · 7 minBody BrakesEveryone dribbles. Call a speed, then a body part, and players stop the ball with it: foot, knee, elbow, head.
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Everyone, ball each · 7 minCone ColorsCones in two colors scattered around the grid.
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Everyone v the monster · 7 minCone MonsterThe coach is the Cone Monster and carries a cone.
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Everyone v the coach · 8 minSee Ya Later, Coach!Players dribble at you, drag the ball back with the sole just before they reach you, shout “See ya later, Coach!” and speed away into space.
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Minnows v sharks · 11 minSharks & MinnowsThe coach starts as the shark in the middle.
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Everyone, ball each · 7 minSoccer IslandEveryone dribbles inside the island while the sharks wait in the water outside the cones to steal any ball that floats away.
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Everyone, ball each · 7 minSpace ManPlayers dribble anywhere in the grid and freeze with a foot on the ball when you shout.
Open the activity ›Drills for 9 players, ages 9 to 12
Pattern · 20 minAround the ShapeCones laid out in your team shape on half a field, one player per cone.
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4v4 · 25 minChannel Game4v4 to mini goals on a 35x30 with a five-yard channel down each side. One attacker at a time may be in a channel and nobody may tackle them there.
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3 groups of 3 · 1v1 + serverBounce or TurnA server twelve yards from a receiver with a shadow defender behind, either tight or loose.
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3 groups of 3 · ThreesShoulder-Check LinesThrees in a line, ten yards apart.
Open the activity ›Drills for 9 players, ages 11 and up
GK + 4 v 3 · 10 minBeat the First LineHalf a field. Keeper, two backs and two wide mids build against three pressers, and a striker waits in an end zone past halfway.
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2v1 pairs · 10 minBounce or Turn From the KeeperTight, bounce it back. Loose, turn and carry. The score counts decisions.
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6v3 · 12 minSupport Ahead and BehindAlways one ahead and one behind. Back then forward counts double.
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6v3 · 10 minSwitch Through the MiddleTwo attackers on each side line of a 20x14, two in the middle, three defenders.
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5v2 to goal · 10 minTiming RondoAfter four passes, one attacker breaks out toward goal.
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3 groups of 3 · 2v12v1 to the LineTwo attackers against one defender in a 15x10 channel, ten seconds to dribble over the end line.
Open the activity ›Questions about coaching 9 players
How do you split 9 players?
Three groups of three for technical work, 6v3 for possession, and 4v4 plus a neutral for games. All three use everybody with nobody on the side.
What is a good rondo for 9 players?
6v3. Three defenders can cover a lot of ground, so the six have to keep moving. Support Ahead and Behind rewards a pass back followed by a pass forward.
Should the coach play to make it 10?
Only if the game needs it. A neutral does the same job, and it leaves you free to watch and coach.
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All 100 activities, sorted by how many players you have
100 Possession Activities ends with an index by numbers: 4 to 7 players, 8 to 10, 11 to 13, and 14 or more. Count who showed up, go to the column, run the page. 115 pages and 100 animated videos, with a score and two progressions on every activity.