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Free practice plan · Ages 9–10 · 7v7 · 2-3-1A U10 passing practice plan:
Pass and Move
A pass is only half the job. This session is about the other half: moving so the next pass is on. Ninety minutes, twelve to sixteen players, and a first rondo with one rule that changes everything. Every activity here is free on this site, with its own page and an animated video.
- Pass, then go. Never watch.
- Angles, not straight lines.
Bring: Ball each, flat cones, pinnies in two colors, 2 goals.
Your job: Watch the player who just passed, not the ball. That is where this session is won.
The session, minute by minute
Pass and Move Square
RondoA 10x10 rondo, 4v1, with one rule that changes everything. After you pass, you must move to a different side of the square before you can receive again. Six passes is a point. Defender swaps on a win. Players start as they arrive.
HarderTwo touches.
If it stallsPlayers standing still after passing? The defender gets a free point every time someone stands.
Traveling Triangle
SharpenA 10x30 channel. Three attackers with one ball, one defender who may only walk. Pass, then run to make a new angle ahead of the ball. Keep a triangle around the defender. Reach the far end, turn and come back. The defender walks and blocks lanes. Run it for ten minutes, then add the first progression.
HarderThe defender jogs.
If it stallsTriangle collapsing into a line? Nobody may receive within 3 yards of the passer.
Home Zones
Solve5v5 plus keepers on a 40x30 split into back, middle and front bands. Players start in their home band. With the ball, one player at a time may step up a band. Without the ball, everyone goes home.
EasierNo stepping up. Stay in your band.
HarderTwo players may step up together.
If it stallsEveryone chasing the ball? Freeze and send each player back to their band.
The game: pass and move
Play7v7 in the 2-3-1, wide mids give the width. A goal counts double if the team made five passes first. Water comes before this block, never in the middle of it.
Throw-ins
Set pieceThrow-ins in pairs: both feet down, ball from behind the head, throw to feet. Then the thrower moves to get it back.
Shorter session?
With 75 minutes, halve Sharpen. With 60, skip it and run Rondo, Solve, Play and the set piece. Never cut Play.
Match day: what to watch for
Three things to look for from the touchline:
- After a pass, do players move or watch?
- Do they show at an angle, or hide behind a defender?
- Do they pass to feet and run to space?
Questions coaches ask
How do I stop players standing still after they pass?
Use the rule from the Pass-and-Move Square: the defender gets a free point every time someone stands.
What if the triangle collapses into a line?
Nobody may receive within 3 yards of the passer.
What if everyone chases the ball in Home Zones?
Freeze and send each player back to their band.
More free practice plans
Twenty-four sessions, twelve match days, one habit at a time
The Full Season Travel Curriculum for ages 9 to 12 is twelve weeks built around six team habits, every game drawn at 7v7 and 9v9, with a match-day page every week, the 30-minute game-day warm-up and an animated video of every activity.