Football/Soccer Session (Beginner): Reactive Agility U8-U11

Reactive Agility (10 mins)

FUNCTION 1: KNEE-TAP GAME

• In this reactive agility-based practice, pairs of players face one another either side of a flat marker.

• The aim of the game is for players to tap their opponent’s knee while evading the attempted taps of their counterpart.

• Players need to adjust their feet as they make their attacking attempts, before quickly readjusting as they try to avoid being tapped by their opponent.

• Players must remain on their side of the flat marker, weighing up the risk and reward of attacking their opponent.

FUNCTION 2: FOLLOW THE LEADER

• Using a similar set-up to the first practice, with the addition of flat markers on either side of the central flat

markers, players compete in a reactive agility race.

• The pairs of players face each other across each central flat marker. One is allocated as the ‘leader’ and initiates a movement – either left or right – that should be copied by the ‘follower’.

• In Diagram 2, as Player A moves to their right, Player B must do the same. Both players must reach the outside markers before racing back to the central flat marker.

COACHING DETAIL

• In both practices, players should adopt ‘bouncy’ positions in which they are ‘on their toes’ and ready to react to their opponent’s movement.

• The ‘reacting’ players should scan the movement (from the hips down) of their opponent to pick up any cues they might provide as to how they will move next.