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Equipment, Setup & Instructions

Equipment

Setup

Area: 16x16 yard grid marked with cones
Team Blue: 3 blue attacking players start inside the grid, one of them with the ball at their feet
Team Red: 1 red defender starts inside the grid holding the alternate coloured vest
Equipment: 4+ cones marking the corners of the 16x16 yard grid, 2 footballs placed just outside the grid for quick restarts, 1 coloured vest/bib held by the starting defender

Instructions

Place the three attackers inside the grid and start with one football at the attackers’ feet.
The attackers must keep possession against the defender.
Attacking players can stand anywhere in the grid and should move to create passing angles and support.
The defender’s job is not to tackle or win the ball; they try to touch the attacker who is currently controlling the football.
If the defender manages to touch the attacker, the alternate vest/bib is handed from the defender to the attacker, and the roles switch (the new defender now tries to touch the new ball carrier).
The attackers score a point by keeping possession for a set target time (the original uses "30 elephants"); reduce or increase this time based on age and skill level.

Coaching Points

Encourage quick supporting movement—players should angle their bodies to receive.
Demand good passing decisions with pace (find the next pass early).
Teach players to scan before receiving so they know where the next pass will go.
Make sure the group creates angles, not just a chase for the ball.
Bring in simple combination play (one-two passes) to get away from pressure.
If a pass is on, play it; if it isn’t, move the ball to a safer option quickly.
Keep the defender active—touch pressure should force quicker choices without tackling.

Variations

Make it harder:

• Allow the defender to challenge for the ball (light tackling/attempting to win possession) and switch roles immediately if they win it.

• Limit attackers to fewer touches (e.g., 2 touches max) to speed up decisions.

• Add a second defender once the first set target is reached, so attackers must play through more pressure.

Make it easier:

• Increase the grid size slightly and/or lengthen the possession target time.

• Give attackers more freedom: allow 3+ touches or remove the time/scoring target for the first 1–2 rounds.

• Start with the defender only able to touch from a smaller area (easier pressure and clearer passing options).

Quick Passes vs Touch Pressure

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