Ball tag

Description

Many players make a pass and then stop to watch the ball. In tag, that is punished straight away: the ball must be moved before the tagger gets there, and it can only be passed to a teammate who has moved into free space. Area approximately 23 × 23 m. Four teams, three of which have a ball. The fourth team are the taggers. A tagger may only touch the player on the ball. The teams help each other by passing and moving so that nobody gets caught. A caught player is freed by a high-five from a teammate. In the diagram the teams are in pairs, and there are two taggers. Easier: play with the hands by throwing and catching, and with fewer taggers. Harder: add more taggers.

Quality Factors

Move immediately into a new space after the pass, away from behind the tagger. Scanning before receiving the pass: where is the tagger and who is free? First touch away from the tagger. Eye contact or a shout before the pass. The pass is played before the tagger can get to the player on the ball.

Key Questions

• Where do you go after you have made the pass? How can you tell that you are hidden behind a tagger? When do you pass when the tagger is coming towards you? How do you show your teammate that you are free?

Training Info

• 6+ players
• Age Group: U9+