Warm-up: ball tag
Chasing game where everyone dribbles a ball: two taggers in bibs try to touch the others, who escape by dribbling away. The most fun way to start with young kids.
Step 1Persecución
1 / 2
Los cazadores (C) persiguen conduciendo su balón.
Objective
Warm up through play: dribbling with the head up, changes of direction and awareness of space while the heart rate rises.
Organisation
20x20 m square. Every player has a ball; two taggers wear bibs and dribble their own ball too. Spare balls outside the square.
Development
- 1On the signal the taggers chase the others while dribbling their own ball and try to tap a player with the hand or knock their ball out of the square.
- 2A tagged player becomes a tagger and takes the bib; the tagger becomes a runner.
- 3Every two minutes change the starting taggers and shrink the space to raise the difficulty.
- 4In the last round players can only escape with a specific move the coach calls (step-over, outside cut or turn).
- 5Finish by counting who was never tagged.
Coaching points4
- Dribble with the head up to see the taggers.
- Ball close to the foot and short touches when changing direction.
- Use the whole space: look for free zones, not corners.
- Taggers must dribble too; no ball, no tag.
Common mistakes3
- Watching the ball and bumping into team-mates.
- Hiding in the corners where it is easy to get caught.
- Taggers leaving their ball to run faster.
Variations3
- Tag with the ball only: you must hit the other player's ball.
- Taggers in pairs holding hands.
- Tagged players freeze until a team-mate plays a ball through their legs.
Progressions2
- Shrink the square to 15x15 m.
- Three or four taggers at once.
Regressions2
- Bigger space and a single tagger.
- Allow escaping by stopping the ball with the sole for three seconds.
Tips
- Change taggers often so nobody gets frustrated.
- A soft or size-3 ball for the youngest.