Find a clear route
10 minutes · U9 starting lens · 4–5 players per station
Each player has a ball. Spread four players around the outside of a square; everyone moves inside it and chooses a clear route.
A/B/C = attackers · D = defender · S = server · N = neutral · white dot = ball. Leave clear space between stations. Schematic, not to scale.Set up
Each player has a ball. Spread four players around the outside of a square; everyone moves inside it and chooses a clear route. Mark four corners. Keep spare balls outside the near sideline. A fifth player joins with their own ball; increase width by two yards.
Space: 12 × 12 yards per station; leave 3 yards between stations
Equipment: 1 ball per player · 4 flat cones per station · Optional bibs; use agreed team/role names if unavailable
- Start
- Everyone begins walking with a ball. Choose an empty part of the square and travel there without following the same player.
- Score
- The challenge is to reach a new clear space with the ball still playable. Players may count their own controlled arrivals; there is no compulsory group score.
- Reset & rotate
- If a ball leaves, its owner retrieves it when the route is clear and returns from the nearest side. No one is out after a mistake.
Rounds: Show and try 1:00 · Play 1 1:53 · Rotate, drink, reset 0:20 · Play 2 1:53 · Rotate, drink, reset 0:20 · Play 3 1:52 · Rotate, drink, reset 0:20 · Play 4 1:52 · Notice and move on 0:30
One cue: Space first, then your touch
If it breaks down: Balls repeatedly collide: split the square into separate personal spaces, then reopen it when players can look and stop.
Entry version: Walk, use a larger personal area, and pause the ball before looking for the next route.
Safety: Check the surface and clearance around the grid. No pushing, holding, slide tackles, or challenges from behind. Begin with no-contact route blocking; allow clean ball-winning pressure only when players can control the approach. Stop play before retrieving a ball from another station.