Kewford Challenges
Team and Individual challenges
1. Players to have regain full possession within 6 seconds receive a a point
2. Can you get a shot off and MUST be on target within goal area to receive double points.
3. Players need to get a shot or a pass away in under 5 seconds.
4. Players, as much as they can must pass or run directly forward after winning possession.
You can set these as timed challenges within your small sided games.
5-8 mins per challenge is about average time depending on age so the players don’t get bored.
5. At no point in the SSG can any player (other than the gk) can run in a straight line for more than 3 metres.
6. For the older players: The same goal can’t be scored twice in a row. Left foot, right foot, header, volley, 1/2 volleys and so on.
7. Players or coaches to select only two players on each team to score in a given time span (5 mins?) then change and select another two for the next 5 or so minutes.
8. Score within 1 min (or a time of your choosing) of scoring your last goal and it’s worth triple goals.
9. For every full save your GK makes the team receives a bonus goal
10. Select one player from each team not to be tackled but the opposing team. The idea behind this is to create a ‘Playmaker’. This gives young players a little more time on the ball to be more creative with their passes. Can this player spot the overlapped winger? Can they spot the through ball opportunities? Coach you player so they can they use a variety of techniques to pass the ball? Side foot, laces, in/out swingers, clipped, driven, switch and so on.
11. "How is your touch?" Players are reduced (not limited, if their have to take a 4/5 don't punish them just maybe 3 strike warnings then a free kick to the opposition?) to three touch. This is aimed to the player to really think about their first touch. Do they need to kill the ball? Can they take the ball away in another direction maybe away from the opposition? Can they get the ball out of their feet on the first touch yet still maintain control?
12. " Can we build?" When playing in halves or thirds, three touches must be played in each part of the pitch before advancing. Yet no limit if they need to play back a zone to start the build play again.
13. Change Around!
You are playing a game of 2 halves, one half with attackers and the other with defenders. They must stay in their respected halves. Play a normal directional SSG (small sided game) but on your call defenders and attackers must switch halves…IMMEDIATELY!! If you are that cruel, even we the team is on the attack, they MUST leave the ball where it is! If they kick it away on purpose an indirect, direct or even a penalty is awarded.
14. Manager Mode…!
At any given time during a SSG, call a random player to the side line and ask them what do they see as a ‘manager’ and what would they change in that particular game?
This will open up a deeper understanding to the game for the players development it will also give you chance to understand your players on a deeper level to develop them on social and psychological level too.