Cross to Score

Goals from a cross count ten — so the wide players learn the whole trade, dribble at the goal, look up, and serve the ball where the keeper isn't.

Wide space is the easiest space to win at this age — this teaches kids to turn it into goals instead of dead ends in the corner.

Ages 10–115v5 with a keeper, subs rotating every round21 min — 6 rounds of 3, 30 seconds betweenCones, pinnies in two colors, balls, one regular goal

Set up · 3 actions · before the kids arrive

Grab: Cones, pinnies in two colors, a supply of balls.
Build: Mark a half field, 50 by 37 yards, with the regular goal — and a 3-yard end zone strip along the midline.
Place: Five on five, keeper in goal, four balls stacked with the attacking team.

One thing to remember: Win the flank, then serve the ball away from the keeper into a teammate's run.

How it runs — the whole game in one sentence

The attackers get four balls a round — a goal from a cross is worth ten points, anything else one, so the ball keeps finding the flanks on its way to the goal.

1Organize the players▾
Coach does
Set the half field, mark the midline end zone, stack the balls, and price the crosses out loud — ten for a goal from a cross, one for the rest.
Coach says
A goal off a cross is TEN. Get wide, get to the end line, and serve it.
2Show the jobs▾
Coach does
Walk the flank player's checklist once — dribble at the goal, glance inside, glance at the keeper, then cross AWAY from the keeper into a teammate's path.
Coach says
Wide player: drive in, look inside, look at the keeper — then cross away from them. Near post, far post, or the top of the six.
3Play▾
Coach does
Run 3-minute rounds with 30 seconds between, subbing every round. At a break, ask the runners where the cross should land — and time their runs to meet it.
Coach says
Time your run. Attack the near post, the far post, or the top of the six — and finish.
Look for: The cross released away from the keeper into a runner's path — not floated to the middle for anyone.
4Switch and repeat▾
Coach does
Swap attackers and defenders each sub, and rotate who plays wide so every kid gets rounds on the flank. Switch variants when the level is wrong.
Coach says
Rotate! New wings — ten points is out there waiting.

If it's not working

Too hard? Go 3v3 with the keeper on a 20-by-30 field, cone goals at the ends, crosses still worth ten. Too easy? 6v6 on a 50-by-45 field with two regular goals.

Want to go deeper? Optional — not needed to run the game.

Why are we doing this?

Pricing the cross makes the wide channel the obvious road, and the checklist — drive, look inside, look at the keeper, serve away from them — turns a vague "get it wide" into four decisions a ten-year-old can actually make. Repetition is built in: the wide players dribble, cross, and chase chances every single round.

What are they learning?

Win the flank, then serve the ball away from the keeper into a teammate's run.

How can I change it?

Easier: 3v3 plus the keeper in a 20-by-30 field with cone goals — crosses still score ten.

Harder: 6v6 in a 50-by-45 field with two regular goals.

Next: On game day, watch the wide players — getting wide, winning their 1v1, crossing into dangerous areas is this session showing up on Saturday.