Throw, Trap, Throw
A full game played with the hands — throw to a teammate, trap the ball to the ground, pick it up, throw again — and a clean trap can turn straight into a shot.
Throwing takes the serve out of the equation, so every rep is the receiving touch — controlling a ball out of the air and deciding where to direct it.
Set up · 3 actions · before the kids arrive
- Grab: Cones, pinnies for one team, balls, and two goals.
- Build: Build a grid about 40 by 60 yards with a goal on each end.
- Place: Six per team spread out in the grid, a keeper in each goal. One team starts with the ball in their hands.
Show me the setup picture
One thing to remember: Controlling balls out of the air — how and where to trap — plus moving off the ball to create space and avoid pressure.
How it runs — the whole game in one sentence
Throw to a teammate, who traps the ball to the ground, picks it up, and throws to the next — no running with the ball in hand — and a shot taken immediately after a trap can score from anywhere.
1Organize the players▾
Coach does
Split into 6v6 with one team in pinnies, put a keeper in each goal, and hand one team the ball.
Coach says
Six on six, keepers in. Your team starts — ball in your hands.
2Show the jobs▾
Coach does
Walk the order — throw to a teammate; that teammate controls the ball to the ground; they pick their trapped ball up and throw it on. Nobody runs while holding the ball. The other team intercepts by winning the ball out of the air or pouncing on a poorly trapped one.
Coach says
Throw it, trap it down, pick it up, throw again. No steps with it in your hands. Defenders — a bad trap is your ball.
3Play▾
Coach does
Let it run — and remind them a goal can come at any point, from anywhere in the grid, as long as the shot is taken immediately after controlling the ball to the ground.
Coach says
Trapped it clean? Shoot — right now, from anywhere!
Look for: Supporting players moving off the ball to create space — options ready before the throw goes up, not after.
4Switch and repeat▾
Coach does
Run the variation — throw, trap it down, then pass it to a teammate, and that teammate picks it up and throws to the next.
Coach says
New rule — after your trap, it's a pass! Then they pick it up and throw.
If it's not working
If every trap gets swarmed before it hits the ground, stretch the grid a few steps wider while they play — more room to throw into — then bring it back in.
Want to go deeper? Optional — not needed to run the game.
Why are we doing this?
What are they learning?
How can I change it?
Harder: Add the passing link — throw, trap it down, pass to a teammate, and that teammate picks it up to throw.