Criss-Cross
Four color teams hold the four corner grids — call two colors, and those teams dribble full speed through the middle to trade grids, first team fully stopped in the new grid takes the point.
Speed with the head up — dribbling into oncoming traffic only works when the ball stays close and the eyes come off it.
Set up · 3 actions · before the kids arrive
- Grab: Cones, pinnies in four colors, and a ball for every player.
- Build: Build a big 30-by-30 grid, then section off a 7-by-7 grid in each corner.
- Place: Four color teams of 3 to 6 players, one team starting in each corner grid, every player with a ball. The jersey color is the team.
Show me the setup picture
One thing to remember: Dribbling with speed while keeping the head up and the ball close — awareness of players coming toward them.
How it runs — the whole game in one sentence
You yell a pair of colors and those teams race to swap grids — the first team entirely in its opponent's grid with every ball completely stopped is awarded the point.
1Organize the players▾
Coach does
Send each color team into its corner grid, every player with a ball. Start with just two teams working against each other.
Coach says
Your corner is home. When you hear your color, you're trading homes — fast.
2Show the jobs▾
Coach does
Walk the race — you yell a pair of colors, like "red and blue," and those two teams switch boxes with each other. The job is to dribble to the opponent's grid as fast as they can and stop the ball in it. The first team with the entire team in the opponent's grid and every ball completely stopped wins the point.
Coach says
I call it, you cross it. Every teammate and every ball STOPPED in the other grid — first team done wins.
3Play▾
Coach does
Call pairs of colors and award the points. Keep reminding them — heads up and ball close, because they're dribbling into oncoming traffic and must be aware of the players coming toward them.
Coach says
Heads up — traffic coming! Keep it close and see them early!
Look for: Eyes up in the traffic — the ball close and the head up before the speed comes up, players seeing the oncoming dribblers.
4Switch and repeat▾
Coach does
Keep calling new pairs so every team crosses. Once the control is conquered with two teams switching, make all four teams switch at once — switching diagonally sends all four through the middle. It can get pretty messy, so make sure your players are ready before you attempt it.
Coach says
All four colors — GO! Everybody through the middle, heads up!
If it's not working
If the crossings turn into crashes, stop it and ask what has to come up before the speed does — let them say "heads" — then run it again.
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: Make all four teams switch at once, diagonally through the middle — only when the players are ready for it.