The Passing Name Game
The team passes around a circle, and every receiver yells the name of their next target before the ball even arrives — always somebody new.
Yelling the next name before the ball arrives makes young players think a step ahead of the play — which is where speed of play comes from.
Starting at Core — your team is set to mixed.
15 min tonight · Whole team, one ball
- Ages 4–12
- Whole team, one ball
- 15 min as the drill is written
- Cones, balls
Grab One ball — and cones if you'll grow the game into a grid later.
Build Form a circle with each of the players on your team.
Place The ball starts with one player in the circle.
- 1
Organize the players
Bring the whole team into one circle and start with one ball.
“Make me a big circle! One ball — and listen up, because you'll be calling names.”
- 2
Show the jobs
Walk the rule — the player with the ball passes to a player, and before the receiver receives it, they must yell the name of the next player they're going to pass to. Every player takes at least two touches — one to receive, one to pass. Encourage them not to pass back to the player they got it from, and to pass to different people each time.
“Before the ball gets to you, yell who's next! Receive it, pass it — and never right back. Somebody new every time.”
- 3
Play
Keep the ball and the names moving — the game is designed to make players think a step ahead of the play. Watch for the thinking ahead, a good first touch, and quality passes.
“Name first, ball second! Think ahead — who's your next?”
Look for The name coming before the ball — the receiver already knowing their next pass before their first touch.
- 4
Switch and repeat
For the next rounds, create a grid and play the same game with players free to move about — or add a second ball.
“Same game, new field — spread out and keep moving. Names still come first!”
If the names keep arriving after the ball does, freeze it and ask — when do you call your name? Let them answer, then play on.
Go deeper · 2 notes
Why it works
You cannot yell the next name in time without deciding your pass before the ball reaches you — the game forces players to think a step ahead of the play, which is the whole objective.
What they learn
Thinking a step ahead of the play to improve speed of play — plus a good first touch and quality passes, with at least two touches on every ball.
Where does this come from?
SoccerXpert — their published drill library.
A published drill library. Useful and widely used, but not a governing body — so it fills gaps rather than leading.