Five Waves

This is a good warm-up game for a large group of players. It gets their minds and bodies moving and helps to sharpen up their core skills of handling, passing and catching.

What you need for this game

• 20 Players
• 2 Balls
• 10 Cones

Set-up

Use cones to mark out a playing area measuring 30m x 15m. Use more cones to mark lines at 10m, 15m and 20m, as shown 1.

Rules

Players muss pass backwards within their groups.

What you do as coach

1.Divide your players into five groups of four and give each group a number from 1 to 5. Group 1 line up at one end of the area with group 2, who hold a ball, standing on the 10m line facing them. Group 4 stand on the 20m line, holding a ball and facing group 5 who stand on the end line. Group 3 stand on the 15m line facing any way they choose.

On your whistle, group 2 run towards group 1, passing the ball along the line.

2.When group 2 reach group 1 they pass the ball to group 1’s end man and group 1 then head up the area passing the ball, while group 2 replace them on the line.

Count 5 seconds after the whistle, then instruct group 4 to begin in the same way towards group 5.

When they reach the 15m line, group 1 pass to group 3 and take their place, and group 3 head back towards group 2. Meanwhile, group 5 are running back towards group 1 who will take the ball from them and run back to group 4, and so on.

As the game unfolds, the stagger will mean there is always a group on the 15m line ready to take a pass.

How you can progress the game

Get groups to use their set plays, such as miss passes, etc.

• Groups 1 to 5 line up down the area.
• Group 2 run to group 1 passing the ball.
• Inform: Impress upon each group that they must maintain their line and pass backwards at all times during the game.

• Group 2 pass ball to group 1, who head to group 3.
• Group 4 move to group 5.
• Shout out: Let the players know that they should be playing with heads up and be aware of where they are in the playing area.

• Group 3 move to group 2.
• Group 1 on 15m line.
• Group 5 move to group 1.
• Examine: With all the movement in the area, players can get confused and disorientated. See whose core skills stand up to the pressure.