Chose one (or two) player(s) to be the Zombie Chief(s). They stand in the middle of the playing area.
Divide the rest of the players into four groups, with one group spread along each side of the playing area. On your signal, the players have to run through the playing area and get to the opposite side without being caught by the Zombie Chief.
If caught (touched or tagged), a player becomes a “zombie slave”. They can “capture” other players (who similarly become zombie slaves), but they cannot move from the spot where they were caught. Only the Zombie Chief can move.
Set Up
Area: 40m x 30m or small gym/games hall.
Equipment: Bibs (if available), tag belts (if used).
Players: Up to a class or squad size.
Scoring
1 point to the Zombie Chief for each zombie slave created.
What to Call Out
“Look for space and move into it”
“Take short steps when changing direction”
“Keep your head up to see what’s going on”
“Use fast feet”
Coaching Tips
If possible, make sure every player gets a chance to be the Zombie Chief.
The Zombie Chief wants new zombie slaves.
The players run across the square avoiding being made into a slave.
“The defender keeps themselves light on their feet, head up and marking a potential break, coming forward to close down an attacker when they move forward” MORE
Players must win the race to the best space when attacking. In defence, players must work early, scan early and look to close space to force errors.
Attackers seek space, defenders take it away. This is also true over the ball.
Run this game over a series of sessions to gain the most benefit as the players develop their understanding of the tactical implications. MORE
Here’s a series of super-quick activities to set up and use to mix up your training to keep all your players occupied. Ideal to hand out to your co-coaches and aimed at a range of core skills in game-like contexts.
Here. is a series of what I’ve called Quick Coach. They are mini-activities aimed at four to six players. The aim is to provide you with a bank of breakout exercises you can run during your session. They should only last around five minutes, but the key is that they are very quick to set up and can be run by any coach in your group. They can even be run by one of the players if appropriate. MORE
