Find the Space Run
Off-Ball Movement
Legend
- player
- defender
- cones
- ball
How it works
Move to an open space and receive a pass in a simple possession game.
What you need
- cones
- soccer ball
- scrimmage vests
Your focus
Off-ball movement is the first tactical skill children need to develop. Teaching young players to find open space , rather than clustering around the ball , transforms their understanding of team soccer and creates the foundation for all future tactical development.
Mark a 20x20 yard area. 4v1 possession with one defender.
Each player except the defender must stay moving, no standing still.
Player receiving the pass must receive in a space free of the defender.
If a player stands still, they lose the right to receive for 10 seconds.
Play for 4 minutes; count consecutive passes.
Rotate the defender every 2 minutes.
Goal
You've got it when you receive the ball in open space, if you ran to a spot that was already taken, try again. Empty space is the whole goal.
Helpful cues
- Move before the ball moves, show for the pass early
- Find the hole, where is nobody standing?
- When your teammate has the ball, move to give them an option
Adjust the challenge
Make it easier
Strip it back
No defender, just practice movement patterns freely.
UpLVL it
Add the next challenge
Two defenders; possession team must also reach a target cone to score.No account needed
Build a practice plan
Add drills, keep the plan in this browser, then share a link with your staff or parents.This library helps you find the right drill. Inside UpLVL the right drill finds the player.
This library helps you find the right drill. Inside UpLVL the right drill finds the player.After every practice, UpLVL automatically surfaces the drills each player needs to work on most. See it for yourself.