The gate creaks open in January — wake the legs and the touch without breaking anyone, and send them home already looking forward to Thursday.
First Night Back
- Gaelic football
- Minor–Adult
- 60 min
- 14–30 players
- 2 coaches
- Effort 3/5
- Half pitch
- return to play
- january
- first session
- games-based
- injury care
Kit: 10 footballs, 24 cones, 16 bibs (2 colours), pump and spare laces — first nights always need them
The Rust Shaker
Setup: A 30×30m square, one ball between two. Take the long version of everything tonight — the warm-up IS the session's insurance policy.
How it works: Four minutes of easy movement with the ball: jog and hand-pass in pairs, change direction often, no bursts. Four minutes of waking the hinges: walking lunges, hip openers, leg swings holding a partner's shoulder, calf pumps off the turf, two slow inchworms. Then the careful power: hop-and-stick landings, two-footed then single-leg, quiet landings only — hamstrings and calves tear in January, so we land before we sprint. Finish with four rising strides across the square, the last at no more than 85 per cent, and a laugh at whoever's touch has fully deserted them.
What to say
- “Nobody sprints tonight before the strides — not even for a loose ball.”
- “Land quiet, knee over toe — the ACL rule is the January rule.”
- “Touch comes back faster than lungs — be patient with both.”
Easier
Cut the strides to two and cap them at 70 per cent for anyone who did nothing since October.
Harder
The fit-all-Christmas crew add two extra strides and lead the stretch counts.
Possession Pods 5v2
Setup: Grids of 20×20m, seven players per grid: five keeping the ball, two in bibs hunting it. Generous space on purpose — big grids mean touches without collisions.
How it works: Simple keep-ball, hand-passes only to start. Five passes is a point, counted aloud. Defenders swap out on an interception or after 90 seconds, whichever comes first — nobody chases for two minutes on January lungs. Round three, allow kick-passes across the grid for anyone whose feet remember how. The coaching is light-touch tonight: let them feel the ball, find the old connections, slag the wides. The game does the running so the runs stay short, sharp and voluntary.
What to say
- “Move after you pass — even two steps reopens the picture.”
- “Catch with two hands tonight; the fancy stuff is for February.”
- “Defenders hunt in twos — one presses, one reads the pass.”
Easier
6v2 and a bigger grid; defenders walk-press for the first round.
Harder
STEPR: shrink the grid each round; three-touch limit; defenders' interceptions worth two points to the bib team.
Kicking Ladders
Setup: Pairs, one ball, facing each other across 15m with a spare cone beside each player marking their rung.
How it works: Kick-passing that rebuilds range rung by rung: five clean kicks each at 15m, then both players step their cone back to 25m for five more, then 35m if the connection has earned it. A drop or a shank sends that pair back one rung — no shame, just the ladder. The rule that saves hamstrings: the kick can be full quality, but nobody chases a bad ball at a sprint; jog it down, reset, go again. Last three minutes: each pair nominates their best distance and hits three match-standard kicks at it, partner calling the catch aloud.
What to say
- “Strike through the ball's bottom half — let the leather do the distance.”
- “Fresh legs kick far; tired form kicks injuries. Stop at honest range.”
- “Receiver gives a target — two hands up at the chest.”
Easier
Rungs at 10, 15 and 20m; fist-pass rounds between kick rounds as active rest.
Harder
Weak-foot rung at 15m before anyone climbs past 25m; a caught ball on the burst counts double at the top rung.
The Game With Brakes
Setup: A 50×35m pitch with gate goals, teams of 7–9, bibs on, rolling subs standing at the halfway cone.
How it works: Three games of five minutes with a minute's water between — the brakes are built in. Conditions keep January honest: maximum two solos per possession so nobody bursts forty metres, all three score types allowed (gate goal, caught hand-pass beyond the end line, kicked point if you've posts), and every player must rotate one position forward each game so the corner-back remembers what a shot feels like. Rolling subs flow every ninety seconds. Referee-coach keeps the tempo warm and the whistle friendly. Full time means full time; leave them wanting the fourth game.
What to say
- “Two solos then move it — share the running.”
- “First night back: the pass is always fitter than you are.”
- “Rotate honestly — everyone attacks, everyone defends tonight.”
Easier
Hand-pass-only game one; pitch shortened so recovery runs stay short.
Harder
STEPR: last game removes the solo cap and adds a halfway-line press call — a taste of proper spring football.
Long Stretch, Short Speech
Setup: Walk a full width, collect the bibs on the move, circle up by the bags.
How it works: Longer holds than usual — hamstrings, calves, groin and hip flexors at 20–30 seconds each, both sides, because tomorrow's stiffness is already brewing. Keep the speech to thirty seconds: good to be back, Thursday's time, bring a mouthguard. Then the question around the circle.
What to say
- “Hold the calves longest — first-night calves write Wednesday's texts.”
- “Water and food within the hour, even a small bit.”
- “Stiff on Wednesday is normal; sore in one spot is a message — text me.”
Ask the players: One thing you want back in your game by March — say it in five words or less around the circle.
Next week builds on this: Thursday goes a small step up: same shape, more football, still no hero runs.
PitchPlans coaching team
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