First touch & support play
Hands Up!
- Gaelic football
- U12
- 60 min
- 16–22 players
- 2 coaches
- Effort 3/5
- 40x25m grid
- u12
- first-touch
- support-play
- handling
- game-sense
Kit: 24 cones, 10 footballs, 12 bibs (2 colours)
Traffic Lights
Setup: Every player a ball each (share if short), inside a 25×25m cone square.
How it works: Players solo and bounce anywhere in the square. Coach calls colours: GREEN = jog with ball in hands. AMBER = walk, ball under one arm, head up. RED = stop dead, foot on the ball, chest the ball still. Add ROUNDABOUT = turn away from the nearest player and go the other way.
What to say
- “Heads up — see the space, not the ball.”
- “Soft hands when you catch.”
Easier
Bigger square; walk only.
Harder
Weak hand only on AMBER; shrink the square every minute.
Gate Escapes
Setup: 12 cone gates (two cones about 2m apart) scattered in the square. Pairs, one ball per pair.
How it works: Partner A hand-passes to B through any gate; B's first touch must take them through a different gate before returning the pass. Two minutes, count gates as a pair, swap roles. Race the room.
What to say
- “First touch OUT of your feet, into space.”
- “Call it — name your gate before the pass.”
- “Move the second you release.”
Easier
Catch then run the gate (touch not required).
Harder
STEPR: weak-hand passes only; defenders walk between gates as moving obstacles.
Triangle Keep-Ball
Setup: 10×10m boxes, three attackers on the cones of a triangle, one defender inside.
How it works: 3v1 hand-pass keep-ball. Attackers may move along their two sides only — so someone is always offering a NEW angle. Five passes = a point. Defender swaps on interception or every 60 seconds.
What to say
- “If you're not on the ball, you're moving to help.”
- “Pass and follow with your eyes, not your feet.”
- “Fake once, then release.”
Easier
4v1; allow one bounce.
Harder
3v2; limit to two touches before release.
End Zone Game
Setup: 40×25m pitch, 3m end zones at each end, two teams of 6–8 in bibs.
How it works: Score by a teammate catching a hand-pass inside the end zone (no standing camped in it — enter only as the pass travels). Normal Gaelic rules otherwise (solo/bounce limits per your group). Restart from the keeper-line after scores.
What to say
- “Attack the zone LATE — time your run.”
- “Width first, then the killer pass.”
- “When we lose it, nearest two press, everyone else drops.”
Easier
Bigger end zones; any receive scores.
Harder
Score only off a kick-pass; 3-second possession limit.
Circle Stretch & One Question
Setup: Walk two widths, then circle up.
How it works: Circle stretch: calves, quads, shoulders — 15 seconds each side.
Ask the players: What did you do tonight that helped a teammate score? Take three answers. Ball count, home.
House session; structure follows the ICGG session template.
Free on PitchPlans — new sessions weekly.