Little Strikers

Ground striking fun & safe spacing

Hurling
U8
50 min
8–16 players, max 4 per group
3 coaches
Effort 2/5
25x25m grid
u8
nursery
striking
grip
fun-games

The PitchPlans coaching teamGAA Award 1 & 2 coaches

Kit: 30 cones, 1 sliotar or soft skills ball each, hurleys and helmets (children's own), 4 sets of spot markers

Warm-up8 min

Magic Spots

Setup: A spot marker for every child, scattered two big steps apart in a 20×20m square. Hurleys stay in a line outside the square for now — this one is feet and hands. Helmets on from the start so it's normal, not a fuss.

How it works: Every child stands on their magic spot with a ball in their hands. On MIX, they roll their ball anywhere, chase a different ball and bring it back to any free spot. On STATUE, freeze on a spot holding the ball high. On TUNNEL, legs wide and roll the ball through their own legs and run around to catch it. The spots are home — the game teaches them to spread out and own their space before a hurley ever swings.

What to say

“Find a spot far from your friends — space is your superpower tonight.”
“Chase the ball, not each other.”
“Freeze means feet stuck, eyes on the mentor.”

Easier

Walk-only rounds; keep the same ball all game.

Harder

Balance the ball on the flat of the hand while moving between spots.

Activity10 min

Puppy Walking

Setup: Hurleys out. Groups of four, each group in its own 12×12m cone box with a mentor or helper-parent. Two hurley-lengths between children at all times — say it, show it, keep saying it.

How it works: The ball is a puppy and the hurley is the lead: children walk their puppy around the box, keeping the ball touching or close to the bas along the ground. On GOOD PUPPY, stop the ball dead with the bas. On NAUGHTY PUPPY, the puppy runs away — tap it a little further ahead and chase it. On HOME, everyone walks their puppy to the mentor and stops it at their feet. Play it again faster. Nobody swings above knee height in this game and nobody needs to.

What to say

“Two hands on the hurley, hands locked together.”
“Keep your puppy close — little taps, not big hits.”
“Look up when you walk — puppies bump into things, you don't.”

Easier

Bigger box; hand on top of the ball to stop it instead of the bas.

Harder

Weave the puppy between two cones on the way home; stop it inside a small cone circle.

Activity10 min

Castle Knockdown

Setup: Each group of four gets a striking line of four spot markers, all facing the same direction, with a castle of three stacked cones 5m in front of each marker. Every child on a marker with a ball. All castles face away from every other group.

How it works: Everyone strikes on the same call and only on the call: mentor shouts FIRE, every child ground-strikes at their own castle. Then COLLECT, and everyone fetches their ball and rebuilds any fallen castle. A knocked castle is a point — first to three points does a superhero pose while the others finish the round. The rhythm is the safety system: strike together, collect together, nobody walks in front of a swing.

What to say

“Wait for FIRE — hurleys resting on the ground until you hear it.”
“Step towards your castle and swing low, grass-cutter low.”
“Watch the ball meet the bas — the castle isn't going anywhere.”

Easier

Castles at 3m; strike a stationary ball teed on a flat cone.

Harder

Castles at 8m; a moving strike — roll the ball a step ahead, then hit it.

The rest of this session is free — along with 3 more this week.

House session.

Free on PitchPlans — new sessions weekly.