Both Feet

Two good feet, not one — building a punt pass and a point off the weaker side so the game has no blind spot.

Gaelic football
U10
60 min
14–22 players
2 coaches
Effort 3/5
half pitch
u10
kicking
both-feet
punt-pass
technique

The PitchPlans coaching teamGAA Award 1 & 2 coaches

Kit: 24 cones, a ball between two, posts or a 4m cone goal, 12 bibs (2 colours)

Warm-up8 min

Kick-Tennis Warm

Setup: Pairs, one ball between two, about ten metres apart across a cone line, spread down the pitch.

How it works: Partners punt-pass to each other over the line — right foot for three, then left foot for three, catching cleanly each time. Take a step back after every clean pair of catches. It wakes both feet up from the first minute and gets them reading the flight of the ball. Miss the catch and you both step in.

What to say

“Ball dropped from the hands onto the laces, not tossed up.”
“Strike with the laces, toe pointed, follow through at the target.”
“Same routine on the weaker foot — slow it down, do not force it.”

Easier

Closer together; roll or bounce-pass on the weaker side to start.

Harder

One-touch catch and return; call which foot before you strike.

Activity14 min

Target Gates Kicking

Setup: Cone gates about two metres wide spread across the pitch at kicking distance, ten to fifteen metres. Pairs, one ball, each pair either side of a gate.

How it works: Punt-pass to your partner so the ball goes through the gate on the way — right foot only for two minutes, then left foot only for two minutes, then free choice but you must alternate feet. A clean pass through the gate and caught is a point. It puts an accuracy target on both feet. Move to a narrower gate as you improve.

What to say

“Look at the gap, not at your partner — aim small.”
“Non-kicking foot points where you want it to go.”
“Weaker foot: shorter and softer first, accuracy before power.”

Easier

Wider gates; closer distance; bounce-pass the weak side.

Harder

STEPR: narrow the gate; must strike the foot the coach calls.

Activity13 min

Two-Footed Keep-Away

Setup: A 30×20m grid, 4v2 in bibs, the two defenders inside, the four attackers spread on the edges.

How it works: The four attackers keep the ball with punt passes only, the two defenders try to intercept. For a pass to count it must travel over eight metres, past a middle cone line, and be caught — that forces a proper strike, not a tap. Defenders swap in on an interception. Because defenders block the easy side, players are pushed onto their other foot to find a pass.

What to say

“Open your body to use the far foot when the near side is blocked.”
“Kick to where your teammate is running, not where they stand.”
“Catch it clean, then look up before the next kick.”

Easier

5v2; a blocked kick may be hand-passed to keep it alive.

Harder

4v3; a two-touch limit before you must kick.

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

PitchPlans coaching team

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