Both Feet Under Fire

The kick pass that holds up under pressure — striking accurately off either foot, on the move, with a defender closing the angle.

Gaelic football
U16
60 min
16–24 players
2 coaches
Effort 4/5
half pitch
u16
kicking
both-feet
kick-passing
pressure

The PitchPlans coaching teamGAA Award 1 & 2 coaches

Kit: 30 cones, 12 balls, 16 bibs (2 colours)

Warm-up8 min

Weak-Foot Wake-Up

Setup: Pairs about fifteen metres apart across a cone line, one ball between two.

How it works: Kick-pass to each other, but the first three minutes are weaker foot only — accuracy and clean contact, not power. Then alternate feet each pass, calling the foot before you strike. Step further apart as it gets cleaner. It forces the neglected foot to work from the first minute, when the legs are fresh and the mind is patient.

What to say

“Drop the ball onto the laces from the hands — do not toss it up.”
“Standing foot points at the target, strike through the middle, follow through.”
“Weak foot: shorten it and slow it down — clean contact first, distance later.”

Easier

Closer together; a hand-pass reset if the weak-foot kick breaks down.

Harder

One-touch catch and return; hit a specific chest or hand target.

Activity14 min

Angle Passing Gates

Setup: A grid with several 3m gates set at angles, players in threes — a passer, a target, and a passive defender screening one side.

How it works: The passer must find the target through a gate, but the defender screens the natural side, so the pass has to be struck off the other foot to open the angle. Work both feet by moving the defender's position each round. A clean kick through the gate and caught is a point. It makes the weaker foot a real weapon for beating a screen, exactly as in a game. Rotate roles often.

What to say

“Read the block — if the near side is screened, switch to the far foot.”
“Open your hips and body to the foot you are using — do not force the wrong shape.”
“Weight it right — into the runner's path, not behind them.”

Easier

No defender; wider gates.

Harder

STEPR: the defender may pressure fully; must hit a moving target.

Activity13 min

Switch the Play

Setup: A 40×30m grid split into a left and right channel, 4v4 with two teams, small target gates on both flanks.

How it works: A possession game where the only way to score is to switch the ball with a kick pass from one channel to a teammate in the far channel — and defenders overload the ball side, so the switch usually has to be struck off the outside foot. It trains the long, accurate kick off both feet under pressure, and the game-sense to spot the switch. Reset on a score or a ball out; rotate teams.

What to say

“Heads up before you get it — know the switch is on before the ball arrives.”
“Use the foot that opens the angle, even if it is your weaker one.”
“Strike it to arrive in front of the runner in space, not to their back foot.”

Easier

A hand-pass allowed to set up the switch; bigger target.

Harder

STEPR: two-touch before the switch; the switch must be first-time.

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

PitchPlans coaching team

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