Small-Sided Games
Overload Three Team Rotation Game
Keep intensity high with short, sharp games
Small-Sided Games
Transition
Possession
Keep intensity high with short, sharp games. Set up the area, follow the steps and use the coaching points below.
Back to drill librarySmall-Sided Games
Transition
Possession
Small-Sided Game
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Foundation Phase
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Goals Needed
Overload
Age
Under 5 to Adults
Duration
22 min
Players
9-18
Area / pitch size
36 x 30 yards
Difficulty
Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
Equipment
Balls, Cones, Bibs, Mini Goals
Coaching focus
Keep intensity high with short, sharp games
Objective
- -Keep intensity high with short, sharp games
- -Give every team regular rest and reflection
- -Reward teams that keep winning
Setup
- 1One pitch with a resting team waiting on the side line in a 36 x 30 yards area.
- 2Split the group so the attacking side always has one spare player, and park the spare bibs on the halfway cone.
- 3Balls beside the resting team, three sets of bibs.
How to play
- 1Two teams play a three-minute game while the third rests.
- 2The winner stays on and the resting team comes in.
- 3Play a full round-robin and keep a running score.
- 4The spare player joins whichever side has the ball, so the attack always works with a plus-one.
- 5A goal or completed end action counts double if the spare player touched the ball in the build-up.
Coaching points
- -Start fast — the games are short
- -Use the rest to talk tactics
- -Fresh legs press hardest
- -Find the free player quickly before the defence shuffles across
Progressions
- +Remove the overload for the last two rounds
- +Raise the demand once the group is consistently successful
Regressions
- -Give the attack two spare players
- -Simplify the area or the service until success returns
Variations
- -Rotate the spare player every 90 seconds
- -Run the practice on the opposite side of the pitch
Common mistakes
- -Slow changeovers
- -Resting team switching off completely
- -Spare player standing still instead of offering an angle
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