Escaping dino island

WHY USE IT

This fun, dinosaur-themed game is a great way to develop a range of skills, including dribbling, running with the ball, turning, and attacking and defending 1v1s. It can be used as a warm-up activity or as part of a session which can be progressed.

Set-up

Mark out an area relative to the age, ability and number of your players. Set out a circle in the middle, with a number of balls within it. Mark out four squares, one in each corner of the area. You will need two or three players to be defenders; the rest are attackers.

HOW TO play

Players choose which dinosaurs represent the attackers and the defenders. Here, attackers are Stegosaurus and defenders are T-Rex. 

Stegosaurus must save their ’eggs’ (balls) by dribbling them safely from Dino Island in the middle of the area, to the huts around the outside. The T-Rex aim to stop them by tagging them. If a Stegosaurus is tagged when they have the egg, they must return it to Dino Island, do 10 toe-taps, and start again.

Stegosaurus aim to get all the eggs to the huts inside a set time limit.

progressions & aDAPTATIONS

• To introduce the game, or make it easier, you can start by players carrying the balls in their hands.

   

• To make it more challenging, instead of being tagged, players must be tackled. If they get tackled, the defenders return the ball to the middle – this gives the attackers the chance to try and win the ball back again.

   

• You can also progress the practice so that, if an attacker gets tagged or tackled, they become an extra defender. This increases the challenge for the remaining attackers.

   

COACHING POINTS

• Attackers should keep their heads up so they can see defenders and space.

   

• Attackers should take bigger touches when in space, and smaller touches if they are in a crowded area or near a defender.

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  Encourage attackers to beat defenders using skills, feints, and changes of speed and direction.

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  Encourage defenders to keep their eyes on the ball, knees bent and body side-on – to help force attackers away from the huts.