U9/u11 Fun Drills

2. U9/u11 Fun Drills • Sharks and Minnows • Hungry Hippo • Musical ground balls • Numbers game • Ultimate • Fireball • Tag, you’re out • Cradle relay • Shoot the bunny

3. Sharks and Minnows Players (the minnows) line up on one side of the restraining line (or set some cones on an open field area). Each player has a ball in their stick. On a whistle, all players run to the other restraining line (or cones) cradling the ball. Coaches (the sharks) try and check the ball away from as many players as they can as players run by. If a player drops a ball from a check while running, he stops and becomes a shark . Once all players make it to the other side (and checked balls are cleared away by a coach), a coach blows a whistle and all players run back across the field. This time trying to avoid more sharks. Keep going back and forth adding more sharks until one player is left (the winner) P P P C P P C P P

4. Hungry Hippo Players line up on both restraining lines (or set some cones on an open field area) facing each other. All balls (the more the better) are placed in the middle of the field. On a whistle, all players run to scoop one ground ball and return it to their side and place near a home cone or a put in a ball bag or bucket. Coaches monitor results as players go back and forth retrieving balls (only one ball per time)Once all balls are collected, coaches add up the results and announce a winning team. C C P P P P P P P P

5. Musical Ground Balls Players line up on a restraining lines(or set some cones on an open field area). Set balls about 10 yards away and count that there is one less ball for the number of players (ex. 9 balls for 10 players). On a whistle, all players run to scoop one ground ball and return it back behind the line. The player who did not retrieve a ball is eliminated. Continue rounds by removing a ball until there is a winner. Checking to take a ball away from a player is not allowed for u9. For u11 you may want to allow checking especially when it is down to 2 players left. Encourage players to work on good technique to box out an opponent, scoop and curl away. C P P P P P P P

6. The Numbers Game Make two even teams of players between two coaches. Add a goalie to play in the goal if available. Players line up on both restraining lines (or set some cones on an open field area) facing each other. A third coach is located in the playing area with a ball. Coaches will select a number of players to go on the field and play for a shot on goal against the opposing team. The total combinations cannot exceed the number of players on your team. For instance, if you have a team of ten players, the coach may only use the numbers 1-10 once in combination per round. Each coach selects his own combination without the other coach knowing. This makes for unbalanced playing combinations (ex 3 vs 1) On a whistle, the coach on the field throws a ball out and the two team combinations run onto the field to play against each other. The team that scores a goal wins that round. A new set of combinations is organized and sent out on the whistle for the next round. Play until coaches use up all their number combinations. C C P P P P P P P P P P P P C

7. Ultimate Lacrosse This is Ultimate Frisbee rules for lacrosse. Make two even teams of players between two coaches. Players line up on the end lines of a field (or set some cones on an open field area) facing each other. Select one team to launch the ball down the field to the other team. Once the ball is picked up, the player with the ball must stay still and find a teammate to pass to. Teammates may move about the field to get open. An opposing player guarding the player with the ball must give him 3 yards of room and not check the stick. If a pass is thrown and caught, that player must now be still and find a teammate to pass to. If the ball is not caught and falls to the ground, each team tries to get the ground ball for possession. Once possessed, the player with the ball stops and looks for a teammate to pass to. Teams try and move the ball down the field across the opponents end line to score a point. C C P P P P P P P P P P P P

8. Fireball Make two even teams of players. All players go to the center of the playing area. A coach throws a ball high into the air and players scramble to get possession. Once possession is attained, that team must execute at least one pass (add more passes for more skilled players) before shooting on goal. Opposing players may check to take the ball away and get possession. If a goal is scored, a new “fireball” is launched to begin play again. A coach may intervene anytime and stop play to throw a fireball, especially if there is a long srucm for a ground ball. P P P P P P P P P P P P C

9. Tag You’re Out Place players inside a “restricted” area marked by cones. Each player has a ball. Place one or more coaches inside the area. At the whistle, coaches chase players and try at tap the head of the players stick to tag the player out of the area. Players dodge away from the coaches protecting their sticks. If a head is tapped by a coach, the player leaves the area. The last player in the area is the winner. This drill develops stick protection and dodging skills,. P P P P C C P P P

10. Cradle Relay Create two even teams of players. Line players up behind a start cone and place several cones out front in a offset pattern. On the whistle the first player on each team navigates around the cones (right, left right) cradling the ball. Once they get around the last cone, they sprint straight back to the line and place the ball on the ground in front of the next player in line. He then picks p the ball and navigates through the cones. The team that finishes first wins. C P P P P P P

11. Shoot the Bunny Find a stuffed animal (a bunny) or two and tie a string around them. Tie the string to the top bar of the goal so that the bunny hangs down to the lower corner of the goal. Create two even lines of players. Line players up behind a start cone about 15 yards from the goal and place two cones out front about 5 yards from the goal. The coach has a pile of balls next to him between the two lines. The coach alternates rolling a ball out to the first player in each line, who scoops it up and the runs (cradling the ball) toward the goal. The player must shoot the ball at the goal and try and hit the bunny before passing the cone at 5 yards. Each team gets a point for hitting the bunny. C P P P P P P