Scanning & awareness

Objectives — what the players will do

1. 1Look up before the ball arrives and while dribbling
2. 2Find the goal, a friend, and the empty space with one quick peek
3. 3Shout what you see — numbers and colors — without losing the ball

Play 1 — starts when the second player arrives

Color Hunt Arrival

As players arrive, everyone dribbles in a grid dotted with colored cones. Call a color and everyone races their ball to it, then straight back to dribbling. Add a twist after a few rounds: call TWO colors and players choose the closer one — the first peek-and-decide of the night.

Practice — the one taught activity of the night

Heads-Up Colors

Everyone dribbles in a grid dotted with colored cones. Two jobs at once: you randomly hold up fingers — players shout the number mid-dribble — and call colors — players race their ball to that color. Then add the third layer: before each new color, players must peek and POINT to the emptiest corner of the grid without stopping their dribble. Eyes up, ball still moving.

Play 2 — always finish playing the real game

4v4 — Magic Signals

Normal game, but during play you hold up a colored bib on the sideline. See it and shout the color before your team scores, and the goal counts triple. Players who keep their heads up find the magic — players who stare at the ball never see it.

Key coaching points — in your own words

• ·What did you see before the ball came to you?
• ·How many fingers am I holding up? (Ask while they dribble — the eyes must leave the ball.)
• ·Can you see the goal AND a friend without looking down at the ball?
• ·See it, solve it, show it — what did your eyes tell you to do?