Children love to play games. That is a simple fact that should greatly influence how we coach Gaelic games. Listed below are some small sided games taken from www.totalgaacoach.com that will get your team moving and applying the basic skills that you want them to use in match situations.
Win by One

– 5V5 with goal keepers
– Play for 12 mins – normal rules
– Goals only
– Winning team can only win by one goal
– First team to score retains possession for duration of 12 mins or until opposition scores
– When an equaliser is scored both teams can attempt to score again to win by one for the remainder of the 12 minutes
– Variation: points only
TouchDown (5V5 V5)

– 3 teams of 5 – two teams defending, one in each grid. One team attacking for the central area
– Attacking team has five attacking attempts in each grid, ten attacks in total
– Attacking team attempts to touchdown on endline of grid they are attacking for a score. Defending team attempts to delay, deny and dispossess. If defenders succeed the attack is over.
– Next attack in opposite grid starts in central area

 

Space Tennis

– 2 teams divided between two grids
– -5 red defenders marking 4 blue forwards in one grid. In opposite grid 5 blue defenders marking 4 red forwards
– Blue team in both grids play as one team as do the red team
– Area in the middle is a no go area or the ‘net’ in Tennis
– If blue defenders are in possession to score they must play the ball over the ‘net’ to a blue forward who then has to work the ball to a blue defender to get a score
– Coach is the umpire and has the final say on scores and possession
– First to 5 or 10 wins
– Variation – 5 forwards on 4 defenders – one in each grid
– 2v2 in each grid for 4-5 minutesChildren love to play games. That is a simple fact that should influence high quality and fun coaching. Listed below are some games taken from totalgaacoach.com that can be used for hurling, camogie or gaelic football.