Masked Ball

How to divert the kids' attention from the ball

In this dribbling exercise, you can hardly see the ball! That's exactly what we intended, and why we also provide two different dribbling masks as PDFs.

The mask should be adapted to the face size when cutting. Print the necessary amount of masks or give the parents this link. So they will be able to print the masks themselves.The masks restrict the view and therefore should not be used for duels, in a reduced space or where there are flying balls. The masks are suitable for various soccer drills, because it makes sense to not see the ball very well when dribbling or catching the ball. They should feel the ball!

• Find here a dribbling mask as PDF
• Paint the mask as PDF

A. Learning goals

Team play, dribbling, feeling the ball

B. Fantasy

Soccer city=all kids
Party zones=destination rectangles
Food=balls
Apartment=start rectangle

C. Story

Our soccer city, Kicker city, celebrates today a big festival. It is a masked ball. Everybody wants to enter the party zone on time, to get a good place. In order not to spend too much money, we are taking our food with us to the party. But pay attention, because not everyone agrees and there are food thieves among the attendants.

D. Organisation

Give the children a template mask to take home, which they should bring to the next training session painted and with a rubber band (to hold the mask) or an already "styled" mask. The links to the PDF files can be found at the beginning of the text.

You can also implement this soccer drill without the masks, but it won’t be half as fun. Mark for each group a start and destination rectangle.

E. Description

The children put on their masks. Whoever has no mask, will get one from the coach. The players can also borrow the masks one another, because the thieves will not need one. The masks will restrict visibility when dribbling. Each group is assigned a start rectangle where there are a lot of balls. These balls are to be transported dribbling into the destination rectangle. In each group there are, depending on the number of children, 1-2 thieves. The thieves take the balls, also dribbling but with the left or right foot (depending on which one they use the least) from the destination rectangle into the own start one.

Which group has the most balls in the destination rectangle at the end of the game?

F. Variations

• No dribbling, the balls will be carried.
• The thieves also wear masks.
• Without thieves.

G. Tips

• Have precautions just in case (because of the masks).
• Pick the nicest mask and give the owner a price.