Soccer Skills:

 

Shipwrecked!

2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 52 votes, average: 5.00 out of 52 votes, average: 5.00 out of 52 votes, average: 5.00 out of 52 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5

RATED: 5.00
2 votes

Soccer Skill: Agility

Ages: U6, U8

Shipwrecked! is a fun, lightly competitive warm-up and agility activity for your aspiring soccer players. They'll have a competitive flair while learning to be heads-up with quick thinking.

Players dribble in space until coach yells "Shipwreck" and players try to find a safe island.

Players 2 and 3 do not make it onto a safe island. All other players score a point. Coach continues the game.

  • Number of Players: All
  • Equipment: Cones, 1 ball per player
  • Time: 10 Minutes
  • With four cones, setup "safe islands" in a square
  • To determine the number of  "safe islands", take the number of players, divide by 2 and subtract 1. A team of 10 would be (10/2=5; 5-1=4 islands)
  • One ball per player
  • The team is on the way to a soccer match by boat when suddenly the boat is Shipwrecked!
  • Players are dribbling in the area when the coach yells "Shipwrecked!"
  • Every player must dribble their ball to a safe island to be saved
  • There can only be 2 people per island
  • Player must be in complete control of the ball and on the island
  • Every time the player makes it to a safe island, he receives a point
  • Player may only use "weak foot" to dribble to safe island
  • Player can not go back to the same island
  • Remove safe islands so less points are awarded

Tell The Team: (Remember - stay focused)

  1. Players must have control of the ball and move quickly
  2. Think about where to go. Sometimes the best island is far away

About the Author

Jerry Macnamara is "The Coach" and founder at Soccer Classroom. For more than thirty years, Coach has been a player, coach, trainer and administrator. He shares your passion for the game and helping players grow through age appropriate soccer skills and drills. Feel free to contact Coach with questions

Soccer Classroom is always looking for experienced and enthusiastic coaches with drill and article ideas. Learn how to become a writer!

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4 Comments of “Shipwrecked!”

Comment by Hector
October 14, 2010

Hello Jerry,
Great website!!!! Thank you for your effort and hard work. I love what you have done. I wonder if you could clarify the Shipwrecked exercise. Not quite clear. Ex.10/2=5; 5-1=4 islands)..10 players, 4 islands, minus 1 player????

Thanks man!

[Reply]

Comment by The Coach
October 14, 2010

Hi Hector –

Thanks for the feedback – please spread the word!

Okay, we want there to be fewer islands than players that can reach the islands in order to make it competitive. In order for a player to “score”, they have to reach an island. If there was room for everyone to reach an island then there would be no point – everyone would score a point. In the example provided, there can be 2 players per island and 10 total players. To figure out the number of islands:

Divide the group by 2 (which is how many islands would be created if ALL players could reach an island). In this example, we had 10 players / 2 = 5 islands
Subtract 1 from this number, which now means 2 players cannot reach an island and won’t score a point that round.
If you want to make it more competitive to encourage faster decisions, you can subtract 2 islands, so four players don’t reach the “safe island” and so on.

I hope that helps clarify!

[Reply]

Comment by David Nugent
June 4, 2011

Hi Jerry,
Great exercise, lots of fun, lots of touches on the ball, concentration, body awareness, agility, spatial awareness, speed, decision making, ect ect. All of the good things that are required for the developing player – well done.

Kepp up the good work

best regard
David (Australia)

[Reply]

Comment by The Coach
June 6, 2011

Hey David –

Thanks – appreciate your view and you obviously understand the goals we’re trying to achieve here. If you would like to contribute to the knowledge base, I would certainly invite you to do so! Soccer Classroom is for the community, so everyone is welcome to contribute and help!

[Reply]

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