U13 GK — Crosses & Communication
A 60-minute goalkeeper-focused session covering aerial work, crosses, and communication — the modern GK skills under-coached at grassroots.
▦Session blocks
Dynamic Dribbling Square (full squad)
GK joins as outfield player — modern keeping requires foot skills. 8 minutes of activation. Add the called-skills layer for cognitive engagement.
GK Fundamentals — Set and Save
Refresher block before the crosses work. Run Phases 1-3 only (skip high diving). 4 minutes set position, 6 minutes catching, 6 minutes low diving. Establishes good habits before adding aerial complexity.
GK Crosses — Coming for the Ball
Session centrepiece. Run all 5 phases. The progression from call-only to active attackers is critical — don't skip Phase 1. Most U13 keepers fail at crosses because they never learned to communicate clearly first.
Cross-and-finish SSG
5v5 with full goal + GK at one end, mini-goal at the other. Constraint: attackers can only score from crosses (delivered from wide channels marked with cones). Forces lots of cross reps for the GK to apply learning. Run as 6-minute halves.
Recovery-Paced Possession
GK joins as outfield. Closing reflection focused on the GK: 'what cross was the hardest decision today?' Peer + GK reflection embeds the learning.
◆What you'll need from yourself
Clear demonstrations and high energy. Keep the session moving with minimal queuing, and reinforce one or two key coaching points rather than overloading players with information.
!Common problems
Players standing in queues (set up enough stations to keep everyone active) and the session running too long on one activity (keep blocks tight and move on while engagement is high).