U8 Passing and Shooting
A 45-minute session introducing inside-of-the-foot passing alongside simple shooting — the two techniques that define the U8-to-U9 technical development.
⏱Session timeline
▦Session blocks
Colour Tag
0 minTwo colours, chase on call. Add ball progression after 4 minutes: each player dribbles a ball and the chaser must touch their ball with a foot instead of tagging their body. Gets everyone warm and with a ball at their feet.
Gate Passing — Inside of Foot
0 minTwo cones 1m apart, 6 yards between pairs. Pass through the gate, receive, pass back. One coaching point only: 'inside of the foot, not the toe.' Demonstrate the contact point once. 3 minutes at 6 yards, then move the cones to 8 yards. Count successful gate passes — how many in 3 minutes?
Target Shooting — Knock the Cone
0 minStanding cone inside a mini-goal at 5 yards. Players shoot to knock it over. Instep contact only — demonstrate the contact point. After each knockdown, replace the cone and go again. 4 reps each side. One coaching point: 'plant foot beside the ball.' Track knockdowns — who gets the most in 4 attempts?
5v5 — Pass Before Shoot Rule
0 min5v5 with one rule: a goal only counts if the scorer received a pass from a teammate immediately before shooting. Forces one pass in the build-up. Count both goals and 'near misses' (good passing sequence but no goal). End on a specific observation: 'I saw three passes-before-shoots this game — more than last week.'
◆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).