Age group: U10-U11 (7v7) | Skill focus: Scanning | Session length: Approx. 60 minutes At 7v7 the pitch is big enough to hide danger and opportunity behind every shoulder – and the players who check those shoulders own the game. Scanning at this age becomes purposeful: look, store the picture, use it on the very next touch. This session grooves the shoulder check, turns it into blindside receiving through gates, then tests the picture with colour calls at speed. Session at a glance Part 1 – Warm-Up / Introductory Technical (15 min): Scanning - Shoulder Check Square Part 2 – Technical Practice (20 min): Scanning - Blindside Turn Gates Part 3 – Game Based Practice (20 min): Scanning - Colour Call Bounce Key words for the whole session: check both shoulders, store the picture, receive already knowing, look early – look often. Part 1 – Warm-Up / Introductory Technical Practice (15 min) Scanning - Shoulder Check Square Created using Tactics Manager 🔧 How to set up the activity: 8x8m square with one player in each corner 1 ball in play, feeder stands in the middle 🏃 Activity: Player receives ball stood Infront of the cone and must check both shoulders before controlling to be aware of where the cone is The player then takes the ball around the cone while facing the receiver and passes it back to them The receiver then passes to a new player who repeats Progress by increasing tempo Progression: Add pressure from a passive defender ✅ Coaching points: Scan early and often, not just before the pass Keep eyes up when receiving Encourage quick and tidy control How this links to the session theme: The square grooves the habit in its purest form: two shoulder checks before every receive, then the touch around the cone made with full information. The rhythm – scan, receive, play – is the session's heartbeat from the first minute. Part 2 – Technical Practice (20 min) Scanning - Blindside Turn Gates Created using Tactics Manager 🔧 How to set up the activity: Place 2 cones 30m apart with a line of 3 gates down the middle 2 feeders start on each cone with 3 attackers and 2 defenders playing in the middle 🏃 Activity: Feeders play passes into attackers Attackers aim to dribble ball through any of the gates and play a pass into the opposite feeder Attackers must scan before receiving passes If safe, turn and dribble through gate and pass to opposite feeder If pressured, bounce pass back to keep possession of the ball If an attacker loses the ball they swap and become a defender ✅ Coaching points: Constant scanning for pressure Make early decision - turn or retain Weight of touch should match decision How this links to the session theme: The theme applied to real receiving: scan to find the free gate and the defenders' blindside, then receive, turn and dribble through before they react. Players learn that a good scan buys them the half-second that makes a hard turn easy. Part 3 – Game Based Practice (20 min) Scanning - Colour Call Bounce Created using Tactics Manager 🔧 How to set up the activity: 10x10m grid with 4 players in corners Each corner marked with a different coloured cone 1 ball and 1 feeding player in the middle 🏃 Activity: Feeder player plays a pass to any of the players Feeder calls colour during the pass Player must scan, and play a pass to the player stood on that colour cone Once that player has received they play a pass back to the feeder who then repeats the cycle Rotate feeding player every 60 seconds Progression: Restrict players to playing with only one-touch passes ✅ Coaching points: Keep head up before and after receiving Be prepared to adjust body position Communication must be quick and clear How this links to the session theme: The picture gets tested live: receive the feed, and in the same moment find the called colour and play the ball there. One-touch progression squeezes the scan earlier and earlier – until players are looking before the ball even leaves the feeder's foot. Download Session Plan