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Level 3 Keep Away Rules

Basic rules in gray. Level 2 rules in light red. Level 3 rules are in black.

Players play in games like they practice. When players are bored they lose focus, tune out and practice poorly. Long term they fail to reach their potential. Coaches need to keep players very active, learning and engaged. The habits children learn for their lifetime depend on their family, schools and the adult leaders in the activities and sports they participate in.

To keep players engaged, focused and learning:

• eliminate lines as much as possible, 
• changes game shapes frequently,
• modify game rules to peak interest and teach the next lesson, and 
• limit coaching points to one or at most two at a time. More than two coaching points at a time and you will overload many player's working memory (what a player can focus on at the same time). See Chunking and Working Memory.

Setup Distances In Keep Away

For learning, the distance between the two farthest sides in a Keep Away game should be the lesser of 

• 20 meters (21.9 yards), or 
• the maximum distance that the weaker players in the game can firmly pass the ball.

When Attackers and Defenders Switch Roles

• In Keep Away games, the game doesn't stop for attackers and defenders to switch roles. Attackers and defenders exchange positions when:
  
• a time set in advance by the coach is reached. The coach schedules who plays defense in each time block. (Defenders can wear a colored scrimmage vest to remind all players who are the defenders), or 
  
• an attacker isn't focused, making adjustments, moving to the ball or just hacks at the ball. (Defenders hold a scrimmage vest in their hand and give it to the player replacing them as defender), or
  
• Attackers become defenders if they don't do what players in the role they are playing (player in possession, player supporting the player in possession, player receiving a pass or a player defending) should do in a Keep Away game. See Attacking Coaching Points. (Defenders hold a scrimmage vest in their hand and give it to the player replacing them as defender), or
  
• Any Attacker who sees an Attacking teammate not doing what they need to do in their role in the Keep Away game who does not remind them what they should be doing becomes a defender. In this version Attacking players quickly learn they are responsible for their teammates and the value of talking in soccer games. (Defenders hold a scrimmage vest in their hand and give it to the player replacing them as defender).

Variations In Keep Away Games

Variations in Keep Away Games:

• Limit the number of times a receiving player can touch the ball. Start with unlimited touches and then play 4, 3 and 2 touch variations. Don't introduce one touch unless all players have an excellent first touch and never make errant one touch passes (bad one touch passes waste time, slow the game down and encourage players to practice making errors in a high pressure training game),
• As players mature and start to play at a higher level asymmetrical Keep Away Games with varying length sides and playing angles prepare players to play well on regulation fields which are longer than they are wide.
  
• Require the attacker in possession to name every player who is in the best position to receive a pass as they pass, or they become the next defender, 
  
• Require the attacker in possession to name ever player not in the "Best Position" to receive a pass before they pass or they become the next defender,
• Start with one extra player and have two players on one side with the first player passing to start the game and then instantly following their own pass and going to the side they passed the ball to. Teaches players to pass and follow their pass because the player they pass to will also be moving creating space for them to move into. 
  
• Start with one less attacking player than you have sides in the game. In this variation the passer always passes and moves to the open side.

Dynamic Keep Away Games for Player Development

Dynamic Keep Away Games are played in the same shapes as static games but without cones for the attacking players to play between. Without cones attacking players learn: 

• to stay away from their teammate with the ball because in games when they move towards their teammate with the ball they almost always take one or more opponents with them.
  
• to stay on their own open passing lane (clear lane to their teammate with the ball). An open passing lane may also be behind a defender if the player in possession can chip the ball over the defenders head to their supporting teammate.
  
• to spread out and to be a good "firm pass" away from each of their teammates. 
  
• to spread out and to not play in the same space as any of their teammates.
  
• to not move into an open passing lane that prevents a teammate behind them from being open and in a better position than they are in.
  

Ball Handling Progressions In Keep Away

Players learn faster and understand the game more quickly when they:

• use their hands to throw and catch the ball the first few times they play a new Keep Away game, (depending on age and skill level progress through the following levels),
• use their feet to pass and receive the ball on the ground until they become comfortable using their feet, 
• use their hands to serve the ball in the air to a teammate who must receive the ball in the air and control it,
• use their hands to serve the ball in the air to a teammate who must deflect it with their body to a third teammate who must receive the ball and control it,
• use their feet to chip the ball in the air over the defenders to their teammates who must receive and control the ball, and
• use their feet to chip the ball in the air over the defenders to their teammates who must deflect the ball to a third teammate who must receive and control the ball. 

Ball Touches In Keep Away Games

When first learning to play Keep Away games players should be allowed unlimited touches. The number of touches should quickly be decreased as players learn the game and become comfortable with it. While 1 touch is ideal for highly paid professional players almost all other players benefit more from learning to play 2 or 3 touch in Keep Away games. 

When playing 2 touch in Keep Away the receiving player's 1st touch:

• is usually away from pressure (the nearest opponent). 
• gives the player in possession (the player receiving the ball) time to look and see their teammates in the "Best Position" to receive the ball. 
• is a visual cue (clue) to their supporting teammates to move into the "Best Position" to receive the ball. Supporting Attackers who move too early to be in the best position arrive too early and opponents move to guard them before the ball arrives. Supporting Attackers who move on cue and who arrive "on time" are usually not well marked (guarded) and are often completely open if the ball is passed to them.

Ideal Number of Players for Keep Away Games

Stopwatch studies of coaching in practices, clinics and camps confirms most players in team sports are bored because they stand around waiting in line or doing nothing over 40% of their practice time. Statistics show 70% of children quit playing team sports by the time they are age 14, because they feel they are not learning, are bored or their coaches and/or parents put too much pressure on them.

To keep players active, focused, learning and having fun the best number of Attacking Players in Keep Away games ranges between 3 and 6, with either 1 or 2 Defenders, depending on the level of the players and Keep Away game being played. 

Since players need more time and space while learning the basics of Keep Away games, 6 Attacking Players with 2 Defenders is an ideal number for introducing Keep Away games. When there are more than 6 Attacking Players in each Keep Away game too many players tune out and become bored.

With time and experience the number of Attacking Players in Keep Away games can gradually be reduced to 3, 4 or 5 Attacking Players. While 2 Attacking Player games are useful, attacking players benefit most from having at least 3 Attacking Players so that the player in possession learns to always look for and work with at least 2 or more supporting teammates.

Keep Away games with 4 to 6 Attacking Players are best because they:

• teach the player in possession to pass to their teammate in the "Best Position",
• teach the player in possession of the ball to keep the ball if their teammates yelling for the ball are not in a "Better Position" to have the ball than they are,
• teach the player in possession to constantly scan to know which teammates are in the "Best Position" and should have the ball,
• teach the players supporting the teammate in possession to constantly look and move to be in the "Best Position", and
• teach the player receiving the ball to receive and protect the ball while looking for teammates in a "Better Position" than they are in to work with.

The number of Defenders in Keep Away games is usually less than the number of Attacking Players. This forces defending players to learn to play "numbers down" (with fewer players than the attacking team). Playing numbers down is excellent training for all players, regardless of position.

Keep Away Games for Number of Players At Practice

Play 1, 2 or 3 Keep Away games at the same time based on players at your practice.

Players
at Practice
4
5
6
7
8
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
20
21
21
22
22

Game 1
Attack vs Def.
3 v 1
3 v 2
4 v 2
5 v 2
6 v 2
3 v 1
3 v 2
3 v 2
4 v 2
4 v 2
5 v 2
6 v 2
5 v 2
6 v 2
6 v 2
4 v 2
4 v 2
5 v 2
6 v 2
5 v 2
6 v 2
5 v 2
6 v 2
6 v 2

Game 2
Attack vs Def.
-
-
-
-
-
3 v 1
3 v 1
3 v 2
3 v 2
4 v 2
4 v 2
4 v 2
5 v 2
5 v 2
6 v 2
4 v 2
4 v 2
4 v 2
4 v 2
5 v 2
5 v 2
5 v 2
5 v 2
6 v 2

Game 3
Attack vs Def.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
3 v 2
4 v 2
4 v 2
4 v 2
4 v 2
4 v 2
5 v 2
5 v2
4 v 2

Level 3 Keep Away Menu

Return to Keep Away Menu

Rules for Level 3 Keep Away
   8v2 & 8v3 Free Play Keep Away
   Free Play Keep Away Variations
   3 Team 4v4v4 Keep Away
   3 Team 6v6v6 Keep Away
   3 Team 2v2v2 Keep Away
   4v4v4 Shooting Keep Away
   6v6v6 Shooting Keep Away
   2v2v2 Shooting Keep Away