Pirate treasure hunt

Why use it

This fun game can be used as a warm-up and give players the chance to get lots of touches, changes of direction and different skills without feeling like they’re doing repetitive technical work. It also encourages them to keep their heads up, find space and make decisions while controlling their “treasure”.

Set up

Mark out an area relative to the age, ability and number of players. Every player has a ball - their treasure chest. Scatter different coloured cones around the area as islands. Place a few larger cones or poles around the outside as pirate ships. The coach is the Pirate Captain.

How to play

Players sail around the ocean with their treasure, dribbling their ball while avoiding the other pirates. The Captain calls different challenges:

• “Storm!” – Players must stop their treasure, put a foot on the ball and hold their position until the storm passes.
• “Pirate ship!” – Players quickly dribble to the nearest ship and perform a skill before sailing away.
• “Treasure island!” – Dribble to a coloured cone and perform a turn around it.
• “Shark!” – Players must accelerate into space to escape the shark.
• “Steal the treasure!” – Players leave their ball and try to steal another player’s ball before returning to their own.
• “Captain’s challenge!” – The coach demonstrates a skill. Players have to copy it before continuing.

Every time a player successfully completes a challenge, they earn a piece of imaginary treasure.

Coaching points

• Keep the ball close when you’re in a crowded area
• Use lots of different parts of the foot
• Look up regularly to see where the space is
• Slow down before a turn or skill, then accelerate away
• Try to use both feet
• Be brave and try skills - even if they don’t work every time
• Keep the ball under control rather than simply kicking it into space

Progressions/adaptations

• Introduce a Pirate Defender who tries to knock players’ treasure out of the area. If they lose their ball, they perform a skill before getting back in.
• Challenge players to use only their weaker foot.
• Give players a choice of skills rather than telling them which one to use.
• For older players, call two challenges together: “Treasure island, then shark!” Players must complete both in the correct order.
• Let players invent their own pirate skill and teach it to the group.