Keep Ball Small-Sided Game
Three-a-side keep-ball in a small area with simple rules: one-handed, no contact, everyone touches the ball before scoring a point.
- Stages
- Water Polo – Stage 8, Water Polo – Stage 9
- Difficulty
- Developing
- Skills
- Passing, Receiving, Game Awareness
- Equipment
- Water Polo Ball, Team Caps or Bibs
- Age
- 8–99 years
- Group size
- 6–12 swimmers
- Time
- About 7 minutes
- In a lesson
- Game / Consolidation
- Shared by
- SwimShare Resource
Safety notes
- No contact; small numbers so play stays controlled.
What it develops
- Play simple small-sided games safely
- Pass and receive while moving
How to run it
- Teams of three in a small marked area.
- Keep possession by passing; a point is scored when all three players have touched the ball in a passing move.
- Defenders may intercept or block passes but not touch players.
- Rotate teams every three minutes.
Teaching cues
- Everyone involved.
- Pass and move.
- Call names.
Make it easier
- Allow two hands to catch for the first round.
Make it harder
- Limit each player to three seconds holding the ball.
Common faults
- One strong player keeps the ball.
- Players stop moving.
Corrections
- 'Everyone must touch it.'
- 'Move after you pass.'
Assistant / L1 role
- Track which players have touched the ball in each move for one team and call 'point' when all three have.