Piggy in the Middle 3v1

Introduce keeping the ball as a team: pass away from pressure, move to help your mate, and take a first touch that opens the next pass.

One 10x10 yard square per group of four. Three passers stand on the outside lines (one side stays empty), the bibbed piggy starts in the middle. Run two or more squares side by side so everyone plays.

1. The three passers keep the ball away from the piggy, moving along their lines to make passing angles.
2. The piggy chases and tries to touch the ball — even a toe on it counts as a win.
3. When the piggy wins a touch (or the ball leaves the square), the passer at fault swaps in and hands over the bib instantly.
4. Passers count their passes out loud — 5 in a row is a 'mini win', 10 means the piggy does the swap anyway and the team takes a bow.
5. Play 8–10 minutes; rotate so everyone has been piggy at least twice.

• Pass across the square, away from the piggy's feet — never through them.
• Move along your line after passing — be ready to help again.
• First touch out of your feet towards the next pass, not back where it came from.
• Pass firm enough to beat the chase, soft enough for your mate to control.

• Passers stand frozen on their corner and pass back the same way — coach the after-pass shuffle along the line every single time.
• Panicked first-time whacks go straight out of the square — encourage a controlling touch first while there is still time and space.
• The same slow swap kills the rhythm — make bib handover a 3-second race the kids count down themselves.

• Two-touch maximum for the passers.
• Shrink the square to 8x8 yards.
• Make it 3v1 inside the square — passers must move off the lines into space.

• Grow the square to 12x12 yards.
• Piggy walks for the first two minutes.
• Allow unlimited touches and let players stop the ball before passing.

• The piggy only needs ONE touch to win the swap — passers can't just blast it past them.
• Passers must stay on or behind their lines (until the progression frees them).