Why 93% of Grassroots Coaches Are Doing This One Thing Wrong - And Don’t Even Know It

The Shocking Stat That Should Stop You in Your Tracks

Picture this. The average grassroots footballer touches the ball just 2 minutes per game. That’s it. Out of 60–90 minutes of effort, shouting, positioning, sprinting - the ball is at their feet for a blink.

Yet what do most coaches focus 90% of their sessions on? Ball work. Passing drills. 1v1s. Crossing and finishing. Now don’t get us wrong... those are important.

But here’s the brutal truth:

If your players don’t know how to move without the ball, they’ll never master the game with it.

And that’s the silent killer of development at grassroots level.

Why We’re Getting It So Wrong (Without Realising It)

You’re probably not ignoring movement on purpose. Most coaches aren’t. In fact, you're likely juggling:

• A muddy pitch and 15 kids who just want to shoot.

• Parents on the sideline critiquing tactics.

• A half-formed plan scribbled 10 minutes before training.

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So you default to the easy wins:

• Set up passing drills.

• Do a rondo.

• Finish with a match.

  
  

And when you hear "off-the-ball movement," it sounds like something reserved for elite academies.

But here’s the thing: Off-the-ball movement isn’t elite, It’s essential and when introduced early, even in simplified ways, it becomes a superpower.

What Off-The-Ball Movement Really Means (And Why It’s a Game-Changer)

Let’s break it down without the jargon.

Off-the-ball movement is:

• Finding space when your teammate has the ball.

• Dragging defenders to open up lanes.

• Scanning before receiving to play faster.

• Timing your runs instead of ball-watching.

• Creating overloads without needing the ball.

And here's the kicker:

Some of the best players in the world - think Thomas Müller, Ilkay Gündogan, or Fran Kirby - make careers not from flashy dribbles, but from elite movement.

If you only train your players to operate on the ball, you're coaching less than 5% of their matchday actions.

But what Happens When You Flip the Script?

Let’s say you start introducing small tweaks to your sessions:

• You add trigger-based movement games (e.g. "when A passes, B must check and move").

• You teach kids to scan before receiving.

• You encourage rotations in a 4v4 game instead of static positions.

Within weeks, you’ll see:

✅ Players finding space more naturally

✅ Faster passing patterns

✅ Fewer “statue moments” in games

✅ Players shouting to receive because they’ve moved into better positions

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One coach who trialled this told us:

“Our U10s used to stand still after every pass. Now they’re buzzing around like bees and it’s contagious.”

3 Simple Drills to Embed Movement Without Overhauling Your Sessions

You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Try these:

1. Third Man Runs in 3v3 Grids - Player A passes to B, who sets up C to finish. Rotate roles. Teaches movement off the first pass.

2. Gate Games with Triggers - Set up mini-gates. Players score by receiving a pass after moving into a new gate. Forces scanning and spatial awareness.

3. Silent 5v5 - Players must play a 5v5 game in silence. It heightens awareness and forces better body language and positioning off the ball.

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The Counterintuitive Truth - It feels unnatural at first. Parents might not "see" what you’re coaching. Players might moan, “When are we shooting?”

But hold your nerve.

Because the coach who teaches kids how to move becomes the coach who helps them love the game, not just play it.

So What’s the One Thing 93% Are Getting Wrong?

They’re coaching the game only when players are on the ball.

But the game is happening everywhere else.

Fix this and you’ll unlock smarter players, smoother transitions, and a style of play that actually works under pressure.

Ready to Coach the Invisible Game?

Here’s what to do next:

➡️ Use our AI Season Planner to automatically build sessions with off-the-ball themes

➡️ Get Free Drills that teach movement in under 15 minutes with our Drill Library Free Trial

➡️ Bookmark this post and share it with a coach who only shouts “pass!” every Saturday

Final Thought - Every player deserves a coach who sees beyond the ball. If you’re reading this... that coach might just be you.