Lose Your Shadow: Get Free on the Whistle

In pairs, one student tries to break away from their "shadow" using changes of pace and direction. It warms up the body and teaches the root of every off-ball run: creating separation from the defender.

How to play

1. Jog in pairs: the shadow follows one meter behind while you loosen up ankles, hips and shoulders (2 min).
2. On the whistle, the leader changes pace and direction to break free; on the second whistle everyone freezes and you check for more than two steps of space (2 min).
3. Add fakes: sell one way and go the other, stop and burst (2 min).
4. A third student joins with a ball and passes to whoever gets free; the shadow tries to touch the ball, never the person (2 min).
5. Switch roles and quick question: what helped more, speed or deception? (2 min).

Rules

• Touch the ball only, never the player.
• Everyone moves in the same area facing forward; no full-speed backpedaling.
• Cut with short steps and a low body.
• On the freeze whistle, everyone stops dead.

Variations

Adaptations

• Students with low vision: the shadow wears a bright pinnie and calls out at the start of each rep.
• Wheelchair users: same role, success distance drops to one step and the partner walks.
• Hesitant students: start as the shadow and pick a partner for the first round.

Learning goals

• Create separation from the defender with changes of pace and direction.
• Use a fake before cutting.
• Warm up the body progressively.

Equipment for a class of 25

• foam balls: 10

Teacher tip

Let students pick partners at first and mix them up for the last round. Typical mistake: running in straight lines at full speed; remind them the winner is whoever stops and cuts, not whoever runs fastest.

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