Catching Footy Pups

The crowd are going wild! CHEERING

Here come the Footy Pups!

# They play like a dream

# When they work as a team

# Footy Pups! Go, go, Footy Pups!

# There's Pickles and Rex

# And Geraldine next

# Footy Pups! Go, go, Footy Pups!

# Rozzie and Benny, our manager, Freddie

# Footy Pups! Go, go, Footy Pups!

# There's Rachel, too

# And, of course, all of you!

# Footy Pups! Go, go, Footy Pups!

# Go, go, go, go, Footy Pups! #

APPLAUSE

Rachel Yankey, top international footballer

and all-round sporting superstar.

But when Rachel's not scoring goals for her team,

she is playing with the Footy Pups.

CHEERING

Hi, everyone!

So we've warmed up. Now it's time to get moving.

CHILDREN: Yeah!

Today on my team we have...

Number one, Kush...

Number two, Jessica...

Number three, Isis...

Number four, Fancy...

Number five, Leylan...

Number six, Alan...

And joining us are Footy Pups Benny and Pickles.

So that's today's team. CHEERING

OK, guys, gather in, gather in.

Well done, good stuff!

OK, guys. Today we're going to practise catching.

Where on the football pitch do we need to catch the ball?

Lots of hands!

Alan, I think I'll ask you. The goalkeeper.

The goalkeeper! Excellent, Alan, high five for you there.

OK, we're going to practise to be goalkeepers.

Can I please borrow someone's ball? There you go.

Oh, thank you very much. I'll borrow yours, Leylan.

There are three things to remember when we're catching.

We're going to look at it, reach out to catch the ball,

and we're going to squeeze it in.

I want you to say it as I do it. Ready?

ALL: Look...reach...

squeeze! Excellent!

Shall we go again?

Look, reach, squeeze.

Well done! Do you think you could have a go at that?

ALL: Yes! OK!

Leylan, there's your ball. Off we go!

So it's look, reach, squeeze.

Look...reach...squeeze.

Excellent looking there.

GIRLS: Look, reach, squeeze. Good!

Imagine that ball's an egg. You don't want to break it!

Oh, no!

Shall I get you a new egg?

Excellent, Kush!

We're going to challenge ourselves...

So...look, clap, reach, squeeze!

Absolutely extraordinary stuff, this.

Great skills all round!

Well done!

Reach... Good. Clap!

While these guys are practising their catching skills,

here's a reminder for you at home.

You've got to LOOK and keep your eyes on the ball,

REACH out to catch the ball,

and SQUEEZE it in.

Now it's your turn.

CHEERING

OK, guys, over you come!

Excellent, well done.

OK, now we're going to challenge ourselves

by using some different-shaped balls. Grab yourself a ball!

Yes!

No!

Look! Don't do it so high...

FOOTY PUPS GIGGLE

Look! Look!

Do a nice cup shape so you can keep the ball nice and safe.

Into the cup and squeeze!

Cup ready to protect...

She's looking ready...

Look, reach, squeeze!

Great catching, Pickles! You're brilliant at it!

Thanks, Benny.

But I've not always been good at catching.

Do you remember the day I had a catching disaster?

So, welcome to Pupton Park,

where the Footy Pups are getting ready

for today's football fun.

Rup, rup!

And it looks like team manager Freddie's got some important news.

Listen up, folks.

I want you to practise some catching today,

with young Pickles in goal.

Great! Better get my gloves on.

But I'm afraid I won't be able to join in.

I've promised to help the cheerfleaders

with a new, very special dance routine. Ooh!

CHEERFLEADERS: Freddie, Freddie, he's our flea!

He can help us, watch and see! # Go, go, go! #

FREDDIE: Have fun! No!

CRASH!

Come on, pups. It's playtime!

ALL: Rup, rup!

I'll just get my gloves.

Oh! My lucky gloves!

HE GROANS: Oh, no!

Oh, what a shocker for the young goalie!

Those gloves have definitely seen better days.

Hee-hee!

Oh! Come on, Pickles, you can catch my ball first.

I don't think I can play today.

But you LOVE catching the ball!

It's my lucky goalkeeper gloves.

I've used them so much they've totally worn out.

Oh, they can't be that bad!

Oh!

Or...maybe they can.

Oh, well. You'll just have to play without them.

BOING! BOING!

Oh!

But you don't understand...

I can't catch without my lucky gloves.

And if I can't catch, I can't be a goalkeeper any more.

Hmm... We need a puppy plan!

If Pickles can't use his old gloves any more

then maybe we can find him some new ones!

So what are we waiting for?

I smell a game of fetch!

ALL: Rup, rup! Woof!

Poor Pickles, you have to feel for the pup.

Now what are Freddie and the cheerfleaders up to?

Ooh!

Are you sure I don't look daft?

Not at all, Freddie. You look great!

And you'll look even better

at the top of our Leaning Tower of Fleazer! Ha-ha!

Leaning tower of what?!

BOING! BOING!

Ha-ha! Looks like Freddie's got his hands full there.

And speaking of hands,

let's see how the pups are doing finding new gloves for Pickles.

Are you sure these boxing gloves will work?

There's only one way to find out.

Ready?

Catch!

Ooh!

CRASH! Oh!

ALL: Whoa!

Great swirling skills from the cheerfleaders there.

Now THAT'S working as a team!

Maybe you'll have more luck with these old gardening gloves.

INSECTS BUZZ

Poo-ee! They're really stinky, Rozzie.

Oh! Oh!

Maybe Rex has a better plan.

Du-duh-duh-duh-duh-duh-duh!

Time to try my oven gloves.

Ha!

Ohhh!

Oh, they're too slippy!

Never mind, Pickles, try these instead.

THROWS VOICE: But we're glove puppets,

we're not made for catching balls.

No, we're not, but we're lots of fun!

Oh!

So much fun, I've forgotten what we're supposed to be doing.

Oh, what a howler. None of these gloves work.

Thanks for trying, everyone, but I'll never be able to catch again

without my lucky gloves.

HE WHINES

ALL: Oh!

Poor Pickles.

Yes, you've got to feel for the young keeper there.

Let's hope he can bounce back.

Hold on, what's this?

ALL: Ohhh.

Wow, wah, woh!

The cheerfleaders are ready for their big routine.

But I wonder if Freddie is.

I've never been this high up before.

Oh, dear, he's not looking too confident there.

Stop wobbling the tower. I cannae help it,

my knees are a knockin'.

ALL: CAREFUL, FREDDIE!

Help!

The manager's taken a dive! Huh? Oh, no!

Wahh!

Gotcha!

Oh, extraordinary catch! My word, that plucky pup's really

outdone himself there.

You saved me, laddie!

ALL: # Pickles is the pup everyone loves

# He caught Freddie without his gloves! #

Go, go, go, Pickles!

CHEERING

Oh, that was a really brilliant catch, Pickles.

Thanks. And you did it with just your puppy paws.

Oh, yeah, I did, didn't I?

Maybe I don't need my lucky gloves, after all.

Course you don't.

Hey, Pickles, try catching this one.

HE BARKS

Catch mine! And mine!

Don't forget mine.

So, with goalkeeper Pickles back to his best, I wonder if there's

enough time on the clock for Freddie to rejoin the cheerfleaders.

What? No way, are you kidding me on? You'll never catch me

climbing up there again.

If I was meant to fly, I would have wings.

Ha-ha, no! I think it's all over!

Catch, Pickles. Ha-ha, I'm pleased we have you in goal,

with your trusty puppy paws.

Hi, Benny. Hi, Pickles. BOTH: Hi, Rachel.

Great catching, by the way. Can I join in?

Oh, yes. But you won't be needing those to catch.

Oh, silly me.

Do you guys at home remember how to catch?

WHISTLE

Remember to look.

Reach out.

And squeeze the ball in.

CHEERING AND BARKING

OK, guys, it's game time!

CHEERING

So, I've split you up into two teams.

We've got the Foxes. Give me a grrr!

ALL: Grrr!

And we've got the Rabbits. Give me a bounce, Rabbits.

Boing, boing, boing.

OK, let's take a look at Benny and Pickles, to see how to play.

Come and have a look.

Each team will have a chance to throw and catch the balls.

The aim of this game is to catch as many balls as you can,

without letting them in the dens.

Ha-ha. When you catch a ball, pop it in the purple bucket.

WHISTLE

At half-time, Foxes and Rabbits swap sides,

and it's the other team's turn to catch.

The winners of this game will be the team to catch the most balls.

Yeah!

Three, two, one...

WHISTLE

A big stretch and catch from Kush.

But Leylan can't wait for Alan to throw the next ball.

And it's a great catch!

Too high from Isis.

Woo-hoo! That's the sound of a happy Fox.

Sensational catch from Bansi. Yay! Yay, indeed.

Good... Oh, excellent. Look, reach, squeeze,

and a point... And another one, Rachel.

These points are coming thick and fast now for the Foxes.

Oh! Unlucky, Leylan.

There's not long left now.

And...

WHISTLE Fine, stop there, stand still.

It's half-time. Save me an orange, please.

Let's see some replays.

The Rabbits aimed high.

And low.

But the Foxes covered their dens brilliantly...

catching a total of 14 balls. Yeah! Wow!

It's the second half.

Foxes, it's your turn to score the goals.

Rabbits, it's your turn to save them. Are we ready on the whistle?

Go! And we're off!

Good... Oh. Good catch from Jessica.

Oh, nearly, Alan. Kush takes aim. Good, great catch, Isis.

And there's another happy bunny.

Fantastic. Good save, Jessica.

Oh, an unlucky miss for Isis. Ha-ha.

And time is running out.

With the clock ticking, can the Rabbits beat the Foxes' 14 catches?

Reach, squeeze. Pop it in, Jessica, ready for the next one.

It's going to be tight. But it's all to play for.

And... WHISTLE

Time. Stop there.

Time for a replay. The Bunnies bounced into action,

but will they be hoppy with the final score?

Over to Benny and Pickles.

The Rabbits caught an excellent eight balls.

But today's Woodland Winners are the Foxes, with 14 balls.

CHEERING

WOOF, WOOF!

My team today have been confident at catching.

We've caught footballs, beachballs...

And we've even caught tennis balls.

But most importantly, we've remembered to look,

reach and squeeze.

That's it for today, guys. Well done, everybody.

Now you've got the skills, let's pass it on.

CHEERING