Finding the Space Footy Pups

The crowd are going wild.

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

# And 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. #

Rachel Yankey, top international footballer

and all-round sporting superstar.

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

she's playing with the Footy Pups.

Hi, everyone, we're all warmed up, so it's time to get moving.

Today on my team we have...

..Alfie...

..Ria...

..Irfan...

..Amy...

..Ronnie....

..Emily...

..and also joining us are Footy Pups, Rex and Benny.

And that's today's team.

OK, guys, gather round, it's team-talk time.

Today we're going to be looking at finding a space.

Does anyone know what finding a space means?

-Fantastic, Alfie?

-It means no-one's surrounding you.

Well done. And where on the football pitch might we need to find a space?

-Ronnie.

-When you have the ball.

-Well done. Emily?

-Everywhere.

That's right, we should try to find a space everywhere.

There are three main things that we need to remember

when trying to find a space.

We need to look...

to find the space,

we need to move into the space

and we need to check that we're in a space.

Look to find your space,

move into your space

and then check that you're still in a space.

OK, guys, let's go and have a practice.

You've each got a hoop. This is your own space.

You need to run around and keep moving into a space where

no-one else is.

Off you go.

That's it, try and find that space.

Remember to move forwards or backwards or zigzagging.

These two look like they're dancing.

Imagine you've got a ball, I'm a defender coming towards you.

Well done, Ronnie, find some space.

Look around you because you never know,

someone might be coming into your space.

Keep checking. Ah-ha-ha!

She nearly got you there, Ronnie. Ha-ha!

Whilst these guys keep practising, here's a reminder for you at home.

Remember to look for a space...

move into it...

and check that you're still in a space.

I've paired you up.

One person is going to keep moving to find a space,

the other person is going to try and follow them.

Off you go. Try and look for that space.

Dodge your partner. Move to get away from them.

Well done, Amy.

Pretend to go one way and move the other.

Try and mirror your partner's movement. Don't let them past you.

Oh, Alfie's got past there.

Don't make the first move.

Great finding space, Amy.

Ronnie's looking for the space. Brilliant move.

Oh, you're so good at finding a space, Benny.

Thanks, Rex. It takes a lot of practice.

-Do you remember the time we played Spottingham Forest?

-Oh, yeah.

It's a stormy day here at Pupton Park,

so everyone is playing inside.

-Whee-hee!

-Whoohoo!

Cheer-fleaders, what's this doing here?

It's part of our amazing flea-saw routine.

It's too stormy to be outside...

So we thought we'd perform it in here.

Whee!

Sorry, but you can't right now, our match is about to start

and there's not enough space.

See?

I wonder if playing football

indoors will be any different to playing outdoors.

I hope not, Rozzie,

we need to concentrate on our match against Spottingham Forest.

Those cheeky cheetahs are always tricky to beat.

THEY LAUGH Right, huddle up, pups.

Come on, Rex.

Oh, sorry, I didn't hear you.

Rex, you're supposed to wear socks on your feet, not your ears.

It's to block out the noisy thunder. I'm scared of loud noises.

-Time to talk tactics.

-See?

Freddie, why are you wearing a helmet?

Are you scared of thunder too?

No, lad, it's to protect me from flying footballs.

Our indoor pitch is much smaller than our grass pitch,

so today's match will be much faster than usual.

Oh!

Sorry! That was me.

Play carefully, pups, and, remember, use the space around you wisely.

-Did you get all that, Rex?

-Not a word!

Playing on a smaller pitch could prove a challenge for the pups

in today's match against speedy Spottingham Forest.

THUNDER CRACKS REX WHIMPERS

WHISTLE BLOWS

That was close! Rex, what are you doing?

Shh! I'm hiding from the thunder.

Hey!

Going somewhere?

Oh, that was close.

Great use of space by Spottingham Forest there.

Boing-boing.

I've got you cornered.

Not for long! Meow!

Oh!

This locker room is perfect for our flea-saw routine.

Hang on, I'm not sure there's enough space.

Argh!

Whee!

Argh!

Yuck!

The Cheer-fleaders aren't the only ones struggling to find a space.

The pups are also feeling the squeeze.

-Look out, Geraldine.

-Alley-whoops!

-Sorry, Pickles.

-What a howler. You can't swing a cat in here.

Not true.

Got it!

Oh, sorry, Benny, I thought you were a cheetah.

Ha-ha, ha!

Och, this is a disaster.

And where's Rex gone now?

I'm just waiting for the thunder to stop.

Oh, dear, I hope the Cheer-fleaders are having more luck.

Maybe they could find a bigger space in the clubhouse.

There must be enough space for our flea-saw in here.

I hope you're right.

Argh!

Oh!

Yay, we scored!

But we've still not done our flea-saw trick.

I still can't get the ball.

Sorry, Benny, this match is moving too fast.

Then I'm going to have to move even faster.

Ha-ha! Got it! Now for a goal.

Oh, sorry, Benny, I think

-you might be at the wrong end of the pitch.

-Ha-ha!

It's a goal to Spottingham Forest.

And, at half-time, they're leading 1-0.

Cheer-fleaders, I thought you'd be getting ready for your routine.

Sorry, Freddie, there won't be a routine today.

-We can't find any space to perform in.

-But it's half-time.

There's plenty of space on the pitch now.

This match is too squashed up.

Every time I get the ball,

I either get tackled or bump into someone.

-I'll never score today.

-Look!

Has the thunder stopped?

Whee! Our flea-saw trick is really ace,

we made it work cos we found some space.

Bow-wow! That's given me an idea.

Instead of just racing after the ball,

we should look at where we are on the pitch.

If we concentrate on finding a space...

..then we'll have room to pass and shoot...

-..without bumping into anyone...

-..or being tackled.

Sounds like a puppy plan.

Go, pups!

WHISTLE BLOWS

Oh...

Oh!

-Whee!

-I found some space, Benny.

-Not for long.

Alley-whoop.

Oh.

-To you, Rozzie.

-I found a space too, but I smell trouble.

Your turn to find a space, Rex.

Huh?

-THUNDER CRACKS

-Waargh!

Thanks, Rex. Now I've got some room to shoot. Rozzie, to me.

Oh, phooey.

-Oh!

-Ah!

BENNY BARKS

What a fantastic goal.

It looks like Benny found the perfect space

at the back of the net, making the match a draw.

# Here's a trick that beats them all

# Find a space and pass the ball

# Go, go, go

# Footy Pups! #

THEY CHEER

-Hey, hey!

-FREDDIE HUMS A TUNE

Well done, Pups. But where's Rex?

Up here! I've found a space, too.

It's all right, lad. The thunder's gone. You can come down now.

Thanks, Freddie.

Woohoo!

Eh?

Aargh!

It's a good job I wore my helmet!

THEY LAUGH

Rex, what are you doing?

Move back. We're meant to be practising finding a space.

Oh? Oh! Oh, yeah.

Sorry, Benny.

-Hi, Benny. Hi, Rex.

-Huh?

-Eh?

Benny, Rex, I'm over here.

Rachel, what are you doing all the way back there?

I've found a space and I'm staying in it.

Don't worry, we'll come to you.

Oh, man. Now I've got to find a new space.

Do you guys remember how to find a space?

When finding a space, remember to look for where the space is,

move into it

and check that you're still in a space.

-OK, guys, who fancies a game?

-CHEERING

So, I split you up into two teams.

We've got the aliens. Give me your best alien impression.

THEY MAKE ALIEN SOUNDS

Fantastic. And we've got the astronauts.

Astronauts, give me your best astronaut walk.

Oh, check that out.

Let's take a look with the Footy Pups

to find out how to play.

To play this game, you need to think one step ahead.

-WHISTLE

-When the whistle blows,

one astronaut must run towards the opposite planets.

Once they cross the centre line, one of the aliens will run forward

and try to block an astronaut.

The astronaut must keep moving to dodge around the alien,

looking and checking for space.

Once they get to the planet,

the second astronaut begins

and the game starts again.

The winners of this game will be the team who get their players

to the opposite planets in the fastest time.

-Guys, are we ready to play?

-ALL: Yeah!

-Three, two, one...

-WHISTLE

Yeah!

Speedy start from Emily.

-Look for a space.

-She goes right.

-THEY CHANT:

-Emily! Emily!

Can she get past?

Yes, she lands.

Irfan's on the move.

This astronaut means business.

He's searching for a space.

Keep looking.

He's firing on all cylinders.

Find a space, Irfan!

Great encouragement there.

And he's crash landed.

Ronnie sets off. He's on a mission.

Can he take one small step on that planet's surface?

Yes.

And that's the end of a terrific first half.

Whilst the teams get their energy back

with some intergalactic oranges, let's have a replay.

The astronauts rocketed towards the aliens,

finding space and landing perfectly on their planets.

-Three, two, one...

-WHISTLE

Blastoff for the second half,

and who's going to make the first move?

Keep looking. See if you can get to that planet.

-That was fast.

-Next two.

Steady as she goes.

Astronaut Irfan gets set, cos this alien's on the attack.

Go on, Amy!

-Oh, so which planet is she going to go for?

-Try and look.

Fantastic, Amy. You got to the planet. Well done.

Ria races into space and it's the final countdown.

Can she get through?

-Keep dodging.

-Come on, Rhea.

And she touches down.

And time.

Let's have a replay.

The aliens successfully invaded the astronauts' space, looking and

moving all the time, but which team landed on the planets the fastest?

Let's go to Footy Pups Benny and Rex, who have the final result.

As the astronauts were quicker than the aliens,

the astronauts are today's out-of-this-world winners.

My team today have been fantastic at finding a space.

We've moved forwards,

we've run backwards,

and we've dodged side to side.

But, most importantly,

we've remembered to look, move and check.

OK, that's it for today, guys.

Well done, everyone. Now you've got the skill,

-remember to pass it on.

-CHEERING