I. 5v5 Partner Keep Away
Set Up
- 15x15 yard grid
- Two Teams: 1 Red and 1 Blue
- Each player partners up with a player from the other team
Procedure
- Blue is the attacking team and begins with the ball
- Red is the defending team
- The Blue players try to get away from their partner who is marking them to receive a pass
- The Red players try to stay touch tight to their partners on defense
- The Red players cannot steal the ball
- Play for 90 seconds and switch roles
Coaching Points
- Change your pace to get away from your defender
- Drag your defender away from the space you want to run into and when he starts moving the wrong way make a sharp cut to get into the open space
After playing the game once bring the players in and talk about working together as a team. You will notice that everyone will be working to get the ball and players will often run into each others space. When you bring them in talk about dragging your defender away from a space to create space for your teammates. Remind them that it is a team game.
Make It Competitive
- Give a point to the attacking team every time they create space to receive a ball
- Play two rounds and have players switch partners after both teams have gone once
II. 1v1 In Three Channels
Outside Channels replicate the wings. Players have two goals to choose from. Can you drag your defender towards one goal to set up going through the other goal. End Line and Goal.
Middle Channel replicate the middle of the field and you are attacking one goal. Once your momentum stops play the ball back and move to get it again at a different angle to attack the defender.
III. 2v2 On Two Halves To Two Goals
IV. 4v4 To Three Goals
V. 5v5 In Three Grids
Set Up
- Field is 50 yards long divided into 3 grids. The two outside grids are 15 yards long and the middle grid is 20 yards long
Procedure
- Players play 5v5 in the middle grid
- If you can play a pass into your attacking third you quickly try to score a goal with no defenders being able to follow you
- If the Red goalie makes a save the red defenders can drop into their defensive third to receive the ball with no pressure from the blue players
- Once red plays the ball back into the middle third the game is live again
Coaching Points
