U10 practice #6: Defending

Theme this week:  Defending
Defending coaching points
Defender's stance:
Defender's feet should be about a shoulder width apart, boxers stance
- legs should be slightly bent
- stay on toes so you can react to any sudden changes of direction by the attacker.
-quick close down
-delay/give space - don't commit- jockey
-watch ball not player
-make the attacker make the mistake
Defender positioning:
- defender is goalside (closer to net than attacker)
- direct attacker into area where there is support

How to block tackle:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUtauRD5ipo

Warm up:

Agility and Dynamic warm up (dynamic stretching).
Ball warm up:
Keep Away - 20 X 30 m grid. All players except for two are dribbling within a grid. Those without balls try to win ball from other players and then continue to dribble with grid. When coach stops play the two players without balls must do a challenge.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RWJ6u8X4dY


Game
Two teams. Regular rules except man on man marking only. Pair up forwards and defence, and midfielders and midfielders. Have one player on each team who can check anyone. Stress importance of knowing where your check is and to get goalside and defend against check when ball is lost.

Technical Team Activities: Choose a few of the below drills.

Ensure you spend time demonstrating proper defending stance and positioning. Encourage good defending skills and correct when needed. 

1 vs 1 defending. Play kings court style.  Players 15 apart. Defender passes ball to attacker who tries to beat defender and dribble to end line and stop it. 2 minute games.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6-1No0rddBo  (as in video except multiple grids so no line ups.)

Progress to 2 vs 1 where defender is trying to prevent two attackers from getting to endline or to get a shot on net.

Shark...because they love it.  Could play knock out version with two grids, continuous, with one person as the shark, they need to know everyone's ball out of grid, when knocked out, they go into second grid, coach designates a shark for that grid.  Switch sharks when clearly tired.  

6 vs 2 defending game. Check out video on how to do this activity. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sX7_x-az1b4

Win ball Drill:  Two lines facing coach, coach passes a 50/50 ball, players need to try and win ball and either score on a small net or pass to a target (favoured, use a player) and work on defender's working to win the ball back and make strong second effort.

Gauntlet drill:
Have defenders move up in grid after each player goes through the gauntlet. The objective is to see if a player can beat all the defenders and shoot on goalie. Defenders are trying to stop attacker in each grid. Check it out. http://3v3soccer.blogspot.ca/2009/05/gauntlet-drill.html

1v1 to numbers game:

Have two small goals on either end of a mini field.  Balls at centre on side of grid with coach, line up of players on either side of coach (two teams, one in pinnies), play a ball into middle of field, 1v1 until dead or score.  Can increase number of players going for ball to create different situations, 2v2, 3v3 etc...or numbers game:  Number players 1,2,3,4,5 etc. Call out a number. Coach rolls out ball at center line and numbered player on each team must try to win ball and then either defend their goal or attack the other goal. Progress to calling out more than one number and encourage players on same team to work together to score. . Add a goalkeeper

Game:  Two teams, one ball, play the game!