Mass Youth Soccer Academy - Defending 1v1
Coaching Points: Defenders need to have the correct stance, be on their toes, with knees bent, one foot forward, one back, trying to anticipate when to close down their opponent. 1st defender needs to bend their run to "take away" (block the path to) the goal, or force the ball in the direction of the second defender. The first defender then needs to "approach fast, arrive slow", bend run, have correct stance, try to win ball off first touch of opponent, delay progress of opponent by jockeying the player with the ball, and try to force them out of play and in the direction of the second defender. Once opponent goes where the defender wants them to go, they should tackle with front foot, not back foot.
1st defender says "I have ball" and 2nd says "push left/right". Make sure that the 1st defender gets the head of the first attacker down by getting close to the 1st attacker ASAP. 2nd defender needs to be at approximately a 30 degree backward angle to the first defender on the side that the first defender is showing the ball towards. Second defender tells 1st defender which way to push attacker and gets ready to step towards the second attacker and once the ball is passed to her, the defenders’ roles reverse and the previous 1st defender needs to be ready to drop off and cover (now serving as 2nd defender).
1) 1v1 to cone ---Each pair of players have one ball and two cones between them. The cones are placed approximately 6 yards apart. One player on each side of the imaginary line created between the two cones. The player with the ball is the attacker, the one without the ball is the defender. The attacker has to dribble the ball to one of the cones before the defender can react to step on the cone. Work on stance, being on toes. Can only score points when you have the ball. If you tag the cone before the attacker dribbles to the cone, you get to be the attacker and can score points. Good chance for both the attacker and defender to introduce feints. (10 Minutes)
2) Defensive stance---In two’s, pass the ball back and forth one touch from about 7 yds apart. When either of the players stops the ball with the bottom of their foot, their partner responds by making a bending run and closing down the player on the ball as a defender would. After arriving, the defender backs off, and the exercise continues. Variations: 1) Player stops ball with sole of foot, other player goes and circles opponent, backing away as a def would. 2) If one player lets ball through their legs, they turn shield it and the other player goes to press the ball and doesn’t let player 1 turn for a few seconds. 3) Covering player, 2v2. Same set up as for 1v1, but now each player has a partner standing directly behind them. When one player stops ball with sole of foot, 1st player of opposite pair, closes the ball down as in 1v1, and player two becomes a covering player. Players should talk… "I have ball" is what 1st defender says, 2nd says keep it right/left. (14 Minutes)
1 minute waterbreak
3) Multiple Balls---10 players make two teams of five playing in a space of approximately 25x30 yards. There are five balls, and the team with the most balls at the end of a 2-3 minute period wins. 1v1 and 2v2 defensive skills can be practiced. (14 Minutes)
1 minute waterbreak
4) 2v2 soccer golf---This game is played in a space 22 yds X 17 yds, with two 2 yd flag goals in diagonally opposite corners. Two teams of 6 players are at the adjacent corners of the grid from where they are defending their goal. The supply of balls is there too. Game starts by one team passing the ball to their opponents. Play 2v2 until the ball is out of play. A team can dribble through the goal (3 pts), pass through the goal (2 pts), or dribble over the end line (1 pt.) (20 Minutes)
5) Review---Ask players to teach you the technical coaching points to insure complete understanding in the group.
*****visuals of these activities are on the back of this sheet*****
