GOAL: Improve preventing the opponent from building up in their own half - 1 AGE GROUP

PLAYER ACTIONS Protect the goal, Steal the ball, Pressure, Cover & Balance
KEY QUALITIES Make decisions, Focus, Optimal physical abilities
11U-12U
MOMENT Defending DURATION 60 min PLAYERS 16 9v9
1st PLAY PHASE (Intentional Free Play): 4v4 to Goal DURATION: 20 min --- INTERVALS: 3 -- ACTIVITY: 5 min -- REST: 1.5 min
OBJECTIVE: To regain the ball in the opponent’s half.
PLAYER ACTIONS: Protect the goal, Steal the ball, Pressure/Cover and Balance.
ORGANIZATION: In a 9v9 field set up two 22Wx35L fields with a small goal at each end. Play 1v1, 2v1, up
to 4v4. Play 3 rounds for a total of 20 minutes. Play with kick-ins and dribble-ins when the ball goes out of
bounds.
KEY WORDS: Shut the opening, Angle, Speed, Distance of approach and Types of Tackle - Poke or Block.
GUIDED QUESTIONS: 1. What should you do to block the way to the goal? 2. Who pressures the ball? 3.
When is a good time to steal the ball?
ANSWERS: 1. Get in front of the ball to protect the goal - 2. The defender closest to the ball - 3. When the
defender is close enough to tackle it or poke it.
Note – First break, the coach asks questions to the players, players do not answer them but play to discover
the answers. Second break, the coach asks questions and players will answer them.
PRACTICE (Core Activity): 5v6 to goal & an End Zone DURATION: 20 min --- INTERVALS: 3 -- ACTIVITY: 5 min -- REST: 1.5 min
OBJECTIVE: To regain the ball closer to the opponent’s goal.
PLAYER ACTIONS: Protect the goal, Steal the ball, Pressure/Cover and Balance.
ORGANIZATION: In the attacking half of a 9v9 field, set up a 50Wx44L field with a regular goal and an End
Zone. The 5 Blue defenders score in the regular goal, Red team scores by dribbling into the end zone or
passing to a teammate entering the end zone. Rotate players every round.
KEY WORDS: Shut the opening, Angle, Speed, Distance of approach and Types of Tackle - Poke or Block.
GUIDED QUESTIONS: 1. Who should step up to protect the goal? 2. What can the defender in front of the
ball do? 3. How will the other defenders close the openings?
ANSWERS: 1. The closest defender to the ball - 2. Pressure the attacker and try to steal the ball - 3. By
providing cover and balance.
Note: Switch to the Less Challenging activity if it is too difficult or to the More Challenging if it is too easy.

PRACTICE (Less Challenging): 7v6 to Goal & an End Zone DURATION: 20 min --- INTERVALS: 3 -- ACTIVITY: 5 min -- REST: 1.5 min
OBJECTIVE: To regain the ball closer to the opponent’s goal.
PLAYER ACTIONS: Protect the goal, Steal the ball, Pressure/Cover and Balance.
ORGANIZATION: In the attacking half of a 9v9 field, set up a 50Wx44L field with a regular goal and an End
Zone. The 5 Blue defenders score in the regular goal, Red team scores by dribbling into the end zone or
passing to a teammate entering the end zone. Rotate players every round.
KEY WORDS: Shut the opening, Angle, Speed, Distance of approach and Types of Tackle - Poke or Block.
GUIDED QUESTIONS: 1. What should you do to block the way to the goal? 2. Who pressures the ball? 3.
When is a good time to steal the ball? 4. Who provides cover?
ANSWERS: 1. Get in front of the ball to protect the goal - 2. The defender closest to the ball - 3. When I am
close enough to tackle it or poke it - 4. The Defenders who are behind the defender pressing the ball.
Note: Switch to this activity if the Core is too difficult for the players.
PRACTICE (More Challenging): 5v7 to Goal & an End Zone DURATION: 20 min --- INTERVALS: 3 -- ACTIVITY: 5 min -- REST: 1.5 min
OBJECTIVE: To regain the ball closer to the opponent’s goal.
PLAYER ACTIONS: Protect the goal, Steal the ball, Pressure/Cover and Balance.
ORGANIZATION: In the attacking half of a 9v9 field, set up a 50Wx44L field with a regular goal and an End
Zone. The 5 Blue defenders score in the regular goal, Red team scores by dribbling into the end zone or
passing to a teammate entering the end zone. Rotate players every round.
KEY WORDS: Shut the opening, Angle, Speed, Distance of approach and Types of Tackle - Poke or Block.
GUIDED QUESTIONS: 1. Who should step up to protect the goal? 2. What can the defender in front of the
ball do? 3. How will the other defenders close the openings?
ANSWERS: 1. The closest defender to the ball - 2. Pressure the attacker and try to steal the ball - 3. By
providing cover and balance.
Note: Switch to this activity if the Core is too easy for the players.
2nd. PLAY PHASE: The Game – 8v8 (GK+7v7+GK) DURATION: 20 min --- INTERVALS: 2 -- ACTIVITY: 8 min -- REST: 2 min
OBJECTIVE: To regain the ball closer to the opponent’s goal.

PLAYER ACTIONS: Protect the goal, Steal the ball, Pressure/Cover and Balance.

ORGANIZATION: In a 9v9 field (50Wx80L) play 9v9. The Blue team will play in a 1-2-3-2 formation.
The Red team will play in 1-3-3-1.

KEY WORDS: Shut the opening, Angle, Speed, Distance of approach and Types of Tackle - Poke or
Block.

GUIDED QUESTIONS: 1. How can we prevent the opponent from playing forward? 2. What can the
defender in front of the ball do? 3. How will the other defenders close the openings?

ANSWERS: 1. The closest defender to the ball gets in front of the ball to protect the goal - 2. Pressure
the attacker and try to steal the ball - 3. By providing cover and balance.

Note: All Laws of the game and US Soccer Player Development Initiatives (PDI) are in effect.

Five Elements of a Training Activity

2. Game-like: Is the activity game-like?

3. Repetition: Is there repetition, when looking at the overall goal of the training session?

4. Challenging: Are the players being challenged? (Is there the right balance between being successful and unsuccessful?)

5. Coaching: Is there effective coaching based on the age and level of the players?

Training Session Self-Reflection Questions

2. What did you do well?

3. What could you do better?