Activity

1v1 To Endzone - Multiple Pairs

Set Up

Use this set up as you will have multiple pairs of players playing the activity at the same time in the grid.

Adjust the size of your playing grid according to the age, ability and number of players. Widen the grid to make the activity easier for the players and shorten the overall distance for younger players to make the distance easier to cover and to encourage more changes of direction.

Put your group of players into pairs, try and match players up with a partner of a similar ability level. One of the partners will start with ball in one of the end-zones their partner will start in the other end-zone.

The objective of the activity is for the player with the ball to dribble their ball past their partner and get the ball into the end-zone under control (foot on the ball).

If the partner who does not have the ball steals the ball they must try and get the ball into the opposite end-zone.

Every time one of the players gets the ball into the end-zone under control the players switch possession and the activity continues. If the players kicks the ball through the end-zone and does not have control of the ball their partner gets the ball.

Videos

Variations

Coaching Points

Have the attacker try a change of pace/speed. Show them how to dribble at the defender at one speed and then change speed when they want to try and go around or past the defender.

Have the attacker try to get the defender to commit to going one way by using a feint or a move and then when the defender commits to going to one side change direction and go the other way past the defender.

Have the attacker try a variety of moves, feints and fakes to unbalance the defender and then change direction. Make sure they are making the feint/move early before they get to close to the defender and run out of space to change direction.

Tips

Attacker will just kick the ball and chase it and it will go through the End-zone.

Remind the attacker that he or she needs to have control of the ball in the end-zone so the kick and chase method is not going to be the most effective in this situation.
Have the attacker try and keep the ball as close to them as they can until they have gotten past the defender then they can take a larger touch towards/into the end-zone.

Attacker will dribble straight at the defender and then just stop making it easier for the defender.

Show the attacker how we want to try and keep the ball moving at all times to make the defender have to guess where you are going and have to adjust to the moving ball.
If you do stop then you will now have to think about how to beat the defender laterally first then go past them. Show how they can use a feint or a drag to change direction and try and get past the defender.

Tips

Attacker will not make their feint or move until they are really close to the defender.

This is a common problem we see with younger players, they will dribble at the defender and will make a great move but they do not make the move early enough to give themselves time to then change direction as they are already onto of the defender.
Show the players that if they make the move too early the defender can recover, if they make it too late there is no room to change direction and go around the defender and finally show them the correct distance which allows them to have success.