2 Zone Secure The Ball
Activity & Set Up
Field Setup: Create a rectangular playing area and divide it into two equal halves. This will serve as two distinct zones for the activity.
Teams: Two teams of three players each. One team starts with the ball in their designated half while the other team sends one player to apply pressure and attempt to steal the ball.
Activity: The team with the ball must keep possession within their half of the grid while evading the opposing player. Upon a successful steal, the defending player quickly passes the ball back to their side and re-joins their teammates to maintain possession against one player from the other team who will now attempt to steal.
Coaching Principles
This activity is designed to help coach the principle of Securing the Ball away from the opposition players as soon as you win the ball. As soon as the the defender wins the ball we want them to automatically pass the ball back to their own half as quickly as they can to Secure the Ball away from the other team who will try to win it back. This is the main coaching focus of this activity
Coaching Points
Prompt players to pass the ball back to their half swiftly after a steal to exploit the temporary numerical advantage and to settle into possession before the next defender arrives. Pass the ball as it will get there quicker don’t dribble unless you have to.
Get the ball as far away from where the pressure is going to come from. You want to get the ball to the Target player quickly and give your team mates time to get into the other side of the playing grid where you will try and keep possession.
Encourage players to use their vision and awareness to assess the safest options for maintaining possession. They should recognize when to shield the ball and when to release it to a teammate.
Teammates must provide clear passing lanes for the player with the ball. This includes moving to create space and offering safe passing options.
Variations & Progressions
For beginners, freeze the game when the ball is stolen to allow the successful pass back and re-positioning before the next player attempts to steal. This helps players understand the flow of the game.
If the team in possession is keeping the ball too long then change the activity so that 2 players go over to try and win the ball back. remember this activity is about Securing the ball so we want to make sure there are turnovers of possession we do not want one of the teams keeping the ball for too long.