Two Zone Secure The Ball To Targets
Coaching Principles
This activity is designed to help coach the principle of Securing the Ball as far away from the opposition players as soon as you win the ball. As soon as the the two defenders win 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
Activity & Set Up
Set up a playing grid split into two halves with a target player at each end of the playing grid, the blue team starts with the ball in their half of the grid and must try and keep possession of the ball in their half for as long as they can from two of the green players who are trying to win the ball from them. The third green player waits in the other half the grid and should be moving ready to support their teammates when they win the ball. The blue team can also use the target player as an additional player.
When one of the green players wins the ball from the blue team they must try to get the ball back into their half of the playing grid where their other team mate is waiting for them. They will then move to the other half of the playing grid and try to keep possession from the red team who will have two players go to the other side to try and win the ball back leaving one player behind. The Primary Objective is to secure the ball all the way to the target player as quickly as you can whenever you win possession of the ball. This gets the ball as far away from the players who are going to try and win it back from you.
The Objective is to secure the ball to the blue target player as soon as you win possession In the example below the green player who wins the ball can not Secure the ball all the way to the target player at the other side of the playing grid as the blue player is blocking the passing lane to the target player. The player should immediately look to combine with one of their team mates so they can then secure the ball to the target player at the other end.
Variations & Progressions
If the team in possession is keeping the ball too long then change the activity so all 3 of the players of the team that has lost the ball go to win it back this should increase the number of turnovers of possession and give more repetitions of securing the ball. The target neutral player can also move to the middle of the zone to make it easier for them to receive the ball then they can retreat to the back once the other players join.
Coaching Points
How quickly can you secure the ball to the Target player on the other side of the playing grid? Can you secure it yourself? Do you need to combine with a team mate?
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.
If you the player winds the ball but the direct pass to the target player is blocked. The player should immediately look to combine with one of their team mates so they can then secure the ball to the Target at the other end.