Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Defending Session plans (Start Time: 2024-12-27 09:20:00)

Defending (skill practice) (20 mins)

Defending (skill practice )

Key focus



• Defender:

• Defensive Stance: Stay low, balanced, and ready to adjust.
• Delaying: Slow down the attacker without diving in.
• Positioning: Angle the body to guide the attacker away from the goals.
• Slightly bend the knee
• Eyes on the ball 
• Should be on toes .

• Each pair takes turns.
• The defender passes the ball to the attacker and runs towards him to defend.
• The attacker starts with the ball and aims to score in either of the two mini-goals.
• The defender attempts to delay, dispossess, or force the attacker away from the goals.
• Rotate roles after each attempt.

Progression and Regression .McKeag ( 2005 )

Progression

• Time Constraint: Limit attackers to 6 seconds to score.
• Tighter Space: Reduce the area to challenge ball control and defending.
• Directional Gates: Add conditions, such as scoring in a specific goal based on coach instructions.

Regression

• Passive Defending: Defenders apply light pressure to allow attackers to focus on their moves.
• Larger Area: Increase the space to give attackers more room to maneuver.
• Guided Play: Provide attackers with specific moves to execute before scoring.

Coaching Process

• Observation Phase (4 Minutes)

  • Allow free play to observe player tendencies and decision-making.
  • Focus on how attackers choose their goal and defenders position themselves.

• Feedback Phase (4 Minutes)

  • Provide concise feedback, emphasizing key factors such as control, direction changes, and defensive positioning.
  • Use demonstrations to clarify proper techniques or strategies.

• Challenge Phase (8 Minutes)

  • First 4 Minutes: Introduce a time limit for attackers to score.
  • Next 4 Minutes: Rotate pairs and increase defender intensity.

• Reflection Phase (4 Minutes)

  • Conduct a brief discussion to reinforce key learning points.
  • Ask reflective questions

MISC. Information.

Intervention Types:

• Concurrent: Provide real-time feedback during practice without stopping the flow.
• Freeze: Stop the session momentarily to correct or emphasize key moments.
• Team Meeting: Discuss group strategies and collective defensive approaches.
• Bullseye: Set individual and team challenges for improvement.

Session Timeline

• Technical Session: 20 minutes
• Skill Session: 20 minutes
• Small-Sided Game (SSG): 20 minutes
• Area Size: 25x20 yards

Corner Tools

Physical Corner Tools

• Agility: Emphasis on quick changes in direction.
• Balance: Maintaining a stable defensive stance.
• Endurance: Sustained defensive effort across the session.

Social Corner Tools

• Team Meetings: Reinforce the importance of communication in defensive setups.
• Challenges: Foster teamwork through defensive tasks.
• Problem-Solving: Encourage defenders to anticipate attacker movements.
• Communication Challenge: Ensure defenders communicate effectively with teammates.
• Targets and Conditions: Provide scenarios where defenders must achieve specific outcomes (e.g., delay attackers for 5 seconds).

Technical Corner Tools

• The Mechanics of Defending: Proper stance, jockeying, and delaying techniques.
• Tackling Technique: Timing and execution of standing tackles.

Tactical Corner Tools

• Positioning: Stay goal-side and maintain an effective angle to delay the attacker.
• Decision-Making: Choosing when to tackle, delay, or guide the attacker.
• Using Space: Force attackers into less threatening areas.

Psychological Corner Tools

• Challenges: Focus on composure under pressure.
• Point System: Reward defenders for successfully delaying or dispossessing attackers.
• Individual Challenges: Tailor objectives for each defender (e.g., limit attacker to one direction).

Reference List

• Hargreaves, A. and Bate, E. (2010): The coaching process: Principles and practice for sport. 1st edition. London: Routledge.
• McKeag, D.C. (2005): Coaching Soccer Like a Pro. Human Kinetics, Champaign, Illinois, USA.
• Olcott, J. (1968): Organizational keys and checklists for successful football coaching. West Nyack, NY: Parker Publishing Co.