Football/Soccer Session (Moderate): Shielding/protecting the ball U15's

Animation 2

Objective:

Split teams into two gropus. could be lions v Snakes, team 1 & team 2 or colours. this demo uses reds and blues.Create sqaures 3x3m for younger age groups (5-11 years old) and 5x5m for older (12-adult).Have one from each team in each square to start with a ball. Blues start shielding the ball from the reds and try for 15 or 20s econds depending on ability. This can be adjusted to suit your team. after the time period ends the coach calls out a team name, number or colour, that team leave their square and go and win the ball from another square and the player in that square must protect and shield the ball from the incoming player. You are not allowed more than 1 player coming in.If  it's 2 v 1 because 2 players come into the same square, one of the players need to leave that square and find a box with just a player protecting the ball. there should always 1 player from each team in a box.if you have uneven numbers then a coach can step in to even up or rotate a player to sit out every couple of plays.After the time period the coach calls out a name, number or colour again and this continues however long you want to carry on with the practice.

Progression:

you can bring in a points scoring system. depending on weather you want this to be a shielding/protecting the ball practice or an interception/winnning the ball practice. Give a point to the player who manages to shield the ball for the time duration (15 seconds) or the player who wins the ball in the time duration (15 seconds). Don't give points to both in the same practice, Remember, One team one theme for your sessions. The reward is for success around the session theme.

50/50 shielding

Progression 2

Introduce a ball. Both players lineup and compete to get the ball. They have to do a shuttle run to half way, back to start line then run to far end box where player passes the ball into. The player who gets to the ball first needs to protect and shield the ball for 5 seconds then pass the ball back to the player who passed. 2 new players start from the end the passing player was so players alternate ends on rotation. Again swap over players so you are competing against different people.

Progression 3:

Get the player to throw the ball in the air or vary the ball flight so the players coming to the ball have to adapt and react differently.

Key Points: 

Use strength to shield the ball. use ball matery skills to manipulate ball away from player. When balls are in the air it is important to get the ball back onto the floor as quickly as possible so you have full control and dictate the situation.