Intercepting the Ball

[Chris Foster]

Hello.

Although I read the sticky at the top of the page, I wanted to carry out a dedicated session regarding Intercepting the Ball.

I just wondered whether anyone could offer any advice on this ?

I am new to the forum and also wanted to say hello !

Chris Foster.

[Chris Foster]

Hello again !

Are there any suggestion on how this could be encorporated within a defending session ?

Chris Foster.

[stevewood75]

Hi Chris, This is my first post/reply so I hope it works!! I had intercepting as my topic on the 5 day session and found it very hard going. After all how can you coach someone to intercept when it is an unopposed technique?

I set up a 2v1 kind of game in a grid but with the 2 facing each other and aiming to get the ball to each other. Eventually, moving on to a skill practice where the 'interceptor' could tackle or intercept. My downfall was spending too much time coaching the 2 and advising them how many different ways they could pass the ball in order to get the interceptor to make a mistake for me to coach.

My advice to you would be only coach the interceptor, forget the others.

Hope this helps, feel free to ask if not!

[Chris Foster]

Steve.

Thanks for you comments! Very helpful.

Chris Foster.

[mcolwell]

Back luck Steve on the subject you got, presumably at level two. You will find that younger players give away where they are going to pass by:

a) not getting their head up and so obviously passing the way they are facing;

b) looking up too much at the person they are going to pass to an so making it obvious where ts going to go.

I coach anticipation in the defending team to onserve these things with their eyes and see if it works. It is amazing how many balls you can intercept if you are watching the game and anticipating what the player of the ball is going to do.

[stevewood75]

Hi Mcolwell

Thanks! I got the subject and thought it would be easy....no, how wrong was I !!! Even my tutor after my session said well done and what a hard topic it is to coach. Yes, it was level 2 but managed to soldier on and survive to tell the tale, fortunatly mu assessment is not til december so I have 6 months to practice!

I am considering level 3 now as I want to make this my career. Any advice would be gratefully received.

Good luck
Steve