Drill: Improve protecting ball from defender
Purpose
Practice to improve receiving the ball and turning away and protecting the ball from defender
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Drill area
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Set Up
- Use cones to mark out area
- Distance from server to target player 10 - 15 meters
- Defenders on cones 5 meters away from target player
- Supply of balls
Structure
One server. Ball is passed firmly slightly to the side of the target player. Defender can pressure the ball only when target player has controlled it. Objective is to control the ball away from defender, protect the ball from the defender and pass accurately back to server.
Coaching Tips
- Alert and ready to receive the ball
- Move down the line of the ball
- Control the ball away from the defender
- Get body between ball and defender to protect the ball
- Head up to assess pass
- Accurate pass
It is important that the quality of the pass from the server is good. Ensure that the defender is conditioned not to pressure the ball until the attacker has controlled it.
Progressions
- Vary the distance from the server for different ages and abilities.
- Rotate players regularly
