FineSoccer Drill 26

This next drill adds penetration into the possession. By penetration, I mean a pass that allow the attacking team to get behind the defense (penetrate the defense).

Start with three teams of 5-6 in different color pinny's.  Place them in a grid as shown below.

The ball starts with Team X and Team Y can send 2 players over to defend.  Team X tries to possess the ball for a predetermined number of passes (lets say 4 passes) then will get a point if the can successfully pass the ball to Team O without Team Y being able to win the ball.  If Team Y wins the ball from Team X, then the ball goes to Team O and Team X becomes the middle team and defends (is this confusing enough for you?).  By adding this middle zone with a third team, it adds the part of penetrating into an already successful drill.  By lowering the number of passes needed to get a pass (assuming a successful penetrating pass) it forces the team to constantly get their heads up because the defending team in the middle can move around their area trying to prevent a successful through pass.

There are many other things you can add into this game such as putting in the restriction that if the receiving player doesn't take a look at making a penetrating pass before she makes a pass, it's a loss of possession.  Or you can put in the rule that the defending team can send as many or as few players into the defensive third as they want but this would make it even easier to make a penetrating pass.

Other rules is to require or prohibit chips in order to play the ball across the middle third (this just depends on what you are looking to accomplish).

I have to admit that I have done this one drill for an entire training session by changing the restrictions and rules to keep the game fresh and to keep working on different things.  I do not recommend doing this but there are so many changes that can be made to this one drill, that it is something to consider. 

Any questions, comments or suggestions for this drill should be posted here

Have a great day.

Lawrence