Competitive Three Team Game
/Competitive Three Team Game
40 x 40
Working with three teams (4 v 4 + 4). Teams (1) and (2) work together to keep the ball from team (3). If team (3) regains possession the team who gave it away becomes the defenders. The defenders reward is they keep the ball and link with the other team.
Rules: Once possession is gained, to establish who gave the ball away the defender who won the ball puts their foot on the ball to stop play and the coach can call out the team who gave it away (or have the players themselves drive this by calling the color of the team who gave the ball away), or just keep the momentum of the practice going by playing on but the first touch or pass of the player who won the ball back is free.. Play begins again working on transitions.
Develop: Increase difficulty for attackers by:
- Reducing the zone size.
- Decreasing the number of touches on the ball of each player.
- Condition the passing to be only to the other attacking teams players e.g. (1) only pass to (2) and vice versa therefore only half the number of passes available per player.
- Increase the numbers to suit how many players you have, e.g. 4 v 4 + 4 or 5 v 5 + 5 etc
- Have two balls to play with so as they pass one ball they are now increasing their awareness and vision by looking for the other ball coming.
- Ask players to take off their pennies so they really have to look and not be able to use color identification.
- No talking or pointing, so players have to rely on their own vision.
Competitive Non - Directional Three Team Awareness Possession Game (4 V 4 V 4)
Further Progressions: Making it more competitive, have each team be the defending team for a certain time span. If they win the ball they then give it back to the combined attacking teams. Count the number of times they win the ball. The defending team to win the ball the most times wins the game, or alternatively the combined teams which give up the ball the fewest times win the game.
Attacking players individually count the number of times they give the ball away as an indication to each and every one of them how well they can maintain possession under pressure.
Begin with players able to have as many touches as they like, then break it down to 3 touch, then 2 touch with one touch passing the aim if it is on to do so.
Coaching Points:
- Open body stance to allow a yard or more extra space away from defenders by letting the ball run across the body into preconceived space.
- Looking before receiving to know in advance of the receiving pass; where the defending players are, where the space is, where team mates are free to receive a pass, how many options there are to move the ball on
- Movement OFF the ball is a priority both to receive it and after passing it.
Competitive Four Team Game
Competitive: The same idea as the introductory session only the player’s count the number of passes they make in a given time as a team. Compare the totals. They can’t pass back to the same player they received from.
Introduce several small goals for the players to pass through and count the number of goals scored. Ensure the players arrive at the goal (timing of the run) as the ball is passed through the goal (timing of the pass).
Players must not stand by a goal waiting for a pass as in a game they would not stand still like this to receive the ball as they would be easily marked.
Progression: Increase the number of balls per team (two balls per team). Combine two teams and have them passing to the other color and have three balls going at once, the variations can be numerous.
