Turn away from pressure · Change the challenge
10 minutes · U9 starting lens · 2–3 players per station
A starts with the ball in the middle; D starts two yards farther toward the two exit gates. Both gates are on the same end line.
A/B/C = attackers · D = defender · S = server · N = neutral · white dot = ball. Leave clear space between stations. Schematic, not to scale.Set up
A starts with the ball in the middle; D starts two yards farther toward the two exit gates. Both gates are on the same end line. Mark four corners and two two-yard gates on the far end using four more cones. Keep spare balls outside the near sideline. A third player alternates in after each attempt: attacker becomes defender, defender rests outside, resting player attacks.
Space: 10 × 12 yards per station; leave 3 yards between stations
Equipment: 2 balls per station (one spare) · 8 flat cones per station · Optional bibs; use agreed team/role names if unavailable
- Start
- A begins moving; D may move on A’s first touch. Begin with D blocking a route without tackling.
- Score
- A scores by dribbling under control through either exit. With live pressure, D scores by winning the ball and carrying it across the opposite end line.
- Reset & rotate
- After a score or the ball leaving the grid, switch A and D. Restart from the middle with the next ball. Each pair has its own gates.
Rounds: Show and try 1:00 · Play 1 1:53 · Rotate, drink, reset 0:20 · Play 2 1:53 · Rotate, drink, reset 0:20 · Play 3 1:52 · Rotate, drink, reset 0:20 · Play 4 1:52 · Notice and move on 0:30
One cue: Closed route? Find another
If it breaks down: The turn runs into the same defender: slow the approach and begin with a bigger gap before increasing pressure.
Entry version: D points to the blocked gate before A starts and stays still.
Safety: Check the surface and clearance around the grid. No pushing, holding, slide tackles, or challenges from behind. Begin with no-contact route blocking; allow clean ball-winning pressure only when players can control the approach. Stop play before retrieving a ball from another station.