Practice 1: Attacking choices

WHY USE IT

Helps develop decision-making skills in attacking positions.

SET UP

Split the area into thirds. At each end, set up a small goal and a gate. Players from each team are split between two different start positions. Half of the players (servers) start just outside the area, halfway down one side. The other half start at the end their team are defending. These are the attackers.

HOW TO PLAY

A server passes to an attacker who moves into the area and aims to enter the final third, where they can either pass into the small goal or, for more points, travel through the gate. After that, a server from the other team passes to a team-mate who enters the area. The player who was just an attacker becomes a defender. The practice continues thus: after playing a pass, the server joins the line to be an attacker, after which they become a defender and then exit the area and join the line to be a server. After a set period of time, swap ends so the gates are on the opposite side for the attacking players.

Coaching points

Identify defenders positioning and their movement; use first touch/touches of the ball and feints, if needed, to shift their body weight. Look to identify an opportunity to exploit space and/or the defender committing one way.