Turn away from danger

WHY USE IT

Develops players’ ability to change direction, get away from opponents, move into space and keep possession.

SET UP

Mark out a square area relative to the age and ability of your players, with two sets of gates as shown in the illustration. Split players into two groups, with the attackers starting in one corner of the area and the defenders diagonally opposite. Each defender starts with a ball.

HOW TO PLAY

Begins with a defender passing the ball to an attacker. As soon as they have done this, they can enter the area and try to win it back. On receiving the ball, the attacker looks to dribble through one of the gates to win a point. If, at any time, the defender wins the ball they can also win a point by dribbling through a gate.

The practice can be progressed by the attacker calling out how many defenders they want to play against before they receive the ball: one or two. If they choose to play against two defenders, they win three points if they dribble through a gate.

Coaching points

• What body position will help you set yourself up to turn?
• How can you turn quickly and accelerate away? 
• Disguise your movement, so the defender doesn’t know where you are going.