Hold Up & Protect the Ball
Hold Up & Protect the Ball is a great drill that you can run plenty at the same time.
The idea of the drill is to get your players used to physical contact and teach them how to be strong and protect the ball with a player at their back.
This will help build their confidence so when they are on the pitch they are more likely to engage in contact, and understand how to do it.
Hold Up & Protect the Ball – How it Works
Split your players into groups of 3. They will rotate each turn.
Make a large circle out of cones and place a ball in the middle.
2 players will start at the top of the circle, the 3rd player will be stood at the bottom. The 3rd player is the counter.
When Player 3 says “Go” the other two players will sprint around the circle in opposite directions, once they reach the top they will enter the circle.
First player to reach the ball will aim to get in under control, the second player will then engage the first player from behind putting pressure on them and trying to steal it.
As soon as the first player gets to the ball the third player will begin counting.
The count is the time to beat for the next pairing.
Player 1 replaces player 2, Player 2 becomes player 2, Player 3 becomes player 1
After all 3 players have had a go, mix the groups up putting all the winners against each other, 2nd places against each other and 3rd places against each other.
Then repeat a few more times
Hold Up & Protect the Ball – Coaching Points.
If both players are arriving at the ball at the same time, teach them to try and get their leg over the ball first, before the body to gain control of it.
Players protecting the ball, must keep the ball within playing distance at all time.
Teach players to react to where the other player is coming from, if they are coming around from the left, then move the ball to the right, keeping the body in the way and hold up and protect the ball
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