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Best support options

by Dan Cottrell in EasiCoach, Footwork and evasion

U9 | EVASION 6

Get players used to getting into position to take the ball from a tackled player

  1. Divide your players into three attackers and three defenders. Put an attacker and a defender on their knees opposite each other inside the 2m box. Give the attacker a ball.
  2. Put two attackers and two defenders on the corners of the area behind the ball carrier.
  3. When you say “go”, the ball carrier aims to get past the tackler by moving forward on his knees. The support players come to help him and the defenders race to the other end of the area before coming in.

Best support options 1

  1. The ball carrier can only release the ball once he is tackled. Support players can rip or pick up the ball or the ball carrier can make a pop pass from the floor.
  2. Once they have the ball, the supporting attackers aim to get to the far end to score. The other defenders aim to intercept the supporting attackers (you decide whether this is by touch or tackling).
  3. Both of the players who started on their knees can get up and join their team mates in attack or defence.

Best support options 2

You will need

  • A 10m square area with 2m square box in the centre
  • 1 ball
  • Cones
  • Bibs

Got more players?

You can make the area bigger and add more players on each side, or run another game.

What to tell your players

“Tell the tackled player you are in support”
“Get in behind the tackled player so you can go either left or right”

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