Sidestep mirrors

U11–U12 | EVASION 1

Get your players using footwork such as swerves and sidesteps to avoid defenders

1. Put a 2m square box in the middle of a 10m x 4m area. Position a ball carrier on each corner of the area.
2. When you say “go”, two ball carriers run from opposite corners towards the 2m box. They must go through their own side of the box before stepping back out and running towards one of the other corners.
3. Once the first players have completed their run, the other pair repeat the exercise. Get each player to run across 10 times before changing players.

4. Once players are confident running through the box at pace, set up a 10m square area with cones at halfway points on each side. Put an attacker with a ball on one corner and a defender on the opposite corner.
5. The attacker aims to exit the area through one of the two opposite sides. If he can exit between the opposite corner and one of the halfway cones (which will take him close to the defender) he scores 2 points, if exits the other side of the halfway cones he scores 1 point.
6. The defender uses either touch or full tackling (you decide) to stop the ball carrier exiting the area.

You will need

• A 10m x 4m area with a 2m square box in the middle for the first activity. A 10m square area for the second activity
• 1 ball per player
• Cones

Got more players?

Set up another area to get more players practising their footwork.

What to tell your players

“Be light on your feet”
“Accelerate away after the step”
“Keep your head up”