Purpose: To provide repetition of defenders closing space and defending an attacker who is facing them and running at them with the ball.

Procedure: Two players stand on opposite end of a small rectangular grid with a small goal, which can be set up with cones (three yards or less in width) on opposite sides of each end line. The defender serves the ball acorss the grid to the attacking player and then steps into the grid to defend. The attacking player has three options to score - the attacker can pass through the small goal, dribble across the end line, or dribble through the small goal. The coach can assign the value of each scoring option to encourage defenders to prioritize the areas they defend. (For instance, passing through the goal scores two points, dribbling across the end line scores one point, and dribbling through the goal scores three points). This encourages the defender to channel the attacker to the outside, away from the small goal (representing the center of the field), and to protect that space, especially keeping the attacker from penetrating that space with the ball. When a goal is scored or the ball goes out of bounds, the opposite player serves the ball, and the players change roles. Four to six players can be assigned to each grid to provide rest between each 1v1 battle. 

Coaching Points: Remind players to angle their approach to cut off the pass into the goal. Defenders should try to close the space in front of the attacker as quickly as possible while the ball is getting close to the attacker, but they should slow down as the as the attacker touches the ball so that their own momentum is not used to the attacker's advantage (to accelerate by the defender). Watch for players immediately assuming a good defensive stance. Observe for proper tackling decisions and technique:

• If block tackling, is the weight balanced and behind the ball so that the defender has the physical advantage?
• If poke tackling, is the defender trying to win the ball or just hit the ball out of bounds and stop the attacker?
• Does the attacker provide the defender an opportunity to body tackle, giving the defender the chance to step in and win the ball?

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