Week 24

Outcomes

• ✓Players can shield the ball with their body between themselves and the defender
• ✓Players can feel the defender's position without looking and adjust accordingly
• ✓Players can receive and immediately play out of pressure to a free teammate
• ✓Players can maintain possession under physical challenge while looking for an exit

Equipment

• 12 size-4 balls
• 24 disc cones
• 4 small goals
• bibs
• pool noodles (optional, for defender arms)

Run of show

1. 1. Arrival Ball Mastery

   8m

   Set up: Pairs. One player dribbles, partner walks behind mimicking a defender's presence.

   How to run it: Ball-carrier learns to feel the shadow, shield the ball with their body, and make small adjustments. On 'pressure!', shadow player lightly places hands on ball-carrier's hips — carrier must stay composed and hold the ball. No stealing — just pressure.

   • ›Broad base — feet wide, body low between ball and defender
   • ›Arms out slightly for balance, not for pushing

2. 2. Dynamic Warm-Up

   10m

   Set up: 4×4 yd boxes with a cone each. Pairs: one in the box with the ball, one outside trying to kick it out.

   How to run it: Player in the box must keep the ball inside using shielding for 30 seconds. Attacker outside tries to reach in and knock it out. Switch roles. Progress: two defenders around one ball-carrier.

   • ›Turn your back to the defender and use your full body width
   • ›Ball is in the far corner of the box, body between it and the defender

3. 3. Technical Practice

   15m

   Set up: 3v1 with a target gate: 15×10 yd area, one ball, one active defender. A target gate of two cones 2 yards wide at one end.

   How to run it: Three attackers pass among themselves. When they play to the player nearest the defender, that player must receive under pressure, shield, and play out to one of two free teammates. Count the successful 'shield and release' actions in 5 minutes.

   • ›Receive side-on to the defender — not back-on
   • ›Quick release is the goal of shielding, not prolonged holding
   • ›After shielding, play to the furthest free teammate

4. 4. Skill Game

   15m

   Set up: 4v2 in a 12×12 yd box. Each attacker gets a 'shield life' of 2 — meaning if their ball is kicked out twice, they become a defender.

   How to run it: Attackers shield and combine to outlast the two defenders. Defenders earn a point each time they win the ball completely. Attackers earn a point for every 5 consecutive passes. Highly competitive — use both roles to challenge every player.

   • ›Don't wait to be challenged — anticipate and shield before contact
   • ›The ball should never be stuck — shield then release quickly
   • ›Defenders: time the tackle to the shield moment when balance is lowest

5. 5. Small-Sided Game

   17m

   Set up: 4v4, 25×18 yd, small goals.

   How to run it: Standard match with a twist: if a player receives under pressure and successfully shields to play to a free teammate, the coach blows a 'shield bonus' — the team gets 30 seconds of 4v3 (defender sits out). Encourages bravery when receiving tight.

   • ›Don't panic when pressure arrives — shield and think
   • ›Your teammates must give you an exit — show for the ball
   • ›Defenders: press high and close — no free space to receive

6. 6. Cool-Down & Review

   5m

   Set up: Circle.

   How to run it: Upper body and lower back stretches. Coach pairs up two players for a slow-motion shield demo — attacker receives, defender approaches, attacker turns body. Group identifies the correct body angle.

   • ›Shielding is about using your body, not your strength
   • ›Even small players can shield effectively with good technique

Outcomes

• ✓Players can stay calm when pressed hard by an opponent
• ✓Players can choose the correct release pass under pressure
• ✓Players can use physicality legally to protect the ball
• ✓Players can support a pressured teammate by creating a clear passing lane

Equipment

• 10 size-4 balls
• 24 disc cones
• 4 small goals
• bibs

Run of show

1. 1. Arrival Ball Mastery

   8m

   Set up: Pairs, one ball.

   How to run it: Partner A holds ball out in front, partner B tries to tap it from A's hands (not a tackle — a game). A must move and protect the ball for 20 seconds. Switch. This builds instinctive protective reactions.

   • ›Eyes up, ball low — protect with body movement
   • ›React, don't think — build reflexes

2. 2. Dynamic Warm-Up

   10m

   Set up: 4v2 rondo with full physical pressure — defenders allowed to challenge.

   How to run it: Outdoor rondo with active defending. Defenders may tackle and challenge. Attackers use shielding, quick touches, and smart movement. Rotate defenders every 2 minutes. Focus is on surviving physical pressure gracefully.

   • ›Absorb the challenge — don't fight it, flow around it
   • ›Teammates: support the shielding player early

3. 3. Technical Practice

   15m

   Set up: 3v2 into goal: 25×15 yd, three attackers, two pressing defenders, small goal.

   How to run it: Defenders press from the moment the pass is played. Attackers must combine to score despite pressure. Key constraint: when a player is pressured within 1 yard, they may only use one touch. Coach counts pressure moments and celebrate successful escapes.

   • ›One touch when pressed — don't hold under intense pressure
   • ›Two free teammates: one near, one far — use them both as options
   • ›Play through the press as a team — not as individuals

4. 4. Skill Game

   15m

   Set up: 5v5 in tight space: 20×15 yd, small goals.

   How to run it: Very small area creates natural high-pressure situations. Goals count double. Coach adds a '3-second rule': if a player holds the ball for more than 3 seconds they lose possession (turnover). Builds instinctive decision-making under pressure.

   • ›3-second rule: make your decision before you receive
   • ›Tight space demands quick action — no dwelling
   • ›Defend higher — press from front, not from behind

5. 5. Small-Sided Game

   17m

   Set up: 5v5, 30×22 yd, standard goals.

   How to run it: Free match. In the second half, one team is instructed to press high and aggressively — full Austin Hearts intensity. Other team must cope. Swap pressing teams after 8 minutes.

   • ›Pressed team: keep composure, find the free player
   • ›Pressing team: press as a unit — one presses, others cut lanes
   • ›Intensity in training makes the match feel easier

6. 6. Cool-Down & Review

   5m

   Set up: Circle.

   How to run it: Full cool-down stretch. Coach celebrates 2–3 moments of great composure under pressure from the session. Ask players: 'What does it feel like when you stay calm under pressure?' Let them answer freely.

   • ›Composure is trained, not natural — you are building it every session
   • ›The calmer you are, the better decision you make