Match Defence Session 1
This is the first of three progressive and largely game based sessions focusing on match defence.
This session introduces the idea of recognising offensive options and anticipating which ones a player will take. By picking up on perceptual cues that are available defenders can anticipate and look to shut down offensive options. Below is a short list of the many perceptual cues for offensive and defensive players.
Disc position, force, prior knowledge of thrower, throwers gaze, position of cutter, position of teammates, accessible space on the field, cutters body alignment, prior knowledge of the cutter.
Warm up and skill warm up
Warm up
- Any sort of running, stretching or activation work that you normally do.
Skill warm up
- Any sort of throwing and running drill.
I typically start sessions with the same drill, which starts with open side unders, then breakside unders, and finally long lead passes. I’m not a huge fan of drills, but my team like it. Find a warm up that your team enjoy and stick with that.
3v3/4v4/5v5 w/ defensive rewards
Possession game in an area relative to team size and ability. Stall out at 8.
- 45 second offences per team, or until a turnover.
- Defence gains a point every time they put a stall on within 1 second of their mark catching a disc.
- Team with the most points after a set number of attempts is the winner.
A smaller area makes the game easier for defenders. Can expand the area as the players become accustomed to the game.
Progressions
- Offence gains a point if they complete a pass before the stall has started.
- Stall out at 6.
I like small sided games because they increase the amount of time a player is involved. Defence gets lots of opportunity to play tight defence, and offence gets lots of opportunity to play.
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