Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Index
1. Working Out The Space
Larger groups
Random areas
"Buffer" zones
examples
3. Safe Zones
4 END ZONES
Triangles
Squares
Rectangles
Diamonds
Buffer Zones
What are they?
Areas used between the practice zones for safety, i.e. Reducing risk of player being hit with the ball
What size?
Dependant on the practice
Safe zones are designated areas marked on the playing area in which players are deemed 'safe' from the
opposition
Only certain players can move into and out of these areas with and without the ball
They provide an area for players to move into where they can receive the ball unopposed
They are useful for practicing specific techniques and whilst in the safe zone players can slow down and
concentrate solely on this technique
Particularly useful when introducing young players to a new skill in small sided games
Safe zones also work well when practices involve players of mixed abilities. In these games a coach
may offer the safe zone to the weaker players, giving them a bit more freedom to participate in and
enjoy the practice
To maintain realism, condition time and/or touches within the safe zone
End Zones are designated grids placed at the ends of the playing area and are commonly used as a place
where a 'goal' or point maybe scored
Only certain players are normally allowed into an End Zone with or without the ball
They provide an area for an end product when there are no goals available
They are useful to keep a game competitive without balls going astray
End Zones are particularly useful in possession practices when playing without goals or goalkeepers.
For example the team in possession can score a point or 'goal' by passing to a teammate who moves to
receive the pass as it is entering the zone
They can be used to highlight specific techniques and skills in small sided games. In games involving
dribbling or running with the ball, for example, players either score, or are deemed 'safe' when entering
the zones
Dictate who can enter the End Zone, i.e. only players dribbling the ball or receiving a pass are allowed
in
If coaches wanted to keep the tempo of the practice high, once a player enters the End Zone his/her team
keep possession and immediately play in the other direction
Dictate when players can enter the End Zone i.e. a player is deemed offside if he/she is standing in there
before a pass is delivered
End Zones maybe combined with 'safe' zones, whereby players can move into their own zone with or
without the ball to get more time and space
Target/Wall players are specific players to pass to or in some instances used as 'goals'
Wall players can be used as additional team members or as neutral players to support team in possession
When an end product is required and goals are either not available or necessary
They can be particularly useful to keep the tempo of the session high
Position target/wall players where they will support the specific practice. For example in a shooting
practice game, target players can be positioned on the line alongside the goals and used as players who
can set up shooting opportunities for the attacking team
Wall players should be used to keep practices flowing. They can be either neutral and play for both
teams in possession of the ball, or as additional players outside of the playing area
Rotate Target/Wall players regularly. In the case of target players this would normally occur at 'time-out'
intervals. This could be the same with wall players, but as an alternative the rotation could occur as in a
game, whereby after receiving a pass, the wall player comes onto the pitch with the ball, exchanging
places with the original passer. In a progressive practice it could, indeed, be exchanging places with any
player from that team
Rotations and/or 'time-outs' are essential to both prevent boredom of players when around the outside,
and also to allow rest periods when the tempo is particularly high for those on the pitch