Here is a great activity that works on zonal defending and penetrating passes when attacking. This activity is just one of many in the progression on zonal defending as demonstrated in the DVD Teaching Zonal Defending.
Start with a 40 x 30 field with a goal on each end line that is 4 yards wide and enough space behind the goal for a target player to work. This is a 3 v 3 activity plus a target player on each team.
The teams, while defending are working on providing proper pressure, cover and balance defensively. It really doesn’t matter if they are playing man to man or zonally because the principles of defending remain the same (in this case we are playing zonally). So, if the yellow team has the ball out wide, one player will pressure, one will provide cover and the other will provide some balance.
If the ball is played to the middle, one pressures and the other two provide cover.
While the offensive players are passing the ball around and the defensive players are shifting defensively the attacking players are also looking to penetrate with the pass
If a player is able to pass the ball to the target player through the goal, it counts as 2 points.
If a player is able to pass the ball to the target player but outside the goal, it counts as 1 point.
While the players in the middle can move a bit, this is more of a passing and receiving activity and there really isn’t any dribbling. If the defending team wins the ball, they do the same thing in the other direction.
This activity is just one of many in the progression on zonal defending as demonstrated in the DVD Teaching Zonal Defending.
Have a great day!
Lawrence
