Four-Corner Shielding Drill
Soccer Shielding, How to Shield in Soccer
SOCCER SHIELDING, HOW TO SHIELD IN SOCCER
Drill Quick Glance
Drill Objective
This is a great drill for teaching the basics of shielding as it focuses on positioning your body between the ball and the defender to protect the ball.
Four-Corner Shielding Drill
Soccer Shielding, How to Shield in Soccer
This drill teaches players how to shield in soccer. It's a good soccer drill for teaching the basics of shielding.
Drill setup- Create a 12x12 grid with 5 players per grid.
- Four players stand at each of the four corners of the grid while the fifth player starts in the middle with a ball.
- Number each of the four players on the corners 1-4.
- Create as many grids as needed for the number of players, as multiple grids can be run simultaneously.
- The coach will yell out a number of the corner, and that defender will enter the grid and attempt to poke the ball away from the center-shielding player.
- In the first iteration, do not allow the shielding player to touch the ball and simply focus on using their body to keep the defender off the ball.
- The shielding player should quickly position their body between the ball and the defender in an attempt to keep the ball from the defender.
- If the shielding player is able to keep the defender from touching the ball for 5 seconds, they receive a point.
- If the defender knocks the ball away, they should play the ball back to the center player and return to their corner.
- The players return to their position, and the coach calls out another number.
- Let all of the players have a chance to be the shielding player.
- Keep track of points where the player with the highest point count in their grid wins after all players have a chance to be the shielding player.
- Allow the shielding player to move the ball around to keep their body between the ball and the defender.
- The coach can call out two numbers to increase the difficulty.
Drill Coaching Points
Drill Equipment
Drill Ages
- Position the body sideways between the ball and the defender
- Knees slightly bent
- Arms up and away from their body, bent at the elbows
- Arm closest to the defender touching the defender to help hold off the defender
- Wide stance and the ball held with the outside foot farthest from the defender
- Ability to move the ball with the bottom, inside, outside, and top of both feet
- Ability to spin out of pressure if the defender commits to defending a single direction
- 8 - U8, Under 8, 8 and Under
- 9 - U9, Under 9, 9 and Under
- 10 - U10, Under 10, 10 and Under
- 11 - U11, Under 11, 11 and Under
- 12 - U12, Under 12, 12 and Under
- 13 - U13, Under 13, 13 and Under
- 14 - U14, Under 14, 14 and Under
- 15 - U15, Under 15, 15 and Under
- 16 - U16, Under 16, 16 and Under
- 17 + - U17, U18, U19, U20, and Older
Soccer Drill Titled: Four-Corner Shielding Drill
Tagged:
- SOCCER SHIELDING
- HOW TO SHIELD IN SOCCER
Published by: Chris Johnson