Fast Attack Is a Great Drill That Emphasizes the Need to Play Both Offense and Defense

FAST ATTACK

Fast Attack is a great drill that emphasizes the need to play both offense and defense. Many young players have a tendency to pass or shoot the ball and then watch the action. In Fast Attack, standing still is what gets you in trouble.

As soon as the attacking player shoots or loses the ball to the defender, that attacking player immediately has to play defense against an attacker who heads toward the other goal as soon as the shot is taken, or the ball is lost.

HOW TO DO IT:

Split your team in half (if the team has 10-12 players. More than that play two games of Fast Attack). Put two goals about half a field apart (or less for younger players). Each player has a ball with them.

Using the diagrams at right, you’ll see that the A team is lined up next to one goal post, and the B team is lined up at the opposite end next to a post.

To begin, the A-1 attacker dribbles out with a ball and the B-1 defender (without ball) goes up to meet the attacker. The attacker can either shoot or lose the ball to the defender. Either way, the attacker has to be ready to play defense.

In this example, (image 2) A-1 beats B-1, shoots and scores. But there’s no time to celebrate as immediately upon the shot being taken, B-2 takes off and dribbles toward the opposing goal (image 3). Player A-1 now has to quickly get back and play defense against B-2.

In image 4, A-1 successfully defends against B-2 and knocks the ball out of bounds, whereupon Player A-2 becomes the attacker, and B-2 has to get back and defend (image 5).

Play continues this way, with each attacker having to remember to play defense as soon as their shot is taken or their ball is lost.

NOTES: - This game can be played with or without goalkeepers, depending on age. - Fast Attack can be played for a certain number of minutes, or to a predetermined score. - Younger players will frequently forget to play defense after attacking. Don’t worry about it. Their teammates will remind them often enough, and eventually they’ll get it. - Defenders needn’t gain control of the ball to stop the attack. Kicking it away should suffice in the coach yelling ‘Go!’ to the next attacker. - Pace is everything in Fast Attack. As soon as a shot is taken or the ball lost the next attacker should start out. Some younger players, having been “raised right”, will politely wait for the previous attacking player to get into a defending position before heading off. Discourage this. - This drill not only emphasizes the need to keep moving and play offense and defense, but helps players learn when it’s time to get the shot off.