Age group: U10-U11 (7v7) | Skill focus: Shielding | Session length: Approx. 60 minutes As opponents get stronger and quicker, shielding becomes a contest of technique as much as strength: side-on body, low centre, arm sensing the defender, ball on the far foot. And the best shield always ends with a decision – turn, recycle or escape. This session battles for the ball, grooves the protect-and-turn, then breaks out of the box under live pressure. Session at a glance Part 1 – Warm-Up / Introductory Technical (15 min): Shielding - Body Battle Part 2 – Technical Practice (20 min): Shielding - Protect & Turn Part 3 – Game Based Practice (20 min): Protect to Dribble - Box Break Out Key words for the whole session: side-on and low, ball on the far foot, feel them lean, then turn or recycle – never panic. Part 1 – Warm-Up / Introductory Technical Practice (15 min) Shielding - Body Battle Created using Tactics Manager 🔧 How to set up the activity: 1v1 inside a 6x6m grid 1 ball per pair Coned gates on 3 sides of the grid 🏃 Activity: One of the players starts with the ball in the middle of the grid facing the side with no gate The player with the ball attempts to escape the grid by shielding the ball and dribbling through any of the 3 gates The player without the ball tries to prevent an escape and win the ball If the player wins the ball they then try to escape Play until the ball leaves the grid or either player escapes Players alternate partners every few minutes ✅ Coaching points: Use body and arm for legal shielding Keep ball close and protect with furthest foot Stay low and strong under pressure How this links to the session theme: The shield battle sets the session's tone: hold possession through genuine contact and escape through a gate when the moment comes. High-repetition duels build the body positions and composure everything else in the session uses. Part 2 – Technical Practice (20 min) Shielding - Protect & Turn Created using Tactics Manager 🔧 How to set up the activity: Create 10x5m lanes for each group Each group has 1 defender, 1 attacker and 1 passer Place a mini goal or coned goal at the end of the lane Passer starts at the end of the lane with a ball Attacker starts halfway down the lane with the defender behind 🏃 Activity: Passer plays a pass into the attacker Attacker receives back to goal Shields the ball from the defender and either pushes off from the defender and tries to score 1v1, or passes back to the passer and continues the play Defender delays and tries to win the ball Rotate every 3 goes Add a time limit to encourage quicker turns ✅ Coaching points: Lean into defender and use arms for balance Turn away from pressure, not into it Explode after turn with powerful touch How this links to the session theme: The theme's match pattern: receive back to goal with a defender pressing, shield, then choose – spin to attack the mini goal, or recycle to the passer and go again. The decision is coached as hard as the shield: turn when it's on, keep the ball when it's not. Part 3 – Game Based Practice (20 min) Protect to Dribble - Box Break Out Created using Tactics Manager 🔧 How to set up the activity: 10x8m box with central cone 2 players per box, 1 ball Gate to dribble through on 2 opposite sides of the box 🏃 Activity: Start in middle of grid, player A shields from player B Player A tries to escape and dribble out of the box through either gate If Player B wins ball, they try break out instead Reset and switch roles ✅ Coaching points: Keep body between ball and defender Turn away from pressure before breaking Use hips and shoulders to disguise direction How this links to the session theme: The break-out game finishes the skill: shield centrally, feel which shoulder the pressure leans on, then burst out through the opposite gate. Roles flip whenever the ball changes hands, so every player shields, reads and escapes dozens of times. Download Session Plan