U10 Defending — Tackling and Intercepting

Standard pass-and-move with a defending twist: every 3rd minute, coach calls 'INTERCEPT!' and the partner not on the ball steps in to try to nick it on the next pass. Plants the interception habit early.

Core block of the session. Run the full drill — block tackle technique first (10 min), then interception (10 min). Coach the body weight on block tackles: chest forward, foot firm, NOT leaning back. Most failed block tackles fail because the defender leans back at the moment of contact. Teach explicitly.

First SSG of the block where tackling is fully allowed. Defenders use ALL the tools they've built: body shape (week 2), patience (week 1), and now block tackles + interceptions. Coach pauses occasionally to highlight successful interceptions — 'see how Pat read that pass? That's the highest-quality defending in football'. Reframes interception as elite, not lazy.

5 minutes stretching, 2 minutes circle. Question: 'which way of winning the ball worked best for you today? Tackle, intercept, or forcing the bad pass?'. Get them to articulate which tool fits their style. Defenders who know their preferred tool use it more in matches.