U11 Defending — Match Integration

Light warm-up. Don't tire legs; the SSG block is the focus. Standard dribbling square with a few defending cues thrown in (side-on stance call, intercept call) — but quickly.

First conditioned SSG. New rule: every successful interception (NOT tackle, specifically interception) earns a point for the defending team toward a goal. End-of-game bonus: if defending team has 3+ intercept points, they win an extra goal. Rewards the elite defending behaviour. Plays for 20 minutes (4× 5-min rounds with team rotation).

Last block: completely unconditioned 4v4. The assessment moment. Watch which defending habits appear naturally: • Body shape on 1v1s? (week 2) • Block tackles instead of slides? (week 3) • Recovery angles when beaten? (week 4) • Communication between defenders? (week 5) • Intercepts being prioritised? (this week) Note which habits ARE there and which AREN'T. The absent ones are the next block's focus.

Block-wrap discussion. Pull the squad in. Question: 'six weeks ago we couldn't defend together — what's changed?'. Get THEM to articulate the progress; their answers reveal what's stuck and what hasn't. Then a personal note for each defender — what improved, what's next. The block ends on a high.