U13 Pre-Season — Week 4

Standard 20×16 area. Run all the constraints — call-by-name, two-touch, open it up. By week 4 the squad should handle all three constraints cleanly. If they can't, that's a reactivation gap that needs another week.

Run the full progression with emphasis on Phase 4 (defender in zone 3). Add a passive defender in zone 2 from rep 1, not minute 12. Active defending in zone 3 from minute 14. The extra pressure separates this from week 3.

Skip Phase 1 (basic) — the squad has done this before. Start at Phase 2 (coach calls targets) and progress through Phase 3 (passive defender). Reinforces the technical demand of receiving on the half-turn under press.

Constraint: 3 passes minimum before shooting, AND first touch must go forward (toward opposition goal). Combines the session's two technical themes. Run as 4-minute rounds with 90-second resets. End on free play (final 4 minutes).

Active recovery after the high-volume session. Use closing circle for a tactical reflection: 'when did the team's shape break down today?' — coaches the players to start observing themselves.