Equipment Needed
- Balls
- Full field
- Pinnies
Setup
- Attackers start with a numbers advantage (e.g., 4 attackers vs. 3 defenders) at or near midfield, facing a live goalie.
- A coach or extra player starts the break with an outlet pass to simulate winning possession off a clear or turnover.
Instructions
- On the outlet pass, attackers push the ball up the field in their lanes, staying spread to maintain the numbers advantage.
- The ball carrier attacks downhill, forcing the defense to commit, then looks to hit the open teammate created by that committed defender.
- Finish the possession with a shot within a short time window (8–10 seconds) before the defense can fully recover.
- Reset with a new group and vary the numbers advantage (3v2, 4v3, 5v4) as the group's decision-making improves.
Coaching Points
- Attackers should run in lanes, not converge into a pack — tight spacing lets one defender take away two attackers at once.
- The ball carrier's job is to draw a defender and pass, not to try to beat every defender solo.
- Finish quickly; a fast break that turns into a slow, standing possession has given up its whole advantage.
- Defenders in this drill should communicate and recover to the most dangerous open man, not just the nearest attacker.
Variation
Start the break from a simulated goalie save to add a realistic trigger, or add a backchecking defender to chase the play down and create true game pressure.