I get regular emails asking about how “Zone Defence” works.
Really I’m not a fan of zoning, but this is the very simplest way I can explain it…I will also explain how to break up a zone defence.
Zoning is where players are virtually taking space away from the other team.
By this I mean that your players are placed, most commonly for zoning, in a box formation in the opposition’s attacking third, literally taking up space that the opposition players would try to lead into and easily manageable for your players to attempt intercepts.
To work effectively your players have to be constantly moving and have their arms out, taking space away. That is the simplest way that I can explain it to you, of course it has to be practised and practised so that you don’t have your players taking each other’s space away.
I have never really used zoning and find that the one on one play a lot easier to teach, and I think, it’s a lot more effective.
Zoning is a an art form concentrating on not letting a ball go through the box formation.
However, it is easily broken up by the opposition making short sharp passes.
The zone defence players will eventually have to go for ball. You have forced this action through your short sharp passing.
In our Rep Teams we have had defenders who are a lot shorter than the Goalers and they have beaten them constantly with hassling one on one play.