Man-to-Man Defense
A small group training practice plan from spring 2025
Warm-Up: Spring 2025 Warm-Up
I referenced this new warm-up in the “What’s New” section in a previous Substack Post regarding Spring 2025. I know I still haven’t shared exactly what it is but maybe it’ll come soon!
Coaching Constraint: Coach Danielle cannot use her voice to lead the time transitions or announce what we are doing.
Purpose: Emphasize the importance of communication and its connection to defense, especially man-to-man.
I’ve been enjoying adapting the warm-up slightly from session to session to emphasize an area or skill we will be using throughout the session. Everything has a purpose and is connected!
Lock & Key Analogy: Here’s a throwback to a video I made about the “Lock & Key” analogy years ago. I still use this analogy whenever I teach a team defense concept.
Intro Game: 2v2 Endzone Game
Purpose: Introduce individual defense and establish how to have a “secure” man-to-man defense (lock aspect of our lock & key analogy above).
Coaching constraint: You cannot play against anyone else besides your girl.
Level Up: Once the attack scores, you must switch your “man” that you’re guarding. This constraint makes defense more challenging and more game like as there are more transitions increasing the need for communication.
Questions:
What are some keys to playing man-to-man defense well?
When you were on attack against a man-to-man defender, what did it feel like? What did it look like? What did it sound like? What did it smell like? What did it taste like? (These last two questions are more for fun. However, I love this tool as it helps them create a vivid picture of the scene. In this case, I used these questions for them to describe the “golden standard” for man-to-man defense as a reference for the future.)
Technical Work: Man-to-Man Breakers (2 min drills)
Purpose: These are the “keys” to breaking the “lock” of the man-to-man defense (the “key” aspect of our “lock & key” analogy from above).
Each 2 minute drill aims at equipping our athletes with a tool to use when they face man-to-man in the future.
Give N Go
Drop N Go
Post Up
U Shaped Lead with Aerial into Space (Space Balls)
Application Game: 2v2v2 Transition Game in Attack 25
Purpose: A final game to apply man-to-man defense and to work on beating the man-to-man defense when on attack.
Peer Feedback: This game is a great opportunity to practice the skill of giving each other peer feedback. How did it feel to play against your opponent? When was your opponent strong on defense? Where could your opponent have improved their defensive pressure?
Corners: To maximize our hour long session and to replicate some game environments, we use our rest between game sessions to practice corners!
Notebook Recap:
Lock-What is important to having a strong man-to-man defense?
Key-How do you break or “unlock” man-to-man defensive pressure? What are the keys?
Location-When have you faced this defense before? Who plays it? When have you played this type of defense? (The goal of these questions are to have the athletes think about when they might have faced man-to-man before now that they have a clearer understanding of what it is and what it feels like to play against it. Can we be quicker to recognize it so that we can break it sooner and create better opportunities earlier in the game?)
Pros & Cons-What are the benefits to man-to-man? What are the challenges?