The Gold Pinnie: One Player Marked, the Rest in Zone
On each attack one player wears the gold pinnie and a defender marks them player-to-player while the rest defend in a zone. The defense practices a combination defense and the attack learns to use the marked player to drag the defender away and open space.
How to play
- Explain: 5v5 on 30 × 15 m fields with end zones; the attacking team chooses who wears the yellow pinnie each possession (3 min).
- Play: one defender follows the gold pinnie everywhere and the other four defend their area of the field (6 min).
- Attacking pause: how can you use the fact that the gold pinnie takes their defender along? Where should they move? (3 min).
- Play applying the ideas: the gold pinnie drags the marker out of the middle to leave space for a teammate (6 min).
- Switch: now the defense secretly chooses which attacker to mark player-to-player (5 min).
- Wrap-up: in which sports do teams put special coverage on the opponent's best player? (2 min).
Rules
- Player-to-player marking at an arm's length, no grabbing or pushing.
- No contact: interceptions only.
- The gold pinnie changes hands each possession and nobody repeats until everyone has worn it.
- No walking with the ball.
Variations
Easier
The defense plays two in zone and one on the player, against four attackers.
Standard
One on the player and four in zone, 5v5.
Harder
Two gold pinnies with player marking and three in zone.
Adaptations
- Students with visual impairments: don't wear the gold pinnie at first and play zone with a teammate who orients them.
- Limited mobility: may wear the gold pinnie as a passer; their marker must stay two meters away.
- Less skilled students: wearing the gold pinnie and dragging the marker is a valuable role even without catching; praise it out loud.
Learning goals
- Tell player-to-player defense from zone defense.
- Use off-ball movement to create space for a teammate.
- Organize a combination defense.
Equipment for a class of 25
- foam balls: 2
- pinnies: 16
- yellow pinnies: 4
- cones: 16
Teacher tip
No yellow pinnies? Any third color or a scarf on the arm works. Typical mistake: the gold pinnie calls for the ball nonstop; explain that their best play may be dragging the marker far away.
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