Five defensive defensive technical skills are marking, tackling, heading, intercepting passes and clearing.

Marking

Marking is the skill of guarding offensive players to prevent them from receiving the ball. The defense also uses this technique to slow down the attacking team and to allow teammates to recover their positions. Defenders should mark the attacking player nearest them by position themselves between that player and the goal, also known as "goalside". This allows defenders to prevent the attacking player from running unopposed towards the goal and are better able to gain possession of the ball off the dribble and intercept passes. The closer the defending player is to the attacker, the more difficult it is for the attacker to accurately dribble, pass and shoot.

• Maintain ready postiion with feet slightly less than shoulder width apart, knees bent and body leaning slightly forward
• Eyes focused on the ball or the dribbler’s hips, NOT the player’s feet
• Adjust positioning based on the dribbler’s speed, ability and location on the field    Back to top

Tackling

Taking the ball from an opponent is known as tackling. The primary goal of tackling is to gain possession of the ball from an opponent. Kicking away a ball is not gaining possession; you must dispossess an opposing player and maintain control of the ball. Players should step in whenever the attacker temporarily loses control of the ball and not be afraid to try to take it away when they have a good opportunity, such as when the dribbler pushes the ball too far ahead or when they did not receive a pass correctly.  

The defender should approach a dribbler in a slightly sideways position so that the dribbler does not push the ball between their legs and be ready to reestablish a good defensive position if they are unsuccessful in their tackling attempt.

Block Tackle:

• Quickly close the distance between you and the defender
• Assume a slightly crouched position with feet in a staggered stance to be able to react more quickly to a dribbler’s move
• To make the tackle, turn the foot sideways, making contact with the instep. The foot must be kept firm as it contacts the ball.

Poke Tackle:

Players can use a poke tackle whenever they are approaching an opponent from the side or from slightly behind. Whereas the block tackle is used for the primary intent of tackling -- to gain possession -- the poke tackle is used to achieve the secondary intent of tackling, which is to dispossess an opponent.

• Mark the dribbler and wait for an opportunity to attack the ball
• Move near the dribbler and plant the nonkicking foot away from the ball
• With the toes of the other foot, use a short, firm kick near the center of the ball to knock it away from the opponent    Back to top

Heading

When on defense, players use heading to clear the ball away from the scoring range of the goal. The technical aspects of heading are the same whether on offense or defense, except that players on defense should strike the ball on the bottom half in order to send it high over attackers.    Back to top

Intercepting Passes

Defenders should try to intercept a pass whenever possible, rather than attempting to dispossess an attacker after already receiving a pass. Starting a counterattack after intercepting a pass is much easier than starting it after a tackle or regaining possession after the ball as left the field of play. Defenders need to be alert for opportunities to intercept passes. Intercepting, which is stepping in between the receiver and the ball before the receiver can get it, requires good timing and a strong desire to possess the ball. The best time to intercept a pass is when the receiver is stationary and the pass is slow. The following are cues as to whether an opportunity exists to intercept a pass:

• Are the receiver’s feet flat?
• Is the receiver not moving to the pass or moving slowly?
• Is the receiver looking only at the ball, not aware of defenders around them?    Back to top

Clearing

When the attack plays the ball into the danger zone in front of the goal, the defense has a 50% chance of clearing it -- meaning they will send the ball high, far and wide of the goal. It is preferable for the defender to intercept a pass or tackle a dribbler to gain possession so they can begin a counterattack with the defender’s teammates, rather than simply to blast the ball into space. As defenders become more skilled they will learn to turn a clearing pass into an opportunity for their teammates.    Back to top

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