All Drills

Jockey & Delay

defending intermediate U12 U14 U16+ Adult

12

Minutes

2

Players

2

Items

Objective

Delay an attacker by jockeying patiently until cover arrives.

Equipment

  • Ball
  • Cones

Instructions

  1. 1

    Attacker starts with the ball at one end of a 20-yard channel. Defender at the other.

  2. 2

    Attacker tries to reach the far end. Defender jockeys — no tackle allowed for the first 10 seconds.

  3. 3

    After 10 seconds the defender may attempt to win the ball.

  4. 4

    Rotate roles every 4 reps.

Coaching Points

  • Stay side-on at a 45° angle — never square.
  • Slow, shuffling steps — do not back-pedal in a straight line.
  • Force the attacker toward the touchline, away from central danger zones.

Variations

  • Reduce the 10-second delay to 5 seconds as players improve.

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