1v1 to the Window

One attacker tries to beat one defender and slip the ball to a teammate waiting in a window — lose it, and the jobs flip on the spot.

The defender's craft — close fast, slow up, get low, body on the attacker — only becomes real against a live attacker with somewhere to go.

Ages 7+Groups of 6 — two teams of 3 (1v1 inside)15 minCones, pinnies, balls

Set up · 3 actions · before the kids arrive

Grab: Cones, two colors of pinnies, and a few balls.
Build: Build a 15-by-15-yard grid, then use cones to mark a 5-yard window on each of the four sides.
Place: Each team takes a pair of opposite windows, with their waiting players lined up in them. One attacker starts inside with the ball; one player from the other team steps in as the defender.

Show me the setup picture

A 15-by-15 grid with a 5-yard cone window on each side, each team's waiting players in opposite windows, one attacker with the ball and one defender inside.

One thing to remember: First-defender pressure — the fast-slow-low approach and body position — plus attacking with speed, quick feints before the pass, and winning the ball back the instant it is lost.

How it runs — the whole game in one sentence

The attacker takes on the defender to get the ball across the grid to a teammate in the window; if the defender wins it, they play to their own side — and the attacker who lost it becomes the defender.

1Organize the players▾
Coach does
Make two teams of three in different pinnies. Give each team a pair of opposite windows and line their waiting players up in them, then send in one attacker with the ball and one defender from the other team.
Coach says
Your team owns these two windows. One from each team in the middle — attacker has the ball.
2Show the jobs▾
Coach does
Walk both jobs — the attacker beats the defender and passes to the teammate across the grid, who becomes the next attacker against the same defender. A defender who wins it plays to either teammate on their side, and the attacker who lost it defends.
Coach says
Beat your defender and hit your window. Lose the ball? You're the defender now.
3Play▾
Coach does
Keep it continuous — every window pass launches a new attacker at the same defender, and every lost ball flips the jobs immediately.
Coach says
Fast, slow, get low! Body on them — ball or player, never both.
Look for: The defender's approach — fast to close, slow to arrive, low in the stance, hands on the attacker — instead of a flying lunge.
4Switch and repeat▾
Coach does
Let the game rotate itself — window passes pull new attackers in and turnovers make new defenders. Keep the tempo up and the windows ready.
Coach says
New attacker — go! Windows, stay ready.

If it's not working

If the attacker can never get across, send a second attacker in — 2v1 until the ball starts reaching the windows, then back to 1v1.

Want to go deeper? Optional — not needed to run the game.

Why are we doing this?

Every player cycles through both jobs without a line or a whistle — the game's own turnovers do the rotating. And because the attacker always has a live target, the defender learns the real version of the job: close fast, arrive slow, stay low, get your hands on the attacker, and choose ball or player — never both.

What are they learning?

First-defender pressure — the fast-slow-low approach and body position — plus attacking with speed, quick feints before the pass, and winning the ball back the instant it is lost.

How can I change it?

Next: 1v1 Defending the Dribble — the pressure craft on its own, against a live dribbler.