REASONS FOR USING ZONES IN TRAINING EXERCISES

The use of zones in training exercises can be used as an effective teaching tool. It gives players a simplified and clear visual picture to interpret, thus allowing for increased learning and repetition at initial stages of a training session.
The danger of using zones is that play at times becomes “forced” or over simplified. At times, if zones are used, a certain action (e.g. “You must pass in to the next zone) is forced on the player when in reality a better solution (e.g. they should have dribbled) was what was appropriate at the time.

However, because of the clarity involved, using zones remains an effective teaching tool when used appropriately, at the correct times in a training session (beginning stages).

What follows is a brief list of the possible advantages of using zones.

Technical:
 Forces the use of a particular technique on the game, increasing repetitions (e.g. players must dribble or pass over a line, pass to a player in a target area, pass to a player running in to a zone).
 Clarifies when a particular technique can be used.

Tactical:
 Clearly defines roles within the framework of a team (back players, front players, midfielders).
 Clearly defines the team shape in each zone (by limiting the number of players in each zone, it can simplify the roles and shape in each zone).
 Clearly defines the roles of risk and safety for the players.
 Clarifies the picture or part of field for the player.
 Increases the repetition of a given decision (e.g. checking runs to get a ball from the previous zone, runs in behind defenders when penetrating in to the next zone, overlapping runs from one zone to the other).

Ways to use zones:
 Dividing the field up in to areas where a certain condition must be applied (two touch in the back zone, can not pass back in the final zone, etc).
 Players are restricted to play only in their starting zone.
 Players must move the ball in a certain way from one zone to the other (pass, shoot, dribble).
 Players try to score a “goal” by getting the ball in to an end zone, or to a target player that is waiting in that zone.