While playing zone defense, the defensive player guards a space or area instead of a particular opponent. This is different than a man-to-man defense, where a defensive player guards a particular opponent. One of the main advantages of zone defense is that it can be "simpler" to implement, and it is a different look, which may confuse some teams in some sports.
Zone defense is an option in basketball, football, and soccer. In a previous post, I talked a little bit about implementing a functional soccer defense... This is not necessarily a "zone" scheme, more of a reacting-to-the-ball scheme... but it is certainly more zone than man-to-man. It may be better to avoid man-to-man defense because offense and defense are inter-twined in soccer, and if you're playing man-to-man defense, it's likely that the defenders will be closer when your team has the ball.
For flag football, I completely advocate zone defense for the young (and old!). Why? It is difficult for young defenders to keep up with receivers, given the options of running and passing, and the different schemes that can be used by offense to confuse the defense. I've found that defenders tend to be in better position if they are in an area, and then react as the ball is played. There's probably a whole post on this...
For basketball, I know there's a whole post on defense. I suggest man-to-man in this case. It is easier for the kids to understand finding their "man" and standing between their man and the basket than it is for them to remember which area they have and how to react appropriately. So - 3 different sports, 3 different strategies? Yes. And for good reason.
I encourage you to experiment on your own, and go with what works for your team...
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