Players in Red dribble the ball freely while players in White jog, skip, knees up, heels up.
Switch Roles after 60 to 90 seconds!
Variation 1: Players in Red dribble freely, but when coach shouts a command they must perform a move and change their pace. Ex. Coach shouts “Turn” players perform a Stepover or Pull back and accelerate away. White could perform any type of movement or stretch the coach desires.
Variation 2: Red’s could be juggling the ball while Whites perform a movement without the ball.
Reds dribble freely trying to push the ball through as many of the white players’ legs as possible.
Switch Roles after 60 to 90 seconds!
Coach should have players perform each task twice. On the second turn ask the players to “beat their previous score” or “set their record”.
Ask players’ that are dribbling to use their instep or outside of the foot while dribbling. This will mirror “running with the ball” in a game situation. When players’ dribble with the inside of the foot, they generally move slower and tend to play with their head down. Ask players to “Accelerate” after pushing the all through a gate.
Rule: You cannot go through the same gate twice without visiting another gate.
White now has the balls in their hands. Red moves throughout the grid and calls for the ball. White tosses the ball to Red (either for an inside of the foot volley or header), Red tries to play the ball directly back to the servers’ chest. Red should move off quickly to another White server.
Note: Ask players not to move in a circle, but to quickly change direction and accelerate to an open server. This will mirror the movements a player has to perform in a game.
Variation 1: Coach can ask Reds’ to receive ball with chest or thigh and play ball back to white with their second touch.
Variation 2: Coach can ask Reds’ to receive ball from server and turn and play to a white that has no ball (more difficult). This forces a player to get their head up and see the field as well as gaining control of the ball quickly.
Switch every 60 to 90 seconds!
Red now dribbles freely and passes to white players and move for a 1-2 “wall pass”.
Note: White never drops the ball square but at an angle (into the path of the red player). This is a good habit for payers at any age to get into. Square balls are very dangerous!
Not pictured: White should not remain stationary, but instead be moving around calling for the ball. Red should move quickly after passing to white and accelerate away after collecting the return pass.
Note: This is more demanding than all the exercises previously listed in hat all players are moving. It is a great final progression prior to moving to the Match related phase of your practice. Players have to dribble, pass, receive, accelerate and communicate!
Switch Roles after 60 to 90 seconds!
If you enjoy this exercise Coach Donahue recommends:
| Possible next Activity: | Match Related Game/Exercise to Goal: |
|---|---|
| 3v3v3 Dual Field | Three Team Game Combined |
| 4v4 with Flying Rotations | 4v4 Round Robin Day |
