Welcome to the Soccer Awareness Coaches Corner. Browse through soccer drills, small sided games, tactical thoughts, full sessions and a variety of resources. Posts marked “Training Center Exclusive” are for members only.
Triangle Rondo and Angled Support for 6 Players
Two balls going at once. 1 touch if possible otherwise two touches maximum to keep the timing going. Players don’t rotate positions. Repeats every 5th pass. Coordinated movements and rhythm between groups.
The following drill comes from the new Rondos section of the Soccer Awareness Training Center. Soccer Awareness Training Center provides unlimited access to Wayne Harrison's Soccer Awareness systems, training sessions, drills and more. Wayne's system helps develop world class youth soccer players and teams in a systematic and imaginative manner that guarantees performance at the highest level of competition. Whether you’re a beginning coach who needs help getting started or someone who wants to add some variety to their training sessions, the Soccer Awareness Training Center offers a wide variety of drills to choose from. Join Today
Two balls going at once. 1 touch if possible otherwise two touches maximum to keep the timing going.
Players don’t rotate positions. Repeats every 5th pass. Coordinated movements and rhythm between groups.
Space Rondos Training a One Touch Mentality - Training Center Exclusive
A great drill for awareness on and off the ball. Passing and moving. Must be one touch and as fast as possible. This one is easy to do on and off the ball.
Objectives:
First touch development
Body positioning
Anticipating situations in advance of the ball
Finding space
Movement OFF the ball
Communication
Mental and physical transitions
*Membership Required
Passing and moving.
Must be one touch and as fast as possible.
A great drill for awareness on and off the ball.
(B) passes to (A) then runs to the free cone the top right of the square.
This one is easy to do on and off the ball.
Objectives:
First touch development
Body positioning
Anticipating situations in advance of the ball
Finding space
Movement OFF the ball
Communication
Mental and physical transitions
A Good Warm Up: Space Rondos using one touch
Passing and moving. Must be one touch and as fast as possible. Here (B) passes to (A) and moved to the free cone. (A) passes to (C) and moves to the free cone. Observation must be away from the ball to see where the free space is BEFORE receiving the pass.
Space Rondos using one touch
One ball, Two balls then 3 balls. Now we add the necessary observation of 2 or 3 balls, as one goes the next one may arrive; so constantly scanning the field.
Players OFF the ball can switch positions now
One ball, Two balls then 3 balls. Now we add the necessary observation of 2 or 3 balls, as one goes the next one may arrive; so constantly scanning the field.
Teaching Anticipation in players
Now we number off each player; you can have 4 to 8 players doing this if you like. If 8 players use 9 cones so always one free one to run to (or more choices if needed). 1 passes to 2, 2 to 3, 3 to 4 and 4 to 5 and so on. So they are watching the player who is passing to them, and scanning where the player they must pass to is at the time; whilst they are moving off the ball too.
Now players position Between the cones (finding space) not on them
Cones represent defenders so players position between them in the best spaces possible. Talk about triangles and diamonds. Pass and move then call stand still. Check positioning.
Now players position Between the cones not on them
Cones represent defenders so players position between them in the best spaces possible. Talk about triangles and diamonds. Pass and move then stand still. Check positioning. Try to position in the biggest space available.
6 points of observation for players:
Team mates positions,
Defenders (cones) positions;
Where Spaces are,
The position of who I'm receiving from,
The position of who I'm passing to,
Where the other balls are which will force each player to consistently scan the field.
This 222 page eBook explores the use of rondos in youth soccer. Rondos are a great way to prepare players for the game situations and especially the fast decision making needed within the game. I have included as a way to work into these game situations many Rondo ideas that I feel are great foundation builders for players learning to combine and play together. I have stayed with simplistic ideas that all levels of players can try and be successful at. It is up to each coach to work out how to make it work for their players.
Though the foundation of the basic rondo stays the same; we explore different ways to present it. It can be made easier or more difficult based on the number of touches players are allowed, for example, so it benefits ALL players who practice with them; also the size of area they play within can be manipulated to change the challenge.