The Importance of Developing Players Through Teaching Rondos

The following comes from Soccer Awareness eBook "Developing Players with Rondos Using the Soccer Awareness Philosophy"

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. Preview Here

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This is an introduction to my book exploring the use of rondos in youth soccer.

I have included as a way to work into these game situations many Rondo ideas 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.

Rondos are a great way; in my opinion; to prepare players for the game situations and especially the fast decision making needed within the game.

Pep Guardiola quoted this about rondos at Barcelona: “What I learnt here is everything starts with the ball and ends with the ball. Sometimes we forget that it’s a game of 11 v 11 with ONE BALL. We try to keep this ball, we try to play with this ball, we try to make everything with the ball. This is what we learn when we start as children there.”

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What Do Rondos Teach?

A rondo for example isn't just 4 players playing keep away from a single player and a bit of fun (though they Are fun), what you get out of a rondo is the following: 

1. Soccer Awareness: Assessing options BEFORE receiving the ball: The Think and Look

2. Technique,

3. Mobility,

4. Agility and balance

5. Body position,

6. Foot preparation,

7. Communication,

8. The 1st touch,

9. The 2nd touch, and beyond

10. Teamwork,

11. Collective tactical understanding in a small sided game environment,

12. Positioning OFF the ball,

13. Problem solving,

14. And developing creativity and imagination,

15. Intensity of play,

16. Physically challenging;

17. Developing Angles of support;

18. Opening up passing lanes by movement off the ball;

19. Speeding up thinking and decision making, The SKILL FACTOR;

20. ltimately providing a competitive environment where no one wants to give the ball away nd finally,

21. They are fun to do.

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An example of how we develop a Soccer Awareness Rondo over time and increase the challenges

We begin with a basic Rondo. It is none pressured, unlimited touches, and presented in a simple way to allow the players to easily begin the process of education. It is the attention to detail that is paramount in the learning process. The Ball must be passed around the square not across it. Players adjust their position based on the ball. They use the cones as positional points of reference.

Players MUST always open up their body stance to receive with their BACK FOOT. Ways to build the Rondo and increase challenges:

1. Playing unlimited touches

2. Playing 3 touches

3. Playing two touches;

4. Playing one touch when able but 2 touches maximum

5. Adding a defender in the middle so 4 v 1 (can again go back to unlimited touches, 3, then 2, then 1 when able so many more progressions just within the 4 v 1 itself).

6. Players change position and rotate on the outside

7. Add another defender, now 4 v 2 (number of touches, size of area change etc)

8. Challenge outside player to split the 2 defenders with a pass between them

9. Add a neutral attacking player in the middle who outside players MUST involve consistently so now 4 v 2 plus 1. Neutral player 3 or 2 touches only

10. Neutral player ONE touch only

11. Neutral player can rotate in and out with outside players; so very fast decision making in rotations of players added to the passing itself.

12. Reduce to a 3 v 1 rondo and assess if the players are ready to play 1 or 2 touches yet. A very fast movement off the ball challenge now

13. Decrease the size of the grid so less space, faster decisions needed; tighter passing lanes to find, better soccer awareness required.

14. Can you think of any other progressions you could add to this to increase the challenge and intensity of the practice?

15. Once players are EXCELLENT at all these progressions a logical move now would be to go to double rondos. More players, more options, more decisions, and now mental transitions happen more going from attacking to defending at pace

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Quick Transition 2 v 2 Rondos

The following drill comes from the New Soccer Awareness eBook Developing Players with Rondos Using the Soccer Awareness Philosophy. 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. Preview The Book

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This is a 2 v 2 game going to 4 goals. The team who scores stays on and must quickly defend the 2 new players coming in (one from each goal that the opposition defends). 

Instant transition with the same ball that the opponents scored with, here (3) and (4) are positioned to immediately bring the ball the opponents’ may score with out to attack. The other two players (1) and (2) must get off the field ASAP.

Introduce a target player (can be coaches or players). Now it can be a 3 v 2 effectively. 
Players can use the target to play give and goes with each other or with their immediate teammates.

Liken passing into the goal as a midfielder passing into a striker so they get the ball in there as quickly as possible or a defender into a midfielder.

• The 1st thought of the player on the ball has to be “Can I score?”

• The 1st thought of the 1st defender is can I stop them scoring, win possession immediately, and score myself.

• First team to 10 goals wins, keeping the competitive element.

• If the ball goes out of play the coach can provide another one to keep things going quickly.

Coaching Points Attacking:

1. Quick Break and counter attack

2. Switching the point of attack if another goal is more open

3. Quick one and two touch passing

4. Positioning to open up passing lanes and getting between defenders to pass the ball in early

5. Creating 2 v 1 situations from a 2 v 2 set up and setting up a give and go.

Coaching Points Defending:

1. Instant pressure as possession changes (transition after scoring going from being an attacker to being a defender)

2. Regaining possession at the front with a scoring reward

3. Getting in front of the passing lanes to prevent the quick pass into the goal.

4. Working together with pressure and support, the support player supporting the first defender, stepping across and covering the passing lane to the second goal and also keeping an eye on the 2nd attacker.

Transition Coaching Points:

Immediately the team that has been in possession of the ball and has scored then they must switch on mentally to being defenders and high pressuring the new attacking team to try to win the ball back and score again.

Area: 15 x 10

1. A 2 v 2 game going to 2 goals. The team who scores stays on and must quickly defend the 2 new players coming in (one from each goal that the opposition defends).

2. Offside half way line. Instant transition with the same ball that the opponents scored with.

3. Players can use the target to play give and goes with each other or with their immediate teammates.

1. Use the players in the goals to support. They have 1 or 2 touches only so they must play quickly.

2. Now it is essentially a 3 v 2. For the inside players start with unlimited touches then as they are successful decrease the number to test their peripheral vision and awareness on and off the ball.

3. Always increasing the challenge each point of success is reached.

Now develop by allowing the balls to transfer

1. This will really test the players imagination and awareness on and off the ball. In one instant (3) and (4) are defending, in the next they are attacking. Likewise for the letters team.

2. Here we show how the mental transition works with each team suddenly changing their positions defensively to deal with the change.

Get much more like this in the New Soccer Awareness eBook Developing Players with Rondos Using the Soccer Awareness Philosophy. 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. Preview The Book

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Soccer Awareness and Barcelona 4 v 1 Rondo

The following comes from the Soccer Awareness 12 Week Academy Level Training Plan! 

Do you want to get to the next level in your team's soccer development? If so check out this specialized coaching and training program by our Founder, Wayne Harrison, is designed to cover: Technique; Skill; Physical; Tactical and Psychological / Mental Developmental Training.

Preview Here

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This exercise is what the Barcelona thinking model of passing and movement is built on.

Players start at 7 years old and use it right thru the ages; and even at senior level it is a staple practice for the players.

Please read to understand the “attention to detail” required to do this correctly. It's not just a passing around the square game, it is so much more than this.

We build it up to make it work with real pace and accuracy; as again; it speeds up the mind and body in decision making. Unlimited touches to begin.

Area is 7 x 7 yard grid.

Players move to the cones to receive the pass. Moving left to right the player must position so they receive the ball with the OUTSIDE / OPPOSITE / BACK foot. This opens their body position up to be able to either pass back or in a different direction very easily and very quickly because they are already balanced and ready. White players signifies their movement.

It seems a very simple idea; and it is; but it is the attention to detail that is paramount in the learning process.

The Ball must be passed around the square not across it. Players adjust their position based on the ball.

They use the cones as positional points of reference.

So pass and follow pass to the right and you receive with the right foot and pass with the left foot, pass to the left you receive with the left foot and pass with the right foot. You can also change direction.

EVERYTHING DONE AT PACE and with ACCURACY, with good COMMUNICATION required.

3 v 1 SA Rondos Using Two Touches

Check Out the 12 Week Academy Level Training Plan

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