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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.
Barcelona Double Rondos with a Neutral Player Added
Sliding Rondo Playing 1 and 2 Touches
Double Diamond Rondos for 10 Players
A Rondo Overloading Players In The Zone 14 - Training Center Exclusive
This Rondo is perfect for a starting point on rotation and movement in front of opponents defense. Teams may work out that we are good at playing penetrating passes and making great runs in behind them so the way to try to stop this is to defend deep.
If they defend deep we need a tactical solution to counter this. This presentation gives you ideas on how to do this and play initially IN-FRONT of the opponents back four.
Bayern Munich and Barcelona are very good at this, both motivated and taught by Pep Guardiola.
Soccer Awareness Training Center members can download this full 20 page session below.
This Rondo is perfect for a starting point on rotation and movement in front of opponents defense. Teams may work out that we are good at playing penetrating passes and making great runs in behind them so the way to try to stop this is to defend deep.
If they defend deep we need a tactical solution to counter this. This presentation gives you ideas on how to do this and play initially IN-FRONT of the opponents back four.
Bayern Munich and Barcelona are very good at this, both motivated and taught by Pep Guardiola.
We can do it at our age level just as effectively. We can practice this in a tight area, with the relevant players in their usual positions in the attacking third and just play possession as a warm up.
Lots of repetition in training to embed the ideas in the players minds.
Setting Conditions To Make It Work
We overload zone 14 as shown. Condition the back four to not be able to go past the blue cones to keep them defending deep. Condition the attacking players to stay inside the Zone 14 orange coned off area so they MUST condense and get tight and get close to each other.
Getting Shots In On Goal
Again short and sharp build up, good positions in tight spaces between opponents and movements OFF the ball to get free to get into a shooting position. Other players follow in for rebounds but time it so they are not offside. Typical Messi run.
Overloading Players In Front Of The Opponents Two Center Backs
We want to overload Zone 14 in the center of the field by maintaining two wide players so there is an option to play wide. The idea is to get up in numbers in front of the two center backs. If the fullbacks tuck in to help as they have here and equal the numbers up then we can go wide to (2) and (11). Here a 3 v 2 centrally. (A) and / or (D) may tuck in but this frees up (11) and (2) wide.
This can be one full session practicing playing short and tight and with quick 1 and 2 touch play. Players must move subtly to get into open very tight passing lanes between opponents.
Play quickly.
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The Importance of Developing Players Through Teaching Rondos
Rondos are a great way to prepare players for the game situations and especially the fast decision making needed within the game. Though the foundation of the basic rondo stays the same, it can be made more difficult or easier by the number of touches players are allowed for example so it benefits ALL players who practice with them.
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
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.”
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:
Soccer Awareness: Assessing options BEFORE receiving the ball: The Think and Look
Technique,
Mobility,
Agility and balance
Body position,
Foot preparation,
Communication,
The 1st touch,
The 2nd touch, and beyond
Teamwork,
Collective tactical understanding in a small sided game environment,
Positioning OFF the ball,
Problem solving,
And developing creativity and imagination,
Intensity of play,
Physically challenging;
Developing Angles of support;
Opening up passing lanes by movement off the ball;
Speeding up thinking and decision making, The SKILL FACTOR;
ltimately providing a competitive environment where no one wants to give the ball away nd finally,
They are fun to do.
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:
Playing unlimited touches
Playing 3 touches
Playing two touches;
Playing one touch when able but 2 touches maximum
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).
Players change position and rotate on the outside
Add another defender, now 4 v 2 (number of touches, size of area change etc)
Challenge outside player to split the 2 defenders with a pass between them
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
Neutral player ONE touch only
Neutral player can rotate in and out with outside players; so very fast decision making in rotations of players added to the passing itself.
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
Decrease the size of the grid so less space, faster decisions needed; tighter passing lanes to find, better soccer awareness required.
Can you think of any other progressions you could add to this to increase the challenge and intensity of the practice?
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
Get The Book
Quick Transition 2 v 2 Rondos
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).
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
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:
Quick Break and counter attack
Switching the point of attack if another goal is more open
Quick one and two touch passing
Positioning to open up passing lanes and getting between defenders to pass the ball in early
Creating 2 v 1 situations from a 2 v 2 set up and setting up a give and go.
Coaching Points Defending:
Instant pressure as possession changes (transition after scoring going from being an attacker to being a defender)
Regaining possession at the front with a scoring reward
Getting in front of the passing lanes to prevent the quick pass into the goal.
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
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).
Offside half way line. Instant transition with the same ball that the opponents scored with.
Players can use the target to play give and goes with each other or with their immediate teammates.
Use the players in the goals to support. They have 1 or 2 touches only so they must play quickly.
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.
Always increasing the challenge each point of success is reached.
Now develop by allowing the balls to transfer
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.
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
A Square Passing Rondo Introducing Brain Centered Awareness Training
The goal of this exercise is to help program movements into our players while also helping them develop proper habits to read the game and play in a creative manner.
Groups of 4 players with one ball. Place extra balls either in the grid or nearby to keep the exercise flowing in the event of mistakes.
The Square should be approximately 15×15 yards. There should be three discs at each corner of the square (as pictured).
The Goal of this exercise is to help program movements into our players while also helping them develop proper habits to read the game and play in a creative manner.
Focus: Players should start on the furthest disc from the player they’ll be receiving the ball from.
1st Movement: When player B takes his/her first touch “prepares the ball”, player C should break off the disc “separate from the defender” and show into the space to receive a pass from B. Player D should now be prepared to separate from the defender on player C’s preparation touch. Exercise continues.
Coaching Points:
Crisp Passing
Explosive Separation from defender
Head on a swivel- Can we take a look at where we want to play next as the ball is traveling?
Clean 1st touch
This is an outstanding warm-up to help program players with a proper skill set to meet the demands of the modern game, movement off the ball, timing of runs, crisp passing, taking a look!, but for the exercise to truly be effective, the coach MUST demand that all the movements & requirements of the exercise are carried out at game speed. Coaching Demand: If you let your players get away with things that wouldn’t work in the game during training, what is the point of training?
Add Central Midfield Support Players
Now we have give and goes or 1-2s with each of the four players. Two midfield players rotate in and out and take turns in supporting the outside player. If you only have 5 players use one midfield player only.
If you like this, get much more like it in one of our new ebooks:
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. Get It Here
Tactical Thoughts on the Development of the New 4 v 4, 7 v 7 and 9 v 9 Game Sizes
This 407 page eBook shows how these different size games can be taught and also shows different systems of play that might be useful to you.
Run with them as you may and of course come up with your own solutions too as that is what coaching is all about. I have introduced the use of RONDOS to initially aid the development of players for the game situation. Get It Here
Circle Rondos
Passing and movement warm up for quick looking and thinking. Various movements to develop decision making with several progressions. An Introduction to all the basics of the thinking process and how it relates to decision making and movement.
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
Passing and movement warm up for quick looking and thinking. Various movements to develop decision making with several progressions. An Introduction to all the basics of the thinking process and how it relates to decision making and movement.
Circle coaching for passing and support
To increase the players awareness instincts ask them to call the name of the player out who they will be passing to, before they receive the ball. This ensures they look to see who is free before they receive the ball so they know in advance who is free to receive.
One ball, (1) runs and passes to (4) and takes their place. (4) Takes the ball, runs and passes to (8) and so on.
Progression: Introduce two, then three, then four balls all going at the same time. “Awareness” of where each player is running is needed here so they don’t collide and where potential free players to receive are “before” you make the run and pass.
Coaching Points:
Good communication between the players.
Quality of the pass (timing, accuracy and weight).
Good first touch by the receiver.
Progression – Passer becomes a passive defender who puts the receiver under pressure. The receiver must move the ball away at an angle from the pressure on their first touch.
Running with the ball
Running with the ball technique:
Head Up – look forward, observing options “before” receiving the ball using the A.I.A. training.
Good first touch out of feet, 2-3 touches maximum, not dribbling.
Run in a straight line, the quickest route.
Running Style, use the front foot to control the ball using the laces.
Decision: Where is the player taking the ball? In this case to (5) but (5) must try to decide as the ball is coming not after he or she has it. Identify who is free early.
Communication: Call the name of the player you are running the ball to.
Get 222 Pages of Developing Players with Rondos Using the Soccer Awareness Philosophy
Soccer Awareness and Barcelona 4 v 1 Rondo
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.
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.
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
What Does a Rondo 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:
- Soccer Awareness: Assessing options BEFORE receiving the ball
- Technique,
- Mobility,
- Agility and balance
- Body position,
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:
- Soccer Awareness: Assessing options BEFORE receiving the ball
- Technique,
- Mobility,
- Agility and balance
- Body position,
- Foot preparation,
- Communication,
- The 1st touch,
- The 2nd touch, and beyond
- Teamwork,
- Collective tactical understanding in a small sided game environment,
- Positioning OFF the ball,
- Problem solving,
- And developing creativity and imagination,
- Intensity of play,
- Physically challenging;
- Developing Angles of support;
- Opening up passing lanes by movement off the ball;
- Speeding up thinking and decision making, The SKILL FACTOR;
- Ultimately providing a competitive environment where no one wants to give the ball away and finally,
- They are fun to do.
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.