Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Rondo Tag

Rondo Tag (animated)

Setup:

• 4 grids for rondos of any size based on your numbers, from 3v1 up to 5v2 or whatever. Adjust sizes for your age and stage of development. The bigger each one is, the less challenging it is to move/keep the ball.
• Teams attempt to keep possession for a certain amount of time or certain number of passes, and they can then advance into the next grid, moving clockwise.
  • Note: its good to require the teams to advance the ball via a pass into the next grid (instead of just a dribble). Teaching them to find the right time to move the ball forward. You can also force the target to be in the far end of the other grid before they can play to her.
• If/when possession is lost, the timer/count starts over. Teams can't progress to next square until they get to the target time or count.
  • Note: Defenders, if they win the ball, can try to just keep it to delay their opponents and allow their teammates to catch them, which incorporates defensive transition.
• First team to catch up to the opposing team's square wins that round.
• Can change defenders each round, or even mid-round by assigning them numbers and each time a number is called each team has to swap a new defender in there.
• If ball is kicked away, grab a new one from center as quickly as possible.

• Possession: many standard possession coaching points to focus on: 
  • movement to create openings
  • communication
  • receiving across the body
  • playing quickly
  • quality of the pass (technique, crispy pace, accuracy to play in front of teammate) 
  • La Pausa: Draw in defender to allow teammates more space/time (if you can use an amount of time as the condition to play forward instead of just # of passes)
  • First touch: receive away from pressure
  • etc
• Transition to get the ball back immediately if dispossessed
• Awareness: when/how to move into the adjacent rondo when able.
• Decision-making: when/how to play forward
  • Often as soon as they are allowed to play to next rondo, players will rush/force the pass. Is there a teammate you can pass to that has a better chance of moving the ball forward?